Turin laughed as he handed his torch off to Gronack and jumped into the pit. The light from the torches bounced and flickered around the room, casting menacing shadows onto the tall wet walls. The Redguard approached the crowd in the corner and spread his arms open as he addressed his audience.
"Which one of you is the leader." The Redguard yelled scanning the scared peoples faces. The man walked back and forth in front of them his feet crunching softly in the dirt. "Is it this boy!" Turin yelled out as he grabbed the arm of a small boy in the second row. Fear spread across the boys face. Turin ripped him away from his mothers arms. The Redguard crouched down to the boys height peering over his shoulder, challenging the crowd. "Where is your poppa kid." The Redguard whispered in his ear menacingly. The tactic worked, a man dressed in leather armor pushed his way through the crowd. He had flowing long black hair that had been slicked down behind his ears. Baron could tell that the man was a Imperial. A strange mystic blue tattoo was splashed over the man's eye.
"Turin." The man said his eyes unmoving from the Turin's face.
"How are we today Carth." The Redguard said as he shoved the little boy into his father's arms. The kid squeezed his fathers legs tightly. Carth pushed his son away from him and back into the crowd before turning back to Turin. Baron could see the two silver short swords that were pressed on Carth's back. Carth approached the Redguard a look of disbelief on his face. "Why do you look so surprised Carth. You left just like that. I expected a goodbye." The Imperial looked down in the dirt in solemn silence as Turin circled him. "Your not in the talkative mood today Carth, back when you worked for us we couldn't get you to shut up."
The Imperial had had enough of Turin's talk, in one swift motion he drew silver short sword from his back and swung it at Turin. The blade was seeking for Turin's neck but instead it found the neck of one of Turin's maces. The steel clashed against each other making a metallic hum. The Redguard pushed the man back away from him in the pit. Carth's feet slid through the dirt from the force of the throw, Angrily Carth drew the other one of his swords twirling them in his hands.
"If you think I will just let you march in to my village and take whatever you want you are mistaken." The man's voice quivered, Baron could not tell whether it was anger or fear or a mixture of both, either way Turin was getting to him. Five more men appeared behind Carth drawing daggers and one had a sword. The closest man slapped Carth on the back letting him know that they would stick with him. It was not surprising that these men would protect their families, they were imperials after all, that human will was hard to break. Turin let out a hearty chuckle as he turned and pulled his body up over the side of the pit and on to the top. He turned staring deep into Carth's light blue eyes.
"Baron," He paused and looked over to Baron a challenge hanging on his words. Baron nodded and jumped into the pit. Baron grabbed the handle of his sword and pulled it out, the blade sang with a metallic note.
"I should have known you would have someone else do your dirty work Turin." The Redguard did not respond. Baron readied his stance preparing for everything. The men started circling Baron trying to flank him but the experienced fighter backed up making sure not to give them any advantage. It was only a matter of time before someone struck. Baron scanned his opponents taking in all available weak points and all disadvantages.
His trained eye caught that the man on the far right had a limp in his leg, he had probably hurt it in the forest as they fled. He noticed that the man to the right of Carth was younger and had a crazed look about his face. Baron figured he would the first person to get enraged. The Drow also noticed that Carth was a trained fighter and was scanning him just as Baron was to everyone else.
Baron was right. The man to the right of Carth had a rush of adrenaline and Baron could see his eyes glaze over with rage. The man charged at Baron and tackled him slamming into his chest and pinning him up against the wall. Baron was winded from the attack his back arcing from the force of the blow.
The man did not stop there. He backed up and gave Baron a quick punch across the face. Baron could feel the force of the blow as it landed on his cheek. The man went back for another punch this time with his left hand. Baron was ready this time. In one quick movement he grabbed the mans fist with his own left hand. The man was weaker than Baron and the drow easily bent his wrist back.
It made a crunching sound as it bent and broke. The man screamed as the pain coursed through his arm. Baron did not stop their however. He gave a sharp kick to the man's crotch, as the man doubled over in pain Baron used all his force to run his sword through the man's torso. Blood spilled out as the sword pierced both sides of the man. Blood dribbled out through the man's teeth before he fell to the ground dead. The one on the far left attacked next his dagger seeking Baron's chest. The Drow quickly stepped aside and gashed the man's chest before stepping to the side of one of Carth's short swords.
Carth kept his onslaught going swinging one sword after the other. Baron took the defensive and parried the attacks. The swords clashed and sparked as they grinded on each others edge. The squeals of the blades went around in the small space and vibrated around the cave. Baron's arm was cut as the limping man's dagger was brought down on it. Baron moved quickly kicking in the man's leg. The injured leg snapped and crunched as the force was brought down on it. In one motion Baron slashed the man's throat blood squirting up against the wall. The man with the slashed chest fell to the ground and began to bleed out.
Baron backed up to see the remaining odds. Carth was in the middle now flanked by a man on the right with a dagger and a Imperial on his left with a sword. They charged, the man with the sword first. Baron quickly swatted the sword away with his and grabbed the man by the shoulders. The man was surprised and had no time to react as Baron pulled the Imperial in front of his body just in time to see the other attacker thrust his blade into his friends chest. The blood poured out the wound as the man discovered what he had just done. He looked at his friend slump down to the ground dead and looked up to see Baron's cold red eyes staring back at him. Baron swung his blade down through the mans neck. The skin muscles tendons and bones snapped as the razor sharp blade beheaded the man. The head hit the dirt ground with a thud the rest of his body following closely after.
The screams from the villagers vibrated through the small space the mothers covering there sons and daughters ears whille all the while mourning for their lost husbands. As the crowd settled down Baron and Carth were the only two in the area. The fighters were breathing heavily circling each other like lions stalking prey.
"Wait!" Turin yelled from on top of the pit "He is mine." The Redguard drew his silver maces and jumped down into the pit landing in a large puddle of blood. Baron nodded respectfully as he leaped up on the ledge pulling himself up to the top. He stood and wiped his blade on his armor before sliding it into the sheath. He took his place next to Gronack the giant orc grunting in approval. Baron let a smirk cross his face, He knew he had done his job well.
Turin laughed as he looked upon his opponent. The Redguard was fighting with his mind and all the slavers knew it.
"Lets do it then." Turin said his hands twirling his maces. Carth charged, Baron could tell that anger had now taken complete control of his body. On more than one confrontation Baron had been on the brink of sanity. The two were locked in combat now the swords and maces clashing and banging on each other. The two were very experienced fighters and Baron was beginning to thank Talos that it was Turin in the pit right now instead of himself.
The two were locked in combat by now. None of the two gave up any ground fighting with all their strength. Turin quickly glanced off one of Carth's swords and brought his mace down on Carth's face. A crack echoed around the cave and Carth fell to the ground. Everyone in the cave knew who had won. Turin bent to the side of Carth and grabbed his hair pulling his head up for the crowd to see. Carth was in bad shape his face was bloody and flesh could be seen, his jaw was broken.
Turin wasted no more time. "You brought this upon yourself." He yelled slamming Carth's face on the hard stone floor. Carth yelled out a single unheard sentence as the his face hit the ground. Turin kept slamming Carth's face onto the stone until he was no longer noticeable. Carth's body went limp on the third slam and he was dead. Turin stood with cold resolve wiping his hands on his pants and pulling himself to the top of the pit. He said nothing else but walked to the door. He turned at the portal and looked back at his soldiers. "Let's finish up here." He said before disappearing through the door and out into the morning sun. He stood outside just enough to hear the screams from the cave.