No title yet but please read anyway chapter 9

I opened my eyes and moved quietly so that I could look off over the end of the ledge I was on. There were at least five people in here, possibly more. I drew back and grabbed my swords, unsheathing them.

"Who's there?" I called out as I stood up.

I laughed as I heard gasps and muffled screams come from the group below me.

"Can we light a torch now," someone asked.

"Fine."

I heard some muttered curses and finally the torch was lit illuminating a group of six people.

"Where are you?" the man holding the torch called out, peering around at the cavern.

"Up here," I called back.

They all looked up at my ledge.

I walked over to the edge and looked down at the ground, judging whether it was flat enough for me to jump down. I figured it was so, I jumped landing gracefully on the rocks below. I smiled at the shocked looks on their faces and walked towards them.

"I think that the question is who are you? I was obviously here first."

"We are travelers."

"Really," I said skepticism clear in my voice.

"Yes." He fidgeted.

"I think you're lying. Or at least not tell me the whole truth."

"We were captured by slavers," he sighed.

"All at once?"

"No, we'd never met until we were captured. We made a plan to escape and managed to pull it off but are now being chased and we have no weapons."

"What are your names?"

"I am Badru. Their names are Jöran, Kaïn, Draven, Fáelán, and Säde."

Badru had brown skin and hair. He had well defined muscles and looked like someone who did a lot of out-of-doors work.

Jöran had golden skin and dark blonde hair. He too looked like someone who worked out-of-doors.

Kaïn was massive; he had dark hair and almost leathery looking skin. I if had to guess what he did for a living I would say blacksmith, and I would be right.

Draven was fine boned with lean muscles; he had tanned skin and dark brown hair. Draven was the type of man who looked absolutely normal, no distinguishing features that would mark him in your memory.

Fáelán was young, no more than fourteen years old, but carried himself with the assurance of someone twice his age. He had jet black hair that came to his shoulders and a wild look to him.

Säde was the only woman in the group. She was stunning, even with the old clothes that were little more than rags and the open wounds around her wrists from where the manacles had rubbed them raw. She had golden hair and looked as though she were lit from within.

I took in their appearances as Badru introduced them.

"Please do not turn us from this cavern. We have no time to find another spot to hide and do not have weapons enough to face the slavers in battle."

"I am Aglæca. Do not have fear of being turned away for it seems we have a common enemy in the slavers and I would not turn anyone over to their hands for no reason."

"Thank you for not turning us to the slavers and if I might ask, how are they your enemy?"

"They captured me a few months ago and sold me to the king, Samael. He made me his fighter for the pit fights and then yesterday he tried to make me his consort. Since I didn't want to end up ruling a country until the day I die, I didn't kill him. Instead I escaped from the castle and came here."

"You fought in the pit fights for almost three months," Fáelán said in awe.

"Yes, I did."

"But you don't look like a fighter," he protested.

"Well I am, and any of my still living opponents would agree with me."

"Shh, I can hear them coming," Draven hissed.

"Do any of you know how to fight with knives?" I asked.

They all nodded.

"Follow my lead," I whispered.

I handed them some of my knives, then walked to the mouth of the cavern with them at my back.

We waited in the shadowed entrance for the slavers to enter. I could hear them now. The steady beat of footsteps, the brush of clothing, muffled voices and the clatter of rocks.

There was a flash of light into the cave entrance and I saw a shadowy figure holding a torch.

"This cave is bigger than it looks, they might be hiding in here," I heard him whisper call.

There was a shuffling of footsteps and then the whole group was standing there in the entrance. We stayed hidden, waiting for the slavers to enter far enough that once we attacked they wouldn't be able to retreat.

They walked past us and into the cavern, lighting it up with the torch.

"NOW!"

We all sprang out from the shadows, weapons ready. We blocked of the only exit and faced the slavers who were frozen in place for a few moments. Then they drew their own weapons and charged at us.