Prologue

Soro deftly shoulders his bow and pull his short hafted spear advancing on the climbers. Directing Jei'nine with a hand signal they coordinate their attack.

Akh sends another magic missile, aiming at the leader's shoulder, hoping to create an opening for Swords...
" Ya 'iilhi alqadim fireawn , aqradi qawtuk fi darab 'aedayiyin "

Jana turns into an armadillo and starts to burrow under one of the boulders at the top of the pass she is guarding. The hope is to have it roll into the climbers.

Jana comes up behind one of the attackers and use the tough armadillo claws on his ankle, hoping to take out an Achilles tendon.

Akh fires again, this time at the spearman that just joined the fray, to give some space for the Swordsman.
"Ya 'iilhi alqadim fireawn , aqradi qawtuk fi darab 'aedayiyin"

As Akh’s blasts light up darkening pass with flashes of brilliant light, the Swordsman seizes the chance to gain the advantage.

He ducks low and barrels into Alramal with his shield, hoping to cause the bandit leader to fall backwards over the growing pile of bodies at his feet.

Soro pulls his spear from the first raiders chest and quickly lunges across the gap to slash the raider that is trying to detach the armadillo from his companions ankle. Jei'nine seeing Soro change targets uses a boulder to leap off of joins the attack.

Akh continues to fire his magic missiles, starting to worry about the Swordsman and tries to take another spearman out...
"Ya 'iilhi alqadim fireawn , aqradi qawtuk fi darab 'aedayiyin"

His plan foiled by the bandit leader, the Swordsman finds himself in the exact opposite situation he had hoped. He rolls over onto his back and keeps his shield between the raining blows of the scimitar and the snake-like spear tips. Feeling the wetness under his armor welling up, the nameless warrior knows he is in mortal danger. In desperation, he drops the Sword of vengeance as his right hand frantically reaches to the pouch at his side.

His gauntleted hand awkwardly pulls at the horn button that keeps the goatskin pouch closed. No time for subtlety, he wrenches the button off as his fingers probe around the pouch for the target of his search.

The Swordsman's left arm grows numb from the bombardment of scimitar strikes bashing his shield, which sends splinters of wood flying.

What seems like a lifetime ticks by as he grasps the small gourd containing the precious liquid from Jana's Oasis.

BAM echoes his shield as Alramal's scimitar knocks it aside.

The Swordsman brings the gourd to his mouth and biting the top off, he pours the liquid down his throat. A burning sensation more powerful than the strongest back-alley arak ignites the Swordsman's throat, and instantly spreads across to his tired limbs and all the wounds he has suffered.

Just as Alramal prepares a killing blow, the Swordsman's left arm is revitalized and he manages to catch the blade with the corner of his shield in time.

The Swordsman tosses the empty gourd aside, and reaches for The Sword of Vengeance. Grasping its hilt, the relic-blade seems to thrum in his hand giving the warrior a surge of energy. In a heartbeat, he is back on his feet facing the backs of the bandits bearing down on Akh.

He shouts a challenge to get their attention before he steadfastly advances on the closest spearman, shield at the ready. The Swordsman's strong arm keeps the shield in between him and the lashing spear tip as he closes the gap.

Getting inside his foe's reach, the fighter engages in a series of blows aimed at the bandit's exposed limbs with the Sword of Vengeance hungering for blood.