I scooted back, terrified by the thought of what was about to happen. The old guy stepped aside as the leader pushed past, glaring at me angrily.
"You'll pay for that bitch," he spat, nursing his wounded arm. He drew an iron shod cudgel from his belt and raised it ready to strike.
Suddenly, someone screamed from behind him. I knew not what the language was, something brutal like stone cracking and grinding, but I could tell it was a battle cry. There was a dull thunk and the thug's advance stopped. Blood bubbled up on his lips, trickling down into his filthy beard and he toppled forwards onto me. I stared in shock at the throwing axe protruding from his back not fully comprehending what was going on.
Another harsh roar drew my attention, and I looked up to see the younger thug thrown backwards against the alley wall, blood spraying from his chest from a battle axe wound. The elder thug decided he'd had enough and turned on his heel, running away from my saviour and towards me, but the short figure bounded forwards, foaming at the mouth, swinging his axe up and then down into the man's back with a sickening crunch. The thug tumbled forwards, face first in the mud. I could only stare in horror.
The dwarf wrenched the axe from the man's back, spraying blood over the alley and turned towards me, his eyes going wide when he saw what I was. I froze in terror, not knowing what he was about to do next. As I stared at him, I had a nagging feeling I knew him. Then it struck me; beneath the beard he looked exactly like...