Loch ran as fast as he could. He was sure the black armored mech was Piper. It had the look of her inksummons but was not anything like he’d seen from her before. Was this suit of armor what she’d been sketching for so long? What she’d been hiding from him?

  He could understand why she had hidden it. There was no way he would have ever let her create such a thing and go into battle like she was. He felt anger and fear.

  And amazement.

  Piper in the mech armor was beating up on the giant. Her blows were breaking bones. They had knocked the giant down. And it wasn’t getting up.

  Piper’s armor turned, jumping off the dead or dying giant and running after another. She crouched down, jumping up and slamming into the side of a giant, knocking it aside and into another giant. The two stumbled, falling back from the line.

  Loch could see his people reforming the line, filling the gaps that had let the first giant through. More joined, facing off against the rest of the giants. Some fighters, led by Brian, Davis and Drew, were rushing two giants behind the lines. They held staves, wore bone necklaces. Casters. Loch knew that was where he should go but Piper was now fighting two giants on her own. She needed his help.

  He went to Activate Windstep but stopped, seeing another giant running up from the remains of the tents beyond. This giant was larger, wild blond hair and beard, not carrying a club but an axe that caught the light of the moon. There was a strange shine to it. The giant wore leather with metal plates, stronger looking than any others.

  HILLGROWL ELDER BERSERKER

  Evaluate put the giant’s strength near Lochs, maybe just a little below. Far stronger than anyone else in Clan Brady. He looked at Piper, recognizing the two darting forms that had joined her. Harper and Elora. The three faced off against two giants. The rest of Clan Brady were spread out facing off with the giants and the two shamans. The Berserker was free, ready to wreck havoc where he could.

  Loch knew where he wanted to go but also knew where he needed to go. He Activated Windstep.

  ***

  Each step was painful. His ankle slammed down on the ground, pain threatening to make him fall. But Loch held on. He had to. The pain would not stop him.

  He crossed the distance, changing the form of Onyx from the two handed weapon to what he thought of as the normal mold. The large axe head crackled with energy, leaving a trail of light behind it as he ran across the distance.

  With a loud war cry, Loch appeared in front of the Berserker. He swung Onyx, Activating Cleave, the energy of the axe trailing behind. The axehead slammed into the giant’s side, crackling lightning spreading across the giant’s body.

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  The monster cried out in pain, stumbling to the side. But the Berserker recovered quickly. Resetting his feet, twisting and swinging the giant axe. Loch ducked, the blade that was as large as his body, passing by overhead, missing by inches. He could feel the pressure of the air, feel the strange energy radiating from the weapon.

  Rolling to the side, Loch avoided the return swing by the Berserker. He jumped up, swinging Onyx, missing as the large giant stepped back. He growled out some words in a language Loch didn’t understand and didn’t care.

  “This is not your home,” Loch growled, swinging his weapon, driving the giant back. “You do not belong here!”

  He rolled to the side, jumping up and scoring a hit on the giant’s leg. The leg kicked out, Loch Activating Bulwark to absorb the impact. He was sent flying, managing to roll in the air and land on his feet.

  The Berserker didn’t have to move to swing the axe, Loch jumping back to avoid the axe head that would have cut him in half. The giant took a step, swinging again. Loch had to jump back a couple of feet to avoid the axe. Every step the giant took, Loch had to move six feet or more. With the constant movement he wasn’t able to get in a counter attack, just having to keep moving.

  The giant roared, spitting out words in their language. Loch gave the giant the finger. The Berserker might not have seen the gesture before, but he understood the meaning. WIth a roar, the Berserker swung the axe down in an overhand chop. Loch easily avoided, rushing toward the giant. He got within the monster’s reach, swinging Onyx across the giant's chest.

  Holding his ground, the giant tried to kick, but missed, Loch ducking under and running behind the Berserker. He turned around, swinging Onyx but missed as the giant lunged forward. Turning the giant swung his axe as he turned, pushing Loch back. He threw Onyx toward the giant’s head. The Berserker’s eyes widened, seeing the weapon spinning his way. He tried to swing his weapon up in time but failed, having to move his head to narrowly avoid the weapon. He grinned down at Loch, seeing him unarmed. The eyes widened again when Onyx reappeared, growing to normal size and then bigger, becoming a halberd. A weapon that swung at the giant’s knees, making the giant stumble back. The large Berserker wasn’t as nimble as Loch, moving backwards to avoid the weapon. Loch kept it swinging, aiming right for the giant’s knees, keeping the giant off balance. With Precision Strike, he saw the expected weak points around the giant’s legs but none up high, which made sense. It was difficult for him to reach the giant’s shoulders or elbows, so they wouldn’t be weak spots.

  He could feel his arms getting tired. Even with his Adapted strength, holding and swinging the long halberd took a lot, especially with the speed and momentum he had to keep it at. And for every step back the giant took, he had to move six feet, lunging forward and keeping the weapon level. It was time to change it up again.

  Swinging Onyx one more time, Loch shrunk the weapon before the swing was even complete, lunging forward. He got within the giant’s reach, watching the Berserker quickly react. The giant couldn’t bend down, not with Loch right there, so couldn’t swing his weapon low enough. The grip adjusted, bringing the weapon high to chop down. Loch swung Onyx straight up.

  The giant roared in outrage and pain as the axe bit deep between his legs. Loch felt bad, wincing in sympathy like any man did when another was hurt there. The sympathy didn’t last long, Loch setting his feet and pushing his weapon up higher.

  Jumping back, the giant stumbled, falling to the ground. Loch jumped up, landing on the Berserker’s chest, running toward the giant’s head. Eyes wide in pain and horror, the giant watched the axe descend.