The case body moved first, and the living rank had to answer while pain still argued with every joint.
It struck the glass low, sending the hit into the case frame rather than the receiver mouth. JJ took it through her hip and nearly folded sideways. The frame tried to jump ahead of the ring in the broken order, and the receiver teeth opened toward it with eager heat.
Ty brought the sickles down before the frame could become first.
His strike started at the bone chip. He forced the hook past his broken finger and dragged the pull through Rusuf's lift. Rusuf caught the weight with half a sword and raised the buried ring until the receiver had to taste it.
"Ring is up, but I am spending wrist faster than courage," Rusuf said.
Yun-Jin pulled anchor pressure across the ring before the case could shove through. The pink line snapped straight, cutting into her palm again. Blue drove the dead fuse down with the heel of her damaged hand, and fire heat opened under the receiver tooth.
