WOT Adv 80

--- The Wheel Turns ---
"Quickly!" you shout to the villagers. "Arm yourselves! Come take these!"

You throw down your weapons, retaining only a grappling hook and your rope.

A few villagers come and take your hand axe and your dagger. Another takes weapons from the bundles Keb dropped. Even taking daggers from Keb herself. One gingerly picks up the Seanchan sword, holding it awkwardly with two hands.

"We fight our way out," you reply to Maynard's query. "With any luck we should be able to escape."

"You'll need a lot more than luck. Did I mention there are nearly forty Seanchan soldiers holding this village?" Maynard counters, his lips forming a thin line.

"You did. But they can only come in here a few at a time. Besides we have friends outside."

Maynard slowly shakes his head and sighs. He spins the sword behind his back in a blindingly fast move, faster than anything you've seen before, and he brings it whirring back in front of him. "I only hope you're right."

Just then the door snaps, and splinters go everywhere shattering your spear as well. It at least bought you some time.

You expect a rush of enemy soldiers. Instead you hear a whirring sound and then a flash of light as a single arrow, lit with flame and pitch buries itself into the back wall of the stable. A few of the villagers manage to stamp out the flame.

Through the shattered doors you can see torches and a row of perhaps a half-dozen archers, all armed with lit arrows.

A large man steps out of the shadows, dressed in the still strange-looking insect armor. He stands by the row of archers, their arrows hiss and sputter as the rain comes down.

"I am Murdoc, an officer of the Seanchan," The man bellows in his strange accented tongue. "Lord Timak, our commander and a noble of the blood, demands that you lay down your arms and surrender! Fulfill the oaths that you have forsaken! Do this and your lives will be spared! Should you continue to resist you will be slain to a man! You have exactly one minute to decide!"

The villagers start to talk among themselves, some begin to worry, others wonder whether or not the man Murdoc speaks the truth. Would they spare their lives? Or would they be slaughtered defenseless.

You finish tying together your makeshift flail comprised of your grappling hook and your rope. You look at Maynard.

"Don't look at me," he shrugs grimly. "This is your rescue. I'll follow whatever lead you give. If you choose to surrender, we could be slain or they may make us slaves. Who knows. For certain we will be more carefully watched than before, and I doubt we'll get a chance at escape again, at least not with fifteen men armed with weapons on our side."

You mind races furiously. Should you surrender or should you fight?