A crossbow bolt banged against it-- oof, that was close. Sweat poured down Justus' back. The bolt was inches away from embedding itself into the meat of his thigh.

He smashed his s.h.i.+eld full-force into a kobold spear-dog, knocking it off of its feet.

THNK. Justus staggered back. An archer's crossbow bolt had bounced off the center of his chestplate. It didn't pierce through the metal but... seven h.e.l.ls... he was stunned and couldn't breathe.

Justus narrowed his eyes, refusing to flinch. He watched as the archer systematically reloaded another bolt. That would finish him off.

He forced his eyes to stay open. He wanted to see how he died--

However, the archer stopped. It collapsed onto its knees.

With a snap of his wrist, Zehr pulled a handaxe out of the back of the kobold's skull, a mist of blood spraying into the air.

Zehr immediately spun, trusting Justus with his back as he faced the unending onslaught of enemies. The Deca.n.u.s was fighting like a barbarian, a b.l.o.o.d.y sword in one hand and a skull-cracking handaxe in the other...

It reminded Justus of a barbarian... or... an arena gladiator... like the champions of Sol Invictus.

"Munifex Justus, I thought I told you to stay with the others?" Zehr growled.

He sounded angry-- angrier than usual. Justus had a feeling that if there weren't any kobolds around, Zehr's hatchet would have found a new home in his own skull.

Justus gulped as he tried to normalize his breathing. He made sure to keep his eyes open, as well, "They-- they sent me here-- to you, Deca.n.u.s."

"Ugh, right." Zehr groaned.

"Deca.n.u.s Zehr!!" Justus stepped towards the kobold line, smas.h.i.+ng the bottom of his s.h.i.+eld into another spear-dog's knees. As it dropped its guard, he thrust his sword underneath its chin and pierced through its snout, "Why did you charge in, by yourself??"

"I saw an opportunity and I took it," Zehr responded calmly.

The Deca.n.u.s swept his weapons outward in a wide arc, decapitating one kobold and forcing the others back.

"s.h.i.+eld towards the forest." Zehr ordered, "Now!"

Justus repositioned his s.h.i.+eld, though he didn't understand the reasoning. Why the forest?

Zehr ducked behind Justus' s.h.i.+eld, "CONSTANTINA!!!"

Deca.n.u.s Constantina? Why would he yell for--

"FIIIRE!!" A woman's voice yelled from the forest. Heralded by loud clunks of release crossbow mechanisms, speeding bolts sang from the brush.

Oh. That was why. Half a dozen kobolds were killed or critically injured in the first volley.

"RELOAD!!" Deca.n.u.s Constantina's voice rang out amongst the din of battle, "FIRE AT WILL!!"

The kobolds began to scatter, some shooting back, some holding their light s.h.i.+elds up in vain.

"⌈Moon-Fang h.e.l.l Slash⌋!!"

What the-- one of the kobolds had a skill? They... THEY HAD A SKILL?!?

He felt Zehr grab onto the back of his armor.

...Nothing about Justus' situation was good.

Justus was pulled backward. His back hit the ground, his head bounced against the dirt. In his daze, he felt his helmet loose and roll away.

A vicious stream of black mana pa.s.sed overhead the pair, carving a deep scar into the rock wall behind him.

More bolts tw.a.n.ged from seemingly every direction... and the kobolds began to die in flowery bursts of blood mist.

Zehr pulled Justus up, "You did well, Munifex. Go back to the others. Have them withdraw in the opposite direction. Regroup with the cohort!!"

Justus was confused. He had only just arrived, "Deca.n.u.s, but what about y--"

"WHAT are you ORDERS??" Zehr yelled. He was loosening the strap on his modified helmet.

Justus furrowed his brow and clenched his teeth, "To go back, Deca.n.u.s! To regroup with the cohort!!"

A furious spotted kobold leapt towards the Deca.n.u.s with his sword over his head, snarling b.l.o.o.d.y murder. Zehr met the blade's swing with his own, knocking the enemy back in a shower of sparks.

"Deca.n.u.s, your sword..." Justus felt his pupils dilate, staring at the bent and misshapen blade in Zehr's hands.

Zehr thrust his Deca.n.u.s helmet into Justus' chest, "Yes, a shame, I know. Take this. It's time to--"

Zehr glanced away and Justus followed his eyes.

A kobold was lumbering forward, its left arm raising a stolen Tyrion sword, its right holding onto its blue-furred side where a crossbow bolt was protruding.

Suddenly, it stopped.

Blood began to spill out of its mouth as if poured from a bucket. It fell to its knees, choking and coughing, before falling onto its side, convulsing in death throes.

What the... what the h.e.l.ls just happened?

Zehr turned his golden eyes back to Justus, "Earn your t.i.tle, Hero of Leopardon. Lead the forward group to safety."

Gazing into Zehr's haunting, almost predatory gaze, Justus could only nod.

Before Justus could do anything else, Zehr turned away and dashed off. He s.n.a.t.c.hed up the fallen sword, running into the kobold pack and out the opposite side, leaving two more kobolds dead.

Crossbow bolts continued to drop the kobolds as the pack began to scatter, over a dozen of them chasing after Zehr.

And the Deca.n.u.s was... barking back at them?

Justus grimaced as he breathed hard into his nostrils. With his s.h.i.+eld still turned to the forest, he began to hustle back to Gianna and Ferrutius.

...

Tycondrius jogged at a leisurely pace.

The battle with the kobold pack had drained some of his stamina and focus, dodging and killing as he had, but he was fortunate enough to sustain no injuries.

He glanced over his shoulder. 8 or 9 kobolds remained, including the spotted Alpha. Deca.n.u.s Constantine's archers had done well in culling the majority of the pack. There had been some 40, to begin with, which had forced Tycon to improvise a change of plans.

40 Iredar against not-even-half-that amount of Rhodoks would have led to an unacceptable decimation.

Munifex Justus had performed admirably. As luck would have it, Tycon was able to pa.s.s his unique helmet-- a physical symbol of leaders.h.i.+p, to the young swordsman.

Tycon had seen how the boy fought. His teamwork and natural combat senses were excellent... He had even managed to save the rebellious Deca.n.u.s Ferrutius from harm by virtue of his quick thinking.

The other two Decani, Constantina and Ferrutius, he deemed unreliable. Ferrutius was better at arguing and complaining than he was at leading. Constantina was an excellent leader-- but she would take her scouts and do as she pleased. It was conducive to what was hers, but not to the forward group as a whole.

The forward group needed to fight their way out of hostile territory and it would behoove them to do so as a compliant unit, not an unorganized gaggle.

Justus would be their spearhead.

Hm.

Tycon had run far enough. He slowed to a brisk walk.

The kobold pack slowed their pace, panting and heaving. A few barks from their leader had them move to surround their single, very handsome opponent.

"(You finally stopped running, coward...)" The spotted Alpha spoke in a serious tone. He appeared as fatigued as his kin, "(You howl as we do. I know you understand. Accept my challenge of honorable combat.)"

Tycon turned with a smirk on his face, "(Thank you for using up your remaining mana on that last skill, pup.)"

The Alpha's ears perked up and he growled low.

That was interesting... Tycon a.s.sumed the reaction confirmed his conjecture-- not that he well knew how to read the emotions of dog-persons.

"(We have you surrounded, Human!!)" A muscular, thin-furred kobold barked, "(Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.)"

A few of the other kobolds chuckled uneasily, a bit reminiscent of hyenas' yapping. The Alpha remained unmoved.

Tycon narrowed his eyes, a wide grin spreading on his face. He did know that the baring of teeth showed aggression. And he was fairly certain his enemies were terrified of him.

The pack hesitated.

Tycon chuckled low. He opened his arms to display his arrogance, holding his sword and hatchet out to his sides, "(All I am surrounded by is fear and dead dogs.)"