Hakim listened as the others gathered chatted on about this wizard and the gems they were to gather. All the while, though, he kept his eye on the cloaked man near the back. This was his nature, to spot threats and keep an eye on them; supposed threats anyway. The cloaked man had simply put his hand up his sleeve, but Hakim knew of the Mennon and their practice of hiding chakram up their loose hanging sleeves. His eyes darted from the man at the sound of the disturbance between the barely clothed woman and one of the Baccumese men. They were bickering over the gem it seemed. It ended with the Baccumese man backing after jabbing at the woman’s side and putting his back to the wall of the tavern. As he reached his hand behind his back, Hakim repositioned himself so as to be able to keep both the cloaked man and the Baccumese on the wall in his view. 

What a strange situation he had wandered into. The tension in this group was almost palpable. It only got worse when the sounds of battle reached them on the inner streets of the town. It would seem the Kotharan forces had broken through. The one-armed man led them through the town toward the stables. Hakim followed near the back, his hand still firmly gripping his sword and his eyes darting from side to side. The streets around them were clear for the most part, but the sounds of chaos erupted from behind the group. They reached the stables safely, but just as they arrived a group of Kotharan hoplites rounded the corner of the building. The old veteran at the lead shouted back to them about having no choice but to fight. Taking in the opposition and the area they stood, Hakim dashed to the side toward the stables. A moment later, there was a sound like thunder, and a building across the way burst apart as an elephant rushed through the street. Wood splinters flew, a hoplite was crushed beneath its massive foot, and their formation was destroyed.

Clouds of dust kicked up from the charge hung over the field, and Hakim used them to move about. From the dust came the head of a spear, but Hakim was just able to spin away from the attack. Following the spearhead, a hoplite in bronze armor emerged from the dust cloud. He fell into a defensive stance with his shield forward and his spear leveled. The two stared each other down for a moment, and then in an instant the hoplite struck with his spear. Hakim ducked out of the way and rushed forward. He got in close and swung his sword down at the hoplite’s weapon hand. As his sword sank into the exposed flesh near the wrist, the Kotharan dropped his spear to the dirt. Hakim kicked it away and surged forward again, and just as he would have collided with the shield he spun and brought his shorter sword from his its sheath. The smaller blade slashed across back of the hoplite’s leg. With a shout of pain he fell to the ground at Hakim’s feet. In the next instant, Hakim’s longer blade flashed across the area of exposed neck just under the warrior’s helmet, and his life was no more.

With his foe dealt with Hakim spun around and watched as the others he found himself with engaged the hoplites. They seemed to hold their own well for the most part, but the cloaked man from before was staring down two on his own. Hakim moved to help him in the midst of the fray, but as he did he watched the Roshad woman launch a full-sized spear at one of the hoplites. It struck him and sent him sprawling across the dirt, but he didn’t stay down. Slowly, he clambered back to his feet and began looking for his dropped weapon and shield. Before he could find either, Hakim was upon him with a slash from his sword. The long, thin curved blade sunk into the warrior’s throat and left a gaping wound there. Blood splashed across the dirt as Hakim kicked the body over and swung his sword to clear the excess blood from its blade.