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By the time Hector completed the trap, his spires were both shredded, and he had to eat another lightning bolt. It sent him toppling backward with a smoldering chunk taken out of his neck and shoulder, very nearly decapitating him. Fleeting sparks leapt across his flesh as he fought the muscle spasms throughout his body, still struggling to stand and keep his eyes on the enemy.

Karkash received the surprise with a scowl. The shirtless man couldn’t stop the spike, but he still managed to slightly alter its trajectory. Instead of crushing his entire body, it tore his legs off. The spike’s impact made the ground bulge up around it, flipping Karkash into the air.

And Hector had a few moments to breathe. As he recreated his lightning rods, his gaze turned to Andres and Lynnette. Huge pieces of twisted iron littered their battlefield, but that didn’t seem to have slowed them down any.

Andres had built a tall, crystal platform to elevate himself out of Lynnette’s reach. She was busy trying to destroy its foundation while having to avoid a constant barrage of crystals. So while Andres’ eyes were on her, Hector encased him in metal. It was enough of a surprise to make the man have to pause before crystals could tear him free again. It was only an instant, but Lynnette didn’t need any more than that. She smashed one of the platform’s legs, making it tilt over. Andres tried to rebuild it, but Lynn just smashed another one, and he fell. His crystals couldn’t protect him as her violet sword cleaved him in two.

Hector, however, had turned away by then, having to deal with Karkash again. The stalemate had more or less returned, but Hector had his legs back, while Karkash didn’t, so he was trying to press closer and making slow progress.

‘Behind you!’ came Garovel’s warning, but it didn’t matter.

Hector turned in time to see his own iron boulder hurtling toward him but not in time to annihilate it. It barreled into him, and again, he was sent bouncing across the ground. When he tried to stand up again, he was greeted with more lightning.