Rithevan charged their right flank with full speed. The bandits raised a battle cry as they met but the voice of the right-most one was cut short. Rithevan tumbled down into him and rolled forward into his feet. The bandit doubled over and the one next to him stopped, struck down and hit Rithevan down the back of his calf as he stood back up, biting into his hamstring.
Rithevan cried out and swung himself around. He wheeled both swords up over and behind his head in a spiral. One sword hit after the other and met his attacker across the neck and upper chest. The blood spurted the dirt ground in round drops.
He stopped and saw the damage he'd done. The five other comrades of the dead thief were also surprised. This pause, however, was gladly interrupted by the silent attack of Phoenix. He crashed straight into the bandits, crushing one under him and breaking the ranks into two.
Rithevan turned away to face Edvar who had now turned to run away. "Run away!? You coward!" He thought briefly as he pursued him but he had to run gingerly on his left leg. Edvar frantically scaled a ladder slipping as he went. Rithevan ascended it with ease- despite his leg and his hands both holding swords- and closed the distance between them. He reached the top and Edvar's sword flashed out and stabbed at Rithevan's head. Rithevan swung his head out and swung around the other side of the ladder. From behind the ladder he stuck the sword in his right arm between the rungs and jabbed up at Edvar's legs. Edvar moved backwards and Rithevan swung his left arm up, still holding on to the ladder by his right arm, sticking the sword through the crack in the boards and Edvar backed right into it. Edvar howled and retreated down the rampart.
Phoenix was fighting fiercely and was faced with Edvar's personal friends and bodyguards. He'd missed many times now and was getting frustrated. He shrugged the frustration off and blocked the attack of a large, broadsword-wielding thief. He slid the sword in his hands down the length of the broad sword and caused it to burst aflame when it hit the hilt. The thief dropped his sword and gave Phoenix enough time to move out of the way of another attacker and, while he was off guard, slice the disarmed thief across the chest. He'd make it through this alive. He didn't know how it would end but him and Rithevan were not dying in his mind. |
