Skellig has widened his field of 'vision' just slightly to include both the men coming at him, as well as Kreyu, and the others that are trying to fight her. She seems to have dealt with most of the burning feathers (he will deal with her burns later) and that danger has lessened; this one in front of him with the club is at the forefront of his priority list.

He ducks the club (easily) and attempts to wrestle it from the man's hands - this distracts him long enough for the one with the knife to slip around the back side of him. When the one with the knife springs and leaps in close to strike, Skellig quickly spins his body and uses the 'friend' as a shield, the knife sliding between the muscles and spine. THAT cry is not a battle cry, but a cry of pain - and Skellig feels no guilt for that, as his hand was not the one holding the blade!