Paul Delacroix - First blood
Smiling still as the spear-wielding gentleman from before decided to assist him, the man provided the perfect distraction. While only one of the God Hands turned away to face him, the brief glance to the side from the other two was all that Paul needed. Breaking forward into a sprint, Paul slashed at the hands that held onto the poor woman. Cutting them deep enough to gain their attention, the two turned to focus their gaze on Paul just in time to be greeted by the shaft of his blunt cane. Soundly thwacking them across the eyes with the blunt cane in his left hand, Paul wasted no time. Sheathing his cane and twisting it locked, Paul ducked forward and wrapped his arms around the waist of the woman who was still in the middle of danger.
"Pardon me, my lady. Excuse me for my trespasses."Ignoring the twinge of pain in his back as he lifted her up with leg strength, Paul back-stepped a few times until he was pleased with the safe distance. Nothing against the woman and her body weight, Paul just had his medical issues. Setting down the woman as gently as he could, he held eye contact with her as he spoke.
"Stay your distance but please, do not run off. We cannot guarantee your safety if you leave our presence. I have some questions I'd like to ask you once we're done with the task at hand." Straightening up, Paul faced the two angered God Hands who had brandished some gruesome looking cleavers from their cloaks. Dusting the front of his vest off, Paul smirked.
"Hmph."Leaving his cane-sword sheathed, the two God Hands charged at him. Walking towards them, Paul's eyes followed the cleaver of the first God Hand closest to him. The motion was easily telegraphed and Paul ducked under the cleaver, dodging it. As he side-stepped the first God Hand, he stuck his leg out ever so slightly and tripped the first God Hand causing the creature to fall face-forward onto the ground. These creatures seemed neither intelligent, nor graceful it seemed. Watching the telegraphed cleaver-swing of the second God Hand, this time Paul raised his cane and knocked the attack away by striking at the wrist that held the cleaver, parrying it. As the second God Hand glared at him, snarling, Paul rammed the end of his cane into the creature's chest in a stunning blow. The second God hand coughed and doubled over for a moment as it struggled to regain its breath. Paul looked over his shoulder just in time to see that the first God Hand had gotten up and was preparing a large overhead slash to end his life. Dashing to the side at the last second, Paul watched as the first God Hand ended the life of its partner. Its cleaver burying itself deeply into the skull. The second God Hand dropped to its knees, sputtering and gurgling as it died. Pivoting and pressing his back against the back of the first God Hand, Paul looped the shaft of his cane across the neck of the last remaining God Hand and pulled against it tightly to suffocate and trap the beast. Using his own body as a fulcrum, Paul then rolled the monster over his back and slammed him to the ground. Turning to the kneeling and dead God Hand that had his friend's cleaver resting in his brain box, Paul grabbed the handle with his free hand and kicked at the dead creature's chest to rip it loose. In one final, fluid motion Paul brought the cleaver's edge down on the grounded God Hand's neck and severed it. A gout of blood spurting out from its decapitated neck and speckling Paul's face.
With a few tugs and yanks, Paul removed the cleaver and casually tossed it aside to discard it. He hadn't realized it, but he had been breathing heavily and took a few moments to calm himself and steady his breath. Dabbing at the blood that managed to get on him, Paul squatted down the rip off a piece of cloth from the dispatched God Hands and used it to wipe off what blood he could remove. Standing up, he then walked over to the woman from before and knelt down in front of her. A warm smile on his face.
"My lady. Are you quite alright?"
