Overwhelmed

JP with Omni, Bandorchu and Winteroak

Another horse was bucking, its legs caught up in a rope and tarp that Voah and Gonyaul set up over a shallow pit. Its rider, wielding an axe, was being thrown around and was soon on the ground.

Distracted by the success of her trap, two brigands were able to rush Voah from different sides one on horse with a sword and one on the ground with a spear whose tip raked across her side drawing blood.

Their numbers were telling now. Half the soldiers were gone. Many of the Ostiarium workers were starting to run for the mine.

Voah could not see Markus and his group any longer. More brigands started to make their way towards the forges.

Alexis by a hair's breadth evaded a spear aimed at her middle, curtesy to a brigand that had managed to get through the barricades. She seized the weapon with her left, refusing to let the man pull it back for a new thrust, and smashed her bow over his face.

One of her remaining fellow fighters made use of that opportunity and slashed at him with his blade. He didn’t manage to end the brigand right away but provided Alexis with the chance to wrench the spear out of his grasp. She let go of her bow for a moment to turn the spear around and ram it into the man‘s chest, finishing him.

Alexis picked up her bow and slung it over her shoulder, taking stock of the situation. Yeah, it wasn’t looking good. The workers had probably the right idea.

“Alright, that might be how long we can hold the forge. Get ready to fall back and cover the worker’s retreat.”

It wasn’t going to be a fun marsh back to the mine with her pierced leg but hey, at least she had a walking stick now.

She felt for the dagger that was hidden in the sleeve of her gambeson instead of resting in her belt. Alexis shared Voah’s mindset. If push came to shove, she‘d rather die than become these men‘s plaything.

Voah ran, trying to dodge her enemies. The mounted soldier stood ready as and she had expected a stab from the foot soldier's spear, but he must not have seen her as a threat. The man, instead grabbed her by the arm. It was already slick with blood and his grasp hurt, but it made her slip to the ground instead. When the man got close enough, he kicked her in the back, then grabbed her by the hair. She lost her grip on the sword as he pulled her off of the ground and turned over with the spear to her side.

Seeing the situation under control, the mounted raider rode off to find another soldier to kill. This man had made big mistake letting her get so close. Pulling her hair wasn't very painful but the main had a strong grip. The pretty pretender played her part very well. She acted helpless for a moment, until he let go of the hair. She pushed the spear aside and punched the man in his throat in venomous retort. He collapsed as his eyes rolled back. Voah picked up the sword once again and pushed her aching body toward the mine, hiding behind whatever she could along the way.

She came up behind the horseman who was bearing down on a new target. "Come on." she grunted to herself. No one would hear her over the chaos of battle. It was a pain in the ass not having a sheath for her sword anymore, she dropped it once more and prepared the bow and arrow. All she needed was one... WELL... PLACED... SHOT... the arrow flew and she didn't wait to see if it hit. She slung the looted bow and took up the sword in a fluid motion as she ran for it. The mounted warrior fell beside his horse, arching his back in pain of the arrow angled under his spine.

"Run!" she screamed at herself, bleeding as she went. These wounds wouldn't kill her... if she lived through the rest of the night. She found Alexis and caught up.

"Where is Gonyaul?!" she asked, catching her breath.