Hurt and staggering back, Dickson is unable to do much to dodge or block Anna's lunge. He manages to raise his own blade to do something, but the woman is simply too small and fast for him to properly deflect in his current state. It is a losing fight. And so already losing blood and ether fast from Malos' earlier cut, Dickson fails to parry, then cries out when Anna stabs her blade's sword into him this time, mortally injuring him.
Zelos only watches the last half of that from his spot, too focused on blocking hits meant for him or Sheena to do anything other than spare a few glances to his fellow travelers' conditions. Right now he is anchored to Sheena's side and he'll be damned if he leaves her alone; four blades have surrounded them now, all of them clearly intending to get the Aegis and haul ass. Whether he's dead or alive it doesn't matter; Zelos knows that so long as his core crystal is intact, then there's no need to take care of how he exits these mines.
The Aegis grits his teeth, pushing and kicking away an ice blade clearly intending to go for a blow at his driver. He's not doing too bad at combat if he dares say so himself. Sure, there's some stray ether bleeding out of a few cuts he's received on his arms and face, but it's nothing too bad. Using ether in here while in this state in particular is probably a terrible idea, though. But it's fine, it's fine; Zelos is a blade. He can take a blow or two, maybe even a few deeper injuries as long as they're not anywhere near his core crystal, but Sheena most likely can't.
So he has to protect Sheena. That's all that matters right now.
With that in mind, together with the clear image of his driver kept busy by trying to keep a few other assailants in check with her fancy card games or something, completely unaware of the lightning-elemental blade rushing for her with their dagger raised, it really doesn't come as a surprise when Zelos chooses to forsake his injuries and take the hit instead.
Boosting his speed with that ability from before, Zelos shoves himself in the blade's general direction to intercept, tackling them before they can even reach his driver. The reckless use of ether in their current environment comes with an instantaneous regret as it leaves Zelos slightly winded for a precious second, and in that second, with his sight blurred and too weak to fight it back, that lightning-infused dagger pushes itself into his shoulder in their tussle as they fall.
More orange ether particles are immediately released into the cave. Pain shoots up Zelos' entire body, and even though he manages to bite back a cry when the dagger breaks artificial skin, it's immediately ripped out of his throat the moment they hit the ground instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOUFI9T4_TA
Zelos only watches the last half of that from his spot, too focused on blocking hits meant for him or Sheena to do anything other than spare a few glances to his fellow travelers' conditions. Right now he is anchored to Sheena's side and he'll be damned if he leaves her alone; four blades have surrounded them now, all of them clearly intending to get the Aegis and haul ass. Whether he's dead or alive it doesn't matter; Zelos knows that so long as his core crystal is intact, then there's no need to take care of how he exits these mines.
The Aegis grits his teeth, pushing and kicking away an ice blade clearly intending to go for a blow at his driver. He's not doing too bad at combat if he dares say so himself. Sure, there's some stray ether bleeding out of a few cuts he's received on his arms and face, but it's nothing too bad. Using ether in here while in this state in particular is probably a terrible idea, though. But it's fine, it's fine; Zelos is a blade. He can take a blow or two, maybe even a few deeper injuries as long as they're not anywhere near his core crystal, but Sheena most likely can't.
So he has to protect Sheena. That's all that matters right now.
With that in mind, together with the clear image of his driver kept busy by trying to keep a few other assailants in check with her fancy card games or something, completely unaware of the lightning-elemental blade rushing for her with their dagger raised, it really doesn't come as a surprise when Zelos chooses to forsake his injuries and take the hit instead.
Boosting his speed with that ability from before, Zelos shoves himself in the blade's general direction to intercept, tackling them before they can even reach his driver. The reckless use of ether in their current environment comes with an instantaneous regret as it leaves Zelos slightly winded for a precious second, and in that second, with his sight blurred and too weak to fight it back, that lightning-infused dagger pushes itself into his shoulder in their tussle as they fall.
More orange ether particles are immediately released into the cave. Pain shoots up Zelos' entire body, and even though he manages to bite back a cry when the dagger breaks artificial skin, it's immediately ripped out of his throat the moment they hit the ground instead.
'Shit.'