Charging at the two the crowd went into full attack. The Dwarf went straight for Firion, swinging his broad ax at him as he rolled away. Firion was running out of room as the dwarf kept swinging at him, the front wall was meters away from him. He couldn’t move backwards as that was where the horde was coming from, the only option was the bar. Ashla was rolling, ducking, and dodging various attacks, her staff deflecting the many attacks thrown at her. She was moving faster than she ever had before, but she was running out of steam. 

Firion was dealing with his Dwarf friend, who was currently throwing around curse words as they clashed weapons. A group of about four people rushed at him, which Firion just barely saw. He had just enough time to deflect their attacks when the Dwarf tackled him from the front down to the floor, the handle of his ax pressed down on his chest. Lil Choazu fell from his hand and crashed down next to him. Firion grabbed the handle and kicked at the Dwarf, which gave him the upper hand to roll over on top of him. A guy with a rapier hit the floor where Firion used to be and his blade got stuck in the wood floor. Firion swiftly shot up and kicked the guy in the head, knocking him out as the Dwarf stood himself back up. Firion dashed for his sword, grabbing it and slashing someone with it. As he fell to the ground Firion was just in time to stop the wild blow of the Dwarf’s ax. 

“You can’t keep on doing this, why not give up?” Said the Dwarf. 

The Dwarf and Firion were trading blows, Firion’s sword clashing with the Dwarf’s ax. They both were getting winded, but the battle showed no signs of ending. 

Firion smiled despite himself, ducking from an ax swing then japping at another attacker hoping to ambush him. “Well when your only choice is how you're going to die, you might as well put some effort in.” 

Ashla was quickly becoming overwhelmed. her breathing was heavy, her movement was slowing down, and there seemed to be no end in sight. But still she fought. Soon though, she was overrun. She got cuts, scratches, scrapes, soon she was bleeding out. At first the damage was minimal but after a while they built and built until… 

“GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!” After hearing the sound of metal tearing through skin firion cried out in pain. 

The ax cut fairly deep into Firion’s side as he fell down in agony. People coming from all sides seemed to forget the weapons they wielded and started kicking Firion in the side repeatedly. 

Tearing her attention away from her assaulters ashla cried out “FIRION!!!” and began to dash towards his prone body. 

However she was soon knocked down and forced to the floor by a gaggle of people, unable to get back up, her staff out of her reach. 

They were trapped, at the mercy of patrons who long desired an excuse to kill them. 

“Well, well, what do we have here? It seems that the great mercenary Firion isn’t as strong as he thinks he is!” the mandarin Dwarf said so that the whole tavern could hear. 

Firion looked over to see Ashla and shared a concerned look. They both looked bruised and tired, some areas were bleeding from small cuts and scrapes. 

Ashla had changed her appearance again during the battle, now covered in different hues of gray. 

“Why are you doing this?” Firion asked. 

The Mandarin Dwarf let out a short laugh then answered. “Why we’re doing this is because we are tired of how you care so little about the people you affect. Look around you, all of these people have heard stories or seen the effect of your actions!” he then pointed at a man about his age with a black shirt and scarf. “Tell him about that little escapade with the kobold mine.” 

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