Ouroboros Spine the fall of the house of usher

He did not want to fight. Ashlar felt fear invade the confidence he wore when the woman moved forward, but he still did not back down. For the fight before he had not been able to be pressured into drawing blood, but he would have stayed for this. He might have even fought for this, though chances were just as good he'd have frozen and been at their mercy.

But this time it was Avicus who told him to run. He was jerked out of indecision by her beginning to flee and, turning on his heel, he was only a short distance behind.

He'd failed. He didn't know how, but for some reason, they hadn't listened.