Rage. Rehny swept his sword in a two handed arc aimed at the advancing Royal Black Guards midriffs. The Black Guard's pitiful display of failure at duty had them wearing green linen shirts instead of their regular black leather armor that would have proven more effective against Rehny's black blade. The metal ore that forged the blade in Rehny's hand was as sturdy as his aplomb in the face of overwhelming odds and two of the Black guards charging him collapsed with blood welling upon their torn shirts from the wake of his blade. The rest of the advancing horde came to a halt a few feet from him, none of them wanted to get into his sword's range.
Still, two Black Guards advanced on either of Rehny's flanks, seeking to slip through and pursue the Telinete beast whose rampage Rehny could hear as it brought down steel doors in its quest to escape. Pride. Rehny switched the blade to a one handed hold and extended his arm at the passing Black Guard to the right, the blade sunk into the Guard's neck and Rehny withdrew it, simultaneously switching to the Form of Intent and backtracking a little further into the hallway to deliver a kick to the Guard sneaking past his left. His metal boot's kick plunged the Guard into the side of the wall and Rehny swept his blade at him before turning to the rest of the Black Guards piling into the entrance, Rehny let out a scream of challenge.
"We have to help him." One of the Captains spoke loud enough for Orgeeg to hear. The whole Juckwa Arena was in a state of disarray with Binorians trampling over each other in their quest to exit the place. Only a handful of officials remained, most of them being the Captains of the Legions who watched from their raised position on the steps that offered a vivid view of their Commander taking on the Royal Black Guard on his own.
"It is my understanding that the Commander is acting against the King's direct order." Another Captain said and his words were met with nods of approval from the others. Cowards. Orgeeg thought from his position next to them. He stood at the furthest reach of where the Black Guard had congregated courtesy of his low Rank. Orgeeg watched with respect as the Commander of the Legions held back those who were now his superiors. The Commander was a force of nature, the sword an extension of his body and he switched through Forms as easily as one walked. Of course it was also evident that the Black Guard were pulling their punches, he was after all Commander of the Legions and his status warranted some measure of respect from the Black Guard hence their leniency when it came to rushing him.
It was the same Royal Black Guard ethic that had gotten Desan killed by not stationing Guards beside his bed simply because he was regarded as a capable warrior. Orgeeg watched as Rehny brought a gauntleted fist into one Guard's midriff and at the same time swiping his sword at another's neck before withdrawing and kicking at the closest Guard before him. The Commander's armor offered him some measure of protection from the broad blades of the Black Guard that were beginning to swarm him as the Royal Black Guards realized he wasn't showing them the same leniency they showed him. He was out rightly butchering them and issuing challenging yells during the brief periods when his body wasn't a swirling tornado of mayhem that ensured none of them passed him. Orgeeg chuckled.
A bellow from outside told that the beast had broken free of the Juckwa Arena, probably by ramming any obstacle in its path. The Commander had actually succeeded in giving the Kolotian the window of escape he'd needed and the clamped exits full of fleeing Binorians wasn't an option for the Black Guard to exit the place in pursuit of the beast. Orgeeg noted that the Commander was showing signs of fatigue as several Black Guards managed to slip by him unscathed.
Dahli and Masutap descended the wall into the Arena and started making their way to the fighting Commander, they caught Orgeeg's attention. Dahli's steps were hurried with underlying urgency to probably end the civil war she'd let lose and Masutap followed with her steps firm, one hand lingering over the knife belt Orgeeg knew was beneath her shirt. But why would she need a knife in a sword fight? Orgeeg leaned forward with interest, putting forth a Form of Intent with eyes on Masutap.
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Pride, Rage, Intent, Sleight, Grind, Empathy, Flush. Rehny switched through Forms and a dozen bodies lined the floor. Sweat drenched his face, a light cut upon his forehead from when several blades had come at him in a collective Form of Pride had caused blood to trickle down into his left eye, forcing it shut. He fought tenaciously with only one eye but he knew the end was near as his armor's weight started feeling too heavy to bare. Several Black Guards managed to pass him though he backed deeper into the hall to lessen the width of their attack. He was growing tired, he could feel it as his sword arm became too slow to parry the strike at his breastplate and his leg buckled from a Grind Form implemented by a Guard on his left to his knee.
It is a gift from the Gods themselves. Masutap thought as she followed Dahli's steps across the Arena. It's a big risk of a gift but a gift nonetheless. She saw how Dahli's weight was evenly distributed with each stride, she saw the weakest link in her purple dress where her fabric wasn't as thick at its sides. Masutap knew how deep she needed to plunge a blade just below the Princess's left armpit at an angle that would hit an artery and ensure Dahli died quickly and quietly. One second. That's how fast it would take to finish the job. Opportunity only knocks once. It was time for Masutap to seize the chance the Gods had gifted her.
The Juckwa Arena was in a state of chaos with the whole Black Guard split between fighting the relentless Commander and protecting the unconscious King. Masutap had made Dahli discover the flaw in her given command as the Black Guard had swarmed the Commander into the hallway. Civil strife wasn't something to be taken lightly and Dahli hurried to plunge into the Black Guard so as to make her way to the Commander before the Legions lost their leader. "How will the other Kingdoms see us? Killing our own Commander? How will your father think of your rule if he learnt that the Kolotian escaped and the Commander of the Legions together with some Black Guards died fighting each other under your command?" Masutap had asked the Princess. The Telinete's bellow from outside the Juckwa Arena meant the Kolotian had already made his escape and there was no need for the Commander to lose his life. Dahli rushed in the direction of the wide hallway filled with fighting Black Guards and dim lighting to rectify the mistake Masutap had pointed out.
Dahli screamed to be let through by the body of Black Guards crowding into the hallway but the shouts of combat and clashing of swords drowned her voice. She started squeezing her way into the fray of bodies in an effort to reach the front where the Commander could be heard shouting Empathic Forms and Masutap followed close behind while curling into herself to appear smaller behind the Princess.
Masutap had formed the plan as she'd watched the Commander fight. No other time had found the Princess Dahli so isolated from the Black Guard's heightened attention since Desan's death and the confusion all around was the perfect cover to act on her whims. One hour. That was the amount of time Masutap had deduced would enable her to get to Leba after finishing Dahli off if she found a way past the Commander.
Hopefully, Dahli's corpse would give the Commander pause enough to allow her to slip through in pursuit of Leba. The Prince hadn't taken any Black Guards with him during his sudden departure and she had an inkling as to where he'd gone to. Masutap knew that the whole Royal Black Guard would be put to death for their consistent failure after her plan succeeded but due to the disarray of the day she knew she'd be able to make a last minute escape. She would of course come back if or when her father sired more children. Risky, risky plan. It was an impulse driven plan, too shaky for her liking but risks were necessary in the face of scarce opportunity.
Dahli struggled to force her way through, none of the Black Guards paid attention to her or recognized her as Masutap had hoped. The dim lighting within the hallway and the towering Black Guards they'd plunged into whose attention was on the Commander completely hindered Dahli's advance and obscured Masutap as she drew a short blade from the knife belt beneath her linen shirt. Dahli raised her arms to shove at those before her while issuing commands that were drowned by the voices of others. Masutap followed in Dahli's wake, she crouched low with her blade in her right hand, she leaned on her right side and moved sideways between pressing bodies like a Rankf Crab. Dahli raised her left arm to shove once more and Masutap lunged but her blade came to a halt inches from Dahli's side as a hand emerged from behind Masutap and grabbed at her blade wielding hand's wrist. Masutap turned to meet Orgeeg's glare.