Nero threw a punch at the Templar's chest plate and immediately regretted it as his knuckles shattered against the metal. He screamed from the sharp pain, but followed up with a kick to the Blitzer's knee joint where he had stabbed earlier.
His boot connected with the cold steel. Not even a moment later, Sergeant Vane's fist caught him in the side and he felt more of his ribs crack, the broken ends grinding together to produce a symphony of glaring, sharp pain.
He stumbled sideways, his body barely responding to his commands as the Templar grabbed him by the throat with one armored hand and lifted him off his feet.
Nero clawed at the gauntlet with his good hand, his feet kicking uselessly in the air as his windpipe was slowly crushed. Black spots appeared in his vision, spreading like ink drops in water, and he could hear his own heartbeat thundering in his ears.
Through the haze of oxygen deprivation and pain, a thought crystallized in his mind.
