As the five Rangers were unbound and given their swords, their forlorn expressions faded almost instantly. Weapons in hand, they had once more become warriors rather than prisoners, and the change in their demeanor was as sudden as it was complete.
A single obstacle still remained between them and their freedom, but they were obviously confident in defeating the captain. If anything, they looked eager for the fight — eager for a chance to regain their honor.
Arran, however, knew that their confidence was misplaced.
While both the captain's mercenaries and Rannoc's troops looked worried, Arran had seen Kaleesh's true power. And if that power wasn't quite enough to defeat a Knight, it was far more than a handful of Rangers could hope to match.
Yet the Rangers were still blissfully unaware of the fate that would soon befall them. Weapons drawn, they moved to face the captain, their leader at the front of the small group.
