The guards responded rather satisfyingly to his little display, taking a step back and raising their crossbows. The woman, on the other hand, seemed utterly unfazed. She merely smiled, looking him up and down just as much as he'd examined her. Her scent wafted across, the usual smell of humans, a hint of perfume woven through it... and then something odd, an underlying trace of something bitter, acrid.<br/><br/>"You're going to die, creature," she said bluntly. "The bandits you belonged to were responsible for many deaths, much outrage. The kingdom has already declared your entire gang as condemned." She glanced at the guards on either side of her. "Normally you'd be dragged out and hung, but I think, considering your capabilities, we'd just spear you to death in that cage. Painful and unpleasant... and considering that many of the guards have lost loved ones to bandit raids, I doubt they'd finish you off quickly. I imagine you'd agree that it's not a good way to die."<br/><br/>She paused again, examining one fingernail. "Yes, you're going to die badly. Unless..." She glanced across at him, clearly waiting for a sign of interest in alternatives.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>