Prologue

Jana tries to sneak up on one of the bandits, but the man spots her and she can't get near. The other bandit is surprisingly agile, and manages to dodge Soro's and Jei'nine's coordinated attack! Akh casts a desperate spell just as the bandits surround him. The wizard knows his invisible servant can't fight, but perhaps it can take a hit for the Swordsman.

Battle Music

Hisadat Alramal picks up a shield, tosses aside his scimitar, and draws an ornate khopesh. Its strange blade has a greenish cast to it. Once more, the Sand Reaper issues his counter-challenge to the Swordsman. "Enough games! You and me. Single combat!"

Alramal's three remaining men have surrounded Akh - one has a knife to the wizard's throat, while the other two, spearman and knife-wielder, are poised to strike at any of you that come near.

Swordsman, what is your response to the Sand Reaper's counter-challenge?

The Sand Reaper falls for the feint, realizes his mistake, and tries to correct, but it's too late -- the nameless Swordsman has slipped his ancient blade past the bandit leader's guard, and only through sheer luck does Alramal avoid taking a more grievous wound.

Alramal brings his shield arm down and left as he pushes off to his right, away from his foe's deadly blade, then pivots clockwise on the balls of his feet, whipping his khopesh around in a wide arc waist-height. It's a perfectly executed maneuver, but something unseen blocks his blade! Unbeknownst to anyone but Akh, the wizard's invisible servitor has just taken the blow for the Swordsman. Its job done, the magical presence dissipates in the dust stirred up by the combatants' feet.

Jana, Soro, Akh, what do you do? The Swordsman is formidable, but so is the Sand Reaper. Do you leave this to the Fates, or do you intervene?

Jana changes shape and takes wing. It's tough staying aloft in this buffeting wind -- she knows if she takes too much of this she'll tire herself out.

The spearman sees the hawk coming, and brings his shield up. There's the crunch of breaking glass as Jana in halfling form bounces off the shield. There's something wet among her things. Jana can only hope it wasn't her precious vial of water -- her memento from home!

The duel continues. The Swordsman's brutal assault leaves the Sand Reaper with a bloody gash over his left eye. As he defends, the bandit leader manages to smash the Swordsman's right elbow with the pommel of his khopesh. Thankfully, that green-tinged blade hasn't touched him yet!

Jana's heart breaks when she finds her precious vial crushed, and the water of her home trickling into the sand!

Akh's quick thinking and well-placed flare gets him out of the knife-wielder's clutches. He braces, knowing the man will surely pursue.

Soro & Jei'nine leap into the teeth of danger! The loyal dog savages the raider's heel, and the man thwacks her away with the haft of his spear, but that creates the perfect opening for Soro to bury his spear in the man's gut, killing him where he stands! Hurt, Jei'nine limps away, but she's still in this fight!

Now that they are outnumbered, the two remaining knife-wielders glance once at their leader, and make as if to flee.

What do you do?

The Sand Reaper falls, mortally wounded, the wicked khopesh falling from the hand suddenly too weak to grasp it. His two lackeys have fled into the sandstorm. They might even survive it.

Alramal gazes up with grudging respect for the man who bested him. But then he turns to Akh, and his eyes are filled with hate. "Fuck you, and that tomb, and all magicians," he rasps, blood trickling from his mouth. "If you'd only gotten to that tomb a day or two later, my employer would've been a powerful man, and I'd be rich instead of dying."

He coughs, and looks the Swordsman in the eye. "Do me a favor and kill that sonuvabitch, Atekhramun. And then do yourself a favor and kill this mage whom you serve."

With that, he breathes his last.