Kanin's Return

But that shove rattled something loose. He was surprised she was here at all, as in… and then it all hit him. Where he knew the banner, the fake emotions and icy feeling coming from The Duke. “He’d sent the men after her, he’d killed her parents and I delivered her right to him.” he said aloud, slapping himself on the forehead. “...vögeln.”

Kanin turned around facing the guards at the large double doors again. One of them stared icy cold at Kanin. He could hear the man’s grip tighten on the shaft of the spear he held. “Keep moving rabbit.” He said.

Taking a deep breath and striding forward, the two men crossed spears to stop him. “You may not re-enter.” the other guard said.

“We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The first guard said.

“I’d prefer the easy way.” Kanin said, as he kept walking forward.

The more aggressive of the two guards lowered his spear and pointed at Kanin. “Then I suggest you leave.”

“Oh…” Kanin said, “No. The easy way is you let me back in.”

“W-what?” the less aggressive guard said, now lowering his spear as well. “You need to leave.”

Kanin stopped in his tracks just outside the reach of a stabbing if the man should thrust the spear forward. “I need you to understand something.” he said, his voice tired. “I do not want to hurt you. I will, I will not hesitate. You can let me through, I will not attack you. You can walk free and clear.” Kanin raised a hand and pointed at the door. “But I am getting back inside.”

“We aren’t letting you back inside.” The older aggressive guard said taking a step forward.

“I wasn’t finished. I want you to know something before you pick this fight.” Kanin said.

“Oh?” the older guard said. “There is nothing to say that will get me to back down from some scruffy nobody who can’t even afford shoes.”

Kanin looked at his feet and smirked. “I didn’t think so, however I feel that warning you will clear my conscience. If my kick should connect with your body, I have killed a fully grown male Orc with a kick.”

“Bullshit.” the older guard said. “Nobody can do that.”

Kanin could hear the other younger guard shaking, his spear’s hilt rattling slightly in his loose grip.

“It is very much true,” he said. “You can’t say I didn’t warn you. I am sure your families will understand you were ‘doing your jobs’ and I’m sure the loss of your lives will not ruin theirs.”

The younger of the two guards dropped his spear looking at the older guard “I’m sorry I have a wife, and a baby on the way.” and ran. Stupidly in his fear he ran right past Kanin, though Kanin didn’t attack he did put a foot out to trip the guard. Who hit the ground and scrambled back to his feet redoubling his efforts in running faster. Kanin could hear him huffing and puffing all the way down the road.

“Care to put down your spear and open the door?” Kanin asked, but the man charged the spear outstretched. “I tried.” he mumbled to the sky. “You can’t say I didn’t.” With Kanin’s ears he didn’t even need to see the man coming to sidestep the lunge. Kicking the man as lightly as he could manage still elicited a sharp yelp from him as he staggered but corrected his stumble and went to charge again. “I don’t want to kill you…” Kanin said, “So please stop.” but the man charged again.

The man thrust the spear at him, and Kanin dodged, and caught the shaft under his arm and put a foot against the man’s chest, and pushed. Didn’t kick, just applied a bit of force to push him away from his spear. The man fell backwards landing hard, scrambling to get up as Kanin shoved the tip of the spear into the ground and kicked it to break it. The man was on his feet quicker than Kanin had expected, already swinging a dagger. Kanin attempted to hop backwards and out of the way the dagger clipped his arm. The cut wasn’t deep but enough to anger him. “No more playing.” Kanin said, stopping and kicking straight forward, his foot landing squarely in the center of the man’s chest. Sending him flying, bouncing against the ground and rolling until he slammed chest first into a stone pillar, with a sickening crunch, and a sound of deflating agony. “I’m sorry.” Kanin said, shaking his head, strided forward, slowly gathering speed into a run. He lept and kicked the wooden door, breaking it slightly but it opened.

The door’s destruction caused the alarms to sound guard pouring out of the woodwork, all the doors in the hallway flying open and two to three guards coming out of each. Spears, axes and swords all at the ready. “I wish they’d picked the easy way.” Kanin sighed.

“Surrender.” a guard shouted.

Kanin hopped onto his toes and did a slight bouncing dance, shaking out his hands before putting them up like a pugilist. “No.” he said, launching forward, kicking the first guard with a roundhouse kick, slamming him into the guard next to him. Ducking low under a swing of a sword and moving fluidly into a roll out of the way of a dropping axe. Changing direction in the roll and leaping back forward landing a flurry of punches to a guard in front of him, grabbing his sword and throwing it away from them before kicking him into a wall and following up with another kick. From behind a man swung an axe at the back of Kanin’s head but he caught the man’s arm and hip tossed him, stomping the man’s chest as he hit the floor. Some of the guards took a step back seeing the havoc this one man all on his own was bringing to them. Kanin redoubled his assault, pressing his advantage, capitalising on their fear.

—

Screams filled the hall, The Duke stood fearing the screams coming from outside what he thought was an impenetrable sanctum. He ordered his right hand to fetch Anika, who arrived just as the door to The Duke’s den opened with a creak. The rabbit man standing there.

“You almost got away with it.” Kanin said, “But you really should wait until the man with giant ears is well and truly gone before you start discussing your plans for murdering a young girl.” he said tugging on one of his large ears. “Rookie mistake. I don’t blame you for making it. But I do suggest you stand down.” he said. “I’m not going to let you harm her.”

“And who are you to say what I do and do not do?” The Duke asked.

“Nobody.” Kanin said, “But you will not harm her.” He said, staring the man down, in a standoff. He could see the man’s eyes flicking to Anika. “Don’t.” Kanin mouthed to The Duke and shook his head.

The Duke drew a dagger in a flash and ran towards Anika, as Kanin started to move Anika shouted a plea to not kill her uncle, despite what he was planning to do.

“Vögeln.” Kanin spat, launching forward to intercept The Duke, grabbing Anika. Kanin tucked her close to his chest, arms around her as he dove through the large stained glass window at the back of the room.

—

Anika felt the wind around her then tree branches scratching her and the rustle of leaves around them, then a grunt of pain from Kanin. Who sat her down to let her stand on her own two feet. Kanin turned back to where he’d jumped from seeing now that he’d misjudged the distance from the manor to the ground. But he could still see The Duke standing in silhouette against the broken out window staring down at them. Turning speaking to someone, but Kanin couldn’t hear it from where the was before the shapes pulled away from the window.

“We need to go,” he said.

“Where? Why? He was my only family.” Anika said.

“He was going to kill you.” Kanin said. “He’s the one that sent people to kill your parents.” Kanin said, pulling a strip of cloth from his belt satchel and wrapped the cut on his arm. “We’ll discuss it once we are farther away from here.”

Anika looked determined. “Yes we will discuss this.” she said now looking back at where they’d lept from.