The impact rang through the clearing. Kaavi staggered backward, his boots slid through the snow before he managed to steady himself. The sword in his hands trembled, but he kept it raised.
Across him, the leader recovered from the deflected strike almost immediately. He looked at Kaavi for a moment, then looked at the bloodshot eyes, the uneven breathing and the faint tremor running through his hands.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"You are barely standing."
Kaavi said nothing.
Roderic stepped forward, his sword came again.
Kaavi caught it.
Steel scrapped against steel; the force drove Kaavi back another step. His head throbbed, his vision blurred.
One man became two then three. He swung anyway.
Roderic ducked beneath the blade and struck towards Kaavi's ribs. Kaavi twisted away just enough, the sword grazed his coat. He stepped back; his breathing was becoming heavier.
Roderic didn't give him time to recover, another strike.
Kaavi blocked.
Another one.
Kaavi turned the blade aside. A fourth came from above, Kaavi caught it with both hands, the impact sent pain through his shoulders.
Roderic leaned into the bind.
"Your time has come."
Kaavi's teeth clenched. The voice in his head grew louder, hundred distant sounds.
Heartbeat. Breathing. Footsteps. The frightened horses. Veyl's breathing. Viktor's voice.
Too much.
Kaavi shoved the sword away and stumbled sideways.
Roderic followed.
Kaavi's cloak caught on his arm; he tore it free. The heavy cloth snapped across Roderic's face.
An opening.
Kaavi moved, his sword flashed towards Roderic's throat.
Roderic jerked backward. The blade cut across the skin of his throat. A line of blood appeared.
Roderic touched it, his expression hardened.
"You should have stayed down."
Kaavi's answer came quietly.
"You can try."
Several paces away, Veyl had already began moving. His eyes settled on Samuel.
The merchant was standing near the wagon, watching the fight unfold.
He looked toward Kaavi, then toward the fallen men and then toward Viktor.
He began to move towards Samuel; he crossed the distance silently. Samuel heard the snow beneath his boots and turned, Veyl was already there. He didn't give him the chance to react; the pommel of his knife struck the side of Samuel's head.
The sound was dull, Samuel eyes widened he staggered once, Veyl caught him by the shoulder before he could fall and lowered him into the snow.
Samuel's body went limp.
Viktor was still behind the wagon, Veyl moved toward him.
"Stay here."
Viktor stared at Samuel's unconscious body.
"But…"
"Stay."
Veyl didn't wait for an answer, he crouched and looked toward the clearing.
The clearing was in chaos; two men lay where the moose had struck. Others were regrouping, Gavril was nowhere in sight. Kaavi was fighting Roderic. Veyl's eyes narrowed, he reached for one of his knives,
"Don't move."
He stepped away from the wagon.
Viktor caught his sleeve.
"What about grandpa?"
Veyl looked toward Kaavi.
"He can handle himself, don't worry."
Viktor released his sleeve.
Then he moved.
One of the remaining merchants saw him coming. The man raised his weapon, Veyl ducked beneath the swing. Veyl's knife struck the man's wrist, the weapon in his hand fell. Veyl kicked it away and drove his shoulder into the man's chest.
The man crashed into the wagon, Veyl turned immediately another attacker was approaching from behind. Veyl caught the movement from the corner of his eye, he stepped aside.
The blade passed through empty air. Veyl's elbow struck the man's jaw.
The man staggered.
Veyl finished him with a quick slash across the throat. He didn't stop to look at the body, his eyes went back to Viktor, still there.
A groan came from inside the wagon; Gavril opened one eye. The world didn't make sense, his head felt heavy, his limb felt worse. He tried to move his arm, it barely responded. Every inhale felt heavier than the last.
The sedative still weighed down his body, turning simple movements into a struggle.
"Wonderful. I have been drugged."
He swallowed, his mouth tasted bitter.
Voices drifted in from the outside.
Sound of metal clashing.
Shouting.
Gavril forced himself onto one elbow. The movement made his stomach turn. He looked toward the opening.
A man stood nearby with his back turned.
Gavril stared at him for a moment. Then slowly reached for the axe lying beside him. His fingers closed tightly around the handle.
He pulled himself upright, and slowly stepped down from the wagon. His knees nearly folded. He caught himself against the side.
"Don't give up this easily, stupid legs."
The man unaware, turned his head slightly.
Gavril moved first, the axe came down fast.
The blow split the man's skull with a wet crack. The body dropped instantly, another one came hearing the sound, Gavril second axe was already in motion.
The axe passed through the side of man's neck; he didn't had time to react. He collapsed without a sound.
Gavril stood over the bodies, breathing hard, his vision swayed. He planted one axe against the ground to steady himself.
"I've got two, still got work to do."
"Ohh… it rhymed maybe I should try poetry sometime; I could be a genius."
He glanced toward the fight.
The old man's movement were getting slower, sluggish.