text: Bill glanced around the battlefield at the fight. Hikaru and four of the lacrosse players battled the giant, dodging its clumsy swings and slow stomps, but unable to hurt the mass of corpses. Mindy and Bev raced across the field, dashing to help. Sister Mariam stumbled towards the church and collapsed at Rochelle's feet, sobbing. A horde of Lemures pressed Cynthia and Juanita as they huddled behind their protectors.
  
  And there was nothing he could do for them. Daevia fought with a renewed vigor, her chain moving with a blur, driving back every attack that he and Sophia launched. And he was slowing, breathing heavily, sweat drenching his body, and a stitch forming in his side.
  
  Fighting was exhausting, and he was burning through his stamina.
  
  Daevia's chain snaked at his face; his sword whispered instructions, and he slashed upward, deflecting the chain over his head and dodged to his side, avoiding the chain as it snapped back down at him.
  
  He pushed down his exhaustion and kept fighting. They were the only people standing between the world and Armageddon.