The chest-mouth filled with red light.
Jason saw the angle first.
The beam would not sweep the hall this time.
It would fire straight through them.
"Spread!"
Elias broke right.
Jason moved left.
Jagger tried to rise, and his damaged leg folded beneath him.
The Rampager's sternum opened wider. Jagged crystal teeth drew apart around the swelling core, each one glowing from within. Red lightning crawled over its ribs and gathered toward the center until the whole monster looked built around a furnace.
Marcus tore his broken shield free from his arm.
The straps took pieces of armor and skin with them.
He did not scream.
He gripped the ruined handle with both hands, ripped his body out of the concrete brace, and fell forward onto one knee.
"Marcus, stay down!" Jason shouted.
Marcus looked at the chest-mouth.
Then at the shield that had carried him through too many battles to count.
"Was getting heavy anyway."
He threw it.
