80 Cheers

"I will handle this." The arrogant officer tells his friend. "Just watch the boy."

"Make it quick, Akaz, we still need to visit five more houses before sunset." The second man sheaths his sword.

"Don't worry, it will be quick." He says with a grin. He takes a step toward Siv. "You can still choose to run, if you want."

"What, are you scared of being beaten by a woman?"

"Ha, hardly." Akaz takes another step closer to Siv. She pulls out her skinny rapier. Compared to the Lion's huge sword, hers looks like a needle. The man burts out laughing. "Is that what you are using to 'beat me'?" He sneers.

'This asshat is starting to get on my nerves.'

"Hey, Latham, did you see that?" The man says between laughs as his friend joins the mocking.

Siv stares at him for a moment. She debates whether to stab him in the throat while he is looking back at his friend, but she decides not to. She needs to humiliate him to teach him a lesson. She gets into position and waits for him to finish his rediculing.

"Oh look, she is ready to fight." He laughs some more as he faces Siv.

Siv lunges at him aiming her sword at his stomach. If the man hadn't deflected her attack, his guts would be on the ground by now.

"Are you crazy?" He yells, not even a hint of a smile left on his face.

"Am I?" Siv attacks him again but he blocks it with his big sword, again.

"You must have a death wish." He says between gritted teeth.

Akaz is the one to attack this time. His sword crashes on Siv's rapier. If not for her weapon's flexibility, he would have broken it in half.

'Holy crap.'

Siv takes a step back. She might have underestimated this guy, he might be a little too strong for her.

'Well this was probably a bad idea.'

The man jumps at Siv and strikes his sword down at her a few times. She can barely deflect his strong attacks.

'Yup, this was definitely a bad idea. But I can't really run now.'

He thrusts his sword once more and his blade grazes her left side. She moves back trying to put some distance between them, but Akaz does not allow her to. He lunges at her again and keeps her busy defending herself with his continuous attacks.

'Damn it. I might actually need to run.'

***

"Gary!" The blond man calls while waving from one of the tables.

"Hello, Stein." Gary greets when he is close enough to the man. "This is Asger." He quickly points to his companion before they both sit across from the skinny man.

"Welcome to Vanimi." The man nods at them both.

"Thank you, Stein. I wish I could visit during better circumstances."

"Well it is what it is." Stein answers.

"So, anything new?"

"Of course." The man leans in closer. "The Lions have been recruiting in town. They are taking everyone who can fight, even young boys." Gary frowns.

"What do you mean, young boys?"

"I mean boys who are under sixteen." All three men are silent for a moment. Gary clenches his jaw.

'These bloody bastards are recruiting these boys to their death. It is a new low for the Lions.'

"Any word from the East?" Gary asks after a few minutes.

"All we know so far is that the tribes are coming together to fight Pyama."

"Which tribes?" Stein stares at him for a moment.

"All of them." Gary's eyes widen.

'War might be closer than I thought. Maybe I shouldn't have accepted this job.'

"What about the Wolves? How is everyone doing?"

"Everyone is excited. We have been waiting for a long time."

A young lad walks into the tavern and rushes to Stein. He whispers something in his ear making him look back at Gary.

"Do you have a third person traveling with you?" Gary raises an eyebrow. "A woman?"

"Yes, we do. Why?"

"Well, you might want to hurry to her. She got entangled with some Lions."

"Of course she did." Gary pushes to his feet and Asger follows. "Thank you for the intel." Stein grabs his arm.

"Is it happening at last, Gary?" The man's eyes sparkle.

"I hope it is, Stein, I hope it it." Gary gives him a weak smile. "Now, excuse me while

I go rescue someone who is going to be a pain in my arse for longer than I would like."

Gary follows the boy as he guides them through the back alleys of Vanimi, to where Gene is.

"What if something happened to her, sir.?"

"Let's pray nothing did, Asger."

They finally arrive where a crowd has already formed.

"Oh my." Gary presses his lips together. He pushes through a few people to get closer to the scene followed closely by Asger. He finds a bloody Gene looking half dead, but still standing. One of the Lions is already unconscious on the ground, and she is fighting the second one.

Gary looks around in surprise when the men and women watching the fight cheer for Gene when she lands a punch right on the officer's face. The hit undoubtedly broke the man's nose.

"What is going on here?" Gary whispers.

Another round of cheers bursts through to crowd. Gene has just knocked out the soldier. The spectators are going so wild, you would think they are watching fighters in an arena of some sort.

"Who is this amazing woman?" Gary hears one of the young men ask his companion.

"I don't know, but I would love to." Gary rolls his eyes at the comment.

'How was she able to beat these two… and get admirers too?'