“Men, Brace!” Garuf yelled. The men obeyed, tucking their torsos behind their shields and thrusting out with their spears, hands held at the very tip of the shaft. Helbram followed, thrusting his spear out between a gap in the line.

The bandits were not so organized, and their front line was skewered before they got in range to make an attack. The adventurers dropped their spears, letting them fall with the men that ran into them. They drew their swords right after, ready to meet the second line of bandits as they tripped over their fallen comrades. Helbram drew his spear back, having only  gashed one of the bandit’s at their side. As the second wave crashed into the shield wall he started to stab the spear at any bandit that looked to be breaking through. The spear's blade was soon stained red as bandits fell from his constant assault. The townsfolk that had joined him in this endeavor were having equal success, and soon the bandits were driven back as their numbers thinned.

Arrows once again rained down upon the brigands, and without the front of the shield wall to block them their numbers dropped even more. A third shockwave ripped through them soon after, scattering the bandits as they retreated.

The adventurers did not push through the battle unscathed. Most of those in the shield wall now sported new wounds, some grievous enough to cause a third of the line to fall to their knees. They fell back, allowing those uninjured to take their place as they swapped their swords for bows. Helbram kept his gaze focused at the mine’s entrance, anticipating another flood of bandits.

His caution was soon realized as more bandits flooded into the mines, their numbers far more than before. At their head ran their commander, eyes alight with excitement.

“Yes, yes!” He roared, “This is how it should be! Let the strongest show their mettle!”

The Quetali stomped on the ground, a surge of dark red Ether bleeding from his body as he left his men behind and sped towards the front. The shield wall trembled as the larger man drew closer. Helbram no longer saw the wounds that he left on the bandit commander before and he tried to keep his heart from sinking.

As the Quetali closed in he was met by a stream of arrows from above. Most were deflected as the commander’s four swords flashed around him, and those that landed bounced off of his skin, leaving only the barest of scratches. His assault was halted as a bolt of Aether flew towards him, forcing him to plant his feet and catch the magical projectile with Ether infused blades. His sword swatted the energy aside, but he slid back in the process. His grin widened as he cut his eyes upwards, right at the source of the magic.

The Quetali stomped on the ground again, Ether bleeding from his legs. The ground cracked and the man soared into the air, towards the second story of the building. A crash followed, then screams.

Helbram turned and sprinted towards the stairs, ignoring the panic that started to rise in his chest. He held his spear ready as he crested the final step, and saw Jahora fly by him. She remained encapsulated by an Aetheric barrier as she hit the ground, but still ended up on her back after she bounced from the impact. Helbram ran to her, his eyes still fixed to the Quetali in the distance. The townsfolk confronted him in a desperate charge to stall his assault, but their efforts were fruitless as the larger man cut them down with ease.

“Retreat!” Leaf yelled. He kept a steady stream of arrows flying towards the Quetali, giving the few remaining men time to get away. The bandit commander kicked off of the ground again and closed in on Leaf within the space of a breath. The half elf skipped back, narrowly avoiding the blades that slashed at him, but was unable to dodge the kick that followed. The Quetali’s foot sank into his chest, knocking the Leaf back with a burst of Ether. He bounced off of the ground and landed on his back. The bandit commander was in close pursuit, looming over the half elf as he tried to recover. Leaf fell back to avoid another cleave from the Quetali’s blades, rolling to his feet in the process. His hands moved in a blur as they loosed another arrow at the Quetali, but even at such a close range the bandit was able to deflect and close the gap once more. As much as he tried, Leaf could not create any distance between him and the battle crazed man. Cuts marred the half elf’s flesh as he abandoned any attempt at offense in favor of keeping the Quetali’s blades from slicing him in two..

Helbram helped Jahora up, noting the gnome was unharmed aside from a few scrapes and scratches across her skin. He could hear Garuf barking orders below, the cries of battle swelling in intensity as the bandits met the shield wall.

“I need you to give me a bit of a boost,” Helbram said as he held the spear out.

The gnome nodded and grasped the spear, forming a symbol of Aether at its base. It was the same glyph that she’d applied to his boot earlier, and as he felt the presence of the spell at the back of his mind form he turned back towards the Quetali, spear raised to throw.

"Leaf! Fall back!”

The half elf’s ears twitched and he skipped back, drawing the bandit commander forward. He turned to run, but as his eyes fell upon Helbram he instead dove to the ground. As Leaf fell Helbram threw his spear, releasing the spell the moment it left his hand. Wind burst from the base of the spear, carrying it forward at a speed impossible by the armored man’s strength alone. Helbram followed it, pulling the shield from his back and holding it in front of him and he charged forward.

The spear passed over Leaf and towards the Quetali, who’s eyes we focused on the projectile. The bandit had already sheathed two of his swords before Helbram even threw the spear, his now two empty hands at the ready. Ether flared from the commander as they snapped forward, snatching the spear from its flight. The projectile’s point only grazed the bandit’s skin as it was stopped, but it carried enough force behind it to knock the bandit from his balance.

It was then that Helbram closed in, ramming into the Quetali with his shield. He kept his charge low, allowing him to hit the larger man at his waist. The impact did not slow his momentum, and the armored man’s rush lifted the commander from his feet. The wooden railing splintered as the two men barreled into it, and both Helbram and the bandit fell to the ground below.

Time seemed to slow to Helbram for a moment as they hung in the air, and in that brief window he clenched his jaw and braced his arm. He landed on top of the Quetali, driving a cough from the commander’s lips. The bandit took the brunt of the impact with his large frame, but as the shock of the fall washed over Helbram his injured shoulder flared with a sharp pain that brought a scream from his lungs. The armored man made no effort to hold it back and drew the dagger from his waist. Fueled by the rush that filled his senses, he drove the dagger towards the bandit’s heart. The blade struck the Quetali’s chest but did not break through. It scraped across the hardened skin until it settled at the bandit’s shoulder, producing only a dent as the dagger pressed against it. Helbram felt the bandit move, and as he continued to scream he brought his other hand up and slammed it into the dagger’s handle. The Quetali’s skin broke and he let out a deafening roar as the blade sunk into his flesh. A roar that turned to a scream as Helbram twisted the knife, producing the cracking of bone and snapping of tendons that filled the air.

An Ether infused fist struck Helbram at his flank, knocking him off of the bandit and rolling on the ground. Helbram scrambled to his feet and drew his sword, ignoring the lightness to his head and the warmth that now pooled at his hand. Darkness encroached at the corners of his vision and he tried to blink it away with no success. Fatigue filled his lungs as he started to wheeze, finding little energy to charge forwards as the Quetali got to his feet. His scream had long faded to a booming laugh and an animalistic grin stretched across his face.

“Yes! This is what I’ve wanted!” He said, his voice cutting clear through the sounds of battle that surrounded them.

The Quetali grasped the blade in his shoulder and pulled it free, letting out an excited groan as the dagger left his flesh. One of his arms hung limply at his side, but that did not seem to phase him.

“You are the first in quite some time to provide such sport, and for that you deserve honor!,” the commander drew his swords with his other 3 hands, “I am Vol’kesh tok Ogrima, bane of the fell beasts of Gol’dun, slayer of Fo’rock the Twin Headed, commander of the Band of Red. Tell me, who is it that I have the privilege of killing today?”

Helbram stared at Vol’kesh, expression unreadable behind his visor, “Helbram, and I am afraid I’ve no titles to share to you this day.”

“Truly? A man of your caliber possesses no moniker at all? What an injustice! There must be something that you have been called in the past, for I refuse to believe that such a formidable foe holds no honor to his name.”

Hunger was clear in Vol’kesh’s eyes, a raw desire that Helbram both understood and could barely begin to comprehend. However, even with such desire Helbram could only disappoint his opponent, for there was nothing that he’d been called in the past…

A tired laugh parted from Helbram’s lips and he sighed, “I suppose I do have one I could claim.”

He readied his sword and straightened his stance, “Helbram Alligard, Hedge Knight.”