PM to join It's About Sending a Message (Dor'gen)

[Kechaiya]

Timestamp: Fall 31, 514 AV Location: Pig's Foot Tavern Time of Day: Around the 21st Bell "You not crybaby. Stop it Guten." The eight year old boy in front of her immediately composed himself, as Kechaiya had finished examining his arm. The swelling, as well as the story that was told by him, his two companions, and the Caretaker that oversaw them all, confirmed it. It wasn't too bad, the bone wasn't out of alignment, just needed a splint to keep it that way. Turning to one of the other children, "You, get me small towel." She then looked at the other, "Get me strong stick, this long." The boy ran inside as she turned back to the child to explain what she was about to do, both for him, and for the caretaker of his orphanage. "I use stick to splint arm, use towel to cushion bumps." She reached into her pack, rummaged around in the herbalism kit within and plucked out a small pouch. The two boys returned with her items, and she traded the pouch for the towel. "This Tolm leaves. Boil four leaves, make tea, bring for Guten." As he left, she took the stick from the boy, testing it, to make sure it didn't break easily. Satisfied, she pulled her dagger, she slowly started removing the bark. It was slow work, constantly stopping as her dagger chunked itself deeper into the wood. Once all the bark was finally removed she set it aside, and cut two thin strips from the towel, leaving a much larger, third section. "Guten, hold arm out. This hurt." She placed the stick parallel to the broken forearm, and instructed Guten to hold it. She then wrapped the thick piece of towel remaining around the arm and stick, Guten wincing but not making any noise. After that was done, she took the two thin pieces, and tied them around the two ends of the splint. "There you go. Leave on until I tell you take off. Be careful, no fighting. Drink Tolm tea once day for pain." Kechaiya turned to the caretaker, a woman named Helda. "What happen?" "It was that damn new gang on the south side. What's their name... Sunset Snakes or some other nonsense. You know the ones, they stay in that burnt out building down by the docks. We were down there picking up the delivery from our friend on the fishing boats. They grabbed Guten, broke his arm, took our food. We need that food, we have nothing else." Kechaiya nodded, and made her leave. She never charged the orphanages for her services, her way of giving back to the part of the city that took her in with open arms as a foreigner. These shakedowns for food had been growing ever so common lately, and it was a nightmare for those that tried to help others. Kechaiya wanted to do something about this. Her giving back to the orphanages would be rendered pointless if they all starved to death. She felt this need growing in the back of her mind to do something about this. But she couldn't personally take on a gang, even one as small these "Sunset Snakes". It never ceased to surprise her how many of these little, petty gangs formed. Most were harmless enough, kept in check by the larger, well known ones. If she wanted to do something about a gang that only knew how to operate through violence, she'd need someone who was exactly like that, only better. She knew Noven was in no shape for that after she patched him up not too long ago. She didn't know anyone else that would be able to help with this. So, she went to one of the only places where violence and information flowed freely side by side. The Pig's Foot Tavern. As she walked through the door, it was as busy and rowdy as ever, and she sat at the bar. She ordered an ale, and when Merv delivered it, "Merv, know someone who can solve problem, for miza? Need be someone tougher than Night Lion."

[Dor'gen]

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The Pig's Foot Tavern was one of, if not the, most popular watering holes in the city of Sunberth. This was not due to a phenomenal sum of service or quality; but rather due to the safety the establishment afforded during the day. Patrons could find a reprieve from the ruthless streets within these walls and stood a better chance of survival over other taverns. What's more, for those who sold their blood and strength for coin, the Pig's Foot Tavern was a literal gold mine of potential opportunities. Employers would, quite literally, walk through the door and proclaim their desire to hire a handful of capable swords for a job. Or, they would go to the owner of the establishment, Merv, and ask his opinion in selecting a few hired blades.

For a freelance mercenary such as Dor'gen, this was the place to be when one was between jobs.

As such, the Giant occupied a stool at the frontmost bar of the establishment. Before him laid a relatively standard meal that had been devoured down to the point of a single loaf of bread alongside remnants of meat. Adjacent to the Akalak's platter was a mug of ale that was practically finished. Typically speaking, this would be the point where Dor'gen thrust his hand into the air and called for another drink. From there, he would normally be attended to by whichever waitress was closest...but, since he was only inches away from the owner of the establishment, Dor'gen decided against it. Today, Merv was behind the counter doling out drinks; and one of the things that Dor'gen had noticed about the patrons of the Pig's Foot was just how much they respected the old man.

Maybe it was because he was worthy of their respect due to age. Maybe it was because he had done something in the past worthy of praise.

Whatever the case was, the Akalak surely didn't know; but he knew how to follow an example. He saw that those also seated at the bar did not boldly demand refills of their beverages from the old man. Instead, they simply awaited his bringing the pitcher around to fill up their mugs...and even thanked him after it. This level of respect was a stark contrast to what Dor'gen saw on the streets of the city and surprised him to no end! Nonetheless, he followed suit and awaited a refill of his beverage; quietly munching upon his bread in the meantime. When the door of the establishment opened, Dor'gen could barely hear it over the sounds of conversation and laughter that permeated the whole of the Tavern. However, it was the door's close that drew the Akalak's attention.

It wasn't a loud slam, but is was the sort of noise that reflexively caused Dor'gen's head to turn.

Upon looking, he noticed the arrival of a woman. She strode forth across the Tavern before halting before Merv. At that point, Dor'gen returned his gaze to his platter...whilst straining his ears to overhear the conversation. It was the definition of rude, but with zero conversation to engage in and waiting on a refill...this seemed like a viable means of passing the time. However, due to the noise, he was only able to catch the back end of the woman's statement. "Night Lion". Without context, this particular utterance baffled the Akalak; for what did she want with one of Cyphrus' famed creatures. Fortunately enough, it was Merv who provided the context that Dor'gen needed to understand. "Tough as a Night Lion, eh?" he began...before placing his gaze upon Dor'gen.

With two steps, he approached the Akalak with pitcher in hand and promptly began refilling his mug. As the ale descended, Merv then spoke directly to Dor'gen. "How 'bout you? You're a Sellsword, right?" Looking up, the Giant looked the man square in the eye before giving a slight nod. "Aye. he said, "Got some work for me?" Setting the pitcher down upon the counter, Merv then indicated the woman with his thumb, saying: "No, but I think she might. She's looking for someone as tough as a Night Lion to help her out. Think you fit the description?" A slight smile formed on the edges of Dor'gen's mouth as he turned his attention to the potential client.

"Of course. And I'll be happy to take whatever work she's got." he said, speaking more to the woman than Merv at this point. "What do you need done?"

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[Kechaiya]

As Merv turned his attention away, Kech sipped at her drink, enjoying the smooth golden ale. Her eyes followed Merv's gaze to a massive purple Akalak. He was enormous. Even from her bar stool, she had to look up at him. His hair was a stark contrast to his deep coloring, like Leth against the night sky. She listened to the exchange between them, surprised at the thumb pointing in her direction. She'd not expected finding a sellsword to be quite this easy, especially one that would scare most people that looked at him. The smile that crept onto his face like a mugger on a victim sent shivers down her spine. Yes, this was the man she needed, that much was evident. Turning in her seat, she moved to face him, mug in hand.

Her thick accent layered over her tongue, "There new gang, small, name Sunset Snakes, down by docks. Stay in burnt building. Take food from friends. I want food back. Is fish for Orphanage."

Her gaze broke for a moment, as a heated argument across the bar rose above the usual chatter. She couldn't see the source yet, but after a brief moment everything seemed to return back to normal.

"No want them dead. Want them hurt. Want them know, not hurt orphanage. Not hurt children."

The arguing rose once more, and turning once more, she could now see the two offenders smack dab in the middle of the tavern getting in each other's face. There were friends of theirs trying to get them under control.

"You mission, should choose to accept it, will pay five golds if get fish back or if send message. If both, will pay fifteen golds."

Then there was a loud cheer and a few jeers as the argument turned into a scuffle. Kechaiya sipped her beer, turning to face the brewing fight. This gave her an idea. "Prove me you good, job yours." She jingled her coin purse for a bit more emphasis, nodding in the direction of the men. Leaning back against the bar, she planned to relax and watch men pummel one another.

She hoped this man was as scary in combat as he looked. Kechaiya didn't have a whole lot of experience with his race, but had always been told that women impregnated by them were lost causes. The skin coloring was alluring, much better than all of these pale shades of white of the natives. There had been a blue one on one of the ships she stowed away on in her youth. He had been the first mate, and had been a decent enough man. Though he liked to talk to himself a lot. Kech had just assumed it to be loneliness at sea. Taking another long sip of her beer, she tried to stop thinking of those days.

[Dor'gen]

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There were certain details about the information the woman provided that caused a myriad of expressions to claim his face. First and foremost, the mention of a new gang forming was...something that sent his mind spinning. Having been within Sunberth for just over a month now, Dor'gen had only heard whispers about a handful of gangs. There were the Sun's...something? To the west. Apparently they were rich, but had recently been run out of their fortress? Then there were the Daggers? Thugs basically. And then there were the Nights. Those petchers were like the shadows...and simply hearing about the latter syndicate encouraged Dor'gen to keep a small sum of his total coin on him at all times. Shadows and his money were not exactly a good mix.

However, with the city of Sunberth being practically saturated with organizations already, a new one showing up surprised the Akalak immensely. After all, in his opinion anyway, if the other gangs were worth their salt they would have beaten the new gang to a pulp...But then again, perhaps the new gang wasn't even big enough to be a threat? An ant bothering a giant's meal, so to speak? "Easy there, don't hurt yourself." came the teasing, condescending tone of the Akalak's "darker" sibling within his mind. If not for the fact that Dor'gen was in the middle of a conversation, he would have death-glared at the air...when said look was actually aimed at Goa. "You always have something smart to say." he snapped, before placing the whole of his attention on the woman.

Apparently, this new gang were terrible and snatched food right out of the mouths of children. In Sunberth, there was often not enough food to go around in the context of the less fortunate...and for someone to swipe food from children was terrible! The very act reminded the Akalak of the hell that he had lived as a child...for there were many days when the children of his clan would steal and hide his meals out of spite. They saw that he was different, interpreted it as being inferior, and decided to make him suffer because of it. Although this suffering had absolutely nothing to do with the situation at hand, it was a dangerous spark. Memories of the past were the sort of thing that easily ticked Dor'gen the everloving petch off...

As the Akalak dwelled on the memories momentarily, apparently there were a few blokes who decided to have a go at one another. Encouraged by the presence of alcohol within their systems, the drunken fools were initially having a "civil" discussion...that quickly devolved into the throwing of blows. What's more, the patrons immediately adjacent to them decided to cheer them on. "And they call us Savages." scoffed Goa; to which Dor'gen gave a low grunt of agreement. It took the jingling of coin before his very eyes and the outlinging of what the woman wanted done to shake the Akalak from his trip down memory lane. Apparently, she wanted the gang members roughed up, but not killed...and the food recovered.

"I don't know why you'd want to leave them alive." he said, after giving the terms a few ticks' worth of thought. "If they are new and small, killing them would eliminate the problem. Letting them live could just inspire bigger payback at some point." Drawing a breath, he then continued. "However, I'll do the job however you see fit. You are the client after all...and since this is for the children, knock five gold off. Ten is my price. You'll get your fish and your message." When he had finished speaking, the Akalak was surprised to see that the woman wanted a demonstration of his skill...against the drunken fools who were duking it out no less. If not for the possibility of offense, Dor'gen would have scoffed right there.

Instead, he wordlessly rose from his seat, faced the brawl, and calmly strode over.

There was no need to draw his weapon, as that would be overkill. Given that the two sods were woefully intoxicated, the Akalak would not have too much trouble facing them. However, he decided to make the "performance" at least somewhat entertaining; and to at least showcase some semblence of his skills. After navigating himself through the throng of onlookers, Dor'gen boldly addressed the drunks. "Oi, I just got done petching your mothers. They were a little loose, but good lays all the same. Just wanted to say thank ye." he said, adopting his best "Sunberthian" accent. Now, typically, such a weak bait would have been met with a laugh...but a few tankards of ale would make even the lightest jab feel like a grave insult.

What the drunks said in their slurred tones was of no interest to Dor'gen. All that he was interested in was showing his future client that he knew his way around a fight. At once, he was beset by the pair. One throw a punch whilst the other attempted to swipe blindly at Dor'gen with his tankard. Dancing back a step, Dor'gen evaded the tankard before seizing the bloke's forearm. He then shoved the man into the puncher, thereby throwing the offense off course. As they stumbled, Dor'gen drew back his dominant fist and launched a solid punch. It collided straight with the tankard-slinger's cheek and sent him sprawling to the ground. Apparently, this opened the Akalak somewhat, as the puncher decided to attempt to take Dor'gen off of his feet.

Running headlong, the puncher wrapped his arms around Dor'gen's waist and attempted to shove him off of his feet. Yet, what he did not count on was the fact...that Dor'gen was really petching tall and really petching heavy. Bracing himself upon his rear foot, Dor'gen resisted the attempt to shove him down...and decided to take advantage of the drunk's exposed back. Raising both hands above his head, he brought them both together in a single fist and dropped it directly upon his spine. Once. Twice. Thrice. Until the man dropped to his knees. As the final touch, Dor'gen raised his knee and took it to the man's jaw; thereby dropping him to the ground alongside his buddy. Now, admittedly, this brawl wouldn't have been as easy if the men were sober...

But drunk men can't fight.

Looking back to the bar, Dor'gen snapped: "That good enough for ya?"

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[Kechaiya]

Kech had heard his words, nodding somewhat in agreement with his logic. It would be the smarter thing, but this was not a murder worthy offense in her mind. But it wasn't just so they would learn, but so others would learn as well. She was pleased at his price reduction, making sure to remember him as a sellsword with a soft spot for orphans. He seemed fairly confident, and she was feeling rather content in her choice.

Watching as he stood, Kech only now realized how petching tall he really was. It strained her neck tilting her back that far. She listened to his insults, not really sure how the word 'loose' applied to mothers, but shrugged it off. Kech didn't know much about fighting, preferring to not do it at all, at least personally, but she was a decent judge of injuries. And the fact that he'd rendered two men, albeit drunk ones, unconscious in a matter of ticks seemed to be a really good sign. When he asked her if that was good enough, all eyes that had been on the fight turned to her. She kept her face passive, allowing only the slightest of smirks to adorn her face. Kech was certainly not used to this level of attention, noting that many of the looks were ones of awe, fear, or jealous. She could get used to this.

"Yes. We go now."

She turned back to the bar, quickly finished her drink. Turning toward the door, she hopped a bit to settle her pack more comfortably on her shoulders. Refusing the urge to see their faces, she strode confidently out of the bar into the cool night air. It was a well lit night, Leth large and high in the sky. She waited a moment on her new sellsword to exit. The hideout wasn't particularly far from here, only a handful of blocks north, near the last of the docks. She wasn't sure he knew the way, so she'd guide him to it, and let him do his work. Kechaiya had no intention of assisting, unless he got himself injured, but she did wish to be nearby, to oversee this massive man do what he did best.

[Dor'gen]

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As the words flew hot from the Akalak's lips, there was a divine shift in attention. Those who had their eyes glued to the brief, yet endlessly entertaining, brawl first placed their focus on the victorious Dor'gen...before looking over to the woman he address. Now, being that she was rather attractive and many of the onlookers peered through intoxicated lenses, there was a...less than polite response. Some slung slurred compliments and "sang" praises to her "glorious" figure, others howled and beat their tankards upon the tables...and others made inappropriate remarks regarding how "good a time" they could give her. Scoffing, the Akalak liberated himself from the gaggle of raving hounds and strolled forth back to the bar.

There, he took a moment to retrieve his shield that was laid adjacent to his stool. After all, it was an impossibility to eat when one held a shield in his grasp, right? Once the menacing tool was within his grasp, Dor'gen followed after his employer who had all but darted out of the door. With a shove of his shoulder into the wooden door's surface, he exited the establishment and tailed the foreign woman into the streets. At once, he was greeted by the nip of autumn and the bright light of Leth shining down. A glance upwards revealed that Leth had decided to show up in all of his glory, a fact that caused Goa to stir within the rear of his mind. "Isn't He grand?" came the "dark" sibling's quiet comment. "You sound a little love-struck there." came Dor'gen's bemused response.

His mind was filled with an exasperated grunt, which caused a smirk to form on the Akalak's face.

With brisk steps, Dor'gen caught up to his client and walked in step with her along the way. "You never told me your name." he began, offering a light smile.

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[Kechaiya]

Seeing a smile adorn the face of one so large and fiercesome was like seeing a fat person in Sunberth. It was wholly unexpected and alien to the doctor. Despite as strange as it seemed, it wasn't unpleasant either. Perhaps he was like a tamed sky-dog, extremely dangerous when needed to be, but also a friendly companion in the down times. Asking for her name, but not offering his own, came off a little rude to her, but she hadn't done so when she had hired him. Shrugging off the mutual lack of manners, "I Kechaiya. What you called?"

After the exchange of pleasantries, Kechaiya gestured to the northbound road, for they were on a time limit, if they wanted to get the fish before it was all eaten. There was a little time for getting to know her temporary employee before the hideout would come in sight, "No mean rude, what race is you?" Normally it was her being asked this question, so she decided to go ahead and nip that in the bud, "I Chaktawe, of Eyktol." She didn't bother to say that she was also part Eypharian, since it was the Chaktawe lifestyle she was raised in.

Her eyes were ever present on the surroundings ahead of her, not realizing that her companion had much better night vision that herself. Before long, the burned out shell of a building could be seen in the extreme distance, but Kechaiya couldn't make out the various men stationed in and around it protectively. She continued walking toward them, unwary of their presence, surely about to give away their approach.

[Dor'gen]

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Once the inquiry formed and fell from the Akalak's lips, he turned his attention to the darkness which laid before them. Being that he was a relatively new resident of the sordid city, Dor'gen did not know his way around as much as he would have liked. Furthermore, evening was the time when all the robbers and cutthroats decided to make their presences known. Every nook, cranny, and alleyway was a potential hiding spot for these loathesome creatures...and as such, Dor'gen wanted to stay one step ahead of any potential aggressors. Batting his eyes once, a secondary "lid" slid into place. 'Twas something unique to the anatomy of the Akalak species and afforded Dor'gen the ability to see infrared.

Time and time again, this particular ability had saved his hide in the jungles of Taloba...and now it would do the same in the Jungle known as Sunberth.

When Kechaiya responded to his inquiry and posed her own, Dor'gen first met her gaze with his own. "My name is Dor'gen. I am an Akalak...Typically we are from Riverfall, but I was born and raised in Taloba." he said, keeping his introduction just as brief. After all, this was not a social opportunity; this was a job. Having spoken, Dor'gen squinted against the darkness. To the naked eye, one would barely be able to see who, or what, stood before the ruined remains that the Sunset Snakes called home. However, the Akalak was clearly able to make out several bodies, illustrated by crimson.

"Hold." he began, his voice suddenly lowered. "There are...four. Looks like they're huddled around a box or something." At once, the Akalak outstretched his arm in order to signal a cease in walking; for this was the time to plan. Rushing in was a sure-fire way to get killed, especially at night. Dor'gen was much more accustomed to working from behind the cover of trees, branches, and bushes...but open combat was an entirely different animal. "If we play this smart, we can take them by surprise." he said, quickly looking around in order to see what could be used to their advantage. All that the Akalak saw was an alleyway that cut between a pair of adjacent buildings...

"Okay...Here's a thought..." he said, piecing together an idea. "If you draw their attention to the front, I can head through this alleyway, loop around, and hit them from their flank. They won't see it coming." Then, in order to add some confidence to this plan, he pointed a thumb towards himself with a grin. "I'm sure this'll work. After all, I can see in the dark." he said. "What do you think?"

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[Kechaiya]

The moment Kechaiya's tall, dark, and dangerous companion said 'Halt' she did so without hesitancy. If she'd learned anything in Sunberth, it was that when someone gave an order, you did it. It had saved her life several times, and she was beginning to suspect it might have just now. Listening to him in his hushed tone, she heard him say how many he could see. Just how the petch he could see them clearly enough to count them was beyond her. If they were huddled around a box, could that be the fish? If so, Kechaiya was beginning to think her companion would have this job wrapped up in no time, and that her money was well spent on this man.

Then he suggested that they both take them by surprise. Meaning she was to be directly involved. Inwardly cursing, it was something she wasn't prepared for. But she would go along with it, for unlike her, he was the professional here. If this was his plan, she would do her best to go forward with it, because it wasn't about her. It was about the children. Then he continued and Kechaiya felt that pit of fear drop in her stomach. She was bait. Petching Hai, she'd gone from benefactor to bait in one fell swoop. This was stupid, so incredibly stupid in her mind. Why didn't she just tell him to change the plan? To not include her in it, to think of something else.

Because of the children. The Castle Commons had closed several days past and food was becoming harder and more expensive to find anywhere. The orphanages had to go outside the usual channels, and ration the children even more than normal. They had gone from the normal childhood injuries of scrapes, bruises, and fighting injuries to all complaining of stomach pains. It broke her heart.

It was still a stupid petching idea. But at least the Akalak called Dor'gen seemed confident with his surprisingly bright smile. "I do this. You no leave me them. Will haunt if do." This was not a lie or a bluff, for if she died during this, she would haunt him until he'd made it right and then some. She made sure to give him a hefty glare to cement her point. She drew her dagger and held it tight as she wrapped her cloak around herself, nodding to indicate that she was ready for this plan of his.

[Dor'gen]

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"If I left you, who'd look after the children?" he said, regarding the woman with a nod. The meaning laced within his words was there as well; he had no intention of leaving her to the wolves this night. Upon seeing that she was ready and...somewhat (not even remotely close) willing to go, the Akalak reached for his bastard sword. Slowly, he gently wrenched the weapon from its sheathe as to minimize the symphony of metal grinding against leather. Once freed, he held the weapon aloft and gave Kechaiya a final nod, signifying that now was the time for the plan to commence. He then, as quietly as he possibly could, set off down the adjacent alley.

Whilst he moved, the Akalak hunched himself over and carefully watched his step; for so much as tripping over a stone could ruin the entire plan. With the utmost care, he briskly moved; clinging to the shadows cast by the alleyway all the way until its end. Upon rounding the corner, Dor'gen took to making sure that he did not reveal himself to Leth's light. It reflected off of the building...but also cast a shadow that was large enough for him to walk within. Choosing this route, he resumed his brisk walk forward and took this back way to its end. Then, upon rounding the final corner, the Akalak lowered himself to a complete crouch and awaited the prime opportunity to strike.

By now, Kechaiya's approach would have been noticed by the Sunset Snakes...and the leader of the crew would have arisen from the box of ill-gotten fish. With cockiness characterizing his every movement, the young man would saunter forward and address the woman like any man his age. Innuendo-laced slurs would be uttered, offers for a "good time" and other such vulgarities would be made, and in those moments the other Snakes would join their leader's flank. While, in those few ticks, it may have begun to seem like the Akalak was nowhere to be found...However, Dor'gen was awaiting this very moment.

Rising from his hiding spot, the towering warrior sprinted forth as fast as his legs could carry him. As he drew ever nearer, a familiar heat began to spread across his body; originating from the intricate marking upon his forearm. Divine djed poured through his veins, empowering him with strength and speed in the face of the impending clash. At once, a terrifying roar leapt from the Akalak's mouth, causing flinching and surprise to claim the Sunset Snakes. They turned and scrambled to draw their weapons; but before they could so much as drag their blades half-way free, Dor'gen was upon them.

Charging forward, the Akalak threw his shoulder into the closest of the five. The impact from the sprint, coupled with the sheer surprise of the moment, caused the man to go sprawling out onto the ground with a solid thud. Keeping the momentum, Dor'gen took a single step forward and swung his shield around as swiftly as he could, completely catching the chin of a second Snake. There was a pronounced crunch as bone cracked against the steel, coupled with a pained yelp. He, too, fell to the ground; just in time for the remaining three to draw their weapons. Relying upon the swiftness of his Prowess, Dor'gen was able to raise his sword just in time enough to defend against a retaliatory strike. Sparks flew as iron met steel...

...and suddenly, the Snakes had their focus on the Akalak, and their backs to Kechaiya. A dagger thrust here and there could very well thin the gang all the more; or she could make for the fish...
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