Teeth bared, Reno charged out of the compound. It didn't take long for the ten or so men outside to become aware of his presence, and move for him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a crow swooping down into the village, far out of his range. Snarling, he let loose his pistols, aiming at anyone with a firearm. As a few blade wielders moved in, Reno flipped one of his guns, swooping in and smashing a thug in the face. As he felt a dagger enter his arm, but he aimed his pistol and fired. His charge was stopped, but he wasn't going to stop for anything if he could help it. --- Streaking over the buildings, as the crow flew, its keen eyes picked up on it's target: a man named Cho. Swooping down, it landed on the ground, but on the road spotted with blood and the fallen bodies of three wounded Azure Company members, none were fit enough to take the order off his leg. --- Fallen to his knees, pistols hung in his limp hands, half a dozen goons still stood in varying degrees of health. The one who'd led them to the building before returning outside, sporting a beard, slung his machete over his black coat, muttering, "Dumb kid. Don't know when to quit. You couldn't even touch me either. Heh, you'd think I was Clear." Reno spat blood, growling, "You had help." Clear shrugged, before raising his machete. "Reno!?" came a cry from the entry gate. Clear stepped to look, and Reno saw Lina. She was without her usually wide brimmed hat, and her dark pink dress had a spattering of blood near the hem, as did her sandals. She had her sword drawn, and it too was marred in blood. As she took in the scene, her heavy breathing slowed, as she bared her teeth. Her cool, emerald eyes flashed with a fire that sent chills down Reno's spine. A scar he had on his torso seemed to throb as he recognized that expression, unseen on his sister's face in years. Clicking his tongue, Clear drew his pistol and fired. There was a spark as Lina's blade intercepted. Eyes widened, Reno watched as she began to streak forwards. Two men, one with a pair of axes and the other with a cutlass, made at her. Lina's feet skittered, sending her to the side so that the man with the cutlass couldn't get past the axe wielder. As he raised his weapons, Lina stabbed low, piercing his thigh before coming in, raising her hand and smashing her hilt into her face. The cutlass wielder moved to strike as his ally fell, but three puncture wounds appeared in his chest before he could follow through. As Lina made to move on, Clear was already in motion, bearing down at her, his huge machete raised. As he slung it down, she sidestepped, before elbowing him in the face, bloodying his nose. Reno's jaw dropped, but as he noticed movement, he called, "Lina!" Lina's expression snapped back to normal just as a gunshot rang out, a bullet cutting into her side. She grimaced in pain, stumbling back as a hand clutched at her side. It was only a graze, but it was still deep enough to bleed. One of the remaining thugs pushed a spear forwards as he charged, but Lina grunted forwards, slipping away from the spear and thrusting in, her blade stabbing low but angled high, piercing up through the assailant's arm. As he recoiled, dropping his weapon, another gunshot rang out, then another. Reno's pistol slipped from his grasp at the recoil, but two men fell, one with a bullet in his chest and another with a bullet in his pistol arm. Finally, Clear had his machete poised at Lina once again. Letting go over her wound, Lina grimaced as she held her sword in two hands. While he raised his weapon, she lunged forward, stabbing low. Clear danced back, letting her stab into the packed dirt. As she stepped forwards at him, he finally aimed another downwards strike. Gritting her teeth, she dug her knees into the dirt, thrusting her blade into his hands. The heavy weapon continued to descend, but she twisted her hilt, holding it from beneath, allowing the hilt to catch the machete. The force was still strong: Lina's hands could only just resist the sword's descent, and the blade dug into her shoulder, but stopped before going to far in, as beneath her feet, the ground she'd weakened had sunk under the weight distributed by her knees, absorbing some of the force blow. Wide eyed, Clear lifted his machete, sliding his hands off of Lina's sword, but his weapon slipped from his bloodied grasp. As he held his pierced hands out wide, he gawked, "H-huh?" Lina stood, blade flashing across his chest, Clear falling to the ground in defeat. Those still conscious watched in awe as Lina sheathed her blade, catching her breath. Her hands were tightened roughly at her sides, shoulders shaking. Reno felt a bittersweet taste: the sister he'd trained for six years had far exceed his expectations, but at what cost?