The fighting between Rune and Gallow and Fleur, Raya, and Maria was intensifying. From what Rune could see, his two companions were able to hold Maria off, but just barely. They had had two extremely close calls, and Maria had not even been serious yet, from the looks of it. He knew enough from his own experiences using [Body Activation], so it was easy for him to see that Maria had been regulating her output.
I guess that makes sense. I do the same thing. I can't recall the last time I started a fight by going all out from the beginning, he thought. A dull thud crashed into Rune's sword, and a painful jolt ran through his arm once again.
"Don't get distracted, Brother," Gallow said, channeling more of his verdant lighting into his blade. There was a mocking bite on the nick that had started off as a term of endearment when he said it.