The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [128]
Pulling both knives, he stands there and waits for Shorty to appear. Not taking his eyes from the men, he hears Shorty land next to him. With a quick glance to Shorty to make sure he’s set, Jiron advances behind the men. As he starts to move, the dog begins barking intently, then turns and takes off down the alley.
The soldiers begin talking among themselves as they relax. Then one falls to the ground and before the other two realize what’s happening, Shorty’s other knife flies through the air and takes out a second. The third one barely gets his guard up before Jiron is upon him.
One knife feints to the man’s face which causes him to reflexively bring his sword up to block the blow, which leaves him open for the other. Sinking his blade in the man’s stomach, Jiron quickly pulls it out and knees him in the groin. Falling to the ground, the man groans as Jiron lashes out with his foot to the side of his head and knocks him out.
Indicating the end of the alley, he says to Shorty, “Keep a lookout.” With Shorty running to the alley’s mouth, Jiron returns to the window. He says, “Come on,” and begins helping the others down beginning with Aleya.
Back in the room, when James saw Jiron and Shorty take out the guards he says to Miko, “Help everyone out and then you get out too.”
“What about you?” he asks.
“I’ve got to go help Scar and Potbelly,” he replies. Without another word, he makes a run for the door.
Out in the hallway he discovers Scar and Potbelly are no longer on the stairs. Instead they are now halfway down the hallway and are slowly being pushed further back. Running up behind them he says, “Time to go.”
Scar’s two longswords have been devastating, as has Potbelly’s sword and knife. The hallway between where they now fight and the stairs is littered with the bodies and body parts of those they’ve slain.
“Get out of here,” Scar hollers to him. “We’re not going to be able to hold them off much longer.”
James comes and stands between them, almost getting sliced by one of Scar’s sword in the process. Holding out the sphere, he stretches his arm between them and says, “Sealing barrier.” All of a sudden a barrier flashes into being sealing the hallway off between them and the enemies trying to kill them.
“Get back to the others,” James hollers. “I’ll take care of this.”
Trusting in him, Scar and Potbelly turn and double time it to the room where the others are going through the window.
James gazes at the men on the other side of the barrier who are trying to break through. He opens his hand and looks at the sphere resting in his palm. Sighing, he says, “Delay five. Cancel. Leach times hundred. Delay twenty. Spoilsport.” Turning his palm over, he drops the sphere onto the floor of the hallway.
Turning around, he races back to the room. Just as he reaches the door, he glances back and sees the barrier wink out and the men beginning to fall to the floor as the sphere leeches them dry.
Moving into the room at a run, he sees Scar beginning to pass through the window. Potbelly and Miko are still in the room. He didn’t give them enough time! “Move!” he cries. “We got seconds before this place blows.”
“What?” asks Miko.
“Go! Go! Go!” he yells and practically pushes Scar out the window. Losing his grip, he falls to the ground. “Jump or we’re all dead!” he yells to the other two.
Seeing the fear in his eyes, Miko dives through the window and is followed a half second later by Potbelly. Hitting the ground hard, Miko breaks his arm and Potbelly his leg. James flies through the window a second later.
“What…?” begins Jiron as James hits the ground and scrapes off a large area of skin from his side. “No time to explain,” he yells as he gets to his feet. “We have to get out of here now!”
“Over the top?” asks Jiron. James nods. Grabbing Potbelly on either side,