"Silas stop this. You can take me. Leave the rest of them," Reynar roared from behind the bar, having cleared most of the distance to the door. "I think not. I think you know why I'm here," the man's voice dripped with acid as he moved past the bar and trained his eyes on Viktor. Reynar has a brother? I won't let him take me. I won't let him hurt anyone else, whoever he is. His sword rasped free from its sheath and he turned to face the man calling his uncle "brother."
"Stupidity." Something streaked past the corner of Viktor's eye and Kellen's mother, wielding an ax, charged at the man, who made the same crushing motion the elf had, just as she swung her weapon over her head, sending her to the floor motionless next to his father in a terrible display like two lovers buried next to each other. "This resistance is at an end. I'm here..to..restore order."
"Ridiculous," Reynar spat on the floor, now blocking the man called Silas' path with his body. "There was a time when I asked you to lead this cause with me Reynar. To stand at the front of it, two brothers, together, changing the world." Every word out of his mouth was venom, dripping from the mouth of a snake.
"It's been a long time since we were anything even remotely close to family Silas." Reynar hissed through gritted teeth. They were nearly nose-to-nose now. "Oh, that cuts me to the core." Silas made a slicing motion across the general area where his heart should be. "See you've been hiding something brother, something that's been in our bloodline from the start. You and I both know what it is and you and I both know these young people share it."
Does he want us because of the marks?
Shadow itself seemed to seep off his boots like a strange, almost evil residue as he took a step backward from Reynar. "You've tapped into the well far too much Silas, whatever you were before, whatever brother I knew, is gone." Silas made a clicking sound with his tongue and shook his head. "You don't get it, brother. Tapping into the well is the only way to transcend. To rise above the death spiral of everything. I asked you to join me and you resisted. Therefore, you're an adversary." He pivoted, taking a sideways stance with one leg in front of the other and his right hand extended just a bit from his left, nearly touching Reynar's face. Just a hair's breadth later, Reynar adjusted his stance to match Silas', though he led with his left hand. Both held their legs far enough apart that they bounced as if they were runners getting ready to start a race. That looks like Shar'in'kai. Reynar showed me basic movements but it was more of a history lesson. Viktor raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to do at the moment, though something moved behind him and upstairs.
Fjalda sidled up next to him and whispered. "Vik, we need to leave. Whoever this man is, he can tap into Maeranthyr." Viktor endeavored to pull Fjalda further towards the back door until she glared at him and he let his hands drop.
"Impossible. Everyone who could is dead." "Everyone except.." She gaped and they shared a glance, their eyes wide, then turned to look at their friends, minus Mari, who was backing away from the table towards them. From behind him, his uncle all but roared. "What will it be then, Silas? If you're here to take my nephew and his friends, then you'll have to kill me. Are you prepared to do that?"
I have to help him. If this Silas is using Maeran'thyr, then Reynar's got no chance. Then again, neither do I.
"Viktor," He whirled back and saw his uncle look at him with a mournful gaze. "You and all the others...leave. I can hold him." Viktor remained rooted to the floor and Reynar pulled him to his feet, "Leave!" Almost simultaneously, his outstretched palm hit Silas across the face in a downward, slicing motion. At the resounding crack that followed, Silas reeled backward. "Viktor, get them all out of here." Shadow shot up and out from around Silas' feet and landed against each wall and a flurry of blows ensued, first from Silas and Reynar's hands, then their closed fists and legs, followed by swipes, punches, kicks, and everything in between, blending in a whirlwind of activity. Viktor turned to face his friends from the foot of the stairs. "Go. I have to get Marialena. I know she's hurt, possibly even gravely injured, but she isn't safe here..." "Vik." Kellen tried to interrupt him, but he waved a hand furiously, his eyes wild as splintering and cracking sounds rang out behind them. "Go through the forest towards Foxmoor. It's a straight shot and shouldn't take long at all. You all know the way. I'll catch you en-route to the Vintner's Folly."
A scream sounded from behind him. The kind that only comes from someone who's just been badly injured. Viktor pounded up the stairs, looking back to catch Fjalda's eye once, before throwing himself back into his ascent. It sounded almost inhuman. No, no can't think that. Monsters aren't real. One. Three. Five. Ten. He reached the top of the stairs and threw open the door, meeting the gazes of Lara Arkerys and Regis Elias who looked as if they had been readying themselves to head downstairs in a hurry, both with crude, semi-rusted blades in their hands.
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