Not questioning his new found luck and without missing a beat, Savaran rushed over and confiscated the sword of the now dead man who would no longer be requiring it. Ripping it out of the scabbard without apology, the former general braced for the onslaught of teeth and claws he feared was coming soon.

The hungry gnolls pressed hard against the bars of their restraining cages, rattling their partially opened pens with a furious lust for blood and seeking a means to escape.

High above, the sounds of steel rang while two more goons toppled over the edge. They tumbled and flailed all the way down along with their accompanying screams of terror.

One of Karis's men smacked into the ground head first. He died instantly as his skull collapsed awhile his eyes were thrown from their sockets. The other survived the fall, barely, but not Savaran's sword. The once prominent general ran over and, with an urgent need, finished him off.

While Traven and Daria raced to secure the weapons from the second and now third deceased thieves, Savaran looked upwards to determine whatever was happening at the top of the pit.

Bennie smiled.

His amusement was not lost on the veteran of many battles. "All right, Bennie. What's going on?" Savaran asked.

"Reinforcements," Bennie said. "I sent word to a couple of the factions opposing Karis. Giving them some intel about how to sneak in. Figured we might need an assist. Looks like Lenore found them and they got here just in time to lend a hand."

"You inglorious bastard! See," Savaran addressed Daria and her dower assessment of Bennie's worth. "And you wanted to kill him."

"Wanted to?" she replied, hobbling back into position but now armed. "I still do. We're in this pit because of him."

"But now we've got weapons thanks to Bennie!" Savaran brandished his for emphasis, trying to get her to look on the bright side of the situation. The power of positive thinking was something he always tried to instill in his troops. Positive people were more willing to follow. And possibly die.

"And still no way out. Except through those gnolls."

Each of the four creatures continued their unyielding and determined quest to enter the pit, nearly dislodging the barred doors restraining them with each furious slam of their furred flesh into the metal.

Another man fell into the pit while whatever was happening raged on. This one, however, was already dead before he took the plunge. There was no terrified scream and his body flopped like a sack of rice and bounced upon striking the stone bottom.

Once he hit the ground and came to an abrupt halt, Bennie confiscated the man's knives

"Quick," Savaran issued commands as though he were once more on the battlefield. "Push the dead bodies towards the gnolls. Maybe they'll keep those ugly bastards busy and buy us some time."

"I can barely walk," Daria reminded him. "And you want me to haul dead bodies?"

Traven wasn't wasting any time, though. He'd taken heed of the appeal and already managed to pull the first unlucky soul to be cast down with them over to one of the gates. He got out of the way as the gnoll beyond was eager to consume the feast presented to him. It ripped at the flesh, digging in its claws and ramming the carcass head first through the gap at the bottom of the gate. All with the intent of beginning to devour it.

However, even as the prince succeeded in distracting the one, two of the others broke free of their confinement. The gates were no match for the sheer strength of their bulging muscles and rabid lust for food. Not long after, the third blasted out of its cage as well.

The gnolls leaped and engaged in a chaotic dance for dinner.

Savaran worked some impressive sword strokes to keep the one gnoll charging him at bay.

Daria limped and used the largest boulder jutting from ground as a shield while she fought against another and dodged clumsily from side to side.

Traven and Bennie teamed up on the final one, but were not much of a match for it and quickly fell under the dire threat of being overwhelmed. Had Traven had his vorpal, Savaran knew the odds would have been better for them.

Savaran kicked the dogman he squared off against squarely in its dangling gnollhood. As it doubled over, he sliced open its neck in a bloody spray. Still, it didn't die easily. Savaran was forced to use three more solid strikes and then a stab through its chest to end the creature's wretched existence.

He then rushed to Daria's aid as she hobbled about and floundered. Two on one, they were able to split the next gnoll's attention and Daria quickly seized an opening. She pressed the tip of her new found sword into the beast's maw and out the back of its throat. It howled and died as its spinal cord was severed at the base of its skull with her deft strike.

Unable to stand any longer, Daria lost her balance. The force of will she channeled was not able to hold out against the pain in her wounded leg.

Savaran caught her as she started to fall.

Angrily, Daria pushed him away. "Help the prince. And Bennie. Don't worry about me."

Fulfilling her wish without argument, Savaran did just that. The gnoll Traven and Bennie fought against was bigger and more muscular and more rabid. A slice from Savaran's blade across its bicep ripped open the flesh down into the muscle. It didn't even seem fazed in the slightest.

Savaran ducked under a wide swipe from the beast's claws in retaliation.

As he battled, Savaran continued to check on Daria with snuck looks. She'd slumped down against the rock she'd been using to shield herself against the previous gnoll. Discarding her sword, the assassin tore open the leg of her pants. Even at the distance Savaran could see how dark and purple, almost black, the bruise was.

If she didn't get the leg looked at soon and properly set, the injury could saddle her with a permanent limp. Or worse.

That's when the final gnoll busted loose. And it headed straight for Daria.

Savaran wanted to rush to her, but his hands were full. "Daria!" he cried out.

She took heed. Hand reaching for her sword as soon as the danger became obvious, Daria was too late. The dog man's claws tore into her shoulders as it pinned her down, ripping a scream out of her.

"Daria!" Savaran whirled just as he stabbed the gnoll he along with Traven and Bennie were fighting through its heart. He watched helplessly as the final beast clamped down on Daria's stomach with its teeth and tore clothing, flesh, and muscle free.

Daria stabbed at the infected creature, punching the tip of her sword into its eye socket. It fell back, but had already delivered a mortal blow. Daria expelled blood in a cough.

Savaran soared as though he had wings, plunging his sword down and impaling the monster's head into the dirt as though his blade were a stake holding a mooring line for a tent.

The gnoll writhed. It reached for the sword's hilt as its thrashing tore the wound wider and shredded what little brains it had upon the sword's edge.

Savaran kicked it with his foot once, twice, then thrice.

In short order, it fell silent and still.

Savaran wrenched himself around even before that, his eyes focusing on Daria while panic rose within him. Traven and Bennie were over her as she bled. He rushed back to her.

"Daria?" he called to her, pushing Bennie aside. He only cursorily looked at the gaping hole in her side. As though by not paying it too much heed, it wouldn't really exist. But the blood flowing from it and drenching his clothing was a dark reminder of what had happened. He took her hand up in his as she convulsed and stared to the sky. "Daria?"

"Fucking bastard got me good," she struggled. "Didn't he?" Her body shaking, she lifted her head just enough to see the damage. "Oh yeah. Real fucking good." Her head thudded back.

"It'll be ok, Daria. We're going to get you out of here."

Her attempt to laugh only gurgled on more blood. "What fucking world are you living in? I'm not going anywhere."

"Daria, you're not going to die. Not here. Not on my watch." His mind was trapped—processing what was to soon happen. His emotional thoughts overrode the logical ones.

The assassin raised blood-stained fingers to the side Savaran's face. They brushed his cheek. "Promise me one thing, please."

Understanding that as much as he didn't want it to happen, Savaran was coming to grips with the realizing Daria wasn't going to make it. His eyes were wet and fighting against the urge to weep. "Anything," he said.

"Take care of the boy. You don't let nothing happen to him. You hear me? Savaran Drugard? You hear me?"

There were so many things Savaran wanted to say to the woman who laid dying in his arms. Personal things. Meaningful things. "I—I want to say that—"

"Shh—" Her finger on his lips silenced him. "Don't you dare say it. You're the Scourge of the High March. You ain't got time for that sappy stuff." Daria's body retched. "The prince needs you. Find Karis. Kill him. For yourself. For the boy. And for me."

"Daria, I—" Before he could finish his sentence, Daria's breathing abruptly ceased. Her eyes went vacant and locked skyward. She was limp. And Savaran crushed back his tears, pulling her tight and burying himself into her.

Allowing himself only the briefest of indulgence and goodbyes, Savaran laid her down on the once cold ground stained with warm blood. He pulled the moonstone necklace out from under her shirt, remembering the crystal she had taken from the lich against his requests.

"Savaran?"

The sound of someone calling his name, intruding upon his thoughts of sorrow, was like acid dripping in his ears.

"Savaran?" Traven shoved the general, trying to break him out of the enveloping haze of his wandering thoughts. "Savaran!"

When the ex-prince attempted to shove him a second time, Savaran grabbed the boy by the arm and, using his momentum, deftly landed Traven flat on his back. "Touch me again," he growled. "And I'll break that arm." Savaran wanted to stay, but knew he couldn't. He leveled his anger onto Bennie. "How do we get out of here?"

"There's a second set of doors." Bennie pointed to the now dislodged grates. "Used by the men who fed the gnolls. They lead out into another set of catacombs."

Savaran stood. Even though angry with the prince for interrupting his mourning, he knew they had to get going. Even if he didn't want to.

Offering the prince a hand to help him up, Savaran gave him a warning disguised as an apology. "You need to learn when to mind your manners."

Traven accepted the hand silently and was back up to his feet.

Bennie checked one of the pens to make sure there were no more surprises. There weren't. "We're clear," he said.

"Good." Savaran reclaimed his sword. "Let's go pay Karis a visit. I've added another score to the list of ones I've got to settle with him."