[center][b][color=007FFF]Abel Fulgurate[/color][/b][/center]

Obliterating the first Itzamna he saw with a flash of lightning made Abel's hopes rise.  This optimism evaporated faster than the smoke of the Grimm's body when the woods around the clearing discharged its brethren by the truckload.  Within seconds every student in the place was fighting for his or her life, but to Abel the world became narrow.  He focused on each one that came at him, suppressing the fear that he would be overwhelmed.  Experience fighting with the Ampere had taught him that while he had the range advantage on melee-oriented foes, if they managed to get past the defense offered by the point of his blade, he was in trouble.  The first Itzama rushed low, dodging beneath the Ampere and aiming for Abel's legs.  Filled with an image of him getting dragged off his feet and forcibly disemboweled, Abel jumped into the air, and the jaws of the raptor snapped shut around nothing.  The next instant, Abel landed with the full weight of his body driving the Ampere's blade straight down.  Unfortunately, the quicker-than-average monster weaseled out of the way, and at the same time two more appeared at its side.  The guardian touched the ground already, spinning, and his blade sheared through one of the Grimm before it could react.  While the others leaped back out of slicing range, one wasn't quite fast enough, and the Ampere's edge cut through its mouth.  Shrieking in garbled pain and with its bottom jaw flapping loose, the Itzamna moved in to make use of its hook-talons, but it moved slowly enough for Abel to dispatch it.  He spotted four more trotting up to him from the underbrush, and heaved a heavy sigh.

At that moment, some of Gren's artillery scattered the mob unwittingly formed by the Itzamna.  One of them fled straight toward Abel, who thrust the Ampere out with one hand and speared the Grimm through its throat.  Two more of the original group headed his way, and Abel decided it was time to move.  He leaped back over a fire, retreating in the direction of other students to keep his back covered.  The last thing he needed was some Grimm jumping him from behind.  To his astonishment, both Itzamna hopped the fire as well before running at him simultaneously.  Seeking to eliminate both at once, Abel attempted a wide overhand sweep, but one Grimm went low while the other went high—the pack hunters were working in sync.  Abel was forced to alter the Ampere's path to intercept the low one, and the jumping Itzamna clamped its jaws on Abel's forearm.  Instantly, its vicelike maw began crushing the armor, digging itself in.  Twice the guardian pulled away futilely before he let go of the Ampere, guided it with his semblance, and gutted the Itzamna to release its deathgrip.  At that moment, Sangue's call for help went up, but however much it hurt the protector to abstain from rushing to the girl's side, he had other problems to deal with.  Gren's call came through as well, alerting him to the presence of Salamanders.  Sure enough, when Abel glanced skyward, he could point out arcs of sizzling greenish liquid spewing through the conifers.  

“Hey!”  Another girl's voice came from a couple meters away.  Abel couldn't keep himself from looking.

Rayna, looking at him with no small amount of urgency etched on her face, pointed to an incoming squadron of Itzamna that had managed to group together.  Without explaining, the girl held up one of her hands and pointed it at Abel.  Something launched toward him, and Abel flinched before realizing it that it was not a bullet, but a chain.  The guardian held out his own hand and the chain latched on, and instinctively he heaved it into a spin.  Rayna allowed herself to leave the earth and be whirled around by the chain, her gunblades flashing through the air, and the cluster of Itzamna fell like flies.  Just like that, the chain vanished and the tandem attack was over, and the battle moved on.

A forceful splatter hit Abel in the back.  His armor sizzled, and some of the acid dripped onto his blue jacket, melting holes.  Abel spun around, shifting his Ampere into staff mode as his did, and let loose a lightning bolt.  The thunderous electricity slammed into a tree on the other side of the clearing, instantly seeking the moist sap beneath the bark and exploding the bark away in its attempt to do so.  There was no sign of the offending Salamander.  When Abel turned back around, Ampere once more shifted to blade mode with a serious of [i]clangs[/i], he found himself standing next to Oswald, watching yet another wave of Itzamna appear.  This time some Salamanders lumbered in on the ground as well.  The clearing was becoming a very dangerous place.