The thugs the crew of the<em>Emerald Wind</em>were fighting were not simple thugs, as they faced the battle formation without a hint of fear in their eyes.   Instead there were only anger and determination, as one would expect to see in the veterans of the Imperial Navy and Legion.   War cries echoed in the narrow dank and foul alleyways.   These cries turned into cries of surprise and pain as a shape out of the darkness hit the flanks of the group with a force and power that was near palatable to taste by the  the crew of the<em>Wind</em>.<br/><br/>While the crew in formation could not get a good look upon Shio as he attacked, he was there and threw himself into the fray with a wild yet disciplined approach.   He had used the shadows of the alleyway to his best advantage and he came upon the flanks of the enemy.   He focused his attack to be something painful and disabling yet not lethal.   His kick went out against the right most archer was of a force that could crack stone, and the sound of shattering and breaking bone was clear in the air over the war cries.<br/><br/>Shio was not the only person coming at the enemy from the flanks.   From the crossroads behind the battle came the war priest Dolgrin.   His gravely voice was also clear among the battle din as he cried out to his faith in that language that only he could understand.  He felt the blessing of his faith rewarded and settle over him as he advanced.    Due to Shio's surprise, the group of enemies shifted, and two of the rear members moved to engage.   One came into contact with both Shio and Dolgrin, and their attacks were turned aside at the last moment, by a parry on Dolgrin's part or a last minute move o Shio's feeling nothing but the wind of the missed sword strike.<br/><br/>The one man with the shattered let did his best to fit his bow from a seated position, but it was clear that pain was overcoming him as a arrow feel from shaking fingers.   The other archer fired and again Okibura's tower shied defected the arrow.    Marcus moved from the cover and launched his own arrow and took the standing archer.   The man staggered, but the wound was not fatal.   The two groups surged ahead, and now the battle was truly joined.