Dawnspawn

'Dawnspawns,' Ben thought. 'What are they doing here?'

Ben unsheathed his cutlass and trained it on his enemies. He fixed his grip on his hilt again and again, but the sword sat on his hand uncomfortably. He had used this blade throughout countless battles, but tonight, the shape and feel of it felt foreign. He felt like a novice who has never held a weapon in his life.

He realised this was fear.

But he couldn't afford to be afraid.

"Hagrene, I'll buy you some time—"

He heard a sword ringing in his ears and found Hagrene joining next to him.

"Can you fight?" he asked her.

"Not fully," she winced. "But we'll have more chance doing this together."

Despite everything, Ben smirked. They've gone through hell and high water together, against monsters and men, against the high seas and ancient abandoned cities. But to this day, it still surprised him that he's fighting beside Hagrene Hellflower. That she'd willingly risk her life as much as he risks his to protect one another.

They gave their desperate cries as they threw themselves at the enemy. The Dawnspawns met them without fear. They didn't cry, nor shout or taunt. They proceeded to the mayhem like statues.

Their swords clashed in the night, sending sparks into the air.

Ben and Hagrene tried to break through the Dawnspawns, but the enemy held firm, not giving them ground and pushing them back towards the prison.

Their numbers quickly overwhelmed the two. Flaming swords burn bright, blinding, distracting. They bit at Ben's side, singing his clothes and skin.

Ben grunted as he held his fresh wound. It was all the distraction the enemy needed.

A Dawnspawn's massive overhead swing forced the two to part.

The Dawnspawns immediately split into two groups and gave chase, harrying them, preventing Ben and Hagrane from regrouping.

Ben kept a steady retreat, parrying and blocking burning blades. He cut left and right, his sword biting forearms, slashing legs, and breaking bones. But they drew no curses nor cries from their victims. The Dawnspawns pushed on as if they weren't injured, and scored more wounds on Ben.

'Are they even human?'

A Dawnspawn came at him with a powerful overhead swing. Ben brought his sword up and blocked.

The burning blade screeched against his. It burned his face and blinded his eyes.

Ben roared as he pushed the sword away. He backed away, swinging blindly as his visions doubled. The enemy seemed like a hundred. Their burning swords like blinding suns.

He slipped on the uneven ground and crashed into a pile of barrels.

He lay there, slumped, water trickling out the barrels and drenching his clothes even more.

He saw Hagrene holding her own against multiple Dawnspawns. She caught his eyes and heard her voice, shouting for him. It sounded heavy and dull in his ears.

She was struggling. Losing ground.

She was struggling because of him.

Ben tried to move, but his muscles felt heavy.

A Dawnspawn came and blocked his view. He raised his blade, its flame igniting ever brighter.

'I have to move. I have to...'

The Dawnspawn brought his sword down towards Ben's heart.

Ben roared and rolled away. The hot blade rammed into the barrel instead, and the water inside instantly vaporised.

The resulting vapour created a thick screen of mist.

The Dawnspawns searched, their burning blades readied, their eyes searching for Ben.

One fell, his body crumpling to the ground.

Then another, and another.

The Dawnspawns retaliate, cutting wildly, but the mist obscured their visions.

It was no problem to Ben, though. Their bright blades made them easy pickings in the mist.

Ben weaved through the mist. He hacked and slashed and stabbed and punched and kicked. One by one the Dawnspawns fell to the bite of his steel.

The last Dawnspawn fell, his body crumpling to the ground. He gave no curse, not even a gurgle or a hiss of pain. He just fell, facing his death with unsettling quietness.

Ben's rage passed and his body returned to reality. Pain shot at every end of his nerve like wildfire. His muscles ached. The wounds, the gashes, the burns, and the bruises felt like they'll break his body into two.

"Hagrene, I'm done."

But what replied was a man's voice. "I wouldn't say that, Ben Hollow."