Bab 102: Parley

Just as both daggers were about to tear into Marcus's flesh, a familiar and disapproving sound reached his ears that he almost failed to catch.

"Hmph. Slow."

In the next instant, Marcus heard the clash of what sounded like several blades, and wood being destroyed beside his left ear, causing that ear to go completely deaf for a moment. 

'Urgh.'

The tree Marcus stood behind had burst into hundreds of wooden chunks and splinters just above and to the side of his head, leaving only enough of it for Marcus to lean behind.

It was almost as if this was intentional.

When the barkdust from the tree was cleared, the image of a boy surrounded by a woman and some sort of dark apparition came into view. Marcus's tired yet emotionless expression was almost comical in this situation as three horizontal scars decorated one side of his face and sweat and woodchips decorated the other.