Oh gods that made it worse! Tolten struggled for breath, his sword threatening to slip from his fingers as he tried to roll out of the way. But he was so weak and so tired, and the initial defense had taken s much out of him already.

The young king felt an indescribable line of pain along his leg, as though someone had drawn a hot iron over his skin. His sword came up automatically, blade flailing as his vision blurred. He felt like he was on the plains, the plains full of those monsters and not enough allies and he'd nearly died there so many times...

This wasn't really any different. His chest was too tight. He was so tired. And now he wondered if he'd be able to get up, walk, do anything more than lash out desperately with his sword.