Exhaustion hit him even as the last of his mana flew free, and it was only adrenaline and desperation that kept him from staggering or falling to his knees. With a sense of finality and dread, he knew that that was it. He wouldn't be able to hurl anything else at this monster except for steel and fists, and up against this, when he was so shaky and tired he wanted to drop...

Lloyd shoved the thought away. It wasn't an option. Instead he half-lunged, half-stumbled toward Al and grabbed one of his arms to help haul him up, pushing, pulling, whatever it took to get him away from that thing.

"Run!"

They had to get away before it reestablished its grip!