Foreign Dogs

Ostiarium
JP with Bandorchu, Lucian, and Omni

Alexis does not fully follow the youngster’s speech. Her limited Ozainae is only partly to blame for this. No, there is a growing sense of tension and unrest she can’t quite place that is distracting her from trying to translate in her head.

Her instincts, however, don’t need to understand. They just kick in.
Precious, decisive moments before she gets the captive’s smug spiel, she dodges away, the curved blade missing her by inches.

She has her own dagger in hand before she knows it, the other hand already in the process of unsheathing her sword, as her brain finally catches up.

“You guys kinda suck at assassinations, don’t you.”

She growls, facing their newest guest.

The newcomer seemed momentarily taken aback by Alexis's swift dodge and readiness. His surprise, however, quickly morphed into a sneer that mirrored the defiance and conviction seen in the young captive's eyes.

"Kalit, zrahm sukan!" he bellowed, venom dripping from each word as he labeled them 'foreign dogs' destined to die. With a swift side step, he skillfully maneuvered out of reach of Tarmen's inevitable blade, his initial advantage of surprise now squandered. In the dim light, his scimitar caught a menacing gleam as he edged closer to Alexis, his gaze darting between her and Tarmen, calculating his next move in this deadly dance.

The addition of this hidden enemy was a kick to his adrenaline and marked an end to his questions. The boy didn't get to say any more threats after feeling another fist bring him into darkness.

With that handled, Tarmen kept himself low as he turned to the newcomer, his machete glinting in the moonlight as he moved out of the mans' sight to try and divert his attention.

Tarmen’s disappearance into the brother’s periphery made him weigh his options rapidly. He had to eliminate one of them quickly, lest he be overwhelmed.

Choosing to capitalize on what he perceived as a momentary advantage, the assassin lunged at Alexis, his scimitar slicing through the air with deadly intent.

Alexis watched the man’s approach as she herself moved to adjust to his advances. Somewhere, in the back of her head, she absurdly wondered what these guys had against dogs.

In her experience dogs, especially when their humans had earned their loyalty, and while of course coming in many kinds of tempers, could be very much a force to be reckoned with.

They could be downright fierce.

Unhindered by this strange string of thoughts, Alexis likewise lunged forward in a rather aggressive form of defense, her crossed blades catching and diverting the scimitar’s arc and bringing the fighters closer than the assassin might have expected.

At this meeting of blades Tarmen rolled forward, looking to swing the mans feet out from under him. He wasn't keen on having two captives, let alone the probable suspicion the Duke and the holy man would have at their absence.

As Alexis engaged the assassin directly, forcing their blades to clash with a spark of steel, Tarmen's low sweep aimed at the assassin's legs was perfectly executed. The suddenness of the move, coupled with Alexis's aggressive defense, caught the Brotherhood assassin off balance.

The assassin's feet were swept from beneath him with precision and the maneuver sent the Brotherhood member tumbling in a side roll, narrowly avoiding a complete takedown. Luckily, he kept hold of his blade, and made a last second recovery to a crouched stance. He winced as a pain shot through, yet he positioned himself defensively where he could see both of the Helians. The tables had turned quicker than he had expected, signaling it was time for retreat.

Alexis followed their quarry’s evasive roll with measured steps, keeping her eyes on him.

Facing the man head on now, Tarmen wasn't sure how long they could stall like this. With this in mind he instinctively sought Vastad's blessing as he leapt to the alley wall, looking to jump off and disorient the assassin for a quick win.

The Brotherhood member, aware he was outflanked and outmatched, darted his eyes around, searching for an escape route. The moment Tarmen's feet hit the wall, the assassin saw his chance. He didn't wait to see the outcome of Tarmen's maneuver. Instead, he seized the moment to bolt, exploiting the slight distraction to make his escape.

He darted past them with surprising agility, driven by sheer survival instinct, his earlier confidence now replaced by a need to escape. The pain in his leg became a mere afterthought as he sprinted towards the nearest exit from the alley, his only thought to distance himself from the Helians.