too close. In this way, Pel gave one of them a scalp cut which bled profusely and left the victim lying senseless on the floor, while Aerich nearly struck another’s hand off, this in addition to a number of small wounds they inflicted.
After the first moment of the charge of the table, the Dragonlords began to fall back, and three of them lost their footing, whereupon Khaavren and Tazendra happily trampled them on their way past.
The counter-attack (or, if the reader prefer, table-attack) went well until the Guardsmen had succeeded in pushing their enemies to the far wall of the room, whereupon two things happened: first, the press of bodies and the force of the charge itself served to squeeze soldiers around the sides of the table and put them in a better position to attack the Guardsmen from the flanks, and second, Tazendra’s sword, as if offended at being used as the grip of a moving barricade, slipped free from the table, which promptly fell backward, its feet sticking up into the air. Suddenly, then, the momentum shifted, and the four friends were at once surrounded.
They wasted no time in considering strategy, however. Tazendra, delighted to have her blade free, charged at the largest group she could find with such vigor that they fell back before her, momentarily confused. Khaavren found himself facing one of the original four antagonists, and, in the time it takes to draw a breath, cut her twice on the arm, once in the face, and then struck her fully in the body, at which time she fell like a coal-sack. At this same time, Aerich wounded a man with a cut in the neck, and Pel felled another by burying his poniard in her chest, for which he paid by a long scratch down the side of his face and a light cut in his left shoulder.
Now the innkeeper, not knowing what else to do, had dispatched a servant to bring the Guard, who were fortunately close at hand, so that the cry, “The Watch! The Watch!” was taken up by the patrons who were nearest the door and the cry was quickly spread throughout the hostel. Our friends, hearing this cry, took the opportunity to make a retreat into the common room, and afterward fell in with the pair of Guardsmen who had been summoned, and who were of their own company. No words were necessary to show the newcomers the situation, so they at once drew and stood next to their friends. The numbers, while still not equal, were at least
a little more balanced, so that the Dragonlords, of whom perhaps a dozen remained standing, hesitated before attacking.
“I think,” said Khaavren, “that it is now time to withdraw.”
“Bah,” said Tazendra. “The game is only beginning to grow warm.”
Aerich said, “I, for one, agree with Khaavren.”
Pel said, “Whereas, my dear Lyorn, I find that on this occasion I am entirely in accord with Tazendra.”
The two Guardsmen also agreed with Tazendra, saying that they had had no chance to fight. Aerich said, “That is true, but you are on duty, and ought to attempt to quell disruptions rather than contributing to them.”
“Ah, that is true,” they said regretfully.
“But,” said Pel, “I do not believe these fine soldiers have any intention of allowing us to leave in a peaceful way.”
“I nearly think you are right,” said Tazendra happily, as their foes seemed about to make a charge.
Aerich said, “You can delay them, Tazendra.”
“I?”
“Well, are you not a sorcerer?”
“Ah, that is true. Very well.”
She raised her hands and muttered under her breath, whereupon the room was almost instantly filled with smoke, which appeared to have no source other than the air itself; and, moreover, there were flashes of light, all the more frightening because it was impossible to determine whence they came or what effect, if any, they were having.
“Now,” said Tazendra, appearing to be pleased with herself, “we can charge them on a more equal basis.”
“Now,” said Khaavren, “we can retreat—for I believe we have
After the first moment of the charge of the table, the Dragonlords began to fall back, and three of them lost their footing, whereupon Khaavren and Tazendra happily trampled them on their way past.
The counter-attack (or, if the reader prefer, table-attack) went well until the Guardsmen had succeeded in pushing their enemies to the far wall of the room, whereupon two things happened: first, the press of bodies and the force of the charge itself served to squeeze soldiers around the sides of the table and put them in a better position to attack the Guardsmen from the flanks, and second, Tazendra’s sword, as if offended at being used as the grip of a moving barricade, slipped free from the table, which promptly fell backward, its feet sticking up into the air. Suddenly, then, the momentum shifted, and the four friends were at once surrounded.
They wasted no time in considering strategy, however. Tazendra, delighted to have her blade free, charged at the largest group she could find with such vigor that they fell back before her, momentarily confused. Khaavren found himself facing one of the original four antagonists, and, in the time it takes to draw a breath, cut her twice on the arm, once in the face, and then struck her fully in the body, at which time she fell like a coal-sack. At this same time, Aerich wounded a man with a cut in the neck, and Pel felled another by burying his poniard in her chest, for which he paid by a long scratch down the side of his face and a light cut in his left shoulder.
Now the innkeeper, not knowing what else to do, had dispatched a servant to bring the Guard, who were fortunately close at hand, so that the cry, “The Watch! The Watch!” was taken up by the patrons who were nearest the door and the cry was quickly spread throughout the hostel. Our friends, hearing this cry, took the opportunity to make a retreat into the common room, and afterward fell in with the pair of Guardsmen who had been summoned, and who were of their own company. No words were necessary to show the newcomers the situation, so they at once drew and stood next to their friends. The numbers, while still not equal, were at least
a little more balanced, so that the Dragonlords, of whom perhaps a dozen remained standing, hesitated before attacking.
“I think,” said Khaavren, “that it is now time to withdraw.”
“Bah,” said Tazendra. “The game is only beginning to grow warm.”
Aerich said, “I, for one, agree with Khaavren.”
Pel said, “Whereas, my dear Lyorn, I find that on this occasion I am entirely in accord with Tazendra.”
The two Guardsmen also agreed with Tazendra, saying that they had had no chance to fight. Aerich said, “That is true, but you are on duty, and ought to attempt to quell disruptions rather than contributing to them.”
“Ah, that is true,” they said regretfully.
“But,” said Pel, “I do not believe these fine soldiers have any intention of allowing us to leave in a peaceful way.”
“I nearly think you are right,” said Tazendra happily, as their foes seemed about to make a charge.
Aerich said, “You can delay them, Tazendra.”
“I?”
“Well, are you not a sorcerer?”
“Ah, that is true. Very well.”
She raised her hands and muttered under her breath, whereupon the room was almost instantly filled with smoke, which appeared to have no source other than the air itself; and, moreover, there were flashes of light, all the more frightening because it was impossible to determine whence they came or what effect, if any, they were having.
“Now,” said Tazendra, appearing to be pleased with herself, “we can charge them on a more equal basis.”
“Now,” said Khaavren, “we can retreat—for I believe we have
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