Fighting Assassins part-1

"Hello!" An aged male voice yelled out from the woods. "Robert? Glorious King Robert? Are you dead yet?"

Jason glanced back at the table, seeing the King have a fierce look of anger across his face. However, Barristan was muttering something to him, no doubt trying to calm him down.

"Either you are dead or hiding…either way it doesn't matter. I do know that Lord Commander Barristan and Ser Jason though must surely be alive. I doubt two legends of the court would simply die in such a simple ambush."

Neither man answered back, knowing better than to reveal their position to their unseen attackers.

After a long pause, the man continued to speak. "This is dull. If Robert is alive then hear this…Lord Viserys and Lady Daenerys send their regards. The Targaryens never forget and always repay in fire and blood."

A look of shock then pure rage crossed Robert's face, the man giving a low growl of fury as he heard those words. Indeed Jason was just as surprised but didn't let that distract him as he could hear heavy footsteps approaching, at least a dozen from what he could tell. Already the Surgebinder tensed as he'd brace one hand to the ground while the other reached for his steel sword, ready to lunge up and attack when an enemy was in sight. Already he was having doubts on who these men were and their motives for attacking. Whoever they were they were numerous and well trained along with lacking any restraint on whoever got hurt or killed.

Barristan was prepared as well as he shifted out from cover, drawing his sword and holding up his shield. Already Jason knew that the Lord Commander had no plans on holding back since those eyes had a look of pure focus in them. "Your grace, leave this to us." The older knight calmly stated.

"No…" Robert muttered as he staggered out of cover. "I'm not going to hide! For once I have an enemy out in the open…inviting me to face them like so many years before!" He glanced about, cursing since there were no spare swords on hand, except the hunting and skinning tools on the table. Grabbing a hatchet, Robert glance between the Surgebinder and the Lord Commander. "Don't care if these are pretenders or some thick-headed loyalists…no one attacks the King and gets away with it!"

"I get that you want to fight them, but we are outnumbered and surrounded. Your safety comes before everything else." The footsteps neared, the sound of blades being drawn being heard. A few pained cries followed as the men were finishing off the injured as they made their way towards the tent. "Barristan, you need to get the King into the woods. In the camp, we're too exposed to archers. I'll draw their attention while you get Robert to cover."

"I don't plan on running off Surgebinder," Robert growled before a sudden shock of realization hit him. "Oh, gods…Renly…he was out there."

Even Jason had nearly forgotten about the younger Baratheon, making him curse lowly. "I'll try to find him. Maybe he got to cover or was able to escape."

"Let us hope," Barristan muttered. "Time is up…they approach."

**************

At that moment everyone moved, Jason, lunging out as the first ambusher neared the tent flap. The man was gruff and plain-looking, dressed in leather and chainmail fitting for infantry or a sellsword. A look of complete surprise crossed his face as the Surgebinder moved so inhumanly fast along with the fact Jason's steel blade had just cut right through his unprotected neck.

"By the Seven!" One of the other men yelled out in shock as their companion was instantly beheaded, leaving an opening for Jason to rush in. The two other raiders could barely get their swords up to block the powerful blows the Surgebinder dealt, making them stagger about from the sheer force. Jason took advantage of their weak guard as he sliced across one man's chest, rending his simple armour like it was paper. The other tried to lash out with an armoured backhand, the Surgebinder simply side-stepping and counterattacked, leading to howling cries and an arm flying through the air.

Jason's attention shifted to Barristan and Robert as they rushed in the opposite direction, taking a break for the dense woods. The Lord Commander cut through any raider with ease, parrying blows with his shield before following up with a lethal stab or slash, even taking a head off one attacker. Age seemingly hadn't slowed or weakened him in the slightest from what the Surgebinder could tell.

Robert bellowed out threats and curses, following close behind Barristan and watching his flank, even though the knight needed no help. Still, the King yelled as he swung his hatchet about at one raider who rushed in, catching the man by surprise as he split the man's head with a deep cleave. "Hah! Gods I've missed this!" Robert laughed out, picking up the dead man's mace before continuing to follow beside Barristan, heading to the north side of camp.

"Don't just stand there! Shoot them!" It was the same voice who had delivered the speech from before, no doubt the ambush party leader. Jason could just see some men in the west tree line, short bows at the ready to shoot at Robert and Barristan.

With the archers in view, Jason summoned stormlight and threw it out at the camp edge, aimed to hit as many of the men as possible.

Soon there was a loud noise followed by men flying upward, then falling to their death. "GUH! My bones…" One survivor howled as everyone clutched at their faces, dazed from the light. Even while helpless Jason showed no mercy as he'd lunge in, blade spinning and turning as he diced a bloody path through the raiders. Already he had counted at least eleven men so far between those he and Barristan had faced, although he wasn't sure if there was more where the knight was heading. Eight more raiders charged in from the woods, yet when they saw their slaughtered companions they gave pause, especially when Jason's yellow gaze fell on them.

"How in the hells?!" One muttered. "He's just one man."

"Yah…one who beat the Mountain and the Kingslayer."

"Don't believe that crap."

"I do it because I saw it!"

"All of you done talking?" Already Jason paced closer, spinning his blade in one hand to flick off fresh blood. "Surrender and live or resist and join your friends. The choice is simple."

One of the men at the back of the group suddenly turned to run off, the others glance back to watch him disappear into the brush. The rest shifted back, on guard and fearful as the Surgebinder neared. Seemed they were too thick-headed to know they were outmatched.

"Gave you a chance." He muttered before one of the leading men yelled and charged, sword overhead which left him exposed. The man didn't stand a chance as he had steel pierce right through his gut and split through his spine, making him go limp in an instant. He did not pause as he withdrew his blade, body twisting about to dodge two raiders to attack from the front and right side.

Three of the men tried to surround him, attacking from all sides wildly to try and overwhelm him. Compared to the knights from the tourney they were lacking in skill and tactics. One attack he parried before cleaving across the shoulder and chest, then turning about to slice through another raider's belly when he tried an overhead attack. His stance shifted low to dodge one attack from behind, blade sweeping upward to slash from man hip to chin in one move. All three tumbled over dead, leaving the remaining three gawking in pure horror.