Al and Darretta walked on the the Eastern path towards the forest where the bandits were spotted. They pass by the path where Al encounter the group of bandits and was saved by Carne. Al stops to look around, and notice that the bodies of the bandits have been cleaned up.

“What’s wrong?” Darretta turn to ask.

“Nothing. I encounter a group of bandits here some time ago.” Al replied. “I don’t know why I thought their bodies would still be here.”

“Really? I wonder if it they are the bandits we are looking for.” Darretta pondered.

“I doubt it. The quest said there are suppose to be at least five to seven of them. I only encounter three of them at the time.” Al responded. “And the ones I encounter were killed. So I doubt they are the same ones.”

“Oh wow. You killed all three of them?” Darretta asked.

“Hmm, no I didn’t. I was injured at the time.” Al replied. “I was saved by a friend that was passing by at the time.”

“Wow that’s some amazing luck.” Darretta exclaimed. She looked around and notice two large boulders leaning on the trees. She runs over to take a look. She spots some dried blood on the tree and at the base of the tree.

“Who… who was this friend of yours?” Darretta asked, stunned about the boulders, and how powerful the person who did it could be.

“His name is Carne. He runs the orphanage in Trisdia.” Al replied, puzzled by Darretta’s interest in him.

“Is that so? I should go visit him someday.” Darretta replied. She gets ups and walks over to Al. “Let’s get going. We still have to find the bandits.”

Al nodded, and the two continued on the path. After getting past the forest without encountering the bandits. The two turned around, and contemplated about going through the forest again.

“Maybe we would be better off going off the path, and actually going into the forest to search for their hideout instead of just hoping they pop out to try and rob us.” Al said, pointing into the trees.

“It could take us days to find them like that.” Darreta replied back.

“True, but it could also take days before we encounter them on the road. Especially if they know that the last group of bandits that tried to rob people got killed. They might be more cautious now.” Al replied.

Darretta thought for a bit, and then reluctantly agreed. The two walked into the woods. After hours of searching around and not finding anything, the two decided to take a break. They made a campfire to cook themselves a quick meal.

“After this, let’s search the other side of the forest.” Darretta said, putting down her plate.

“Sounds good. I think we searched this entire side already I think.” Al replied. He gets up and kicks dirt into the campfire.

“Please wait a bit. I’m… going to the woods for a bit.” Darretta said as she quickly gets up and runs into the woods.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

Al stood there puzzled. But didn’t ask any questions. He waited for a bit, then he heard rustling from a nearby bush, coming from the same direction of where she ran off too. He looks over and calls out.

“You ready?” Al called out.

A man steps out from the bush. He wore a hood that and wore leather armor, with a bow with its strings strapped around his chest. He turns up to look at Al, and showed a surprised look.

“You!” He shouted.

Al then recognized the man as the archer from his encounter with bandits a while back. Al reaches for his dagger on his waist and pulls it out. The bandit also drew his bow. He quickly shot an arrow at Al, who dodges it and rushes the bandit. The Bandit rolls backwards towards the ground and grabbed a handful of dirt, and throws it at Al. It blinded Al for a moment, and the bandit rushes in and kicks Al, knocking him back and down on the ground.

Al recovers from his momentary blindness to see the bandit had drawn another arrow aimed at his head. Before the bandit was able to shoot, Al rolled away and gets back up on his feet. The two stare at each other for a moment to try and find an opening in each other.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you and that old man!” The bandit shouted again. “I’ll avenge my lover and my brother-in-law.”

Al hesitated for a moment. Seizing the opportunity from Al’s hesitation, he shot another arrow at Al. Al dodges the attack once more, but the bandit quickly fire more arrows at him. Al hides behind a nearby tree to avoid the incoming arrows.

He’s keeping his distance from me, making it hard for me to attack him. Al thought to himself. I might have to use the runeblade for the Runes.

Al peeks out from the tree and another arrow came his way. He ducks behind the tree again.

How far did Darretta go?! Al started planning his next move. If I wasn’t injured, I would probably be able to take him with just the dagger. No choice now.

Al sheaths his dagger, and draws his runeblade. He activates the runes on his runeblade. He rushes out and the bandit shot another arrow at Al. Al deflects the arrow with his runeblade and continued to rush the bandit. The bandit jumps back away from Al and tries to draw another arrow, but then notice he had ran out.

Al notice that the bandit had ran out of arrows and thought he could end the fight right there. He leaps forward and strikes down on him. The bandit throws his bow away and draws a short sword, and used it to try and block Al’s attack. But the impact from Al’s attack was strong enough the pushed the short sword down and carved deep into the bandit’s shoulder.

The bandit cried out in pain. Al then pushed down on the runeblade harder and then pulls it back towards him, slicing deeper into the bandit. In a desperate attempt to at least hit Al before dying, the bandit swings his short sword at Al, to which Al easily dodges, and then knocks the short sword off the bandit.

“Any final words?” Al asked.

The bandit only glared at Al menacingly. Al lifted his runeblade and hesitated. It’ll be his first time killing another human being. At least his first time since the raid on his village. He swings his runeblade and beheaded the bandit. He stood there for a moment.

“I hope that you can reunite with your lover in the afterlife…” Al offered a prayer.

He was a bandit, but was still a human being. It left a bad taste in Al, but was able to overcome it, with the thought “He was a evil man.”

I better go find Darretta soon, before more bandits show up. Al thought to himself.

Al was about to sheath his runeblade when he noticed that it was no longer glowing a faint light blue color. Instead glowed a dark purple. The color changed surprised him. He started at the runeblade for a moment.

Damn. I guess killing a human has triggered the hidden rune more than killing non-humans.

Al sheaths the runeblade and walks into the woods to try and find Darretta. He walks around while shouting Darretta’s name.

“Al?! Over here!” A voice called out.

Al walks over to where the voice called out from. He found Darretta, but she was surrounded a few corpse scattered around her. She turns to face him and sheaths her swords.

“Where have you been?” She asked with a smile.