Where? (Sinbad)

19. Confrontation

"It's been a while, Sinbad." Drakon hissed.

Hina raised a hand and pointed a finger at the leader of the group, the small boy in bloodied white clothes. "T-that's the assassin who attacked you before!! Isn't that soldier someone you knew?"

A guilty look coated Sinbad's features as he waved his hand. "Um... I would never forget a woman's face... but I can't say the same for guys..."

Drakon's eyes widened. "You bastard!"

Sinbad chuckled warmly. "Like always, you can't take a joke," he laughed, wiping a tear from his eye. "I knew we'd meet again, Drakon."

Drakon scowled as he unsheathed his blade and pointed it at Sinbad. "Your banter can only get you so far. Besides, your little girlfriend isn't here to protect you this time... there's no way you can escape now."

The group glared down at the pair as Hina and Sinbad stood, not entirely sure of what to do. Sinbad quickly turned and grabbed Hina's arm, yanking him down before the group could reach them. "Let's run!" He shouted, hoping Hina would understand what he meant before the assailants could catch them.

"Right!" Hina yelled as the pair leapt into the icy waters below, the cold causing Sinbad to shiver at the rapid change in temperature. Hina quickly wrapped his arm around Sinbad's frame and propelled the pair through the water.

Drakon stood above, now on the ledge where Sinbad and Hina once stood, glaring down at the water below. "Trying to escape by water?! Tsk!"

"Leave it to me," a mysterious woman from behind the group spoke.

Sinbad held on to Hina as he glanced back behind them, noticing no one behind them. A brief sense of relief washed over him knowing they weren't being chased, but it faded all too quickly. Sharp icy spears began rushing after them as the water of the lake froze over. Sinbad hit Hina's arm as a sign to hurry as he watched the ice rapidly approaching.

With one final push off the water, Hina managed to propel them forward fast enough to allow himself and Sinbad to get out of the water and get onto one of the floating chunks of ice. The woman above who held a staff and covered her face muttered something under her breath while Sinbad and Hina caught their breath. 

"I am Falan, Magician Counselor of the Partevian Empire," she spoke up. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Falan had barely finished her sentence when the three assassins leapt down to reach Sinbad and Hina and began closing in on the pair.

"They're coming!" Hina's voice shook slightly as he raised his harpoon defensively.

Before Sinbad had a chance to respond the trio of killers lunged forward and began their assault. Hina blocked an attack with his harpoon while Sinbad moved behind him. The eight pointed star symbol on the end of Sinbad's sword began glowing and a blindingly bright strike of lightning poured down on the assailants.

"Lightning again?!" The youngest assassin called, remembering the same attack from the village. "Do you think you can play the same trick on me twice?!"

Another of his blades swung forward on his rope and launched at Sinbad. A smirk coated Sinbad's features as he chuckled "Using darts as lightning rods, huh."

Sinbad and Hina continuously fought the three assassins, both putting up good fronts but the toll of endless battling evidently straining them. Hina swung his harpoon again, blocking another attack before stepping back slightly so his back was closer to Sinbad's.

"Sinbad," he spoke between breaths. "Can you perform the same attack that you did on the Rampaging Unicorn?"

"Good idea," Sinbad replied, lifting his sword slightly. "Let's try it!"