Snippet #2802273

Argo hands had turnt white by how tightly he gripped his rifle. He found himself face to face with a trio of Duthneks, large, lizard-like creatures with two massive hind legs and small forearms, originally from the wetlands and now saddled and ridden by a duo of lackeys. They wore the forgotten colours of a Sorillian legionary, though their armour was far from the standard of the old troops- half of it modified with gold and silver and steel, and the other half stolen off whoevers corpse they had last looted. Whatever these remnant riders were they were now no better than bandits, and everyone knew it.

"Argo."

Chilf's cool voice. Argo turned behind him, back to the open gate of the Last Rest's walls, where the warlord himself marched forward. Crown Prince Theory, as large and dumb as Argo had always assumed he would be- dragging behind him the still somewhat bound Blacksun. At the left and right of the gate were two men Argo knew well. Mr Weer: big, bald, and not too bright. He wore an ill-fighting steel chest plate, already quite dented with bullets hits. On his back a greatsword hung, and off his hip a pistol-holsted dangled loosely. Then Mr Chilf: a thin wisp of a man. His eyes were almost always hidden, though they glimmered from beneath the brim of his large sombrero. He wore a loose poncho, hiding the many guns hidden on his person. He had a long, dirty blonde beard- curling to a tip right by his dingus, which was hidden by the flaps of his poncho.

The two guards watched as Theory walked back to his riders.

"Sorry 'bout the whole kidnappin' business, Mister Blacksun," Argo called as Theory helped the man onto the back of his Duthnek. "Now hopefully you and Last Rest don't cross paths again!"

Blacksun gave Argo a disheveled glare but did little else as as soon as Theory cracked his reigns the trio of riders were off, the Duthnek's powerful legs kicking up sand as they shot down the dune. Argo exhaled slowly before turning to the two older gunmen. "Now havin' the remnant leader here... ain't we gettin' a bit too friendly with a bit too undesirable of folk?"

"We gave him Blacksun to keep us off his radar," Chilf said through pursed lips. "Hopefully that will be the last unexpected guest for a wh-"

The sound of a horse whinnying cracked through the air. The three men turned as Ash's steed bounced into view. "Greetings and good morning folks!" A sorillian man called out to them, smoking a pipe with one hand and gripping a rifle with another. "Is the lord of the manor available?"

"-The hell!?" Weer grunted angrily, his hand reaching to his back for his greatsword. Before Argo or Chilf could get a word in the door inside the gatehouse flung open, Sickly Saly having run down the stairs from the top of the fort's battlements. Her red hair was disheveled, her robes covered in shit and sand, and her pistol was drawn. "It's an ambush! More of 'em, up on the dunes!"

Chilf nodded at the words. Before anyone more had time to speak a pistol was drawn in each hand, bullets flying out toward Ash's horse. It whinnied violently, flying to its hind legs and threatening to throw Ash off. The banditos ran to cover as the gunfight broke loose. "Argo!" Saly said, ducking behind a barrel situated outside the wall. "Close the gate!"

***

"Yeah son," Gutner replied. "Mrs Mason gonna fix us somethin' right. Mr Vix said he'd hunt some good game for us." Gutner paused, raising his ear to the wind. A distant echo. Gunshots? Gutner pulled out his pistol. "Boy, you stay here," He ordered, running toward the study entrance. "You stay set, ya hear?"

***

The Duthnek's ground to a halt on the sands as gunshots echoed across the dunes. "Boss?" One of the remnant riders spoke up, turning to Theory to see what to do.

***

Back in the past...

Out of the darkness a figure stepped out. The desert seemed to whisper around him, the winds blowing at his feet. "Myyy naaame... is Mohaaan," Mohan introduced to the Captain. There was a gun and blade on the short man's figure, but neither were drawn. No doubt he had as many shooters in the dark as Ash had behind his barricade. "Who are you?"

***

The masked figure grunted at Falcon before continuing on, disappearing into the passing crowd moving down the staircase...