Turning the Tables

            …Kaiell continued to run backwards – parrying attacks and striking those who got to close – as the orcs tried to encircle him. Then, suddenly, he rushed forward and dashed to the right as he saw an opening, simultaneously avoiding an attack and killing an orc with a swing to the neck as he blocked the enemy's weapon with his other sword. Kaiell then jumped back several steps, moving backwards again as to avoid being encircled and trapped.  
            Brinira ran in from the side, tackling one of the orcs to the ground, her knife finding its way into its neck. As another orc brought a crude sword down upon her, she rolled to the side, the orc striking its own fallen comrade – not a second later her dagger finding its way into that orc’s leg as she lay on the ground.  
            Kaiell found another opening, using it to kill the orc closest to him with both swords as he continuously moved backwards in a bent, curved direction, with most of the orcs out of the group following him. Not long after, he once again dashed forward like before, wounding an orc who was not expecting it. But, just a slight moment later, he found himself one sword down as he attempted to block a hard swing from a large, stronger orc. He stumbled half-way to the ground from the force of it, the sword flying from his grasp.
            Brinira pulled herself onto her feet, using the armor on the orc’s chest as a means of support before she drove the dagger into an artery in his arm. Without hesitation, she then impaled an orc in the back that had attempted to turn and run from her. Then, turning an eye to Kaiell as his sword flew to the ground, she yanked the crude sword from the grip of the orc she’d killed. Still holding it upright, she called out Kaiell’s name as she threw the sword up, hilt first, into the air and in his direction. "Kaiell!"
            The bearded man quickly picked up an orc's limp body next to him as a shield against a second attack from the same, huge orc, blocking an attack from a smaller one on the opposite side with his remaining sword just a second later. "What?" he responded, a little too busy to notice the sword flying his direction at that moment. He dashed up fully to his feet, running forward and letting go of the body, just barely avoiding third attacks from the orcs now behind him as he noticed the sword clanking to the ground right in front of him. "Oh," he said, grabbing the sword as he spun back around to parry an attack in time. "Two is usually better than one!"
            Brinira growled an agreement as her twin blades bit into every orc she swung at, striking but not killing three different orcs.
            Kaiell charged against the few remaining orcs in his path. After a bit, he managed to slay two, but the last one succeeded in hitting him hard across the chest, his equally hard armor protecting him from actually getting cut in the flesh. But the attack did send him backwards, half-falling to the ground.
            Bri roared out as she struggled to finish off one faster orc, with two quick jabs killing the other two orcs that tried to fall upon her a few moments later. Throwing their bodies to the side, she charged at the final orc that had knocked Kaiell back, one knife being thrown ahead of her, the other being taken in both hands as she aimed to impale the beast. She succeeded in doing so, and the orc fell dead to the ground. Standing there for a moment to catch her breath, she turned to the sound of Lomiphell's voice who’d returned, noticing the state of the battlefield as she did so. Mortanas and the others had for the most part done their part, with there being only several foes remaining, soon to join the dead. Quality proved stronger than quantity, in this case. Bri then turned back to Kaiell who was still somewhat dazed on the ground, and stepped towards him, offering a hand.
            Kaiell took the hand with a grin, "...Let’s finish them off." Getting up, he began to scan the area as well, starting forward several heartbeats later. But just then... something caught his eye. He looked towards an elf protecting Rondim on the ground; he was quickly pushing back a foe in black armor towards the edge of a small ridge or rock face, leading into a lake below. And it took Kaiell only a few short seconds more to realize just exactly who the man in black was… He rushed towards the two, watching as the dark-cloaked man was struck and disarmed by the elf and pushed ever closer to the edge. "W-no-wait–"
            The words were barely out of his mouth when Kaiell reached the two. Coming from behind and dropping a sword beforehand to free-up his right hand, he grabbed the elf’s right forearm with a strong grip, forcing it upwards and stopping it from perhaps sending the hooded man to his death. And as he did this, he wrapped his left arm around the elf’s other arm, sword still in hand as he tried to pull the elf backwards. “Wait–opfh!” Kaiell spit out as the elf slipped past his grip on the left side, sending a quick fist behind towards his face. Simultaneously, the elf stepped hard on Kaiell’s left foot, and sent a hefty kick towards the hooded man – who’d been hesitating with weakness from his wounds – with his right leg, as he came close in while the elf’s attention was now split in two. The kick reached the man, sending him farther backwards, but only a little.  
            Brinira, who’d been gathering a couple arrows to shoot at the other remaining orcs to her left, took a pause to turn her attention to Kaiell. "What... are you... " She shook her head and rolled her eyes as she turned to shoot a fleeing orc not far from her.
            With one more heavy, powerful swing, Mortanas decapitated the last orc that was in close enough range. And with a long, deep breath, he swiveled around to let his still fiery and intimidating gaze set on the three by the edge of the small cliff. His gaze hardened even more as he strode forward, approaching Kaiell from behind with his bloody axe prepared to end the fight. The dwarf had earlier half-suspected the bearded man of being a spy, as he was caught in the woods near the orc encampment before the raid on it had begun. But Brinira the ranger had said the man was a friend, so he’d forgotten all about it. Now, however, it was as clear as day according to the dwarf. "HE’S WITH THEM?" Mortanas thundered as he quickened his speed towards Kaiell. And just like that, the tables were turned again.
            Brinira returned her attention back to the matter at hand, there being only one remaining orc that the other warriors were dealing with. She’d heard Mort’s announcement-half-question, and now noticed him closing in on Kaiell, weapon raised. "ENOUGH!" She roared at the top of her lungs.   
            Lomiphell, who’d already struck the hooded man earlier, and who was now quite close to the scuffle, stopped herself from launching another one of her throwing knives towards the dark man as Bri made her command. "You want us to spare him?" the black-clad woman questioned.
            Brinira inhaled again. "STOP!"
            Kaiell managed to block a second fist towards his throat, and no sooner took hold of the elf’s left forearm with a stronger grip this time. Then, suddenly, Kaiell fell to the ground, everything going dark as he was hit with the flat side of the dwarf’s axe from behind – despite Bri’s loud instructions but a moment before.
            The elf immediately broke out of Kaiell's grip as the man went limp. He charged towards his last opponent once more as the man did likewise. Though, the elf carried a sword, the man only with a long dagger…  and so, the black-clad man soon found himself impaled in the chest – though, his black armor provided some resistance. A heartbeat later, Jon, the hooded man, fell back as he was kicked towards the steep, slanted edge. Failing to stop himself, he continued to slide on the loose dirt until he completely fell over the side.