Geo cautiously inched closer, making sure not to give away his presence. He remained on high alert for any potential ambush, but now he couldn't afford to check the area to the West. Just when he thought the woods might be clear, he noticed two men concealed among the trees. They were dangerously close to the meeting spot. Geo cursed under his breath. Jove had arrived early and was currently engaged in a heated argument with three men. Geo needed to focus on the men in the trees, each one armed with a bow. He silently approached the man on the left, close enough now to overhear the confrontation between Jove and his adversaries. He settled down to observe and listen.
Jove stood at the base of the bridge, dressed in his usual attire - a patched shirt, loose red pants, and a plain muslin apron. His knives and ax were still on display, and he appeared unfazed by the situation.
With an annoyed tone, Jove raised his voice, "I've had enough of your talk. I won't be bullied by the likes of you. I've been here for 20 years, claiming this area and the trading that occurs within a day's walk. The rest is up for grabs, if you dare."
The man facing Jove held something in his hands, his gaze fixated on it. He was tall and thin, dressed in a bright blue shirt and a fine black cloak. His hair seemed gray, but it was difficult to see his face clearly in the dim torchlight. Two burly men stood behind him, resembling guard dogs awaiting their master's command.
The man responded to Jove with a commanding tone dripping with disdain, "I couldn't care less about you or your claims. This land now belongs to King George. You are to appear and pledge your support, along with the proper tribute, before the next full moon. I am here as a favor to my lord, and I'll be more than happy to see you replaced." With that, he turned as if to leave.
The two men seized Jove, holding him in place, while the man with the black cloak swiftly delivered two punches to Jove's gut and finished him off with an uppercut to the jaw. Jove hung limply between his captors as the third man shook his hand, grumbling in pain.
As soon as the man struck Jove, Geo silently ascended the tree, taking advantage of the chaos to approach the first archer undetected. Witnessing his friend in danger, Geo swiftly and discreetly snapped the archer's neck, snatching up his bow. Before the archer's body hit the ground, Geo drew back the bowstring, smoothly releasing an arrow to strike the second archer in the tree. As the first body thudded against the forest floor, Geo swiftly dispatched two more arrows, one after the other targeting the two men restraining Jove, and without a sound, they fell lifeless. Withdrawing his bowstring once more, Geo aimed at the man who had punched Jove. However, just as he released the arrow, the man dressed like a lord vanished into thin air, leaving Geo perplexed. Before he had time to contemplate the strange disappearance, two more archers descended from the trees on the opposite side of the road to the West. The swifter of the two leaped down and sprinted East on the road, quickly distancing himself from Geo. Drawing his arrow back, Geo swiftly shot the man before he reached the bridge. The distance was too great, and the darkness hindered his accuracy, finding its mark in the man's thigh. He attempted to limp away, while the other man had already crossed the bridge and was out of range. Slowly advancing, Geo scanned the surrounding woods as he closed in on the injured man, wary of any further surprises.
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Geo swiftly reached the archer and apprehended the troublemaker with an arrow lodged in his leg. The man was bleeding and cursing, demanding to know why he had been shot. He claimed that he would never have agreed to this if he had known he would be targeted. Regaining some confidence, he boasted about being a king's archer and threatened to report the incident to his ruler.
Geo saw no point in engaging in conversation with this man. He needed to check on Jove and couldn't waste time on useless discussions. With a swift kick to the man's back, Geo knocked him to the ground, revealing a spare bowstring in his pocket. Mocking the archer's claims of royalty, Geo sarcastically remarked on the convenience of having a spare bowstring. He then tied the archer's hands and feet, dismissing him as a power-hungry fool. Dragging the captive across the grass, ignoring his protests, Geo released him once they reached Jove, who was getting to his feet.
Jove grumbled under his breath, frustrated at being unexpectedly caught up in this situation when he thought he was just meeting an old friend. Geo, with a furrowed brow, turned to the captive archer and demanded answers. "Who are you and what the hell is going on?" he barked.
The captive responded with defiance, spitting on Geo and Jove, and continued to sputter and cry amidst his colorful curses. Jove couldn't help but chuckle at the audacity of the captive's insolence. "Well, well, seems like we've got ourselves a feisty one," Jove remarked, moving his knife away from the captive's throat.
Geo smirked and nudged Jove, suggesting, "Maybe now that he's wet himself, he'll be more willing to talk. Just be careful not to ruin your fancy shirt with his blood." The captive's eyes widened at the mention of blood, his own blood, and fear flickered across his face.
Both Geo and Jove burst into laughter, the tension momentarily lifted. Jove inched his knife closer, a silent reminder that the captive's life still hung in the balance. The captive, believing his fate was sealed, finally revealed his name, Jon, and confessed that he hailed from New Camelot. He spoke of a king who demanded their heads, describing him as wise and powerful. Jon claimed that they were sent to bring the king's mercy to the realms beyond.
Geo couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of it all. "So, where exactly is this New Camelot? We might just have to pay the king a visit ourselves," he jested, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Jon seemed oblivious to the joke, continuing to speak as if addressing a crowd. He even offered to guide Geo and Jove to New Camelot, which he claimed was a two-day journey east and then north.
Turning to Jove, Geo expressed his doubts about Jon and pondered their next move. Jove let out a sigh of relief, glad that they had finally gotten some information. "We can't just let him go, he's too unpredictable," Jove reasoned. Before they could devise a plan, Geo swiftly knocked Jon unconscious with the butt of his knife, causing Jove to raise an eyebrow.
"I thought he was harmless while tied up," Jove said disapprovingly. Geo defended his actions, reminding Jove of his own fondness for knives and drawing blood. "I had to make sure we could have a private conversation without him overhearing," Geo explained, sheathing his knife. He then acknowledged Jove's concern about Jon's young age, estimating him to be no more than sixteen seasons. "Don't worry, Jove, I don't make a habit of killing children, even if they're misbehaving," Geo reassured him with a wry smile.
"Damn, I almost forgot the reason I came here," Geo said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I'm searching for a cure for one of the 7 ills. I heard rumors, and I thought if anyone knew more, it would be you." He spoke casually, as if discussing the weather.