Chapter 8

The arrow slamming into my chest really pissed me off. The fact that it bounced off a second later and dropped to the ground just didn't matter. What mattered was that these guys had tried to kill me without as much as a 'howdy-do'. I was moving before I even realized it and certainly before anyone else realized it. Anger, momentum, and the fact that I was faster and stronger than any other man on this planet, as well as being more agile ensured that my revenge would be quick. My first target was the archer.

The archer was just too stunned do anything. He'd shot me at a distance of about twenty feet and his arrow had hit me dead centre of my chest. He'd probably expected to see blood spurt from my mouth or something like that and then for me to drop in a heap on the stable floor. When I didn't, he hesitated. Like I said, I didn't. I went on the attack instead.

Even as I moved, my hands crossed my body and I palmed throwing knives, bringing them into play before I had travelled half a dozen feet. My first blade struck the archer. Just like his arrow it hit him dead centre in his chest. Unlike his arrow it didn't fall to the floor of the stable. Instead it sank into his heart killing him instantly. Dying he tumbled backwards into the man standing behind him. As he did, my second blade struck the spearman standing beside him. This blade sank into the man's throat. His death cry filled the air and startled his comrades, leaving them distracted long enough for me to fall upon them. Like a cannonball I blasted my way through them, knocking them aside as I went. A few tumbled to the ground and lost hold of their spears. None were ready for me to stop out in the yard before the stable and turn to face them, this time with my longsword drawn and my hatchet in my other hand.

"Fools," I bellowed at the men who had come to kill me and to take away Caitlin, "you are dead."

I then threw my hatchet at the man closest to me, standing less than a dozen feet from me. Amazingly the man dodged the hatchet and it ended up embedded in the wooden door of the stable. He did not however dodge my longsword. As he watched my hatchet fly past his head, he missed my charge. A second later my blade came down and sliced him in two. As he cumpled to the ground I turned on the others.

Of the eight that had come for me only five remained. The next man lunged forward with his spear and jabbed me in the side with it. The metal tip tore through my outer tunic and my linen under tunic before it grated against my armour. It got my attention. I grabbed the shaft of the threatening spear and held it in place as I brought my longsword about and cleaved the shaft of the weapon. The spearman had been tugging on the weapon to draw it back again when the shaft parted. The suddenness sent him sprawling backwards into the men I had knocked down previously, up ending them again. As he fell, I pulled the pointed end of the spear out of my clothing. I was holding three feet of the weapon and without hesitating I flipped it in my hand and flung it into the spearman that I had sent falling. The spear point sank into his chest and he was dead a second later.

By now Kola and Rory had entered the fray as had Tok. Kola's arrows dropped one man while Rory's spear killed another. Tok's barking and growling sent the last man to his feet in flight only for him to run into the length of my blade. His eyes widened in his last seconds of life as he realized the futility of his action. It had taken less than fifteen seconds to end these men's lives and declare war on their lord.

"Are you okay?" Kola asked running out of the stables as I pulled my blade out from the man I had just killed.

"Yes," I said glancing about as I spoke and taking in the fact that we had an audience. The sight of them stirred me once more and raised the hairs upon the back of my neck. The sensation grew as I saw men and boys running off, some down the slope to the checkpoint and others towards the keep.

"Arm yourselves quickly," I cried back towards the stables where Rory was recovering his spear and Caitlin stood still dazed by what had just occurred, "and grab my longbow. I'm going to need it."

It didn't take long. Rory grabbed his spear and a couple more from the men that we'd killed. Caitlin jumped at my voice and picked up the dead archer's bow and his quiver of arrows. Kola ran back into the barn and grabbed my longbow and my quiver. By the time she'd returned, I had recovered my hatchet and my two throwing knives and I had sheathed my longsword.

"Here," Kola said as she reached me.

"Come," I said urgently as I began to move again, "and nock an arrow."

We didn't go far. As I ran to the end of the yard, I drew an arrow from my quiver and nocked it to my bow. Kola did the same. At the end of the yard, I ran about the stone wall that stood there and out into the open where the ramp came up from the gate below and the checkpoint. Already the three men on guard duty were hurrying up the slope. In quick succession I dropped the lead man while Kola dropped the man behind him. We both dropped the last man together.

I didn't wait or go after my spent arrows. Instead I turned and began to run again. This time I headed towards the keep and the danger that lay there. Kola and Tok ran behind me at my heels while Rory and Caitlin brought up the rear.

People got out of our way as we dashed through the avenue towards the keep. It was already obvious that word of the mayhem that we'd wrought at the stables and on the ramp had reached the ears of the citizenry and they wanted nothing to do with us. I was glad of that. The fewer innocents that I had to kill getting to the bastard who sent his dogs after me the better it was.

We made it to the keep just in time to see a local spilling the beans to the sentries outside of the keep's gate. The two spearmen were very startled to see us, especially when we came to an abrupt halt some thirty feet from them and brought our bows up. With a twang of reverberating bowstrings both Kola and I dropped the guards even as they brought up their spears in a vain attempt to defend themselves. To my pleasure the informant died by an arrow set in flight by Caitlin. I smiled and nodded my approval and my thanks. Of course we didn't stop there. The gate to the keep stood open and I wasn't going to risk getting locked out of it. Like the palisade that surrounded the entire city, the wooden spikes that formed the wall that separated the keep from the rest of the city were built into a foundation of stone that stood about five feet off the ground. It gave the fort an impressive look and I knew that if the gate to the keep ever closed, it would take an army to open it again. I decided to make certain that it didn't happen. I rushed towards the gate and then through it. Rory, Kola, and Caitlin followed me through a moment later. Only Tok beat me to the interior of Lord Jared's stronghold.

Our next hurtle sat by the main entrance to the central tower. A solitary guard sat upon the stone steps that led up to tower keeping watch. He had been lazing there in the shade of the tower totally oblivious to what was going on. To make matters worse for him, his spear lay cradled in the crook of his arm, just resting there. He only noticed us at the last moment when the hound sitting beside him caught wind of Tok. The hound leapt to its feet and let out a single bark, startling the guard. Tok barked in reply and took off across the courtyard. As the hound scrambled down the steps of the tower to meet Tok, the man jumped to his feet, grasping for his spear as he did. By then I had come to an abrupt halt and I had nocked an arrow to my bow. With unerring aim I dropped the man before he could utter a word of alarm. As for the dog, Kola acted as swiftly as I had and dropped the bounding animal well before Tok could reach it. Kola's arrow had sped by the wolf-dog and she'd killed the hound before his barking could alert anyone.

"What now?" Rory whispered after we'd stood there for a second or two to see if we were about to be overwhelmed by the remaining guards or the residents of the tower and the keep. Fortunately we weren't.

"The gate," I said to him sharply, "We need to close it and bar it against anyone getting in."

While Kola and Caitlin stood watch, Rory and I ran back and grabbed hold of the massive portal and swung it shut. Once it was in place we barred it against anyone getting in. We also raised the drawbridge that lay over the ditch that surrounded the keep. We moved quickly as I had no desire to give anyone, whether citizenry or soldiers on duty elsewhere in the city the chance of coming to Lord Jared's aid.

With that done I breathed easier as did Kola and the kids. It amazed me that there wasn't anyone about. Either people were sleeping or they were out of the keep on business about the town. Whatever the reason I was grateful for it. While we stood there contemplating our next move, I glanced about and took in the layout of Jared's bastion. I had to admit that it was well laid out. The main tower was situated in the centre of the fortification. It was a tall edifice of four stories made out of grey stone. It had a single entrance at the front, a crenelated roof, and arrow slits for windows. Several outbuildings stood around it pressed up against the interior wall of the palisade. To the left of the tower were buildings that supported the keep. There was a stable with a paddock, a large barn with a grain silo and corn cribs, and a structure that looked like a blacksmith forge. On the right were huts that looked to be private dwellings and a barracks and dining hall.

More importantly I noted that there was a rampart about the top of the interior wall. Thankfully there was no one up there or we'd have been in trouble. The rampart was accessed by a flight of stone steps that started beside the gate and went upwards along the wooden wall until it met the rampart. I decided that it would be a perfect spot to post a guard.

"Caitlin, Rory," I declared breaking the silence about us, "you're on sentry duty."

Rory didn't like the idea but I didn't give him the opportunity to argue with me. I needed somebody watching my back out here and I didn't need a young kid tagging along with me while I went toe-to-toe with the local thug. Besides, as I pointed out to him, I was leaving him to protect Caitlin.

I put Caitlin up on the rampart with the bow that I'd given her. From that vantage point she could protect the gate from being retaken from without and cover us from within if the need arose. With her bow she could keep people pinned down if they tried to interfere with my plans. To protect Caitlin I left Rory with his spears and my bow and quiver. Hopefully they wouldn't need them.

Our arrival in the tower caused something of a start. In fact it caused people to scream with fright and others to gasp with surprise and a couple to spill things, which only added to the confusion of the moment.

What we found beyond the massive wooden doors was the great hall of the tower. It was here that the residents of the tower gathered for their meals and that was exactly what was going on when we came rushing in. Lord Jared and his retinue must have just sat down to eat. There were a couple of men and a dozen or so women seated about a large 'U' shaped table that stood in the centre of the room. There was even a dog or two lying under it. The room was lit by torches only and the air was heavy with the smell of smoke, grilled meats, and unwashed bodies.

"Good day," I said politely as I stepped to one side and glance about the place. As I did, Kola moved into the space I had just vacated and stood there with her bow at the ready.

"What the hell is going on here," a man bellowed loudly from a spot directly across from the open portal.

The man was as tall as me but that was it as far as similarities went. He was definitely much older than I was and he certainly weighed a hell of a lot more and I was sure that most of it wasn't muscle. He had long, shoulder length blonde hair, a bushy moustache, and a beard. Given what he was wearing as clothing and ornamentation I figured it was Jared. He had a gold torc about his neck and golden rings on his fingers and at his waist he wore a longsword in a bejewelled scabbard. To my amusement he had knocked over his chair when I had burst into the room.

I didn't get to answer his question. I was interrupted by a dog.

The dog came out from beneath the head table. It was another hound just like the one Kola had dropped outside in the courtyard. It barked loudly in protest of our intrusion. A second later it was joined by two other dogs. They were smaller in stature but still hounds. They too voiced their displeasure.

That is when Tok made her presence know. The wolf-dog pushed past me growling with indignation that someone dared to challenge us. The presence of the wolf-dog set both humans and animals off. The women shrieked with fear and the dogs started snapping and barking even louder. Tok took that as an invitation to go at it with the hounds.

The fight did not take very long. Tok streaked out across the open space that stood between the entrance to the tower and the tables. The largest of the three hounds scrambled to meet her, still barking viciously as it did. Tok leapt in the air and then barrelled into the oncoming creature, wrapping her teeth about the animal's neck as she struck. Her momentum knocked the dog over and they rolled upon the stones for a moment or two, with the dog whimpering in pain and fright. Then there was the sound of breaking bone followed by silence. Quickly Tok released the dog and then scrambled to her feet to face the other bounds. That was when Kola struck. Even as Tok regained her stance in the centre of the room, Kola's bow twanged twice. The other dogs didn't stand a chance. They dropped where they'd been standing. Their deaths caused the women about the tables to shriek in fright once more and to turn their heads away from the sight.

"Come Tok," I called to the wolf-dog. Obediently the animal obeyed me. It loped back to where I was standing and then took up its place by Kola once again.

"Kill him," Jared cried out, drawing his blade from his scabbard.

Of the other men in the room two were guards. They had been standing on either side of Jared's seat when we had entered the room. When Tok had attacked the hound they had stepped forward, raising their spears in defence of their lord. Now at the command of their master they attacked. One drew back his arm and threw his spear at me like it was a javelin. The weapon arched up into the air and then started to plummet. Instinctively I moved, but not as one would have expected. The memories of my past lives and experiences threw up skills in martial arts. As I shifted positions the spear began to fly by me and I reached out and grabbed it. As I did, I pivoted in place and brought the weapon back around, raised and ready to throw. Instantly I sent it flying back towards the one who had cast it. He wasn't as fast as I was or as agile. The spear took him in the upper chest and killed him. The force of the weapon hitting him threw him backwards, spinning him about as he went. It was a spectacular sight that had all the women screaming.

"Enough," Jared screamed at the top of his lungs. "That will be enough."

Then he turned his attention towards me.

"Who are you?" Jared spat out at me, giving me a look that told me that he really didn't care.

"I am the man you tried to kill not an hour ago," I replied forcefully, "and I have come here to return the favour."

"You will die," Jared snarled back at me, "and I will rape your woman upon your dead corpse."