Chapter 4

An arrow lept from a bush 15 meters in front and to the left and planted itself in Bobs chest. Blood exploded out his back along with chunks of meat and bone. He stood shocked for a second staring at the massive arrow growing from his chest and then fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Angela screamed. Large figures jumped out of the bushes in front of Darek brandishing two sided war axes or heavy swords.

Six men in total roared and charged, all of which rivaled Darek in size. The men where covered in dirt, scars and tattoos. Most of the men had large beards that were tangled and root like. As time seemed to slow Jason could even make out that one of the men had an eye like blue cracked glass or ice. A scar ran down the man's face over that eye.

Breaking his sight away from the unimportant blue glass eye of the man Jason saw Darek turn around and start sprinting the way they had come. Shoving Samire and the two girls out of his way like a coward. Darek had snot and tears running down his face as he screamed in terror.

Jason side stepped the big man and let him pass. Jason dearly wanted to kill or maim Darek right now for his cowardice and idiocy that got them into this but he had more important things to do. As Darek passed him though Jason threw out a foot and tripped Darek. Sneering at the big fool Jason charged forward and covered the 2 girls.

Jason pulled out his dagger and stood above the 2 girls like a guardian. He didn't have time to pull them up and flee. The six men where almost on top of him.

"This is the end." Jason thought. He could see it now. In his mind's eye he was already dead. Six massive men were too much for him to take with a small dagger. He could already see multiple huge battle axes swinging in unison hacking right past his tiny blade or through it and splitting him down the center. Not to mention the archer. It just hadn't happened yet.

He took a split second to think of his grandfather who was his only remaining living family member and then he was prepared for death.... But it never came. He was amazed to find the six men stopped just short of him. They where out of reach and so was he for them. The men sneered at him.

From behind him he heard the sound of Dareck's voice yelp and what sounded like meat hitting meat and a gasp as air escaped someone mouth. He looked back while keeping his eye on the six smiling men in front of him and noticed Darek who had obviously regained his feet and continued his mad dash of cowardice writhing on the ground holding his abdomen trying to pull air into his lungs like a fish out if water.

The man who stood above Darek with his fist still held out was obviously the one who had knocked the wind out of Darek. There was a smile on his face just like the other men but it was more refined. Almost friendly even. His large beard wasn't a mess like the others. It was woven almost immaculately so. He had no tattoos.

To Jason's horror three more men stepped out from cover behind the man leveling massive bows at Jason. They where completely surrounded. "It's all over" thought Jason.

He could feel the handle of his grandfather's dagger bitting into his hand as he had gripped it too hard. Sweat dripped down Jason's forehead into his eyes but he didn't blink. He just stared at the man with the neat woven beard and waited for his fight to the death.

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Jason didn't know wether it would be the arrows or an axe that would kill him but he swore to himself in that moment he wouldn't go down without a fight. He roared the best roar he could, slashed his dagger in a threatening manner and waited for the end that was to come.

Nothing happened. No axe split the air. No arrow found it's home in his chest. Everyone just stood grinning at the small group. The man standing over Darek who seemed to be the leader as his armor was better then the other men's and he was cleaner , started to chuckle.

He pulled a beautiful long sword from it's sheath at his waist and put it on Darek's neck. Darek who had only just begun regaining his breath, froze. He eyed the blade and felt a shiver. He couldn't tell if it was psychological or if the cold of the blade had simply transfered to his body.

The man with the long sword stopped chuckling and leveled a gaze at Jason. "Nice battle roar boy!" The man began roaring in laughter anew. The rest of the men joined him in his revelry. The man kept laughing for 10 seconds before coming to a sudden halt. The rest of the men also suddenly stopped as if they where afraid to laugh when their leader wasn't.

"Drop the blade boy." The man said in a condescending tone. His eyes where locked on Jason. Jason did not trust these men and showed no likelihood of dropping his beloved dagger.

The giant of a man with the woven beard seemed taken aback that Jason wouldn't do as he was told. "Don't you care about your friend?" The big man asked. "He's no friend of mine" Jason answered back.

The giant with the woven beard pondered that for a second. Seeming to come to a conclusion he raised his free hand and formed a claw in the air with it. Fire poured from empty air into the palm of the man's hand. He stretched his hand out and pointed it at Jason.

Jason was horrified at what he saw. Before he could even react or notice the men standing behind him had scrambled out of the way Jason felt an amazing heat on his left side. Blazing pain radiated from that side of his body. It took an effort of will to keep to his feet.

KAAABBBOOOOMM

Jason looked behind himself with horror at the tree the fireball that only grazed a few feet away from him hit and saw fire consume the trunk. To his further horror he heard a crunching creaking sound and the tree began to sway.

CREEEAAAAKKKKK CRASSHHH

The tree toppled over. The fire spreading up the now horizontal trunk and on to it's upper branches. Jason eyed the tree. He was rooted in place. His hands began to tremble but he still held his dagger. He turned his head to look at the man again.

The man's comical smile had transformed into a sinister one while Jason was observing the effect of the fireball on the tree. "Will you drop it now?" He asked in a voice dripping with venom.

"Will it change anything? You're going to kill us all anyways." Jason stated with steel in his eyes that hadn't quite leaked into his trembling voice and hands.

"Boy if I wanted you dead you would be. Besides dead slaves don't sell for much." The man said matter of factly. The man threw a contemptuous shrugg in for effect. "At least you get to keep your lives such as they are." He continued and then stopped As we waited for Jason's reply seemingly in no hurry.

Jason thought of his words. He knew he stood no chance against the man let alone his nine subordinates. His thoughts whirled in chaos. Finally comming to a conclusion Jason closed his eyes for the briefest of seconds and lightly said "I'm sorry grandfather." The dagger slipped from his hand.

"Good choice boy." The man said. He tilted his head at one of his men and flicked it at Jason in a way that said "go get him". The man with the woven beard continued standing nonchalantly as the man he indicated took large strides towards Jason.

Jason did nothing but stand there as the man approached. As the giant dirty man raised his fist and it began accelerating towards Jason's face Jason closed his eyes.

An explosion of pain and light seemed to assault his face. He heard a ringing and then he saw nor heard a thing. Darkeness consumed him for the second time in two days.