Earning some gold|Rivenway, Ronduin

[Northen Light36]

Three of the thugs sprang forward to attack Rysa, two using heavy clubs, the third armed with a sword.

Two more, both using daggers, leapt at Jozef, trying to use their advantage in numbers to overwhelm the young merc. But in both groups of attackers, it was clear that these were men who were not used to working as a team. They got in each other's way more often then not.

The battle between Taliesen and Zevran was heated, fast and horrifyingly beautiful. This was clearly a match between two men who were almost equal in skill with a dagger. Taliesen had more power, but Zevran balanced that by having the greater speed and grace. What's more, they moved in the same way, the mark of a shared trainer in combat. Each was effortlessly able to predict the other's moves and counter them smoothly.

But while they were equals for now, it seemed likely that unless Zevran found some weakness, Taliesen's raw power would eventually beat him down.

[Skittlebug]

Jozef begins to dance about, seeing that the two don't work well together, and tries to use that against them. He tries to get in a hit when he sees an opening, hoping to use the advantage of the reach of his sword.

[Darastrix]

Lucky me: three.

Already moving to attack when the men sprang into action, Rysa let that movement follow through against her intended target and did her best to stay aware of the other two. Using her staff as a kind of double weapon gave her the chance to alternate an attack between two, but there was still that damn third. After her initial move, she tried to keep up with her opponents as best she could, lashing out with either end of her staff when the opportunity arose and trying to time her dodges so that the others' momentum might end up causing them to strike their fellows instead.

[Northen Light36]

One of Rysa's attacks scores a lucky hit, landing right between the legs of one of her attackers. The man squeaks out a curse as he drops to the ground like a stone, leaving two to deal with. The remaining thugs glance at each other then the one with the sword lunges for Rysa.

One of the thugs facing Jozef suddenly shoves his partner towards the merc, trying to use his partner as a distraction and get past Jozef's guard that way.

[Skittlebug]

Jozef grunts in surprise and manages to shove his shoulder into the man, knocking him out of the way. Granted the first thug's idea works and he's left a bit off guard.

[Darastrix]

Rysa moved to block with her staff and follow through with an attack using the other end, all while trying to keep an eye on the other man. Jozef, she thought, I hope you've got a sign more useful than mine is right now.

[Northen Light36]

The battle is a nasty and drawn out one. Zevran finally manages to inflict a lucky, and fatal blow on Taliesen, but by the time he manages that, his leather armor has gone from it's usual dyed green to a wet reddish-black in multiple places. He begins teleporting around the field, helping his friends, until finally all their attackers are dead.

Not before the mercs take their own share of injuries though. Zevran looks towards Jozef, who he saw take a nasty blow to the head, and freezes up upon seeing the young mercenary lying on the ground, out cold and making choking sounds.

[Darastrix]

Rysa swore quietly and made her way over to Jozef. She hadn't made it out unscathed, either, but her worst injury wasn't nearly so bad. She'd lost her grip with one hand when her staff had been grabbed at some point, and her opposite elbow had gotten badly twisted as a result of trying to hold on.

"Zev, I hope you've got enough left to take us all to the House of Healing," she told her fellow merc. "'Cause I don't have a clue how to deal with something like this."

[Northen Light36]

Zevran glanced at Rysa. "I'll make it," he replied through gritted teeth, his tone practically dripping guilt. Without another word, he moved to be in contact with both of his fellow mercenaries, touched his sign and teleported the group to the house of healing. "We need a healer now!" he shouted.

[Darastrix]

A number of those present when the mercenaries appeared started or jumped back a step or two; having people teleport into their midst was not a common occurrence. The shock wore off quickly, however, and a pair of healers hurried over, one of them Rysa's brother. "Worg's tits! What happened?" he asked as he knelt to look Jozef over. Rysa might be family, but she was family who was able to stand on her own two feet.

"We were attacked," Rysa said, her voice tight as the second checked her arm. "I didn't see him get hit."

[Northen Light36]

"I saw him take a blow to the head, but not anything else that might have happened," Zevran added, his voice grim.

[Darastrix]

Nivor grimaced and turned his attention back to Jozef. Head injuries were among his least favourite things to treat. You could feel or see when a bone was broken, but there was no way to tell what kind of hurt was on the inside of someone's skull. There wasn't anything he knew to do until Jozef was awake (and at that point it would mostly involve trying to give him healing water, keeping him conscious, and praying that he didn't just seem better), so he focused on examining the young man's throat instead. Nivor hated to move someone around much after a blow like that, but treating his head wouldn't count for anything if he choked to death first.

"Sis, you'd better let someone knock you out before they try to twist that arm back in place," he said absently as he slid a rolled-up cloth under Jozef to allow his head to tip back, and--hopefully--open his throat enough for the man to breathe. A third healer approached Zevran.

"You need to remove your armor so we can see to your injuries," she told him.

[Northen Light36]

Zevran shook his head, not taking his eyes off Jozef. "It's minor," he replied absentmindedly. "Look after the kid. I'm fine."

There was nothing the healers could do about the sick, gut twisting sensation of guilt. He should have known. The job was too simple. The pay too high. It was practically custom made to appeal to his taste in jobs. You're a fool, Zev, he told himself angrily.

[Skittlebug]

The cloth does seem to help, at least a bit. Jozef's breathing starts to become regular again.

[Darastrix]

The healer pursed her lips together and reached up to try to grab Zevran by the chin and make him look at her. "This is a house of healing," she stated. "The House of Healing. We have no shortage of healers here. If Nivor needs help with your friend, he has only to call for it. Meanwhile, you are doing neither him, nor your friend, nor yourself any favours standing around and fretting. Unless I miss my guess, you're wearing leather, and if you've managed to soak through in spots, it's at least a little past 'minor.' Now take. It. Off."


"Never thought I'd see the day when a woman has to demand you undress," Rysa commented with a tight grin as she sat on a cot to wait for her healer to return with a sedative.


"She's right, though," Nivor commented as he gingerly felt Jozef's throat. "He seems to be breathing a little easier with his head back, at least, but we can't force him to get any water down like this. We may have to open a vein and force some in that way."