133 Cloak and Dagger Part 2 (1/2)

\”We have to get out of here…\” Collin whispered as he shrank into his cloak. \”If they see us… if they figure out who we are…\”

\”Don't even joke about that Collin,\” Connor hissed at his brother. \”If they figure out we've been spying for the other team… it won't just be us… the Black Hand will murder anyone connected to us.\”

\”Grandpa,\” they both said together. Then Collin added, \”Mom… uncle Pat… Shit.\”

\”Relax,\” I said in a calming voice. \”We'll escort you out the back way.\”

I glanced over to Varda, who, despite the number of rock beer she'd consumed, was alert enough to notice the exploding fist I made with my left hand.

\”Aw, muds!\” she yelled really loudly. \”Here I am kicking back for the first time in ages after I'd finally gotten away from my slave driver of a boss,\” she winked at me as she said this, \”and what do I find, a bunch of Scarlet Moon bastards walking into this dinky tavern…\”

At the mention of Scarlet Moon, two things happened. The dudes in red, all of them drow, turned their arrogant faces at Varda, and, as if galvanized by Varda, the patrons of the Cold Steel Brew began glaring daggers at the new arrivals, some of them even reaching for their weapons.

Here was another clear sign that hatred for the Scarlet Moon was nearly universal.

Varda, noticing she had more allies now, bellowed out a peal of laughter. Then, as if she'd rehearsed it beforehand, she picked up the mug she'd just emptied and threw it into the direction of the Scarlet Moon.

It sailed high over the heads of other patrons before it crashed on the floor five feet to the right of the nearest target.

Her poor aim aside, it did the job of rousing all parties involved in beginning that timed honored tradition known as a bar fight.

Chaos erupted around us.

Wooden plates and metal tankards went soaring, crashing onto drunk fairies and viseres who'd risen to the call of madness. Projectiles of fruits and meats slapped laughing faces. There was even the lively singing of a gnome bard spurring the chaos on with his song of fairy private parts.

I took this as our cue to exit. I led my three companions to the bar, stopping to drop a Leprechaun in the bartender's hand and winking over at Donar who was already in the midst of casting a spell, before walking into the kitchen. From there, it was a short walk to the back door and then out into the fresh cavern air.

Only, instead of that fresh air I expected, the scent that assaulted my lungs was distinctly familiar. I'd smelled it enough on a battlefield to recognize that stifling metallic odor. It was the scent of blood—lots of it.

Another kobold lay dead on the ground about four meters away. This one's body had been savagely hacked into a furry mess too.

\”You guys stay back,\” I whispered to the McCords. I kept my eyes forward and staring at the moving shadows near the end of the alleyway. \”Aura, don't interfere unless you absolutely need to.\”

Aura held onto my word arm. \”There are seven of them, Dean…\”

I shrugged her off. \”They should have brought more…\”

Why was I suddenly so angry? It wasn't like I knew the kobolds that had been mutilated in this alleyway apart from them being part of Thor's crew. But that was just it. They may have been new to the unit but they were Foolhardies nonetheless. And I loved dogs so these two at least needed to be avenged. Besides, the two McCords were right behind me, and under no circumstances could their identities be revealed.

I took two steps forward. The shadows mirrored my movements.

In hindsight, if I hadn't seen Enna blend so well with the shadows earlier that night, I might have been a little more alarmed at the enemy drow getting ready to attack me.

\”I've been training nonstop under Azuma for weeks, and he's a really good teacher,\” I said, placing a hand on my falchion. \”Now I get to test just how much I've grown.\”

I closed my eyes and willed my fairy gift into waking. \”Oh, great fool, let me see the unseen that I might know the unknowable.\”

As my vision adjusted to account for the darkness of the alleyway, the half-visible drow forms were fully revealed to me. Fool's Insight battle mode had activated.

Fearless, that's how I felt at that moment. Like Daredevil readying to face off against thugs in a narrow hallway.

I took in a deep breath and exhaled it in one go.

The shadows stirred.

But I jumped forward first.

I drew my falchion forward just as a drow assassin leaped out of the shadows with twin shadowblade daggers in hand.

It launched an attack that would have cut into both of my shoulders if my quick draw wasn't faster.

I drew a red line across the drow's abdomen in one quick slash. My momentum continued, and with a quick dextrous flip of my fingers, I reversed my grip on the falchion and sent it slashing in a backward line across the one I'd already drawn in the drow's stomach.

Dark elf blood gushed out of the gaping wound. The drow toppled forward in a wordless scream.

I was already rushing past it.

Another shadow dashed toward me.

The glint of a shadowblade sprang forth as the drow drew its katana forward.

With my falchion still in a reverse grip, I parried her attack. Then I twisted my wrist to the right and sent my shadowblade slashing across the drow's chest, cleaving through her light armor like it was nothing more than Swiss cheese.

Spirits, I really loved my falchion's vibro-sword enhancement.

But even a deep gash in the chest failed to kill this drow—perhaps because her ample bosom had protected her heart—so I followed up, and keeping that reversed grip, stabbed right into the drow's open mouth.