Fighting now back to back, the companions were on top of things now. Animir shattered an arm and slew its' owner; Thorkil backed a foe towards the door; Lotheladala dealt out punishment left and right; and Zada reached the capering Foamwolf and crossed blades with him, despite Animir's shouted warning. She pinked him, and with a cry of fear he vaulted back over the counter and fled.
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Then things began to deteriorate. As Foamwolf disappeared through the back door, both Zada and Lotheladala dropped, stricken. Animir lashed out, beheading her last opponent at a stroke, and headed across to succor her friends. Zada's late opponent blocked her path, and she lost valuable seconds hacking him down. Finally reaching Zada, she ignored the thug bearing down on her and cast a healing spell. Zada started awake and reached for her sword.
As the ranger sprang up and back into the battle, Animir somersaulted through the melee, arriving by Lotheladala's side with another spell readied. As she prepared to cast, however, she realized that she was too late; Lotheladala was gone.
Leaping back up, she rejoined the fray, downing another thug. The final two remaining, now outnumbered, broke and fled, joining their comrade at the door and fleeing through it.
"Damn!!" cursed Zada. "We lost them all. Now we'll never find out what was going on!''
In one corner, a wounded thug groaned quietly...