34
The Casting Out
Why had he bothered to grab his dagger? Julian did not fool himself: there was no way that small blade, well-constructed and finely-honed as it was, could do any real harm to the Out-Dweller. The beast was not of this world, and if Loran and Melanie's magics could do little more than stun it for a moment, the thought of his sword doing any better, let alone his dagger, was just laughable.
But laughable or not, Julian led with the tip of his blade as he charged. The Out-Dweller was not focused on him; the mages - Melanie was a mage, no matter what those asses in the Magestirium might say - received that honor. Maybe he could get that kidney strike in, after all.
On the opposite side of the brute, Raedrick had regained his feet, though he looked decidedly dazed. His sc
