Even with the pain Alaira was in, Ssarak could not help but to feel anger towards her. This entire situation was her doing, and now the unnecessary fight was unavoidable. Even so, Ssarak needed to keep a calm head, as rash action could only lead to more harm. It was almost assured that they were _going_ to fight, so now, he needed to focus on pushing the odds as far in their favor as possible. Currently, he, Meirin, and Darius formed a barrier between the guards and the cart, Lyn, and a crippled Alaira. Meirin had shifted to intimidation tactics, something with which Ssarak believed he could help. 

"Enough!" Ssarak shouted, stomping one foot onto the stone road and clutching his weapon tightly. He took on a much more aggressive stance, and as well, created a subtle illusion to make himself seem even more imposing than he already was. The robed man would have to be a fool to not recognize that he was harming Alaira, so there was no point in trying to keep it secret. He was trying to harm Alaira, and with the outrageous demands he had given, Ssarak suspected that it was wealth on his mind. "Get out of her mind! Her first attack was unprovoked, but you have pushed this too far. That attack was _your_ doing." Ssarak said, looking specifically at the psychomancer. "You are trying to force your men into a fight which will be their end, all for your own gain." Ssarak hoped that, if there was any pre-existing ill-will between any of the guards, he might be able to play off of it to shake their resolve, but just to be safe, he decided to drive in one more point.

"I do not want to fight, but do not think for a second that I cannot. I have spent my life as a soldier. I have faced armies of men, Esyire, and demons alike. I was raised on the battlefield. Do not think for a second that a small group of under-equipped, malnourished guardsmen are beyond my capabilities. You have your toll, now let us pass, or make the last mistake of your lives." Ssarak growled, his outward anger masking his inward composure. As well, he started to put pressure on the psychomancer's wards in the hopes of distracting him from Alaira.