Always fight people on your terms, not theirs.
I don�t remember if it was my Sifu who said it, Jhaelyn or if I saw it on the vids, but it�s good advice and it gives me the glimmer of a plan.
�You guys so scared it takes eight of you to fight one girl?!� I scream at the top of my lungs. My voice cracks slightly, destroying some of the effect. Still, if I can get them to take me one, maybe two at a time, it will help a lot. The alley is skinny, but enough of them working together will eventually muscle me back. Expecially since they have weapons.
Bill glowers, but The Brick doesn�t lose his smile.�But dear, these things are sooo much nicer with friends.�
�Yeah!� One of the Orcish looking gentlemen in the back shouts.
Great. Now I am wholly out of tricks. Well, except for one. Unfortunately, I don�t know if these guys will even be scared off by my half form. I�ve never had to use it in a real fight before. Will I be able to come back after tasting blood? I don�t know, but I�d better make a decision quickly because I am almost in reach of their weapons. Bill�s twin is slapping his chain against one of the alley walls. I can almost see sparks off it. Then again, that might be my imagination. Either way, the impact will break bones.
A brick whizzes by my ear, striking the wall behind me. An opening shot. Let the games begin. And I�m not thinking anymore because they are running at me. I twist around a flying link of chain, duck a swinging board, but something else rams into my shoulder and for a moment I am blinded by pain. I can no longer feel my fingers. I use my good arm to throw a punch and am rewarded by a yelp and the sound of cracking bone.
I am moving to hit something else when someone screams. There is a dull thud and then silence. I note in shock that it isn�t me.
�That�s hardly fair, all of you and only one of her.�
They turn as one to face the voice and I crane my head with them. I don�t recognize the the voice but I�m hardly complaining. The body of the asshole who threw the brick is laying askew against the alley wall, maybe dead.
�I say we��
Before my rescuer can finish, there is an insane rush of wind and Bill is thrown into the opposite wall by a screeching blur of silver. I�m almost sorry for Bill. Almost. Someone jumps to the ground off of what I realize, now that it�s stopped, is a blastboard. Custom.
�Good night,� He says, head bowed over the now unconscious Bill. I think we�re all in a state of shock because nobody moves or speaks. Then he turns, takes off his jacket and carefully places it on his blastboard. He seems familiar. Goggles. Blastboard. With a start I remember where I�ve seen him. The campus tourguide? I can�t even dredge up his name, something like Stormspell I think.
�Which of you kiddies wants to be put to bed next?� He asks with a sly smile. Whatever he calls himself, I�m glad to see him. My pulse is falling back to merely frantic and I�m beginning to feel my fingertips again.
Blastboard and jacket float into the air to hover somewhere above us. I�m not really paying that much attention to it. The brick has finally stopped smiling. He still has numbers, but two large, obviously brutal men are far more intimidating than one running woman. Especially considering how quickly they did away with two of his gang.
�What do you think,� Stormspell glances over at my other rescuer who seems to be scowling. �Two for you, two for her, and four for me?�
The other man looks like he wants to argue but then a crackling light explodes from between the blastboard kid�s fingers. It nails the other chain carrier, then jumps from him to another man holding a crowbar. In an instant they are both twitching on the ground. I smell burnt hair and flesh.
The other man�s expression darkens. You think he�d be grateful for the extra help. I know I am. Then again guys are touchier about these things, I�ve learned. I don�t care. Since everyone�s distracted by the fireworks, I figure there isn�t a better time to get some of my own back. So I turn to the person nearest to me, the man hefting the plank, and put enough power into my kick to send his nuts to meet his spleen. He squeaks, drops his board and falls over.
It�s almost easy after that.