[color=95A5A6][b]> Start a fight. 
	[Write in: The closest swordsman.] <[/b][/color]

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	A long pause hung in the still and nipping air between you and the driver of the wagon. You had already decided for yourself that these fools wouldn't take a coin off of you, but with the tension growing by the second, and the opportunity passed to ready your weapon like Aika had done, you needed to find a way out of this. Without moving you eyes off of the driver, you counted the men in your peripherals: one to your left, one to Aika's right, one who you could hear crunching the snow behind you as he shifted into place. With the caravan in front of you, they formed a diamond to close you in with. You tuned in to what you could see in the corners of your eyes, Aika's breath a steady in-and-out, and the hoodless man leaning in just a bit closer beside you. Just as she inhaled one more time, he opened his mouth to pressure you further.

	[color=D8CDC2]"Enough stalling, give us your gol-"[/color]

	Your leftward jab to his jaw wasn't brutally powerful, but it was assuredly far too fast for him to block in time. He reeled back a step in a momentary daze as your other hand lifted a dagger from your hip. You flicked your head to your right to see Aika had taken your cue, bringing her sword down on the man beside her who only had enough time to draw his into a guard. As you continued to turn rightward, you came to an about-face to see the man behind you attempting to grab you with both of his hands outstretched. You completed the turn, stepping your right foot backwards toward the wagon to side-step him and allow him to lunge between you and the first man struck. A well-aimed pommel of your dagger against his temple knocked him to his left, who then lost his balance as the two of them tripped into each other. You had bought yourself enough time to check once again on your companion, but you saw it wasn't needed as the final assailant fell into the snow on his back, with the tip of Aika's sword before his throat.

	Unfortunately, if she let him go there was the risk of him standing back up, so you needed to dispatch the other two yourself. Your eyes returned to them, the first of which collected both his balance and his sword and rose against you. He thrust forward toward your center, but a quick misdirection with your own blade filled the air with the grinding of metal as he slid towards you, where his jaw was met again by your fist. This time he was ready for it, and while it looked like it hurt, he wasn't falling over again. He pulled his sword back and went for another cut, just as the grappler ran past you to free his companion from under Aika's pin.

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[color=95A5A6]
	• Defend against the cut.

	• Break away to intercept the grappler.

	• Yell to warn Aika.

	• Check what the driver is doing.
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