Winn was pretty sure his dear friend Kara had lost her entire mind. There was a bright and vicious look that came into her eyes as her pupils began to dilate upon her first glance into the dark, dank dungeons and he took a sudden and visceral dislike to her visage. She placed her short gladius sword Lena had given to her very reverently and slowly in his free hand with a steady and warning gaze and told them both "stay" in a deep, low and dangerous tone. Kara turned and stepped steadily sideways into the full view of the three youthful looking guards playing a dice and cup game at a small round-shaped table that had been tucked back into one corner. The one seated directly across from her stood so quickly his stool kicked out back behind him with a crash to break against the wall. Kara grinned a wicked, toothy grin before she gestured for them all to come at her, both of her hands empty.
"What could she possibly think she is doing?" James asked with dismay plain in his low voice.
"I would not concern myself. She has this well in hand and is more than capable. You were not one for the Gladiator Games, were you? Watch and pay close attention, you may even learn a thing or two, my friend." Winn chuckled softly and clapped James on one broad shoulder. "I think she may be having fun."
For all intents and purposes, Kara seemed to be waiting quite patiently for the three scrambling and rushing men to trip and fall on their way out from behind the small table. To those who knew what to look for, her long and scarred fingers twitched expectantly with nervous energy at her sides and her weight shifted almost unnoticeably to the balls of her feet.
As soon as the two men on the sides of the table emerged and began to draw their weapons, short knives appeared in their calves as though by magic, just above the tops of greaves and below the edges of their tunics.
James' gaze snapped to Kara, her hands returning to her sides loosely as the men cried out in shock and burning pain. He had not even seen her move. The small clasps at her sides were empty now. She had not been quite as unarmed as she had appeared to be.
The first man to have seen Kara come out from behind the corner growled in anger, put one hand in the center of the table and vaulted easily over. Before his feet hit the floor, Kara just one foot in his kidney and sent him tumbling into one of his friends. As he fought to regain his balance, Kara replanted her feet and wrapped one hand around his throat and began to squeeze. Kara laughed out loud and even her friends would say later that the sound was frankly terrifying.
The first to come at her was on the side where she did not carry her burden, and her arm was free. He threw a wild haymaker. She easily caught the empty hand, twisted it around and kicked him between the shoulders as he fell to his knees. His head bounced off of the stone wall with a sickening crack. Winn watched and would feel James visibly flinch beside of him. The remaining guard let out a bellow of rage as prisoners all up and down the hall began to cheer and shout.
Winn smacked the larger man's chest with the back of his hand in anticipation and excitement. James only continued to stare in absolute awe.
"Oh, this is going to be good." he murmured more to himself than to James.
Kara released her unconscious armful and rolled across his back as he began to fall. She locked one foot and caught her charging attacker in the temple with her heel in a hook kick with a stomach-turning crunch and he fell to the cold stone floor. She stood and began to calmly brush her bloody, sweaty hands across her new armor. "I appear to have made a small mess." she said with a blank and empty half-smile and rolled her head on her shoulder. Winn wondered if this was how she seemed during her former life as a gladiator. He did not like this version of the warrior as much as the Kara he now knew. "James, if you would pass me the bag, please?"
"Yes, Ms.Kara." he answered, still rather in awe as she kneeled down and began to search the unconscious guard first. The other two certainly were not at risk of getting up and running off.
"Keys!" she announced to anyone who was paying attention. Several of the nearby emaciated and bruised prisoners tiredly lifted ahead at that declaration. Some begged for their own release while others called out atrocities and expletives. "If the two of you would strip them of their armor and weapons, please? I will find our girl and we can cause a ruckus."
"See what I mean now?" Winn asked, raising his eyebrows at the other man as Kara went to find a modicum of privacy to change into the guard's clothes.
"If I were a religious man, I would say she was descended from Athena or Ares." James said with a slight huff as he worked. "What I just saw was barely human...and all with a smile on her face."
"Lena once said she thought other men's weapons just bounced off of her skin." Winn said with a knowing grin, wanting the conversation to drift away from Kara's lineage.
"A Girl of Steel." James muttered to himself.
"I am ready and I found Sam. She does not look well. You two get changed now. I found a spare room down the hall you can use, boys." Kara jogged back.
"Yes, ma'am." He said and did as he was told. The prisoners still bellowed for their release. Kara grabbed the now considerably heavier pack and slung it over her shoulder. Starting at the far end of the hall, Kara began to open the cells and release the other prisoners.
"Go fuck some shit up, my friends. Pay the king my regards as you go." she advised them. "Winn! Do you have Sam?!"
"Yeah, we should go!" he called back. She was supported between the two men, looking pale and wanner than was probably healthy, but her expression seemed relieved. All three party members were now in the fallen guards' armor and blended well with the crowd searching for the loose escapees.
Sam had just enough energy to spit at the corpses as they hobbled away.