Page 63 of The Only Way Out Is Up

It’s fast. But Star’s fast, too. He leaps sideways, and Vripiai’s jaws meet on empty air. Star bounces in for a strike, jamming a limb between two body sections. There’s a screech as his weapon scores the armor, but the damage is minimal. Vripiai reacts quickly and seemingly of its own accord, utterly unlike the clumsy street runics. Its body writhes, threatening to slam Star against the wall while its head comes round. Star jumps away from another bite, jumps again to avoid the tail-spike, and manages a glancing blow of his own.

[Worrying: unable to penetrate the outer skin.]

It must be layered up with RESISTS underneath. Keep hitting the same spot and they’ll break eventually. Even a green RESIST can only take so much abuse before popping. I hope, anyway. I’ve never exactly had one to practice on.

[Dubious: targeting is difficult as well.]

I can see that from here. Vripiai’s long body is constantly in motion, the segments twisting around one another as its head sways back and forth. It makes another try for Star, who bounces up to grab the fence in a repeat of his maneuver against Crusher. Vripiai lashes out with its tail and Star evades. The tail-spike slams through the fence and into the crowd beyond. I hear screams, almost lost beneath the roar.

“Taj,” Ky says in my ear. Her hand closes on my arm.

“A little busy.”

“Taj, he’s here.”

“Who’s here?”

“Gestian.”

It takes me a second to place the name. Gestian, her family’s former head guard, who had betrayed and murdered her father.

“Where?”

“Down in the gallery.”

I glance away from the fight. The gallery is a walkway surrounding the pit on the first level, outside the ring of spectators. It’s crowded tonight, but it’s at least possible to walk around there. I realize I have no idea what Gestian looks like, and I’m about to tell Ky this when I notice I can see several small groups looking up at us. They’re dressed a lot like the thugs who killed Weslai.

“Are those Pader’s people?” I ask.

“What?” Ky seems genuinely shaken. “Where?”

“There, and there.”

“Shit. Shit. How can they both be here? Our luck can’t be that bad.”

“Maybe they’re working together.”

“That’s—”

There’s a screech of metal on metal, and my attention snaps back to the arena. Too late.

Star is in the middle of another jump when Vripiai’s head shoots forward with a sudden burst of speed. It’s been holding back, letting us get too comfortable. Star tries to twist in midair, but the snake snags one of his hind limbs. Its tail comes up, spike poised over Star’s midsection.

Purge!

There’s a brief tug at my spirit as the emergency system fires, an EXPLODE sigil burning out the spar behind the leg joint. The leg breaks away and Star falls free, moments before the spike skewers him. He lands gracefully on his seven remaining limbs and delivers a quick triple-strike to Vripiai’s side. There’s a hint of green sparks through the gap in the armor, and one of the plates dents a little.

You’re getting somewhere!

[Assessment: not fast enough.]

“We have to get out of here,” Ky says, eyes on the approaching thugs. “They’re boxing us in.”

Shit. Shit shit shit. Star, Bug Zapper.

[Objection: but—]

Just do it! It probably won’t be as effective against a runic with a foundation sigil, but maybe—