Wayte cleared his throat, embarrassed, “Alright, we know what we’re all doing, let’s go.” He crept forward, followed closely by Dmitri and Claudia. They passed into the entry hall and found the cavernous room empty. Wayte looked around in suspicion, but unable to find anyone, crept into the doorway leading to the courtyard and looked out. Doing a quick count, he turned to the others, “There are four guards,” he informed them, “Two swordsmen on the ground and two pikemen on the upper walls. The pikemen will run down the stairway as soon as they hear a commotion so we’ll need to dispatch the swordsmen quickly,” he looked at Dmitri, “Are you ready?”
Dmitri licked his lips and swallowed, his throat felt parched. Unable to find the words, he nodded his head and saw Claudia beside him doing the same. Together they moved quietly into the courtyard.
“Well done,” praised a voice from above them. Spinning quickly, sword in hand, Dmitri looked up and saw Draycott flanked by guards. A noise from behind them caused them to spin again, more guards, heavily armoured, fell into place. Draycott sauntered towards a staircase and began to descend to their level. On the other side of the doorway that they had entered from, guardsman Mattief was doing the same.
“Did you really think that I would let you leave?” asked Draycott. “Wayte, I have to say that I’m surprised that you survived. Birkett was a very driven man.”
“Just another thing that you will be held accountable for Draycott,” called out Wayte.
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“You will address me as Lord!” screamed Draycott, “Kill them!”
Several things happened at once, Mattief and Draycott leapt down the last few steps, the guardsmen surrounding the escapees moved in, and Claudia reached into her bag and let loose with some potions contained within. The potions shattered and gases billowed out, combining with explosive potions and a great ring of fire erupted around the escapees, Mattief and Draycott plunging through the flame, one driven by determination to clear his name, the other by madness or something more. The guards outside the ring were forced back by the heat radiating from the flames. Several immediately ran towards the keep, running for buckets.
“Mattief!” barked Draycott, “Bring me Dmitri’s head and I shall see to it that you are a made man!”
Mattief turned to him and bowed, “It will be as you ask my Lord.”
“And guardsman Wayte,” sneered Draycott, “I’ll take care of your traitorous hide myself. Your pitiful brother was too weak to be able to finish the job.” Then he turned to Claudia, “And of course, you my sweet, you will wish for the time you had with Birkett when I start with you.”
Claudia shrank back from the madness gleaming in his eyes. Dmitri stepped in front of her, shielding her from Draycott’s leer. Raising his sword, he charged at the madman, but Mattief, doing his duty, stepped in and deflected the blow, lashing out with his fist. It caught Dmitri in the jaw and he stumbled.
With Mattief occupied, Wayte attacked Draycott, he stepped in, directing a slash to Draycott’s midsection. Draycott easily brought his sword up and blocked the blow. Then he added a vicious twist to his blade and it flicked around Wayte’s guard, forcing him to step backwards in order to avoid it. Draycott, now on the offensive, began to strike out at Wayte.