By Murry J

There were about thirty men. Their leader, a tall man with intricately detailed bronze armor and a brass helmet topped with a large crest, rode on a horse, while the others proceeded on foot. They were armed with halberds and short swords, and wore simple leather armor. Five archers followed them, arrows nocked to their bowstrings. 

They moved quickly forwards, and soon were only about a dozen yards from him. They were forced to go double file on the narrow path. The captain nodded to one swordsman, and he called to Lexos: “Surrender your weapons and become our slave, or we shall destroy you.” 

Lexos’ mind raced. Thoughts flashed through his brain. Could I take them? he wondered. I could dodge the horseman, maybe push him off the cliff, then if I could grab a weapon from one of the footsoldiers. I might be able to kill a few of them before I was captured. The archers would be a problem, though. They don’t have shields that I could take, and their armor wouldn’t be of any use against arrows at this range. Maybe I could find shelter in some nook or cranny? He scanned the hewn edge of the path, but saw no openings.

His furtive glances appeared to attract the attention of the captain. The same soldier spoke again. “If you do not lay down all of your weapons and walk towards us with your hands in the air within ten seconds, we will attack.” Lexos urgently thought for any other solution. The soldier’s words echoed through his mind. Lay down your weapons… That was it! 

He pulled the hunting knife from his belt and, before the soldiers could do anything, threw it at the captain’s exposed neck. The blade whistled through the air, spinning as it flew, and, for a moment, everything slowed down. He could see the captain’s sneer turn into an expression of shock and surprise, watched him yank his sword out of his sheath, watched his horse whinny with fright, watched one soldier dive forward in a vain attempt to save his leader, and then everything sped up again.

The blade sunk deep into the man’s soft flesh, releasing a spray of blood. The horse reared up, throwing its mortally wounded rider back towards his own men. Five bowstrings twanged, and five arrows sped towards Lexos. One struck him in his left leg, sending a bolt of pain coursing through his body. The other four arrows skidded harmlessly across the path or flew off the cliff edge. Four men caught their leader’s body as it fell, while two others attempted to control the rampaging steed. One man, who appeared to be their lieutenant, barked an order, and the rest surged forward, charging straight for Lexos. He tried to flee, but the arrow in his leg sent another shock through his body and he stumbled. His knee scraped the sharp rocks below, and he held back a curse. Barely conscious from the pain, he rolled away just as the first soldiers reached him, swords at the ready.

The first man rushed past him, unable to control his momentum, then turned and charged back, colliding with another soldier. They tumbled to the ground in a tangled heap, and Lexos sent them flying with a well-aimed kick from his good leg. The two men screamed as they flew over the cliff edge. Their screams ended sharply and abruptly. The next man drew his sword and stabbed at Lexos, who deflected the blade with his foot. The sword sliced the straps off of his right sandal, which fell off his foot and landed on the ground. Before the man could attack again, a bow twanged, and the man fell backwards off the cliff with an arrow in his eye. Lexos looked up and saw a row of archers peer over the cliff edge. The enemy ranks were broken as arrows showered on them from above. A rope ladder fell from the cliff, and a man in a golden helm peered over the side.