531 Small Monster

Here, I'm supposed to say that it was easy, that I was used to fighting against superior numbers. That is true, in so far as it goes.

Dusky was the first to strike, mostly because his weapon was longest. I had intended to close and thrust my own spear after deflecting it with my shield, but instead I had to step to the right to avoid Sandy and Black, which I had to reverse to avoid being crushed by Blondo.

They weren't a tightly knit force or anything; I just spent more of my time dodging, blocking, or parrying than fighting back.

One would think that the unwieldy weapons of Black or Blondo would create openings, but the others were there to attack in the gaps. Oddly, it was Sandy who left himself open first, doing a spinning maneuver that drove me back, but left his sandaled feet open to a strike. He howled, and fell to knee.

There was no time to celebrate; Black and Blondo circled to either side while Dusky kept driving me back toward a building.