Alere's breath caught when he heard the clamour over the shell, his suspicions confirmed by the loud thud of Mira and her wyvern tumbling from the sky. Rider and beast struggling against their bonds. With practiced ease he dismounted Raum and gathered his weapon, letting the heavy blade rest on his shoulder as he looked around him, a tingle running up his spine warning him that blood will be spilled soon. Raum seemed to agree as she lowered to a crouch, ears flattened and grumbling threateningly.
With a few gestures he sent Quince to take care of Mira, they would need to move soon. As soon as Rei walked up to him the goblins revealed themselves, surrounding them. Alere felt his blood boil as he saw the chained woman double over in pain. " You there!" he shouted, raising his sword to point at the captain. "Let her go now or-" he was interupted by a loud sound like the crack of a whip and a bright light flashed before his eyes, making stars swim in front of his eyes. As his vision cleared he saw the goblin who had been holding the woman's chain was knocked back a couple of meters. The large, blackened  hole in his chest and the smell of charred flesh in the air  revealed what happened.

The goblins stood staring in confusion for a moment before realisation set in and they started rushing forward, roaring their anger. Alere cracked a grin and stepped back, he brought his sword in an overhand swing which smashed the first goblin to reach him into the dirt.  A wooden spear flashed at him, Alere spun around it and dug his boot into the side of the goblin's head, the little monster fell, out cold and forgotten as the others now seemed a bit weary to approach the young swordsman.

"Come then!" Alere shouted, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he stood watching them. They needed to free Mira and the woman so they could make their escape. They were outnumbered and there was no point laying down their lives before they could warn the capital. A glance over his shoulder revealed Rei and Quince were almost done freeing Mira and were enabling an escape from the rear. Suddenly a deafening roar echoed as Raum crashed into the goblins from their flank, she had found a way to sneak around during the initial confusion. Spears stabbed at her but snapped as toothpicks on her hard scales, to their horror the nets were useless from this range.

Alere snaked forward and stabbed, cutting down another. Two more steps followed and he grunted as he felt a stabbing pain, one of the critters managed to pierce his shoulder. In retaliation he swung his sword with his free hand, sending his aggressor flying in a heap of broken bones. Standing in front of the woman now, he swooped her up and slung her over his shoulder, groaning as the pain intensified. Alere spun around and started making his way to the others, who seemed to have made a clearing. 

"Filthy wretch!" The goblin captain shrieked as he leapt towards them, steel spear held aloft. Alere made a side-swing which missed barely. The captain brought his spear down, with the weight of the woman slowing him down Alere tumbled backwards, shouting in pain as the spear went straight through his thigh. Gritting his teeth through the pain, he reached for the now unarmed captain and closed his fist around his throat. Alere squeezed with all his might, crushing his windpipe. The swordsman struggled to his feet, aided by the still chained woman, leaving the captain hacking and spluttering, to choke slowly.

Raum broke free from the rest of the war band towards her rider. She sustained several cuts along her body, one just above her eye kept her blinded as blood flowed into it.  She lowered herself so the woman and Alere could climb onto her, careful not to disturb the spear still stuck in his leg too much. The wyvern took off as spears and nets whistled around them. Alere was breathing hard as his wounds were taking his toll on him, desperately clinging onto Raum as they ran, he was dimly aware of the others following, as he heard the stomping of the wyverns following them.

The young swordsman heard the woman behind him sob  uncontrollably but if it was out of happiness or grief, he couldn't tell.  The skies darkened around him , the bloodloss finally making him pass out.