but at the exact same time she caught the rapid motion of multiple streaks closing in on conor from all sides , he had thrown his fists towards the ground , diagonally from his shoulders , his index fingers pointing rigidly at the courtyard to either side of him , his eyes fixed on the monster the startling sounds of heavy wet sacks striking stone all around her , at the mobs periphery ; armor clinking , grinding ; loud growls of outraged surprise and mortal pain silence .