>>5694134You reach over the brazier and grab onto Diana’s shoulder, yanking her towards you and nearly knocking the thing over. She’s startled and offers no resistance. She almost topples over you just as a sword comes swinging down right where she was standing. The blade finds no purchase, colliding with the ground instead of Diana’s skull. The figure is now close enough to be illuminated by the brazier, allowing you a good look at him. He’s a muscular man, with a face as hard as stone. His clothing is in somewhat rough condition but is still of higher quality than any run of the mill bandit would possess. The light of the fire reflects off his sword, shining partially in your eyes. The blade is exquisite, and you’re instantly able to tell it’s a weapon of master quality. If the assassin is surprised that he missed his mark, he does not show it. Instead, he lifts his blade up, and looks towards you.
“Wha-”? Diana says, unaware of what just happened. You quickly push her towards the front entrance of the tower, away from both you and the assassin.
>“We’re under attack! Alert the others!”The assassin moves to attack you. He comes in with a thrust, only to feint at the last second and attack with a swift downward strike. You still don’t have your spear in your hand, and magic would be too difficult in this situation. So, you parry the attack with the only weapon you have on hand. Kronya’s dagger collides with the masterwork sword in a flash of sparks. You’ve managed to successfully prevent your head from being split open, but quickly find that you’re being pushed back. This man isn’t just fast, but also strong. You thrust out a knee to try and open up space, but he quickly steps to the side. Escaping the clutch, you attack with a flurry of dagger blows, but each attack is deftly parried or avoided by your foe. Forced to use an unfamiliar weapon, you’re unable to land a blow on the experienced fighter, who appears to be a swordmaster. Either way, you succeed in grabbing his attention, allowing Diana to rush inside the tower and seek help from the others.
“A chol ceathrair, lig dom an ceann seo a ghlacadh mar mo bhean chéile.” In the middle of parrying your attacks, the man suddenly utters…something.
>“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” You ask, frustrated with your inability to hit him. As you back up from your opponent, a sword suddenly thrusts towards the side of your head from behind. The blade stays there on your shoulder, only a few inches away from your throat, threatening decapitation. A second attacker has joined the scene, pinning you from behind. 