The statute crashes to the ground and splits into chunks, pieces shearing off and shattering. Small shards of stone spray out like shrapnel, and a cloud of fine stone-dust is sent up to choke and blind.

The templars move through it, coughing but undeterred. The one with the arrow still lodged in her shoulder takes aim at Cyril as he rolls, lunging toward him during that vulnerable moment and aiming a vicious kick with a heavy boot. Pel's assailant dodges the blow to his knee and moves to close that distance, charging her with shield up and sword driven at belly-height. The third, pleased with himself for the damage he has caused, lets out a bellowing, wordless cry and beats the hilt of his blade against his shield as he makes his way around the pile of stone toward Salvatore.