[center][b]Treads-Heavily: Bravil[/b][/center]
Treads-Heavily pulled the sword from the final marauder, leaning against the wall of the alley to catch his breath. The group that had fallowed him put up more of a fight than the first two and they were better equipped, with elven armor and weapons. 

He felt something warm running down his arm, looking he saw blood spreading on his sleeve just below his right shoulder. [i]Guess one of them got in a hit.[/i] It wasn’t serious but it would sting later. 

He took a couple deep breaths before shoving himself from the wall, making his way further into the cluster of buildings towards the fighting. Many of the marauding Argonians had made their way into the buildings but apparently weren’t expecting much resistance this side of the river. Only two or three in a group were making their way through the buildings. 

He first ran into a group of two just leaving a building, covered in blood and arms filled with loot mere steps from Treads-Heavily. The first’s head left his shoulders before he knew what was happening, the second managed to place his hand on his axe when Treads-Heavily punched forward with his shield. The heavy metal edge crashing into his face breaking bone, teeth and sending him to the ground. Treads-Heavily reversed his grip on his blade and stabbed down into the prone marauder, he shuddered as the blade seared his flesh before dying.

 He yanked the blade from the body, catching a glimpse of the door the two had just emerged from. Two bodies, a woman and a young boy were both lying on the floor in a large pool of blood. He’d become no stranger to seeing death but families had a way of dredging up old memories of his adoptive parents and their death. 

 Taking another deep breath to steady himself he continued to push through the buildings towards where he though the castle was. Group after group of the Argonian mercenaries fell before him as he made his way through the twisting alleyways. Another two had fallen to his blade when he noticed that some nearby buildings were becoming engulfed in flame. He continued to where he heard the fighting, finally emerging from the alleyway to see Legionnaires making their way across a makeshift bridge fighting the Argonians, pushing them in the direction of the docks. Treads-Heavily noticed something surprising, an Argonian wearing imperial armor seemed to be leading the charge and giving orders to the Legionnaires around him. 

His moment of surprise was short lived though as a nearby battle cry alerted him to the group of 3 approaching mercenaries, now too close for him to retreat into the cover of the buildings. Caught in the open the skirted the charge of the first, deflecting the clumsy blow with his shield slashing the assailants side. The next two weren’t far behind, running up to hammer blows with a great sword and great axe alike. Again Treads-Heavily moved, placing the sword wielding mercenary between him and the third. The Argonian swung with a great overhead chop, as if trying to cleave him in two. Treads-Heavily caught the blow, the impact jarring his bones, shoving it to the side following with an upward slash that cut the mercenary from hip to shoulder. 

The axe wielder seemed to have more sense than the others, seeing the opening Treads-Heavily had presented sidestepped his cloven companion making a swing at Treads-Heavily sword side. Seeing it coming he spun to place his shield between him and the massive axe but was unable to brace for the jarring blow. The impact made him stagger back a step and Treads-Heavily could hear the first attacker roaring in rage and charging again. He backpedaled away from the two assailants towards the charging one, bracing a stopping his charge cold. Treads-Heavily quickly finished him off with an upward stab through the enraged Argonians chest cavity, hitting almost every major organ. But he didn’t die quickly, reaching around Treads-Heavily’s shield and managing to rake his clawed along his reptilian snout. 

Shouting in pain he shoved the dead marauder away, the body falling off his sword as it sizzled and stank of burnt flesh. Blood dripping from his snout he spun around to face the last two as they bore down on him. He deflected blow after blow from the two mercenaries, each one slamming his now very sore arm and shoulder. It was becoming more and more difficult to move the shield in the way of the onslaught of blows, he needed to create an opening. 

When the sword wielder struck again he angled the shield to deflect in the direction of the axe wielding mercenary. With the mercenary now twisted to the left he rushed forward with his shield held high, bull rushing him. With a solid [i]’thunk’[/i] the mercenary was knocked from his feet, as expected the axe wielder came to the aid of his fallen comrade. Stopping yet another blow he shoved forward with the shield knocking the axe wielder off balance and Treads-Heavily proceeded to launch his own flurry of blows, attacking high and low, thrusting and hacking as fast as he could. Bleeding from several wounds the mercenary could not defend himself with the large axe, finally a slashing blow sank into the mercenary’s skull, twitching and falling to the ground pulling the blade from Treads-Heavily’s grasp.

The finally mercenary roared in rage, charging at him. Quickly shedding his shield he took up the fallen Argonians axe. Bringing it behind his back he swung forward, snapping his whole body forward putting every muscle he had into hurling the massive axe through the air. It spun twice through the air before sinking into the charging Argonian, taking him off his feet and strait to the ground.

Gasping for air Treads-Heavily sank to his knees, looking around to make sure he had a moment to catch his breath. Blood had made it to his eye, stinging it he wiped his face, hissing as the gashes along his shout burned at the touch. He looked back to the Imperial forces, they’d almost reached him and were making steady progress against the invaders.

[i]By the eight we may actually win this.[/i] he thought.