"NO, DON'T!" Atora's voice trailed off as four Rytari men charged from the shadows. Carthus quickly stepped up, nearly tripping over himself with the pain in his back. He sidestepped the first man's sword as he drew his own. With a sharp flourish, he pierced through the man's chest, dropping him to the ground.
Atora slammed shoulder-first into the next Rytari charging Carthus, knocking him over. She leaped between them all with arms raised.
"NONE OF THIS!" she shouted. The three remaining men circled them, "I command you to stand down!"
"You have no authority over us" one of them replied. His words were followed by a thud and a groan as an arrow hit him in the stomach. He fell and Carthus lunged forward. Atora moved quicker and before the Maad's blade met its target, she tripped him, both falling to the cobblestone road rolling over each other. One of the remaining men stepped toward Carthus with his blade raised but was hit with another arrow. He nearly fell and the two turned to run.
Carthus pushed himself up, facing Atora as she rose to her feet, hand on the hilt of her curved blade. Her eyes shifted behind the Maad to the Spears of Redriver tavern and he glanced back, following her gaze. Several Spears stood on the porch with bows in hand. Enleif was crossing the yard with sword and ax at the ready.
"Don't shoot!" Carthus yelled as one of the Spears released his arrow. The Maad sidestepped, blocking Atora. The arrow hit him in the chest and he spit blood to the stones beneath his feet, dropping to his knees again.
"NO!" Enleif shouted and started at a run.
"Carthus...I didn't want this..." Atora said, kneeling for a moment beside him.
"Run" Carthus groaned.
"I was...didn't know...Carthus..." she stood, ducking as a few arrows passed her.
"RUN!" Carthus shouted, coughing and spitting more blood into the dirt. She turned and quickly disappeared into the darkness down the street.
"Carthus!" the Nord sheathed his blade and ax, sliding down to the road beside the Maad, "let's get you inside...get a healer! Do it quick!"
Carthus grabbed the Nord's arms and let himself be pulled up, weakened by the blood loss. It was hard to breathe, let alone move. He leaned on Enleif's shoulder and they stumbled across the yard to the tavern.
YOU ARE READING
Spears of Redriver
FantasyCarthus, a young orphan trained to be a warrior like his father before him, is considered to be one of the best Maeli in his clan. However, he is forced to run for his life, along with two of his closest friends, for winning a sanctioned duel. They...
