Katelina's eyes moved to the gate where Verchiel had been, but all that remained was the corpse of one of Malick's lackeys with a hole in his chest. She scanned the bedlam to see a flash of the redhead near Hikaru. The Japanese vampire had a cut on one cheek and his arm bled freely as his super-fast opponent attacked again and again. Suddenly, Hikaru was knocked to the ground and a ringing clash echoed off the trees; Verchiel and the other wind walker stood, weapons locked. The enemy spun away and seemed to disappear, and so did Verchiel. Katelina had momentary glimpses of them as they ranged over the battlefield, weapons clanging.
Meanwhile, Maeko had grabbed her pack and swung up to the roof where she crouched, her pink gun blazing. Her reload was lightning fast, and shiny shell casings
