4 The raid pt2

Arthor atop the roofs continued to fire his arrows unimpeded, taking down almost a dozen invaders when he heard a sound from behind.

Arthor barely turned around in time to block a sword swing with his bow, the wooden bow was no much for the steel sword though as it cut through the bow and continued towards him.

He was narrowly saved by slipping and falling to the ground. Arthor was quick to pull out the axe at his side as the invader jumped down and began to swing at Arthor. Who continued to move narrowly avoiding each attack which just kept getting closer with each and every swing.

Gathering his courage Arthor rose up his axe and charged at the invader, steel met steel but no matter how much dedication and effort he put into his training it would not change the fact that he was but a child facing a full grown adult Skagossi.

Arthor was sent flying into the earth with his ringing arms unable to maintain their grip over the axe. His vision began to blur with a stinging pain which originated from the side of his head hampering his ability to function, he moved his hand to the side of his head before bringing it before himself only to see his hands dyed red.

Hearing a faint sound Arthor looked up just in time to see the invader right in front of him with sword above his head.*splurt* Arthor instinctively closed his eyes as his face was washed with red opening his eyes, Arthor say his elder brother Benjen looking down at him with a smirk, "I told you Arthor, when it comes to strength I'm the better one."

Benjen moved helping Arthor up before moving his arms to the back of his brother's head, Benjen stared him in the eye as he questioned. "Can you stand?" "y...y... yeah" Arthor managed to stutter out a response.

"Can you fight?"

Arthor simply stared at his brother who asked again with more ferocity.

"I said CAN YOU FIGHT?!"

"I AM A SON OF HARWOOD!"

"Good answer" Benjen spoke as he pulled Arthor close to chest and slashing at the invader who had tried to stab Arthor in the back, letting go of Arthor Benjen bent down a picked up the invader's blade handing over to Arthor.

"Look over there" Benjen motioned for Arthor to look to where their mother fought, at that moment countless men laid at her feet. She was now dyed red from head to toe, weapons stuck out from her body but she refused to go down swinging her battle axe as she continued to mutter the names, "Lothor.... Ronell...." at that moment it was debatable if she was still conscious but she refused to fall.

The men who had rushed at her in the beginning where now hesitating to face her, seeing his mother in such a state was all Arthor needed to regain his senses as he tightened the grip on his sword. "Then let us show these bastards what it means to be the son of Harwood".

The two brothers charged in letting out a loud war cry which caught some of the invaders who were entirely focused on the mad woman before them. The brothers showed of their co-ordination which had resulted from them training together for years.

Benjen charged ahead drawing attention to himself whilst Arthor showed of his combat style. With Benjen there to make up for the obvious flaws in his still incomplete style of combat the two swept through like hot knife against butter, the invaders who had made the mistake of turning around to face the duo were met with a swing from the battle axe that their mother kept swinging.

The names she kept muttering had began to sound the whispers of others calling them to death which had frightened the men to the core allowing for the trio to take them all down.

With the invaders who once surrounded them gone the brothers looked to their mother who kept swinging the battle axe. Holding his sword to his side Benjen made his way to his making no attempt to move as the axe came straight at him, the lodged itself into his shoulder but he did not flinch and merely grabbed the shaft and looked into his mother's dead eyes the names she continued to mutter entered his ears.

"You have fought bravely mother..." Benjen spoke to her in a soft tone whilst Arthor stood aside watching everything. "You have proven to everyone that you are a daughter of Skagos. So rest now for even the Old gods would surely sing songs of your battle so rest easy now and leave the rest to me. I will protect Lothar and Ronell this I swear before the Old gods so rest easy mother"

The muttering finally came to an end when she heard the names of her children. With the end of the muttering her grip on the Battle axe loosened as she fell to the ground with Arthor being quick he managed to grab her before her back hit the ground.

Laying her on her back Arthor looked into her eyes one more time before closing her eyes. Arthor wanted so badly to give the woman he had called mother a proper burial but he knew a battle was still raging on and he needed to find his brothers.

With a stoic look he made it back to his and watched as his brother pulled out the axe from his shoulder. They both shared another look before heading into the sparsely populated woods to find their brothers, ready for anything.