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The Thieves Guild
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by Jake Kerr.
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Episode 108:
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The North Road.
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Sometimes the simplest goals end up having the greatest complications.
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After talking to Vesper, Allard's simple goal was to get back to the Old
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Quarter.
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A Ranger walking in Ness was rare, but certainly not unheard of,
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and a Ranger walking toward the Great Gate was to be expected.
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Allard was not foolish, however, especially in violent
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times, and took nothing for granted.
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He stuck to whatever shadows he could as he walked along the North Road, the road that
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ran along the North Fork and ended very close to the Great Bridge and the Old
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Quarter.
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The trouble was that the Lower Quarter was still mostly abandoned, and the people
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patrolling the streets were suspicious of everyone.
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The few Harvest Guild members who were returning to their homes looked warily
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at anyone other than other Harvest Guild members.
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The merchant guards remained omnipresent, and appeared focused on keeping things
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calm. There was no real night presence.
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It was the kind of environment where a massive Ranger walking alone was nearly
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an invitation for a confrontation,
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and Allard was confronted again and again.
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First, there was a group of Harvest Guild members.
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That wasn't so much a confrontation as a joyful meeting of a
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colleague. They were heading home to a house that they weren't sure still
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existed, and yet were jovial when they met Allard.
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They
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apparently worked in the Outer Fields during the fall harvest, and were grateful the
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Rangers were out protecting them from the outlanders.
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Then there were a number of merchant guild guard interactions.
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They stopped Allard, asked his business, and after a cursory
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conversation, let him go on his way. They appeared to be more
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interested in making sure the returning Harvest Guild members
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were calm than dealing with an odd Ranger.
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Things got more difficult when he turned onto River Road.
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He had walked along the North Fork in the hopes of avoiding the attention near the Flats,
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but that meant he was approaching the bridge to the Old Quarter from a
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direction near the Upper Quarter, and Allard
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immediately realized he made a mistake.
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River Road was thick with armed men at that point, not just merchant
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guards, but knights as well. "Hey, you."
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Allard pulled his hood down and turned toward the voice.
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It was a merchant guard marching up to him.
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Allard stood tall, but didn't say anything.
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The guard stopped in front of Allard and continued.
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"State your business."
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Allard disliked the man's tone, but he realized that any exchange in
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these times could easily escalate, so he answered simply, "I am a
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Ranger returning to the Plains after visiting my family."
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"Who is your family?" The guard sounded
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suspicious. "The River family.
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We have worked the Outer Fields for many generations, protected by Rangers.
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I joined the Rangers Guild as a small token of appreciation for the guild's protection of my
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family." Allard bowed his head. "I've been assigned to the western plains."
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"That's far from the Outer Fields." "Indeed, but who am I to question my
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guild master?" Allard hoped the man would move on, but he continued to ask
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questions. "What is your name?" "Gwyn, Gwyn River." "Where is
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your family's house?" "The Flats," Allard said,
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the answer being his default when people would pry, as the Flats was large
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and crowded and nearly impossible to check on someone's answer about where they
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lived.
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Stepping forward, the guard replied, "Then why are you walking along the North Road, then?"
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He glanced toward the Flats. "This is far out of your way."
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Allard cursed to himself. The guard was right.
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If he was heading from the Flats to the Plains, he would have gone down the Thruway or
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even along the Circle. He most definitely would not have walked along the
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North Road.
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It was far out of the way. "I do not get to the city very
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often, I'm afraid." It was the only explanation that made sense.
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He was sightseeing. "Rather than walk along the Circle, I wanted to see the North Fork,
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the Great River, the Great Bridge, and even the Golden Triangle."
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The guard stared at Allard, and just as he felt like the guard wouldn't believe him,
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he replied, "These are not times to enjoy the city.
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Head back to your duties and return when things are calmer." Allard let
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out a breath as the guard added, "Thank you for protecting your family and
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all of us."
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The guard tipped his hat and moved on.
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Just as Allard turned onto River Road, a group of merchants approached.
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They weren't guards, which was perhaps worse, as they were curious about
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him in a way that he couldn't predict.
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There were three of them, two young men and a young woman.
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They were laughing as they stepped in front of Allard.
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A young man held up his hand as if commanding Allard to stop.
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He had beady eyes and a thin smile that looked more like a sneer.
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Not wanting to generate attention, Allard stopped.
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"We were going to mock you for being guildless, but now we see you
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are a Ranger."
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Allard shrugged and went to move on when the woman blocked his way.
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What are you doing here?
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"That is not your business," Allard growled, pondering whether to just
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push his way through. Unfortunately, a group of merchant guards nearby
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looked over to keep an eye on things.
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Allard knew they were keeping an eye on the young misfits, but that could easily turn
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into attention on him. Intimidation without violence seemed the best
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approach. Unfortunately, they didn't seem intimidated.
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"Let me see your face, Ranger,"
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the original speaker said. The comment was rude and would have been
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easily dismissed, but he said it loudly enough that a group of Harvest Guild
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members became interested and wandered over.
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To make matters worse, the merchant guards also now seemed to be more
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interested in the ranger with the hidden face than the mischievous gang.
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Allard knew that if he showed his face, at least someone would know who he
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was. With all of the chaos around Raylan and the violence in the lower quarter,
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he was certain that it would lead to him being arrested.
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So, he crossed his arms and leaned forward.
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"You are in no position to be so rude to a ranger here visiting his family."
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To reinforce his point, he pointed to the man's chest and added, "I'm
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happy to walk around you, but don't make the mistake of making me go through you."
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To Allard's relief, the young man immediately fell back, cowered.
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"It is like that with bullies," Allard thought as he prepared to continue
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his journey. Unfortunately, the merchant guards were close enough to hear,
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and they marched over.
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"Threatening guild members isn't very polite behavior from a visitor,"
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the leader of the guard said, walking right up to Allard.
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Allard turned and looked at him. He was slight, but had the arrogant look
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of someone with unearned power. "He insulted me for being a ranger."
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"I heard no such thing,"
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the guard replied, putting his hand on his sheathed sword.
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Allard shrugged and leaned into his explanation.
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He had no other option. "You didn't hear the beginning of the conversation,
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but I apologize for any threat I may have made. I will simply be on my way.
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I am due in the plains soon."
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Taking a step forward, Allard had to stop as the merchant guard stepped in front of
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him.
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"Show your face."
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The other guards backed up the main guard, and to make matters worse, the Harvest
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Guild members wandered over. Knowing that if he showed his face, he would
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immediately be arrested, Allard decided to focus on the element of
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surprise and flee. The only trouble was that he was, by now, surrounded by
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people from three different guilds, as a few knights had wandered over too.
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Considering his options, he figured the Harvest Guild members would see him as a
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brother guild member and let him through.
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Shoving aside the merchant guard, Allard sprinted toward the Harvest Guild
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group, hoping that he could run around them or that they would part and let him
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pass. After that, Allard planned on running directly into the Lower
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Triangle, which was across the road, and using a variety of alleys and
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hedges to escape.
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It was a risky plan, but all he had.
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It failed immediately.
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The Harvest Guild members grabbed him as he went to pass.
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Allard stumbled, and as he regained his balance, a Harvest Guild member
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yanked his hood back, exposing his face and head.
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"The traitor,"
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shouted one man.
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"Pretending to be the guild he betrayed, with the outlanders.
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Shame," cried a woman.
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The moment his face was exposed, Allard realized he had only one option:
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fight his way out. The merchant guard approached with his sword, looking to
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either kill Allard outright or seriously injure him.
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Reaching above his head as he spun into a small clearing near the Harvest Guild members,
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Allard slid out his great broadsword.
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Unarmed guild members fled as the knights rushed forward.
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The merchant guard had no time to react, and before he realized who he was
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facing, his sword arm lay on the ground next to him, detached from his
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body after a vicious swing of Allard's blade.
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Looking around as armed men approached, Allard pointed his sword at two
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knights. "I am departing in that direction.
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You have two options: move or die."
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The men didn't move, and Allard rushed forward, his sword in front of him.
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As they lifted their swords and held their ground, Allard spun slightly
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and slashed the sword on the left aside.
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As the man's body turned, Allard barreled into him, his great
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size easily knocking the man to the ground.
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From behind, a sword struck his shoulder, which clanged against his armor.
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The blow knocked Allard's sword arm down, however, and the other knight
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swung his sword, slashing Allard's thigh.
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Allard went down, his armor protecting him from serious damage, but
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still allowing the edge to bite home.
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As he hit the ground, the Harvest Guild members swarmed him, grabbing his sword and
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kicking him in the head and chest and legs.
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Another sword swing struck him in the arm, cutting through his leather armor.
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His arm wasn't broken, but it was sliced badly with blood now flowing
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freely. Allard tried to stand, but the blows continued.
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A kick to the side of his head filled his eyes with fog.
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Expecting that this would be his end, Allard's only hope was that Raylan
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would find enough help within the guild to finish Pietro's mission.
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They had been so close, even with Lassen's machinations.
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The blows stopped, but Allard couldn't open his eyes as they were swollen shut.
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"Now comes the killing blow," he thought.
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But as the thought filled his head, an old voice yelled out from the mist.
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"Hold! He is ours."
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There was a chorus of angry voices, and then a loud, clear voice spoke again.
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"He is ours."
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Right before he finally lost consciousness, Allard wondered who was
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claiming him,
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and what it meant.
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(instrumental music plays)