Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li - Brian Pratt [112]
As James stumbles to the side, he cries out “Miko! You’ll be killed!”
But Miko blocks the thrust of the guard and deflects the blade to the side. He follows through with a counter attack which the guard blocks.
Jiron is fighting with the remaining guard and is unable to come to his aid. But Miko seems to not need any as he again blocks an overhand hack. He kicks out with his foot and connects with the man’s chest, knocking him backward.
Miko immediately follows the man as he trips over a chair behind him and runs him through with his sword before the guard hits the ground. Putting his foot on the man’s chest, he yanks out his sword as he turns to the sound of Jiron battling the last guard.
Before Miko has the chance to make it over to help him, Jiron deflects a thrust with the knife in his right hand, twirls and smashes his left elbow into the guard’s jaw as he comes around.
The guard stumbles backward, blood streaming down his face from his broken nose. Jiron follows through with a quick series of attacks and succeeds in plunging one of his knifes into the guard’s chest, puncturing his heart.
As the man falls, Jiron pulls his knife out of his chest and turns back to the others when out of the corner of his eye he sees a sword coming down toward him. With reflexes honed through years in the pits, he brings up a knife and blocks the attack.
Miko brings his sword around for another attack when James yells, “Miko!”
Startled, Miko pauses as his eyes begin to focus on who stands before him. Lowering his sword, he stands there dazed for a moment.
Jiron and James look to each other, and James mouths the words ‘The Fire’ silently as the points to Miko’s pouch.
Sudden understanding comes to Jiron as he steps back from Miko.
Miko begins looking around and James comes over, saying, “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” he says, somewhat distantly. “I’m fine.”
“You sure?” asks Jiron as he comes over.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” he says as he glances from one to the other. “What’s the matter?” he asks, seeming to abruptly snap out of whatever fugue he’d been in.
“Nothing,” James replies. “Let’s go.”
As they move across the guard room, James and Jiron exchange concerned glances.
Miko seems alright, just the sudden skill at arms and the way he attacks anyone gives James cause for concern. He gestures for Jiron to take the lead as they come to the stairs.
Jiron pauses at the bottom as he peers up the stairs and finds that they extend up to a heavy door with a small window. A face is looking out at him through the window. He turns back to James and says, “I think we’ve found him.”
James moves around Jiron and climbs the stairs, stopping several feet down from the door. The man is looking straight at him. “Are you the Madoc general, Pytherian?” he asks.
“Who wants to know?” the man behind the door says.
“One who would bring you from here,” replies James.
The man seems to consider a moment and then says, “Yes, I am Lord Pytherian.”
James turns back to Jiron and says, “Open the lock.”
Moving past James, Jiron takes out one of his knives as he begins working to open the lock. They all hear a ‘click’ and then he pushes the door open into the room.
Lord Pytherian is a man in his middle years who’s begun to gray along the temples. He looks at them and says, “Is this all?”
“What do you mean?” James asks.
“Is this it, two of you and a boy?” he asks. “How do you plan to get us out of here?”
“I assure you,” James tells him, “we are more than enough to get you out of here.”
Lord Pytherian doesn’t look convinced.
James looks at him and asks, “Are you coming?”
He starts to leave the room when from outside the window of his cell, they hear a great commotion coming from below. They all move to the window and look down to the courtyard below. Several figures are moving quickly across the open area as they head for the gate leading out of the keep. Soldiers are moving to intercept them and soon they’re engaged in battle.
“Are they part of your group?”