From behind him Liam heard a loud crack, and just like that the whole thing was over. The young punks retreated, not wanting to get hit by a flailing branch. Liam stopped swinging when they took a step back. Then he followed their gazes over his shoulder.
Tyler lay on the ground, blood pouring from his nose, Liam's sword on the ground beside him.
'I'll take that,' said Ryder. He picked up the birthday gift. The branch he held in his other hand was broken in two.
Ryder turned and grabbed Liam by the shoulder. 'Come on,' he said. 'I think they have had enough.'
Liam's blade danced, parrying blows. He could feel his brother's back against his own. Despite their teamwork, the guards they fought were not going to fall for any cheap tricks. They came in at the same time, thrusting in short bursts, trying to overpower the brothers. They kept Liam off balance, never giving him an opening. It was all he could do to defend himself.
The guard to his left feinted high then went low. Liam brought his sword down, smashing the attack to the dirt. The other guard came in high. Liam dodged to the side, bringing his sword up in a long arc and bashing away his opponent's blade with a flourish. The two elite guardsmen took a step back, regained their composure, then lunged together. Liam snapped the forte of his blade around in a short circle, catching the tips of both blades with his and flinging them toward the sky. Had there been only one attacker, Liam would have lunged for a riposte. As it was, he'd be opening himself up to one of the two guards, so he held tight. He wouldn't fall for the ploy. He could hear Ryder's voice inside his head, 'Let them make the first mistake.'
This back and forth dragged on for what seemed like an eternity. The guards would rush, and Liam would fight them back, threaten a bit, and make them retreat. Then they would return with a different strategy.
Liam could feel Ryder step, lunge, retreat, parry, then lunge again. From the pattern, he could tell that his brother was fairing similarly with his three. Defense was one thing, but there was no way they were going to win the fight if they didn't make some headway soon.
'In the name of Lord Purdun, surrender now, and you won't be harmed,' shouted one of the guardsmen.
'Never,' replied Ryder.
Behind him, Liam could feel his brother pick up the pace.
Just hearing Purdun's name made Liam's blood run hot with anger. He moved quicker, matching Ryder.
The guardsmen came in again. Liam dodged both blows in swift order.
Then he made his first mistake.
Stepping away from his brother, he lunged, sticking the tip of his long sword into the hip of the soldier on his right. The man wailed and stepped back, but the other guardsman took advantage of the opening, swinging his sword at Liam's exposed middle.
Liam retreated, bashing aside the first attack, but the soldier pressed his advantage, swinging his sword again. The second blow slipped past Liam's guard, catching him in the shoulder. His chain mail tunic took the brunt of the attack, but the tip ran up under the short sleeves, cutting a shallow wound into his arm. Liam hissed at the pain, pulling sideways and away from his brother.
Ryder spun around, knowing his little brother had been hit. 'Liam!'
Liam pulled his arm in toward his side, trying to minimize the pain, but in doing so, opened up his back. Two of the guardsmen lunged at the same time, taking advantage of his exposed body. Liam swung down with his right hand, trying to parry, but his wounded arm slowed him down.
Both blades came in, slipping past his defense.
Liam tightened his gut, preparing for pain. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Ryder's sword. It came out of nowhere, a silvery flash that caught one guardsman across the forearm and slapped aside the other's blade. With his off hand, Ryder shoved Liam out of the circle.
Liam stumbled forward, crashing into the guard he'd already injured. The two of them fell to the ground. Liam tucked his sword up tight against his body as they tumbled across the dirt. When they came to a stop, he rolled forward with all of his might, pushing away from the soldier. He somersaulted twice then leaped to his feet, twenty paces from where he had begun. The guard's heavier armor had weighed him down, and he struggled to get up from his back like an upside-down turtle.
'Run, Liam!'
Liam looked back at his brother. Ryder was surrounded by four guards with no one watching his back. He turned a quick circle, brandishing his blade to keep the guardsmen at bay.
Liam took two steps toward his brother.
'Watch out,' shouted Ryder.
Liam looked down just in time to see the injured guardsman on the ground swing at his ankles. He leaped into the air, jumping over the blade. Coming down on the prone soldier, he drove the tip of his long sword through the man's helm, pinning his head to the ground.
Putting his boot on the fallen soldier's shoulder, Liam pulled his weapon from the ruined skull then turned to help his brother. Ryder lunged at one guard just as another lunged at him. His blade hit its mark, driving deep into the soldier's neck. But the guardsman's blade also struck home, slicing Ryder across the belly.
'Ryder!' Liam broke into a run.
Ryder dropped to one knee, his left arm holding his stomach, his hand covered in blood. He gazed down at the wound in his belly then up at Liam. He looked so sad, so scared, like a lost child. Liam had never seen his brother like that, and it sent a shiver down his spine.
Liam skidded to a stop.
'Run, Liam,' said Ryder, his voice raspy and strained. He pointed away from the carriage with his chin. 'Go.' Then he turned his attention back to Lord Purdun's elite guardsmen.
Liam was frozen in place, unable to move. He just stood there, watching his brother's blood spill to the ground.
Ryder couldn't stand, but he held the remaining three guardsmen at bay from his knees. He swung his long sword in a wide arc, then jabbed at them with the sharp tip. Each strike was accompanied by another splash of Ryder's blood. The ground was painted with the stuff.
The guards took a large step back, and Ryder turned to look at Liam.
'Look after Samira. Tell her I love her.'
With Ryder's attention turned away, the biggest of the three guardsmen charged forward.
The blood in Liam's veins ran cold. 'Ryder, look out!'
'Run, Liam.' Ryder turned and brought his blade up into the guard's gut.
The big man let out a screech as he impaled himself. Ryder held the hilt of his sword as best as he could, but the guardsman in all his armor was just too heavy, and the soldier fell forward, smothering Ryder.
For a moment, every inch of Liam's body tingled. It was as if he were trying to fight against the forward movement of time, and it tore at his skin. This was the moment in which he would lose his brother. This was the moment of his greatest failure, and he desperately wanted to go back, to stop everything before this instant, to replay the moments of his life over and over again, always stopping before he reached this part.
Four more soldiers came around the back of the carriage.
Liam stood there stunned, the fibers of his body struggling to keep him rooted in time-but it was no use. This was a fight he could not win.
The other guards wasted no time, charging in, stabbing at Ryder's prone body. Liam winced, the wounds of his brother stinging doubly for Liam. He wished desperately that it could be him lying there on the ground. He wished he could trade places with his brother, take his place under the killing blows of the guardsmen.
His face grew hot, and he began to see red. This trap was yet further proof of the treachery of Lord Purdun.
Liam's lip curled up into a sneer. His body was steeled by the hatred and pain now coursing through his body. The baron would pay for this. But first, his guardsmen would all be sent to Hell. Liam lifted his sword.
'Liam…' came a strangled voice.
It was Kharl. The young man was still alive, but he was bleeding from a large wound in his side.
'Liam, please help me.'
