I felt my stomach churn as I dashed to the side door of the beautiful Hayashi residence, towards the danger in the courtyard. My peer and former student under Master Goshu followed my lead, eager to put her skills to the test. I was grateful for her help, but my instincts told me that my skills would not be enough to turn the tide in this situation and adding her skills to mine would not change anything. Protecting her family and the others in the house to safety was more important and more honorable than making a stand and dying at my side.
As I stepped into the courtyard, I weighed my options and chose my ground nestled between the main house and one of the outbuildings. If the dragon approached, I could back into the narrow alleyway and hopefully limit its mobility and spare myself a full barrage of attacks.
“Stand and hold.” I told myself. “I will hold my ground until my companions have cleared the courtyard. If I have an opening to strike, I shall. If I am to die here, I will. The creature before me, powerful as it may be, does not hold my fate within its clawed grasp. I hold my fate.”
Though my hands shook with fear every passing second, I stood until Bromm and Danin fled beyond the gate with Tenner, until Tagaern Unser led the civilians over the back wall of the courtyard, and until Floki and taken cover and no longer taunted the mighty dragon with his arrows. Then, and only then, did I turn and flee for my life.