Leng decides to play it a little safer and takes a couple of steps back, pulling a potion off of one of his bandoliers, popping the cork, and quaffing it.
"Brother Cyrus, I could use a little divine assistance, if you're up to it."
"He's not the only one. That bastard cut me good..." says Ayren, before he proceeds to drink another potion.
Cyrus frowns worriedly about the speed of the operation as he slips his focus into his hand. A sudden burst of warm air accompanied by a dim light pulses for a moment, healing his allies' wounds.
I ready an action to trhow a bomb in case the other two come after us.
"Much better, thank you Brother." Leng says as his wounds are mostly closed up.
The last standing guard moves to a position where he can better watch the door.
"Whoever you are, drop your weapons!" he says, as he takes aim with his crossbow. "There are too many of us in this place!"
"I would comply, but I'm afraid I'm quite attached to my weapons." Leng calls out.
He whispers to his companions.
"This fight is pointless. Let's just try to get what we came for and leave."
He murmurs some words under his breath and vanishes from sight, then heads down the corridor.
Tai Leng's magic is more than enough to conceal himself from the guards, but his natural stealth skills are what ensure they don't listen to his foot steps either.
Ayren speaks, visibly worried, as he sees Tai Leng disappear.
"Wait!" he says. "What if they have more cats? You won't be able to know which one is Lord Richard!"
He then moves up to Eitylen, pulling a small vial of glass from his pockets as he does so. "...And you!" he whispers to the elf "Open your mouth! This will make you faster and more dexterous! You may not trust me, but trust my will to get out of here alive!"
The warrior armed with mace and shield moves and stands close to the door. He then raises his weapon hand and speaks with a menacing voice.
"Look. You got nowhere to go! There are more of us, here! Surrender and we won't kill you!"
He is soon followed by his dwarf companion, who also tries to intimidate the intruders.
"Aye! If Ah were ye, Ah'd listen to mah friend here!"
Eityeln accepts the potion.
Eitylen can feel the influx of arcane energy making his reflexes sharper and his movements swifter.
We are here for a CAT!, give us Lord Richard and nobody will get hurt!
"No way!" shouts the man with a shield "That thing is worth more than any other critter in this place!" He then adds with a calmer tone. "Besides, you're in no position to make demands!"
"And how far are you willing to go for a penance of a ransom? Because you can be quite sure this fight will end with many dead. We can work out a deal, you give us what we came for and no more blood needs to be shed needlessly. What's one cat less amongst all these hm?"
The shield warrior speaks again.
"We have a good healer... And you're the ones in enemy territory! Go away now and we'll forget you've ever been here! This is my last offer!"
Ayren whispers
"We can't do that! Without the cat, we don't get paid!" He takes a quick glance at Eitylen and adds "Uh... And who knows what kind of harm they'll do to that innocent kitty!"
Well, at least you are not lying at something - I say to Ayren
Ayren answers with an obviously fake expression of shock.
"You wound me, friend. I never lied to you."
Cyrus speaks to his comrades. "It's now or never friends. Keep an eye out for any I manage to immobilize." Cyrus spends his turn grabbing a crossbow and bolts off one of the dead guards.
I ready an action to trhow a bomb in case they decide to attack.
"Look..." Says the man with the crossbow. "Each minute you spend here is another minute closer to our friends coming up to join us in battle, so drop your weapons!"
He walks sideways, trying to get a better view of the room, then cocks his crossbow.
Do you think you will have reinforcement? how do you think we reach this place? half of your friends are dead and the others half is tied. Surrender and ou will be in the tied camp.
"D-do you think they really did it, boss?" stutters the man with a crossbow
"Hah! Don't fall for his childish lies! If they had killed everyone, they'd already have that goddamn fleabag!" replies the man with the shield.
Ayren whispers to Eitylen and Brother Cyrus
"Look... If I make you vanish like your friend did, would you be willing to take them from behind? I'd go right after you, of course."
"I may be able to keep their attention for a moment if I go in from the front." Says Cyrus offering an alternative.
From Leng's position come the faint sounds of oils being slathered over a muscular body.
"Here, take this." says Ayren, as he passes yet another vial to Eitylen. "Get them from behind! I'll go in after you." Ayren then proceeds to move alongside the wall, trying to get as close as possible without the enemy seeing him.
The 3 thugs remain in their positions, confident that they are safe inside the room and that reinforcements are bound to come sooner or later.
Brother Cyrus invokes the power of the gods and an ephemeral aegis appears around him before fading.
He then dashes into the front door of the room.
As soon as Cyrus walks through the door, a flurry of readied attacks is unleashed against him.
Brother Cyrus is quick enough to evade the attack from the man with the heavy mace and the first strike from the dwarf, however, in his haste, he leaves himself open to a uncannily precise crossbow bolt, which slows him own just for a moment, enough for the dwarf to land an attack of his own!
Assuming Cyrus will not be caught in the splash damge then eytilen moves and trhow a bomb over the shielded guy
The thug with the crossbow steps back and puts one more bolt in Brother Cyrus' flesh.
The bolt finds its target, but fails to bring Cyrus down.
Leng carefully moves into the room, then sheathes his hand in electricity and fire, plunging it through the Dwarf's chest.
The dwarf widens his eyes as he sees a spark of lightning and fire appear before him, but before he has time to react, the spark quickly drives itself into his chest.
He only has time to scream in pain as the energy flows through his heart. He doesn't even have the time to see the face of the man who slayed him suddenly appear out of thin air.
"KORG!!! shouts the shielded warrior.
Ayren just smiles as he proceeds to throw a couple daggers towards his new target.
The man is hit by the first dagger, but manages to block the second one and with a sweeping motion, land a solid hit on Brother Cyrus, knocking the priest out.
A bomb to the guy in the back
The crossbowman quickly shoots a bolt directed at Tai Leng, whom he judges to be the biggest threat so far.
However, his target deflects the bolt with a quick movement of his hands.
Brother Cyrus convulses on the ground, bleeding.
Leng sheathes his hand in electricity and fire one last time moves in on the shielded man, supernaturally quick, kicking at him once and then lashing out with his energy coated hand.
The shielded warrior manages to deflect Tai Leng's opening assault, but lowers his shield too soon, and takes an unexpected follow up strike directly to his chin.
Ayren uses the moment to throw a couple more daggers at the crossbowman.
However, the thug quickly ducks and avoids the blades.
The shield warrior attacks Tai Leng with all his might
However, only his mace finds its target, and to little effect.
Brother Cyrus paints the floor red.
5 ft
Eitylen successfully tricks the thug leader into lowering his defense, but between his armor and the wall, the elf's blade fails to draw blood.
The crossbowman aims at Tai Leng one more... This time, he takes a deep breath to steady his aim, and only then and pulls the trigger.
The bolt just barely hits Tai Leng. It doesn't cause any serious damage but still finds its share of blood.
Leng snaps out another strike at the shielded man, going for his eyes.
The thug leader blocks Tai Leng's attack, but just barely.
Ayren steps closer to the door and throws yet another dagger at the crossbow man...
However, his aim is not enough to hit the enemy.
"Gotta admit... He's quicker than I thought." he says, trying to convince himself more than the others...
The thug leader proceeds to attack Tai Leng with both his mace and shield, but his attacks are no match to his target's speed, and the warrior fails to land a hit.
Seeing both his attacks hit nothing but air and his dwarf companion bleeding on the floor, the man with the shield steps back and speaks.
"Fine! I yield! I yield! There is no point in fighting you guys, just let me take care of my friend while you take care of yours!" says the warrior. "Give me your word that you won't attack me and I'll drop my weapons."
Leng flicks some of the blood off his fingertips and nods tersely, standing to the side a little to let the man pass.
"All this over a damn cat." he mutters under his breath.
He sighs and speaks up.
"Let's get what we came for and get out of here."