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"Back, Shuyun!" Da'Nar's voice carried over the din of the battle before the gates. "We must fall back!"

The Monk dispatched the Darkfriend before him and turned to see Da'Nar give ground, hard pressed by two other attackers wearing Aridholan uniforms. Launching himself at the soldiers, Shuyun swept the sword arm from the nearest one with a devastating overhand blow. His scream of agony was cut short as Da'Nar's sword took him in the throat and the second man, seeing himself now greatly outmatched, turned tail and fled.

The Warder made to follow, but Shuyun's sword and level gaze held him back. "No, Da'Nar," he said. "Our fight is here. Ji'anna is here!"

Da'Nar's head snapped around, a flash of pain searing across his burnished golden eyes as he scanned the courtyard for some sign of his Bondmate. Desperate seconds passed as the battle raged around them, inexplicably leaving them untouched until, with a cry, Da'Nar spotted her.

Before the gates, a titanic battle was being waged, the participants all but ignorant of the war raging about them. A man, towering and draped head to toe in black stood against Ji'anna and Alysa Rosmani, his head flung back and a sneer of uttermost contempt decorating his aquiline features. Even at this distance it was easy to feel the waves of Power emanating from the combatants as they flung the Source about with impunity, striking out blindly, desperately at each other.