Chapter 40

• Wilder was about to move in on Vestige, when Tiana’s voice echoed off the cavern walls, screaming his name. She came in through the opening Vestige’s forces had made with more soldiers behind her. The sound of fighting rose up from outside. Wilder turned his head, inadvertently responding to his name, and when he did, Vestige snarled and lunged, slashing at him with his sword.
• The blade made a loud thudding sound, splintering bits of Wilder’s chest plate as it struck, sinking into the thick armored plating. Wilder growled, looking down at the large gash running across his chest, then narrowing his eyes at Vestige, who was trying to pull the blade back to hit him again. It was lodged into the thick plating, stuck firm.
• Wilder punched Vestige, full in the face, sending him crashing down onto the floor below them. For a moment, everyone froze, uncertain about what to do, then the soldiers Vestige brought with him bowed in mid-air and dropped to the ground to assume a surrendering posture. With a scowl, Wilder reached down to pull the sword out of his armor, marveling that it had stuck, but didn’t actually hurt him.