There is a crack and the arm holding the dagger snaps at a weird angle just below the elbow, sending the dagger flying. The man screams in pain. In your astonishment, you look back at Smithy to see what they did. They are still standing several meters away and they are holding a hammer in what looks like the final moments of a swing. They keep the momentum from the swing going and bring the hammer back around for another swing. Right as the hammer passes in front of their chest it stops midair and the moonlight around them changes. The light becomes less, like something is taken away, there is still light but it is changed forever. Or so it seems in the moment, as the effect barely lasts long enough to register before the light returns to normal.

The dagger man screams again which finally pulls you out of your initial shock. Your training finally kicks in and you grab your sidearm and prepare to fend off any more attacks from the man. However, he is in no state to continue. He slumps to his knees clutching at his right shoulder while his right hand and wrist dangles loosely from his arm. You get behind him and shove him the rest of the way down to the ground. You pin him there and place the tip of your short sword on his throat.

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With the immediate threat taken care of you look up to take in the rest of your surroundings. Your two guards are making their way to you, leaving two corpses behind. Smithy is nowhere in sight.

“Well done my liege,” Mark says to you as he approaches and eyes your captive. “Please forgive us for allowing this to happen.”

“I…uh…” You fumble for words trying to describe what just happened.

“I’ll take it from here,” Mark continues before you can explain that you didn’t actually do much. “We’ll figure out what happened and what our punishment will be once we are back at the keep. Lily,” he turns to the other guard, “get the young liege back to the keep. I’ll be right behind you with the captive.