He stumbled momentarily as his eyes rolled back and he fell backwards onto Andyr, who was dodging strikes from the other guards. Renae’s eyes widened in horror as she watched another guard raise his sword and bring down the handguard on Andyr’s temple. He went limp, Andyr’s body hit the cold floor with a dull thud and remained motionless. Renae’s blood ran cold.

“Andyr!” she screamed, but his body remained still.

Andyr’s assailant raised his sword once again, preparing to deliver a killing blow.

“Don’t you dare lay your filthy hands on him!” she shrieked.

She ran towards him, narrowly avoiding a cut from the other guard as she dove forwards, tackling Andyr’s would-be-killer to the ground and knocking the sword from his hand. Renae lay on top of the guard as they wrestled on the floor. He fought desperately to get Renae off him as she moved to slash his throat. The pinned guard grabbed her by the wrist and pushed the knife away, but Renae leaned forward, putting her full weight into the struggle and her blade drew ever closer until it began to pierce his skin with a trickle of blood. Two arms locked themselves over Renae’s and squeezed with such sudden violence that she cried out in pain. She dropped her knives as she was dragged off her victim, kicking and screaming.

“I’ll kill you!” she screeched, “I’ll kill both of you!”

Struggling to free herself, she threw her head back, violently slamming it into the guard’s nose.

“You wily little cunt!” he spat as he staggered, loosening his grip on her. Before she was able to act, she felt two strong hands wrap around her neck. She reached for her knives but spotted them scattered across the room. Slowly getting up, her attacker pushed her to the ground and tightened his grip around her throat. She saw his lips moving but couldn’t hear what he was saying. She dug her nails into his skin, but his grip did not loosen, and her body started to go limp. Tears ran down her face as she glanced at Andyr, who still lay unconscious on the ground. Her vision grew hazier and hazier, until it faded to black altogether.