Dread Guard

Chapter 3

Genji sprinted through the forest, no longer afraid of being spotted. As he burst from the tree line, he spotted Emma taking cover underneath a bolder. Crossbow bolts whipped past him like solid steel rain. Genji Dived back into the tree line, a bolt whistling past his arm and cutting through his jacket, but not drawing blood. He the thunks of bolts hitting the tree, but it was a tall, wide, redwood tree which withstood the steel storm easily.

As the stream of feathers and steel died down, Genji gestured to Emma what he was planning to do. She nodded and mocked an arrow in her bow in preparation. Genji strapped some ninja shuko claws onto his palms and climbing spikes to his feet and began to make his way up the tree, while Emma fired a steady stream of arrows as covering fire. Once Genji reached the top, he began to have second thoughts but it was too late to turn back now. He hesitated as Emma was hit in the leg with a crossbow bolt, the grey fletching embedded in her thigh. She let out a gasp of pain, but gave Genji a stiff nod and continued to fire. He ran across the thickest branch he could find, the branch bending underneath his feet. As it was about to give way, he jumped. The 20 metres between the branch and The Wall seemed an impossible jump to make. He drew both his swords in midair and held one out in front of him just as he sailed over the head of one crossbow man, his katana embedding itself in the chest of the one behind him. The man was killed instantly, and the rest were completely unprepared for a melee battle. However, once the element of surprise was gone, the tide of battle began to turn. He didn't see the crossbow which hit him in the head, but one moment he was standing up and the next he was in his hands and knees, black dots dancing across his vision. He felt the butt of the crossbow come down again on his back and Genji's chin hit the floor, his mind reeling. A twang of a bow string releasing its tension. A scream from behind him. Genji turned to lie in his back and saw some of the crossbow men, vikings he saw now with arrows through their heads. The remaining four drew weapons, a long sword, two pole axes and one dirk, a short sword. Genji was in no condition to fight these men hand-to-hand combat, so he pulled a shuriken out of his sleeve and threw it with deadly accuracy, ripping a man's throat out. He struggled to stand up from his now kneeling position before the other three could get to him. Emma bought him some more time by wounding one with an arrow, but the Viking just snapped the shaft. Genji grasped his sword and struck out wildly at the Viking with the dirk, trying to exploit the longer reach of his katana. The man jumped to the side, but not fast enough to avoid the strike and a huge gash opened up by his stomach. He started to scream, before falling off The Wall. Now the only sounds were the grunts of exertion the two remaining vikings made as they charged at Genji in full armour. Genji, still struggling to stand up and in no condition to fight, threw a katana at the Viking who hadn't been wounded by Emma's arrow. His blade spun through the air before entering and then passing through the man's body, spilling his innards out onto the ground. Genji stood up. Stumbled. And fell to the ground at the last Viking's feet. The man, laughing in triumph, brought down his axe to end Genji's life. He heard the sound of the axe coming down and closed his eyes. After ten seconds passed, he began to wonder if the Viking would just get on with it. Cautiously, he opened one eye and was greeted with the sight of the Viking standing, swaying slightly with an arrow in his eyes, blood dripping down like tears, before falling on his back.

Emma climbed up the wall and held out her hand to help Genji up. He let out a groan and accepted it, leaning on her shoulder to stay upright. They admired their handiwork - they alone had taken a large squad of crossbowmen out. Emma wrapped her thigh up in bandages as well as Genji's head. "Why do I always get the head injury?" He slurred.
"Because you are dumb enough for it not to matter," Emma joked. Genji was silent. She glanced at him. It wasn't usual for him to be silent. His eyes were wide open but his face looked slack. Then she noticed a dart in his neck.
"Are you serious?" She slurred as she felt a dull prick in her neck, before the world faded away.