Watching the sorcerer shuffle past and cast a strange incantation on the now rescued barbarian, Zarif clicked his tongue, impatiently. He still felt so restless, like he was close to clearing some wall he'd been climbing. It was hard to put into words, but damnit, he couldn't sit still on Salador's saddle. Without even thinking fully, he kicked the camel slicktly on the side nd the two set off to the left of the gate.

Finally coming back to his senses, Zarif eyed Lyun charging forward, and then spotted two archers ahead. Hopefully, the pair would split up and go after each of them, but... if they both went after him...

As the animal ran forward, Zarif fumbled quickly at the saddlebags, producing the last of the medicine he'd purchased. His wounds weren't exactly bad but if things got bad here... Well, it's too late to turn around now He thought, applying the soothing herbal ointment to his bleeding shoulder. With that done, he gripped his sling, and readied a small stone.

Siris: "Let's go!"

KURUM: "The Lady of Fortune isn't with us this time lads. . ." The Dark Sun rider's wounds gout blood as he feebly calls back, with the last motes of his strength he kicks the side of his horse to herald him away. And swiftly thereafter his subordinates follow suit.

RAVINA: "Let's be after those two-timing snakes and finish them off eh?"

DOAN-NASIR: "Two-timing? Dishonorable perhaps, but many of us have no choice but to be cutthroat in these times. . . We won't pursue."

SIM-MA-SIHU: "Then let's turn about and back the boys up."

DOAN-NASIR: "No. We'll secure the perimeter. Iddin and his men are more than capable of handling this task. Let's be sure no more reinforcements will arrive." With that the three senior Hellions ride off, leaving the rest in the hands of their subordinates.

AM-ZIKAR: "Damn! So they've got lots'a little friends do they? Fine, men head toward the keep, we'll bolster the Angal's defense!"

While moving towards his destination, Siris spots 2 companions he recognized were part of the Hellions. One of which was a beauty who he however could not remember her name, not that that would ever stop him.

Slowing his pace down, he walks up next to the woman and taps her lightly with his shield hand before getting in front of her.

Siris: "Don’t worry, for I have arrived! I shall make quick work of this fodder and keep you safe.”

He says while putting on a smile, paying more attention to her than the nearby enemies.

The city itself didn't stand out in any meaningful way and Etor wasn't sightseeing. Trying to gauge where any additional enemies might be lurking he walked forward with vigilance and almost walked into Ninil while he was looking at an archer stationed at a tower on the far side of the wall.

Etor: "Oh. Hey Ninil. Everything going okay for you all? "

Etor kept looking around at the other enemies stationed about so he wasn't really looking at Ninil when he was asking his question. Since he always felt nonchalant around Ninil he felt comfortable that Ninil wouldn't be slighted by the lack of eye contact on the battlefield. Best to keep eyes on the enemy after all.

Lyun: "..."

Zarif clutched at his arm, the small arrowhead sprouting shallowly from his bicep, crimson water dripping down to the dry dirt below. He gritted his teeth, and knocked a second arrow, a new feeling of resolve filling him. It was as if he had crested a tall and dune, and a small smile began to crack at the corner of his mouth.

Nearly as soon as it had been born however, his smile turned into a scowl. Like some kind of rat, that damnable Makeen snuck up behind, and nearly killed the hunter... ZARIF'S hunter.

Zarif: AHHH! Damn rat! You steal enough as it is, you will not be stealing of my glory!

Quickly, before the greedy thief could finish the job, Zarif loosed the arrow, taking the hunter between the eyes. Without another word, Zarif and Salador trotted off towards the others, glaring at the thief all the way.

NINIL: "Why thank you very kindly gentlemen." The youthful Hellion spoke with the slightest bit of a sarcastic sneer. "Well ya see. . . Everything was going juuuust peachy until Balathu and I got separated from the others. There's a guy with a nasty lookin' sword, and let's just say I-- Wee got spooked!" Ninil taps Siris back on the shoulder, "You'll go handle that for lil' ol' me right?"

As Ninil casually sends Siris to his doom, across the road Ashur confounds the remaining Hunter with a swift attack, followed up by the heavily armored Balathu.

KASHTILASHU: "Where is that witch?!" The great Angal of Der, newest holding of the Kassite Chiefdoms bellows throughout the dim sandstone bricks of the keep. His brows furrow, unable to find the northern woman anywhere amongst the rest of his abused retainers. Hefting up his axe, the oversized barbarian steps out into the waning sun. "No matter. . . I won't be bled like a pig on MY new throne. I'll CRUSH them."

Sellswords, traitors and misguided kin, all gathering to strike down those who dare oppose their schemes.
Regardless, the brute rushes in, using the enemies' formation against them. He cuts down the first man and takes his place, tossing the corpse against the wall before it can fall to the ground. A Kassite replaced with another, and Lyun keeps on the offensive.

The hellions have always navigated a tightrope of independence and cooperation.Etor thought long and hard about his next actions. As he navigated further into the city the opening to the right hosted many enemies. Rather then approach them he thought about his lack of control and accuracy. He didn't want to put others in danger trying to save him so he lost his nerve. The spearman moved into the trees and prepared himself to strike once the enemies had scattered to address the rest of the hellions. While he could not be brave in this moment he clutched his spear to be brave at the next moment and the moment after that. He reassured himself he could be brave one moment at a time and that's all that was needed from him.

Still feeling high on life, having gained a strange feeling of relief and accomplishment from his previous bout, and putting Makeen's failed attempted robbery out of his mind, Zarif and Salador trotted down the central street of the town, quickly overtaking his band of allies. He half cringed, half grinned, watching Lyun, as that mountain of a man took a spear man's head clean off in a single sweep, and near took another on that same backswing. We are of the fortunate, that one is on our side.

Beside the brute stood an odd looking fellow, wielding an even stranger blade. In all his travels cross the world, Zarif had never once seen a weapon so strange as this. The blade was a nasty one, with strange barbs along one side and a bizarre wicked curve to it. It seemed... a bit unwieldy, if truth be told. The fighting man holding it held himself with a strange air of confidence and agression... or was that just foolish arrogance.

Zarif: Well friend, let us test this one

With that, and a light kick, the pair charged forwards, and the quartermaster raised his bow, notching an arrow. With practiced grace, just as they got in range, he let the shaft fly. It seemed to hover in the air as it thundered towards the savage swordsman; flying, flying and... took him right between the eyes.

Time seemed to stand still for a moment, the swordsman standing there still, his sword half raised in brutal intension towards Lyun's back. A whole 5 seconds passed, as Zarif and Salador rode past, before the swordsman finally seemed to realize he'd died. With a bizzard half-screech, he fell unceremoniously to the ground, the arrow being driven deeper through his skull as his face slammed into the cobbles below with a wet plop, as his odd sword slid along the dirt.

The foreigner couldn't help but snort at how funny it was. One second so arrogant, the next flopped onto the ground, dead. What an idiot!

With a hearty laugh, thinking his charm had already worked, Siris begins walking towards the man she pointed to as he raises his thumb towards Ninil.

Siris: "Consider him dead my lady! I shall return afterwards for my reward."

He says with a wink as he turns his eyes on the enemy.

However as soon as he does so he notices the sword she was talking about, it seemed sharp and lethal enough to stop Siris in his tracks for a moment. However it was just a moment as he reminded himself of his prize for victory, seeing his allies charge in he ran in after them.

As Lyun takes out an spear user next to the lethal swordwielder, Siris prepares himself to fell the dangerous enemy in one blow before... an arrow flies right into the enemy's skull and he falls forward.

Slowly turning his face he sees Zarif on his horse, looking mighty proud of himself for his aim. Siris gives him a deadpan look, trying to think of any justification for hitting a friendly. Unfortunately, being surrounded by other allies and enemies, the incredibly frustrated warrior had no choice but to accept it. Turning his gaze once again, he noticed a now defenseless archer.

With the fury of a thousand single man, he yelled and charged the poor archer who couldn't run away fast enough before having his skull split in two by Siris's blade.

The desperado wheeled by Etor, sending the boy only a passing glance as he sheathed his blade. That at the least was all it took to glean something of the mental battle that the youngest Hellion had been wrestling with the entire operation, still, Ashür wasn't one to comfort. . . He moved ahead, carving an inscrutable word into the air as he went, concentrating upon all the woe present in these husked out homes.

Despite the wracking pain of toxins coursing through the blood of the Kassite, or perhaps specifically in spite of them, they loose a gnarled arrow that finds its mark, sticking horribly from Lyun's thick neck. Not having received punishment enough, another of the bowmen take the opportunity to fell their perceived betrayer, their kinslayer.

KASHTILASHU: "Mongrel dog. Take this and more, we could at last leave the treacherous mountains for fertile soil, we could be great kings. Do your people mean nothing to you?!"

Etor hears the call to hold them at the gap. He's realized he's too inexperienced for battle. The scouting and recon missions he went on when he was in Ravinia's group better suited him. She wasn't holding him back she wanted to make sure he was ready. He swore he'd make it out of this alive and ask Ravinia for forgiveness at his abrupt transfer request. He looked towards Balathu and received a nod almost if this mind was read. He wouldn't join the fray as the stoic lancer prepared to do.

Etor: "Thank you."

Etor rushed forward, looking at each row of houses to see if any were left unsecured. Once he reached the last row he thought maybe if he set one of the buildings ablaze then the ensuing chaos could work towards the hellion's advantage. He pauses in the greenery by the last house on the row to make sure no surprises came out before he barfed in.