subplotkudzu | Emirkol, Part II, scene 4

It is said that a brave man is merely one who is brave for but a few moments longer than the one who runs, but how does that explain the next act of Hiram Deasoud, who met the dog men's charge with one of his own, forcing their warriors to break around him, disrupted their momentum and found himself battling three of the abominations with no allies in sight? Perhaps he felt his nerve start to slip and decided to act before he could flee? perhaps it is the foolhardiness of youth? or perhaps, just perhaps, a nobleman's courage is cut from a finer cloth than other men. Whatever his reason, the young actor found himself beset on three sides by chaos beasts, and only the thrust-and-parry taught to him by his family master and the dash and flare drilled into him on the stage kept his opponents at bay.

Deitrich von Eisenwald stood his ground, making ready to face his charging opponents. When the first of the lot arrived he neatly parried its attack but saw his counter-thrust dodged by the nimble dog man. He then fell to fighting two on one, back to the wall, the flicking speed of his blade holding the things back but the heat of the fight preventing a clean thrust that would get through their leather armor and matted fur.

Melas Mejas Beliseca found himself encumbered by is greatsword in his battle against two more of the chaos beasts - the creatures were too agile to hit with a swing and the sword too large for effective thrusting against the diminutive foes. He felt himself hit by their spears once, twice, three times, and while none of the wounds were deep Melas' hunched back and malformed limbs worked best in quick contests of skill rather than endurance. He knew it would not be long before his breath would begin to grow ragged in the fetid air.

Cybele Floriane, like Hiram, faced three of the opposition, and while her magical protections turned away the first two of her attackers the third struck home. She was saved from falling to a supine position only by the wall behind her. Still, the shock and stumble were not enough to break her concentration, and with her sword weaving a six point pattern of defense she unleashed a hellish bolt of energy from her free hand, blowing a hole clean through the beast that struck her. The other two found themselves engaged not just by a fierce noble of the old empire but the venomous viper linked to her very soul as Renee slipped between their legs, and his hissing and darting threw the dog-men off stride, preventing them from gaining any advantage until the sorceress regained her footing.

With first blood to the defenders of the realm the tide shifted: Hiram held his ground, occupying a mass of the enemy while declaiming a great battle oratory from a work of Armado Caltrava - whose epic octology of the battles of Sybade Mountains never fails but to bring the audience to its collective feet - to strengthen the resolve of his allies. Melas engaged in a complex beat thrust to drive both of his opponents back far enough to bring his blade's edge into play, sundering one of the creatures in twain with an arcing swing. One of Deitrich's foes was forced to duck to avoid the great weapon's backswing and never lived to regret the error of lowering his defense, as von Eisenwald's blade flicked through the exposed gap between the creatures doublet and collar, dropping the creature instantly with a severed spine. Deitrich pressed his advantage with the other, scoring hits in rapid succession that alas did not draw blood through the baying beast's armor.

Three blades against one is a dance that leaves little room for counterstroke and none for error and so it says much for Hiram's skill that it took so long for one of the beasts flanking him to get through his defenses. (Dave: This is insane! People outside are complaining about the breeze! Nearby candles are gong out! The air is filled with the sound of swishing fans!) Even with the shallow bleeding cut, followed by a second, the young actor never thought to not press his attack, and finally worked his way past the spear of his frontmost adversary and ended that conflict with a thrust and kill whose flourish would be appreciated by even those in the farthest gallery.

Cybele, never doubting victory in the overall battle but concerned about not having sufficient arcane energy for later, relied on her blade for a few seconds, holding off both her surviving adversaries and hoping that Renee might bring one down with his venom, but the dog men had quick feet and thick boots. She suffered another hit, and saw Deitrich take one at the same time, leaving all of the nobles bloodied, with Melas obviously suffering from his many wounds. While Hiram's voice never faltered, if the young actor would be forgiven if he began to doubt for just a second.

As second would be all he had time for, as lord von Eisenwald redoubled his attack, taking down his opponent and with a forward run and leap engaged one of the beasts flanking Hiram. Lord Beliseca was likewise able to turn to the tables with a thrust that at last got his strength behind it, leaving the beast man impaled on his great blade. With a single stride and swing he flicked the corpse at Cyble's second opponent, then on the backstroke forced the creature off balance, making him short work for the Lady Floriane's saber. Her remaining opponent attempted to flee down a side corridor, but unwilling to let it summon help and no longer harried by combat she neatly removed its head from its body with a blast of magic that snaked across the room.

Deitrich, while fatigued, was still too much for the dog man who had spent his force against Hiram's near impenetrable defense, dropping the creature with a thrust. This left Hiram alone with the beast who had plagued him from the first, and the young noble, at last able to focus on offense, forced the dog man back with a deft recreation of the balcony battle from Valentin and Esperanza, disarming his foe with a flick of the wrist and placing his rapier directly through the beast's heart. He even launched the thrust at the exact end of Caltrava's oration. (Dave: Critical Hit! Woot!)

The four nobles, bloodied but unbowed, surveyed the scene and wondered what might come next.

To be continued.