From within the swirling black smoke, five Ashantis emerged with their red cloaks whipping in the wind as they headed towards the group.
Aeron's hand tightened around his sword hilt. "So… what do we do now?" he asked, in a low voice.
Nyella didn't take her eyes off the advancing figures. "We stay together. If we split, they'll pick us off one by one. But if it gets messy," she turned to Varek, "you take Aeron and get him out of here."
Varek nodded once, then said to her in a firm tone, "If it comes to that, your highness, you run with him. I'll hold them off."
Devic stepped forward, planting the butt of his spear into the ground with a thud. "I'll take two of them. You handle one each, and whatever you do, keep the young dragon safe," he said, glancing at Aeron with a small smirk.
The Ashantis closed in. Everyone dismounted at once, and they spread into a loose formation. The red-cloaked warriors didn't slow down; they marched straight for them and drew out their curved blades.
