Running back out into the food court, I was drenched quite rapidly. Of course, I hadn’t brought a sword myself.

Which meant I was picking out the one of the four that had one. If you didn’t bring your weapon, the next best thing was to take one from an enemy. Abdul had finished his incantation and formed a web of fire around two of them, although they were trying to break out as if it was string.

There was a disadvantage to fire wielder against fire wielder. Neither side had to particularly worry about burning up. I almost wished for a few frost giants, then I shook my head. People were fleeing, and nobody was staying in the food court to rubberneck. The artificial rain had taken care of that.

I barreled my shoulder into the one with a sword as he tried to turn to face me, brought my hand up into his wrist, and the blade went flying. I couldn’t catch it right away, though, because he managed to get his other arm around me, pulling me into something half hug, half wrestling grip.

“You die tonight.”

They didn’t work for Surtur then, and my rival for his affections had apparently decided to eliminate me. “Idiot, this is Midgard.”

“Point. But maybe her death will make ours.”

He tried to point at Clara while still holding me. He was unable to do both and I wormed my way free of his grip, diving for the sword the moment we were disentangled. “Be careful. She’s a witch.”
And she was…changing incantation mid stream, somehow focusing the falling water onto the giants.

It hissed, but it was doing more damage to Abdul’s web than them. I hoped she’d realize quickly enough to stop. With his sword in my hand, I whirled to face the giant. It was too heavy, though, slowing me with its weight and awkward length.

I should have brought mine. But if I could take him with it, unarmed, I…

…couldn’t kill him. There were cameras in here. I wasn’t sure what they saw, but I was pretty sure disappearances would show up. “No lethal force. Cameras.”

Abdul grinned. “Let me finish!”

“I’ll keep them occupied.” Them, because the other one he didn’t have in a web was approaching with a mace. The other two had broken out, but Abdul was back to chanting in Arabic.

Clara offered him her hand, and I watched no further. One of them was unarmed, true, but both of them were good opponents. Worthy of me, and perhaps even honorable, for all that they’d chosen this location. But number four, breaking out of the web, was running.

I couldn’t pay him any more attention than that. I was fighting for my life, trying to parry the mace with a sword that felt completely alien, aiming for the unarmed one’s groin with my knee at the same time.

My enhanced speed didn’t help; they were as fast as I was.

I really hoped Abdul got that spell finished soon.