[For a moment, as he steadies the Veneran woman and Hayame faces off against the newcomer, Liem wonders if he might have time to get off a shot at him before Makoto inevitably makes another appearance. It's too much to hope for that his arrow wound might have taken him out of commission entirely, but it must have slowed him down. And he doesn't like the thought of Hayame facing off against that sword by herself.
But there is a scuff of noise on the street behind him; Hayame shouts a warning. Liem starts to move, still gripping the Veneran woman, and feels steel bite between his ribs. He twists away to face his assailant, putting the woman at his back as white hot pain wracks his side. His next inhale makes it worse, causing him to stagger back another step as his breathing falters. He knows from unhappy experience that his lung has been punctured.
He draws the long dagger from his hip as a pained grimace turns into a shallow cough, flecking his lips with black blood—and the woman behind him first cowers back from the reappeared demon, then begins to flee from the chaos of the melee.]
no subject
But there is a scuff of noise on the street behind him; Hayame shouts a warning. Liem starts to move, still gripping the Veneran woman, and feels steel bite between his ribs. He twists away to face his assailant, putting the woman at his back as white hot pain wracks his side. His next inhale makes it worse, causing him to stagger back another step as his breathing falters. He knows from unhappy experience that his lung has been punctured.
He draws the long dagger from his hip as a pained grimace turns into a shallow cough, flecking his lips with black blood—and the woman behind him first cowers back from the reappeared demon, then begins to flee from the chaos of the melee.]