However, just as the Turkic man was swinging his curved saber, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his armpit.
A sword sliced in from under his outstretched arm. The blade carved its way up into his armpit, stopping only when it hit his shoulder blade.
The Turkic man shrieked, his voice high and sharp like a woman in childbirth. He jerked back, and the blade pulled free.
Eric swung his sword again. The poor light prevented him from landing a clean blow between the man's neck and shoulder, so his blade instead sheared off the left side of his opponent's beard and jaw.
Blood and teeth sprayed everywhere. The Turkic man fell backward with a wretched shriek, slipping on the blood-slicked flagstones.
Eric thrust his sword into the man's throat, then flicked the blood from his blade.
Belem had finished his fight as well.
