“Good morning, Sir Mage,” the young woman saluted as Brian approached his carriage, “I am Knight Captain Amelia Aerheart, and I shall be the leader of your escort for this final portion of your journey.”
“So, you’re a noble?” Brian asked, slightly surprised.
“I am, though I have spent the last five years of my life in service to my city and kingdom,” She said, nodding to him, “I pray that we shall be able to have a respectful and pleasant journey together.”
“So do I,” Brian sighed, shaking his head slightly, “Well, shall we get going, Sir Aerheart?”
“Of course!” the young woman beamed, before quickly schooling her expression into a more neutral look, turning to the other guards behind her, which were surprisingly all women, “On your horses, Valkyries, we leave immediately!”
Brian just chuckled as he got into the carriage, settling down as he pulled out a book to read for the journey, one of the Unique Titles he’d bought from the bookstore in Aftburg, which had turned out to be a cookbook written in ancient script. Most of the recipes called for ingredients from creatures he had no knowledge of, but the recipes were broken up by short stories about their origins or the ingredients themselves, so it was still entertaining to read.
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“We’ve found their camp,” the scout said as they saluted to Sir Darrinwood, the man just nodding as he turned to the party of five standing behind him.
“About time,” Miles muttered, “It was seriously getting boring being stuck out here for a whole week!”
“Shut up,” Samantha growled as she punched him on the arm, making the Rogue yelp in pain, “Oh come on, I didn’t hit you that hard.”
“Yes, you did, meathead!” Miles huffed, “I’m surprisingly delicate, you know?”
“We know,” Mary and Gregory groaned as the Rogue and Martial Artist started to bicker again.
“We’ve found the bandit camp,” Sir Darrinwood continued, ignoring the fighting pair, “So, it is time for you all to learn your harshest lesson. These men and women are criminals, and so must be put down.”
“What about capturing them?” Dylan asked.
“Not an option,” Sir Darrinwood shook his head, “They are well known in the area for being slavers and raiders. Our best solution is to wipe them out, and hopefully free any captives they may have.”
“Captives?” the five paled slightly at the thought of finding people in cages in the camp.
“Yes,” Sir Darrinwood nodded, “Now, enough chatter, we attack soon, before the camp has had a chance to fully awaken.”
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Brian yawned as the carriage continued down the road, the early morning sun having already burned off the morning dew from the grass on either side of the dirt path. It had already been an hour, and he’d just finished the cookbook, placing the book back in his bracer and pulling out another. He paused as he looked out the window at the beautiful scene, admiring the two guards that rode alongside him, both of which were very pretty. One of them noticed him staring and gave him a small smile and a quick wink, making the man blush slightly as he just nodded back. Shaking his head as he chuckled, he opened his new book, starting to read over the words inside.
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The sounds of battle echoed around the five teens as they fought off the hoard of bandits, the soldiers around them keeping the worst of the retaliation off them. The initial assault had gone well, the entire group having managed to breach the gates of the small wooden fortress easily, catching the still waking bandits by surprise. Of course, that hadn’t lasted, the men and woman of the criminal band having quickly grabbed their weapons and charged the invaders, forcing them back more with sheer numbers than skill.
“More than we expected,” Sir Darrinwood swore as he cut down another bandit, blood spraying from the wound on their chest as they fell, “Hold the line! Keep the Heroes safe!”
“Heroes?” a loud voice boomed over the clamour of battle as a massively muscled man stepped out of the only real building in the camp, a large log cabin in the centre, “Why didn’t you say so? I’m sure they’ll sell for a pretty copper if we capture them! Especially the girls!”
The five Heroes paled slightly at the words, continuing to fight even as the large man leisurely made his way towards them, hefting a two-handed battle axe onto his shoulder as through it weighed nothing.
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“We’ve made excellent time,” Amelia called out to Brian in the carriage, “We should arrive at our destination long before dusk. If it is alright with you, may we stop for a time?”
“Of course,” Brian smiled at the woman as she rode alongside his window, “What for? A rest?”
“No,” Amelia smiled, “Training. The Valkyries must always be sharp and ready, so we train at every opportunity. We shall move to the side of the road when we find a suitable clearing.”
“Training?” Brian hummed, looking down at the rapier resting on the seat beside him, “Do you think you could teach me a bit about swordplay? I’d like to learn.”
“Of course!” the young woman chuckled, “We are here to serve, and if Sir Mage requests it, we shall do it!”
“Excellent,” Brian smiled, looking up ahead and spotting a large flat space on the side of the road not far ahead, “I think I see a suitable place just ahead.”
“So you do, good eyes, Sir Mage,” Amelia hummed, also seeing the clearing.
“Brian,” Brian said, “Just call me Brian.”
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“Then you may call me Amelia,” the captain said happily, a slight blush on her face.
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Dylan swore as he cut down a bandit, bile rising in his throat as the blood splashed against his armour. He forced it down, blocking a strike from a club as another bandit ran screaming at him, yelling about him killing her friend. He gritted his teeth as he pushed the woman back with a kick, before driving his blade into her chest, her expression turning from anger to surprise before she collapsed to the floor in a heap.
“This is crazy!” Miles shouted as he cut down another bandit with his two short swords, “How many of these assholes are there? I getting soaked!”
“Says you!” Samantha growled as she kicked a man in the side of the head, throwing him back into another charging group of bandits, knocking them down, “I’m the one that has to punch them!”
Dylan spared a glance at the rest of his party, noting that they were all covered in blood, even Gregory and Mary at the back, the Cleric hastily healing a soldier that had been hit by an arrow as the Black Mage threw out fireballs and lightning. The three frontliners were absolutely covered in gore though, almost soaked head to toe in blood as they continued to fight against the seemingly endless waves of bandits. Looking over the heads of their opponents, Dylan spotted Sir Darrinwood squaring off against the apparent leader of the band, his great sword clashing against the huge man’s great axe as they exchanged blows.
Both were bleeding from numerous small wounds, but neither seemed to be all that tired, swinging their weapons at each other with wild abandon, even as Dylan could see the sheer skill and control in their apparent random attacks. He gasped as a club hit the side of his helmet, the fight between the two men having distracted him for too long, making him fall to the ground as his head rung like a bell. The bandit grinned at him for a moment, before a bolt of lightning hit him in the chest, blasting a gory hole straight through it.
“Thanks, Greg!” Dylan shouted as he scrambled to his feet, blocking the next strike that came at him, “Think it’s time that I start fighting seriously?”
“Considering Mary and I are almost out of mana?” the Black Mage called back, “And I’m pretty sure both Miles and Samantha are getting tired? Yes, very much so.”
“Right!” the boy shouted, “Get ready for a boost! Aura of Regeneration!”
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“Raise your guard more!” the woman commanded as Brian struggled to block her strike, “Do not rely on the power of your blade to do it for you, work with it to enhance your skill!”
“Yes ma’am!” the Mage shouted back as he tried to avoid the next attack, allowing the strange feeling from his sword to guide him, but also trying to memorise the steps, almost tripping over his own feet, “Dammit.”
“Almost,” Amelia said as she pressed her advantage, quickly knocking Brian’s rapier to the side and striking him in the chest, sending him falling onto his back, “But not good enough. I am still impressed with how fast you are learning the way of the blade, Sir Brian.”
“Thanks,” Brian groaned from the floor, sitting up slowly as he panted.
They had been training for almost three hours at this point, and he was exhausted. He accepted the offered hand to get back up, smiling happily at Amelia as she grinned back, her cheeks slightly flushed form the exertion of exercise. The woman quickly turned away, calling out to the other guards that training was over, and to rest for ten minutes before they set off again. The others all seemed to be in far better shape than Brian, Amelia and the rest barely out of breath while he was panting heavily.
Walking back to the carriage, he climbed tiredly inside, sitting on the padded seat and pulling some food and drink from his bracer, eating and drinking slowly as he watched the women get ready to go. Ten minutes later, they were off again, travelling back down the road towards their destination, the afternoon sun slowly sinking in the sky.
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“It’s over,” Dylan finally groaned, falling back as the soldiers mopped up the last of the bandits, the men and women trying to flee as they were cut down.
Their leader lay in a puddle of his own blood a short distance away, one of his arms missing after a lucky strike from Sir Darrinwood which had all but ended the fight. Dylan gagged as he looked at his hands, the metal gauntlets still slick with blood. Shaking his head, he forced the feeling down, looking at his equally exhausted comrades, each of them resting nearby as well.
“Well,” Miles muttered as he staggered to his feet, “Now that that’s over with, if you’ll please excuse me.”
They all watched as he stumbled behind one of the bandits’ tents, the sound of vomiting coming soon after. Samantha soon followed suit, scrambling away before they heard her throw up as well. Dylan cringed at the sound, his own stomach churning in his gut as he tried not to lose what little was left of his breakfast, the group having been fighting for hours, so it was now well past lunchtime.
“You did well,” Sir Darrinwood said as he approached the three remaining teens, looking over as Miles and Samantha stumbled back towards them, “I am impressed.”
“That was…hell,” Miles croaked, “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to killing humans.”
“Good,” the older man said sternly, surprising the group, “When that happens, it means you have lost your humanity, and that makes you no better than a Demon.”
“Are they really that evil?” Dylan asked, Sir Darrinwood nodding, “Really?”
“Under the Demon Lord, Demons themselves become vicious and merciless monsters, fighting to the last man in a frenzy that increases their strength,” the man explained, “Why, we do not know. But it is the truth.”
“I see,” Dylan nodded slowly, “So there’s nothing we can do to…I don’t know, save them?”
“No,” the older man growled, “While I commend your mercy, I suggest you keep it for your friends and allies, not the Demon hoards. They must be culled like the monsters they are.”
“Right,” Dylan muttered under his breath, looking away.
“But right now, there is another task for you all to complete,” Sir Darrinwood continued, making them all look at him tiredly, “We have found the bandits’ captives. You are to go and tell them you are Heroes who have come to rescue them. To raise their spirits and help them make the journey back to the capital.”
“I…” Dylan started to say, before he cut himself off, just nodding as he got tiredly to his feet, “Yes sir. Come on guys, let’s go do that.”
“Right behind you, man,” Miles said as he followed after Dylan, the other three close behind.
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“You are quite impressive, Sir Mage,” one of the Valkyries laughed as Brian finished his story, “A powerful Mage, a respected Scribe, and a marvellous storyteller! Any woman would be glad to have you as their partner!”
“I don’t know,” Brian chuckled awkwardly at the compliment, “I mean, I am kind of old, aren’t I?”
“You cannot be older than your mid-twenties,” Amelia suddenly gasped, “The perfect age for marriage!”
Her face suddenly lit up in a blush as she said that, looking away in embarrassment as Brian continued to laugh awkwardly.
“Actually…” he started to say, “Well, how old are all of you?”
“I am twenty-three years old,” Amelia answered immediately, “I joined the Valkyries at eighteen and have spent the last five years serving my country and people!”
“You mentioned that before,” Brian nodded, smiling kindly at her, “Well, I’m actually thirty-three, so I’m a little past my prime, I suppose.”
“Of course not!” the young woman gasped, “At that age you are in the middle of your prime, I am sure! I would not hesitate to accept if you asked for my hand!”
“Well, I would,” Brian said as nicely as he could, the group of chuckling women falling silent as their captain stared at him in confusion, “See, where I come from, a ten-year age gap is considered quite a lot, and I don’t think I would be comfortable being in a relationship with someone so much younger than I am.”
“Oh,” the Valkyrie muttered, looking down in embarrassment, “Then I apologize for my words, Sir Mage. I had no intention of making you uncomfortable.”
“It’s fine,” Brian smiled, “And you can still just call me Brian, okay Amelia?”
“I…yes Sir Ma-, I mean, Sir Brian,” the girl nodded happily, her cheeks still flushed, “I would like that very much.”
“I’m sure you’d like far more than that,” one of the other guards muttered, making the captain jump to her feet and growl at her in embarrassment.
Brian laughed along with the rest of the group as they watched the Valkyrie be scolded for her words by Amelia, the Mage shaking his head as he took another sip from his drink.