Heartstone

Fight

Two of the men were guards, the same kind as those beaten up back in the study, though neither of them were blue-skinned. Their leader, however, was a different story.

He, too, was likely a foreigner, as evidenced by his chocolate skin. Handsome and athletically built, he swaggered with an air of command and the confidence of a man who always gets what he wants. His blue uniform was nicer than that worn by his grunts, with a gold hawk threaded into the left breast. At his hip was belted a short sword in a white scabbard that looked worn from use. A predatory gleam in his eyes, his feral smile, and the way that his fingers constantly flexed over the pommel of the weapon made it clear just how badly he was itching to use it. This seemed like a man who enjoyed causing pain. He didn't look alarmed that his employer was collared and being kidnapped; he looked eager to do something about it.

Arwin and the others immediately turned to run back into the house, only to find the two previously injured guards already in the foyer and stalking toward them. One still had his club, and the other had armed himself with a poker from a fireplace. The rebels froze.

Harl released Azamont and levelled his club at the guards coming out of the house. "Blast. We're surrounded."

Arwin protectively put Aoi behind him and squared off with the trio in front. He silently cursed. Looks like they weren't getting out of this without another fight, and this time there were really lousy odds.

The guard leader with the hawk crest spoke mockingly. "Sorry, folks. The best schemes laid by mice will always fail in the presence of real men." Hawk cast a brief glance over Aoi and Harl before dismissing them and fixing his eyes on Arwin. "Looks like the boy toy was right. Seems you've somehow managed to get your hands on our employer there. How about you hand him over, nicely, and we promise not to kill you? In fact, you can walk away right now, and we won't even chase you." He waved towards the nearby forest.

Arwin snorted, body tense. "No offence, but you don't look like the type to let prey get away."

Hawk threw back his head and laughed. "True! Get 'em, men!" he shouted, then stood back and allowed the other guards to charge.

Arwin had to trust that Harl would at least slow down the two guards behind him while he worried about the two in front. He allowed both to get close, then faked a charge at the one on the left. It worked; the one on the left pulled up, giving Arwin time to take on the one on the right.

The right guard swung at Arwin's head without slowing.

As he had in the study, Arwin ducked under the wild swing. Unfortunately, this time it clipped the side of his head, and the heavy instrument sent him staggering to the side, dizzy and in a world of pain. Stars exploded in his vision.

The guard laughed and swung again.

Desperate and dazed, Arwin threw himself forward, inside the swing, and caught the man's uniform on the chest with both hands. He spun around, hauling the other man with him, and then blindly flung the guard at the one who'd hesitated.

The two collided and fell back.

In that brief opening, Arwin dashed forward and punched the closest one as hard as he could in the jaw. Or at least what he hoped was the jaw. His starry vision was not clearing quickly.

There was a sharp crack, and the man sagged.

Arwin felt blood on his scalp and, head pounding, had to concentrate to focus. He snatched the club out of the falling guard's hands. Clumsily, he swung it at the remaining guard several times.

The guard, off balance, tripped backwards, unharmed.

Aoi screamed.

Arwin spun and raced back to the others. He saw one guard wrestling with Harl, who had blood running down his chin from a badly split lip. The other guard had a fist full of Aoi's long, black hair.