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.The mudra staggered Gabriel as his nerves suddenly unstrung, and Saigo gave a savage cry and lunged forward with a ferocious left kick to Gabriel’s solar plexus.But the Voice managed to twist Gabriel’s body to one side, the right arm clamping Saigo’s foot to Gabriel’s side, the left smashing a forearm down on Saigo’s knee.The phoenix had risen.But it was a young phoenix, not fully fledged.Gabriel’s nerves had not entirely recovered from the effects of the new Mudra of Domination, and the Voice’s control of his right side was imperfect.Saigo managed to break his leg free of the trap before the Voice’s savage attack could cripple him.The Voice drove forward, slammed Gabriel’s body into Saigo’s before he could recover his balance, an elbow smashing into the ribs and a hand clawing for the eyes.Saigo tried to turn and use the force of Gabriel’s attack against him, turn it into a throw, but the move was too forced and hasty, and Gabriel too solidly planted—the grappling attempt failed.The elbow smash stung Saigo, Gabriel could see, possibly broke or bent some ribs, and Gabriel’s clawed fingers scored gouges in the sockets of Saigo’s eyes.GABRIEL: Give me the body back.VOICE: You’re too frightened of him!CYRUS: The tiger cannot fight the wolf pack …GABRIEL: Let me overcome this daimōn and let him become a part of me!Saigo counterattacked furiously, suddenly all flashing elbows, clawed hands, driving knees … The Voice parried and struck back, but began to give way—he was one imperfect daimōn fighting an Aristos who had a host of daimones at his command.Gabriel’s invocation of the Sutra of Captain Yuan brought him back to the forefront of his own mind, but the eyeblink’s time in which he regained control was an opportunity for Saigo, who drove a palm-heel up under Gabriel’s philtrum.There was an audible crack as Gabriel’s head snapped back.Pain snarled through his sinuses.His nose was broken again—he knew the feeling by now.He staggered back, blinking tears of pain from his eyes and parrying as he went, all in hopes of luring Saigo into a trap.But Saigo must have sensed Gabriel’s intention—he cut his assault short, wiped blood from his eyes, dropped into a guard position, and waited.Gabriel assured himself of control over his body, lined up his daimones, plotted an attack.He’d wait until Saigo’s bloody eyes started giving him trouble, he decided.“Surrender, Gabriel,” Saigo said.Blood was running down his face.“You can’t fight the conditioning.”He’s trying to revive his comm net, the Voice said.I’m blocking him.“In the name of the Logarchy I demand your surrender,” Gabriel said.“I will give you safe conduct to your trial at Persepolis.”It was a lie, of course.He’s snap Saigo’s neck the first chance he got.Can you make it seem as if the Hyperlogos’s coming back on line? Gabriel asked.Possibly.Take command of the reno.Use it.“You’re in no position to make demands,” Saigo said.Blood dripped down his big chest, trailed down his beard.“You’re unstrung, man., your fight was totally uncoordinated.”“Then why aren’t you finishing me off?” Gabriel mocked.“I’m an Aristos.You’ve underestimated me all along, and now I’m in control.”I’m projecting a start-up sequence, the Voice said.“You’re not an Aristos anymore,” Saigo said.He smiled with pink-tinged teeth.“I’ve seen you crawl and beg, Gabriel.I’ve seen you weep and cry for mercy.Is that the picture of an Aristos?”Gabriel’s mind filled with Mataglap’s howls of rage keening over a loud chorus of daimonic denial.He projected a contemptuous laugh at Saigo’s words, but he felt his insides twist at the remembrance.At the knowledge that he had fallen so totally.He knew he was going to lose.He wondered why Saigo wasn’t attacking now, while doubts were besetting him.Then he realized that Saigo was seeing a start-up sequence over his tachline, that he thought he was regaining command of his renos
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