Page 187 of I Ran Away to Evil
[You have been affected by the Perk:Inspire. Your abilities cost 10% less for 10 minutes.]
[You have been affected by the Skill:Idol. When acting in the best interests of Minstrel Bronwynn, Health regeneration is 5% faster for 20 minutes.]
I was as ready as I’d ever be.
Destroy them,I heard my sword sing.They will perish in agony!
She was always a littleextrawhen she was awake. I concentrated elsewhere.
“FORMATION!” the flautist’s voice called outside, instructing our enemies. “GODS CURSE YOU, JACK, GET YOUR WHIP AND GET BACK INTO FORMATION!”
I edged close to the hole I’d sliced into the carriage to look outside. Which meant I was in position when a face peeked through. The brunette woman smiled maliciously. “Put the sword down, Princess, and I’ll leave your pretty face unscarred.”
I didn’t deign to reply and just raised the point of my blade. She dodged as her smile grew wider. “Good choice. [Blazing Fist].”
Her hands burst into flames, and she swung with one brass-knuckled fist on fire. I swung Jacqueline up in a block, and my vision flashed white from the roaring flames. Jacqueline protested and flared [Intent], cutting the woman’s hand.
“Ah!” the brunette screamed.
In her moment of distraction, I dropped to the floor and swept her feet out from under her, sending her toppling back outside the carriage.
“Stay here,” I told Brownie.
“But I’ll miss all the fun …” I heard her grumble as I jumped outside and landed in the open, surrounded by enemies. Sunset was an hour away, and hints of red painted across the sky.
I wondered idly how long this was going to take without perks; it was easier to get information out of people if they weren’t a puddle.
I took in my surroundings as I dodged an arrow to the face. The carriage had collapsed off the side of the road, and there were five guards surrounding me. Their horses were being managed by another two, who were trying to move their bucking charges out of the way. The flautist was standing on the carriage seat, yelling orders.
Maybe if we were loud enough, Keith would fly by and see the commotion. I imagined flying back home happily snuggled in my Dark Lord’s embrace. Could I fight while flying if I rode Keith from behind? Piggybacking, maybe? I was joking to myself, but I really hoped he was out looking for me. And that he was unhurt.
I needed to get out of here to find out.
The brunette slave trader sat up off the dirt. “Ow! My hand, you wretch!”
“Sorry,” the words slipped out of me at the same time as I followed through with Jacqueline, and she dropped like a sack of potatoes.
Then all chaos broke loose.
Another arrow whizzed past my face. A poisoned throwing knife missed my arm. A spearthunkedinto the carriage beside me. My body danced, and I lashed out with Jacqueline as the guards all worked together to subdue me.
A chubby blue-haired man charged in and swung at me with an axe, his [Felling Blow] perk missing my nose by inches as I rolled to the left. His blade sunk deep into the front wheel of the carriage behind me, and he cursed as he tried to pull it out. I got his legs as I swept past, and he fell to the ground.
Three [Rapid Fire] arrows entered my senses, and I blocked the first two, but the third nicked my thigh, introducing poison into my leg. I grabbed the throwing knife from earlier and tossed it back, scratching one of the archers. My [Resist Poison] perk activated, and the poison burned away. The archer wasn’t so lucky.
Knight Commander Havork remained on his horse, hand on his sheathed sword, and a sad look on his face. I ducked another arrow and a [Water Ball], then ran the archer through.
“Youidiots!” the flautist, who was still on the carriage seat, screamed at the two with the horses. “Leave them and get in here!”
Three down, six to go. The guy with a whip sported an amazing pencil moustache … On closer inspection, I wondered if he’d actuallypenciledit on. The swirls weren’t straight.
He lashed out with flair, and while I was parrying a blow from a halfling woman holding a sword as big as Jacqueline, he managed to loop his whip around my ankle. Its barbs cut into the leather of my nice boots as he attempted to pull my foot out from under me.
It was admirable that he thought he could trip me, but that was never going to happen. I kicked, and he was sent off his feet. Then I rapidly spun to the side as a blonde-haired woman in a cute halter top, skirt, and tights missed me with her [Slash]. I wasn’t so polite.
Another one down.
I barely registered the flautist in the background yell out, “You!Knight! Stop her!”
