Kei rose from her bedroll, having not slept more than an hour or two. It had been like this for almost a week now, unable to ease herself of the tension as the caravan was unable to lose the bandits.
Though she’d thought the mood had been dark when the news was first announced, it had grown even more grim in the week since. Optimism and gallows humor had been replaced with a sense of dread that could be seen and felt in every member of the caravan. They’d ditched supplies, horses, and even whole carts in their desperation to escape, but their pursuers had only drawn closer, hounding them like a pack of wolves stalking a wounded deer.
She’d been given her own private tent, so she had no one to bother her in the hurried preparations for their departure. Her clothing trunk lay open, several dresses placed alongside more practical attire her brother had insisted she pack. At the time, she’d thought he was just being overbearing and protective. More recently, she’d been grateful for his insistence. While the tailored tunic was still nicer than anything someone on the plateau might wear, it was a far cry from the dresses she was used to. The flared skirt she wore along with it would allow her to move far more easily, as she suspected she might have to very soon.
Kei emerged from the tent, nodding to Cidus, who began to quickly break it down with the help of two other caravan members. He moved swiftly, loading it into their cart to prepare for their departure. He wore a studded breastplate over a white tunic and black vest coat. In all, he hadn’t dressed too differently from normal, looking out of place in the countryside, though he would’ve looked right at home in the upper-class streets of Taravast.
“Aren’t you going to armor yourself more?” She asked.
“Perhaps you aren’t aware of this mistress, but these clothes weren’t woven with common fabric. Do you know what our largest import from Injara is?”
“The town in the Elysian region?”
The older man nodded.
Kei thought for a moment, she’d seen the manifests for the region once or twice, though she wasn’t as familiar with it as others, but she knew the answer. “Silk.”
“Specifically, hawk-moth silk. When woven properly, it’s stronger than the leather armor these merchants can provide. And—"
“And you don’t wear steel because it disrupts the flow of aura,” she finished. “Yes, I know.”
Aura, mana, whatever it was called—she didn’t know the difference. The power that allowed some people to transcend human limitations was spoken of with reverence by most of the warriors she’d met. It wasn’t of use to most people like her, but to those that had managed to sense its presence, it seemed to be a source of pride and power.
“So, what about the breastplate then?” She asked.
The older man chuckled. “Well, a little extra protection never hurts, especially for such a vital region.”
“Cidus,” Kei glanced downwards, letting her uncertainty show. “Do you think we’ll make it out of this?”
“You will Mistress.” He placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I swore to your brother I’d keep you safe. I’ll do that even if it costs my life.”
Kei met his eyes, they were unwavering. It wouldn’t do for her servant’s resolve to be greater than her own, so she took a deep breath, calming the shaking of her hands.
How would Oli act?
“Let’s go.” She said, striding forward. Cidus nodded and followed behind.
They approached Trell, who was directing several of the other traders around as the caravan slowly began to move again. She could feel all the eyes drawn to her as she glided past the rest of the small-time merchants. Her eyes however, stayed focused straight ahead, towards the caravan-leader.
He turned as he noticed them approaching.
“What’s that situation?” Cidus asked.
“We’ve laid traps behind us as best we can to try and slow their horses, but it seems we’ll have no choice but to fight.” He glanced at Kei, “Return to your cart miss, we’ll make sure to keep you safe.”
Kei straightened, forcing confidence into her voice. “No.”
Trell raised an eyebrow.
“I’m not going to sit in the cart cowering while everyone else risks their lives for this. I may not be much help in a battle, but I’ve noticed other women helping with supplies, I can do the same. An extra set of hands surely won’t hurt.”
He glanced at Cidus, then back at Kei, his eyes searching as he seemed to reassess her worth.
“Understood. In that case, talk to the woman over there.” He pointed towards an older woman helping some of the children onto a cart. “She’ll tell you how you can help. The plan is to make it back up to the other side of this valley. We’ll take the ridge and hold there. With any luck, the terrain will make up for our disadvantages.”
“A good plan,” Cidus said. “As I said before, my priority will be keeping the young mistress safe, but I’ll assist when I can.”
Trell grunted affirmatively and then turned to deal with some other affairs.
“That man is interesting,” Cidus said once he’d left.
“How so?”
“He’s more experienced than I would expect from a simple merchant. He acts more like a soldier than a merchant at times, very direct. Also, he’s the first person I’ve seen on this plateau that’s open. I’m sure there are more at Precipice, but it’s odd to see another.”
Kei looked over at Trell with more interest. “Really? A channeler all the way out here?”
Cidus nodded. “Though I don’t get the impression he’s very skilled yet. It’s hard to say if that’s because he gained the powers recently, or if he just hasn’t trained with them much. It’s to our benefit though, I imagine he’ll be a great fighter compared to most here.”
As he said that, Trell climbed up on top of a cart, staring out at the hunters and assembled fighters. “Alright men, it’s time to earn our keep! If we don’t get to that ridge, everybody in this caravan may as well be dead. Ravagers like these don’t take prisoners to be let off at the next town. They take slaves to sell, or they kill.
We’re going to make a rush for the ridge, and then you’re going to fight like your lives depend on it. Because simply put, they do. Anyone who wants to leave on their own can, I won’t stop you. But know this, they will kill you, and once they do… well you’d better hope you don’t run into me down in hell.”
The merchants shifted awkwardly on their feet, holding weapons they weren’t familiar with, but none ran. Trell grinned broadly. “Well, seems you lot have some guts after all, I daresay we’ll have those bastards running from us when all is said and done.”
A cheer went up among the group and their march began.
***
The hunters were ordered to beleaguer the bandits as they made their approach. They took positions in the trees, striking the flanks with their bows and escaping into the forest that lined the slope of the valley. The caravan had been moving at a breakneck pace for almost two hours now. Kei had taken a horse—letting the less-able and children use her carriage—and was riding alongside the caravan as they burst into an open field close to the top of the ridge. It felt good to ride again, at one point, the activity had been the only source of joy in her life. She shook herself back to the present, the top of the ridge was just ahead.
With their destination almost in sight, the train sped up, racing towards a rocky outcrop at the top of the valley where they could make a true defensive stand.
Disaster struck with the speed of a striking snake.
A pained cry sounded to her left, and Kei turned to see a merchant with an arrow in his throat. He tumbled off of his horse, tumbling towards the underside of the cart. She turned away so she didn’t have to watch, back to the slope, and squinted towards the top, holding a hand to block out the sun rising up from just over the ridge. Where had the arrow come from? The worst-case scenario would be—
“Bandits at the top of the hill!” Cidus shouted from her right. How had they gotten ahead? And why not attack sooner if they had? In the next moment, chaos erupted around her. Horses fell as arrows struck deep into their hide, crashing their carts against the hillside; people shouted in pain and surprise as the orderly charge collapsed in on itself. Their retreat had turned into a slaughter.
Kei grit her teeth as they began to crest the hill. The force of pirates here was small, only a few men with horses. They must’ve sent a smaller force around, separate from the main group so they could move quicker and flank around. If they only had to fight this smaller detachment, the caravan would probably be fine, but half of their fighting force was behind them, delaying their pursuers, and the small group had taken the defensive high ground they’d been banking on having.
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Trell roared defiantly, his voice cutting through the chaos of the stampede as he charged forwards from the rest of the pack, heading straight for the bandit’s line.
He leapt off his horse, soaring through the air before kicking one of the bandits hard enough to send him sprawling. Trell swung his sword in a wide arc, forcing them to back off.
Distantly, Kei noted that his skill was more than it should be, perhaps Cidus was right, and he’d been a soldier before becoming a merchant? But at the same time, he didn’t fight like a soldier. She banished the useless thought as she got off her horse early, removing it from the line of fire. She began to move behind one of the carts, using it for cover as they drew up the side of the hill.
Cidus came up behind her, sword drawn as he peeked around the edge of the cart. “Stay here mistress, you’ll be safe from the arrows.”
He dashed around the edge of the cart, sword flashing to cut an arrow mid-flight. Kei watched through a rip in the canvas as the older man rushed forward with the speed of someone half his age. Atop the hill, the bandits shouted in alarm, pulling swords and axes as they rallied back against the two men who led the charge.
Kei heard her boots clap against stone as they reached the final stretch before the top, and the fighting became even more intense. The merchants had gathered anything they could find to fight, from swords intended for sail, to broken planks from destroyed carts, and used them to fight back against their attackers. They were untrained, but there were more of them than there were bandits, and Cidus and Trell had broken the line on the ridge, plunging the raiders into chaos.
Still, advantage in numbers simply meant more would die in the pursuit of victory, and Kei watched in horror as merchants fell left and right, their bodies tumbling down the steep slope.
As the battle raged on, Kei moved from cart to cart, hiding and running with the rest of the non-combatants as arrows or blades struck them down one by one. Within minutes, she found herself panting from exhaustion, covered in grime, sweat and blood.
She stumbled over the uneven ground, falling to her knees, gasping raggedly for breath. If she didn’t know better, she would’ve sworn she’d been fighting for hours. The motion and fighting on the ridge were non-stop, and she’d been running the whole time to stay away from the thick of it, her heart pounding from equal parts fear and exertion. Frankly, it was a miracle she wasn’t already dead.
She glanced up to see a young girl, no more than five, fallen on the ground ahead of her. The girl was clenching the hand of a body with an arrow sticking out of its back, tears streaming down her face. Further up the ridge, a bandit held a bow, looking down at the child as he nocked another arrow.
“Run!” Kei screamed, trying to get the girl’s attention, but she wouldn’t move, sitting with the dead body like she expected it to get up any second.
This isn’t about money or food.
The bandit drew the string back, taking aim at the young girl. A twisted smile stretched across his face as his eyes gleamed with pleasure. Kei’s breath hitched as the realization struck her core.
They’re enjoying this.
Kei lunged; the arrow was loosed. She wrapped the girl in her arms as she tackled her out of the way. A piercing heat filled her shoulder, and she gasped from the pain.
Don’t stop moving!
She scrambled to her feet clutching the child in her arms as she dashed towards a boulder ahead. She glanced to the side just in time to see another arrow streaking towards her, she wasn’t going to—
Cidus appeared from nowhere, knocking the arrow aside before sprinting up the slope before the archer could nock another, cutting him in half at the waist. Kei made it behind the boulder, clutching the crying girl against her chest, holding to her tightly. As her breathing calmed, she held the child out, looking up and down her body for any injuries. Thankfully, she seemed to be unhurt, though her hands were stained with blood.
The girl turned to look back toward the body they’d left behind, whimpering softly, but Kei pulled her close again, not wanting her to look.
Cidus rounded the corner slowly. He had several arrows sticking out of his body, their shafts snapped in half, and his suit was stained with blood, though it seemed most of it wasn’t his. “Are you alright mistress?” He asked
Kei remembered the arrow lodged in her own shoulder, and suddenly the pain returned in full force. She gritted her teeth against the intense throbbing, trying not to cry. “I’m fine…”
He bent down, grabbing the shaft. “I’m sorry I failed you. I was distracted for a few moments, and I let you get injured terribly. I’m ashamed.” The wood snapped, breaking off most of the length, though he left the arrowhead embedded in her shoulder.
Kei shook her head, glancing at the numerous arrows sticking out of his body as she forced out a weak reply, “It wasn’t your fault.”
He smiled. “The battle is almost won. Trell went back down to harry the pursuers, but we’ve secured the ridge. Let me help you to the top.”
He pulled her to her feet, taking the child in one arm while he supported her with the other, and they walked up the slope. Finally, Kei’s heart began to calm. Once they had the ridge, everything would be back on track. The caravan was a mess, and several carts had been destroyed, but enough remained that they could recover.
As soon as the rear guard arrived, they would—
The cart next to her burst apart.
Splinters of wood were sent flying as a black metal chain snaked its way back into the hand of its wielder, having shattered an entire wooden cart in a single blow. Walking slowly up the ridge was a man in a long black coat and red bandana. His face was harsh and scarred, but he grinned like a madman as he approached. He was dragging something, a body behind him. Only when he threw it onto the ground in front of him did she recognize Trell’s beaten and bloody figure, whether he was even alive or not, she couldn’t tell.
“The prey thinks of themselves as hunters, do they?” The man laughed, his voice projecting up the slope. A cacophony of laughter behind him sounded as the rest of the bandit party followed behind him. There were just as many as had been on the ridge, perhaps even a little more. But what of the traps? The ambushes?
Kei’s skin crawled as the man at their head drew closer, and she found it growing harder to breathe. She liked to consider herself a good judge of character, it made her a decent merchant. And this man, he oozed bloodlust and malice. She swore she could even feel a palpable aura coming off him, like a raging fire that consumed everything it touched.
Cidus pressed the girl back into Kei’s arms. “Take the child. Run.” His voice was hard, and she noticed as he drew the sword his hands trembled slightly.
Despite his words, Kei couldn’t move, she begged her legs to work, to take a step away from death. But she was frozen. Cidus wasn’t particularly strong among the warriors her family employed, but he was still a channeler. The plateau was supposed to be weak, relatively safe if travelled in groups! Cidus was supposed to be enough. So why… why did he seem scared? She realized it as he stepped forward. His movement was awkward, somewhat stilted. Separated from the panic she’d felt before, she could tell that he was probably even more tired than she was, burning aura to sustain and strengthen himself through injuries so terrible.
The man in the bandana grinned as he approached. “Interesting, here I find not one, but two channelers amidst the same group. You don’t seem very strong though… are you sure you really want to fight me?” He spun the chain of his scythe around in slow, casual loops.
Cidus didn’t reply, instead charging forward with a battle cry.
The scythe whipped out, streaking towards him from the side. Cidus knocked it away, getting inside the man’s guard, but the grin never left his face. When Cidus swung downwards, he jumped back, narrowly avoiding the blow. Cidus stepped forward, preparing to thrust his sword into the bandit’s chest.
Kei saw it too late. “Dodge!” She cried, but her voice never reached him.
The scythe, knocked to the ground after its first strike, leapt back to its master as he disguised his yanking of the chain with the dodging of Cidus’ attack. The stygian blade impaled her servant through the chest, piercing leather and silk as though they weren’t even there.
His body clenched, thrusting forward weakly as if still determined to find its mark, but the man in the bandana slapped it aside with his arm, a dissatisfied look on his face.
“This place is too weak. If it wasn’t for that damned spirit knight…” He reached around Cidus’ body and pulled him forward while removing the scythe, stepping out of the way as the corpse fell forward, sliding down the slope unceremoniously. It was over before it even started. Battles between channelers were supposed to last longer than most… were Cidus’ injuries even worse than she thought? Or was the gap in power truly that severe?
Kei watched, still unable to move as four of the remaining hunters attacked from the sides, charging at once. The man let his scythe fly in a large circle around him, cutting down two, and knocking the remaining two down the hill with the same effort one would put towards killing an insect. As he pulled the chain back to himself, looping it around his arm, he walked forward towards her, the nearest person to him.
“This is really nothing personal,” He grinned. “But my men need to eat.”
Kei clamped down on her emotions, desperately trying to regain her composure. She didn’t have time to think, she didn’t have time to grieve. Fighting wasn’t going to work, so she had to try and negotiate. But her legs still wouldn’t move.
Please… Please. Just let me speak!
Her voice responded to her plea, and she was able to force out a sound. “Wait!”
The man paused, gesturing for her to continue with a look of amusement.
“You can take the food in our carts! You can take whatever you want, just leave us alive… please.” It was a gamble, but needing to scavenge, or pray for the arrival of another caravan was better than dying.
The man looked around, chain rattling on his arm, “Well boys? Should we let them go? She asked so nicely after all.”
The assorted brigands laughed, yelling out a multitude of jeers.
“The men can live, but we should take the women!”
“Food isn’t enough, let’s rob them blind!”
“Kill em boss!”
“She’s a pretty one, leave her alive!”
The man, who she guessed was the boss, held up a finger. “Now… There's a fun idea. How about this? I’m a generous man, and with those clothes, I’m willing to bet you’re an important young woman. If you come with us, we’ll let everyone here live. We’ll ransom you off back at The Grass Sea. Maybe your family can even buy you back. Of course, we’ll still ransack these carts, and if the rest of this lot die because they run out of food, well you tried. But if you don’t agree, then I’ll kill the whole lot of you myself.”
Kei’s blood froze. Could she do that? Even if it saved the lives of the merchants here. Was it better to risk fighting? No… she could tell, fighting would just make their deaths more certain. The deal was too good not to accept, it was simple math.
Hesitantly, she stepped forwards. “I—I accept your deal. Just swear to spare the lives of everyone else.”
There was a moment of hesitation, as if he was considering the deal, but then the man grinned maniacally. He began to laugh, no one dared speak as his voice echoed across the open ridge. “I can’t believe you actually said yes! What a little hero you think you must be.”
Kei cringed as his eyes locked with hers, they weren’t the cold eyes of a killer. “Ah, here’s my favorite part. The moment your hope turns to despair. Show it to me! That look in your eyes when you realize I’m just going to kill you all anyway!”
She saw the man’s face, his eyes. They burned with a maniacal passion for killing, as much as the man earlier, perhaps even more… he enjoyed this. The caravan was doomed, there was no bargain she could make. She fell to her knees.
I’m sorry Oli… I’m still as useless as I ever was. A worthless younger sister.
“Well hang on a second.” A new voice sliced through the haze, young, but brimming with unwavering confidence. From a nearby boulder, a boy she hadn’t noticed leapt down, landing across from the bandit captain in a crouch. His messy ash-white hair momentarily obscured his face, but as he straightened up, she was astonished to see a boy around her own age. Clear blue eyes gleamed like sapphires as he surveyed the ridge, assessing the situation. Despite his youth and shorter stature, he exuded a presence akin to a finely honed blade, cutting through the battlefield’s oppressive atmosphere like sunlight piercing the deepest of shadows.
For a single heartbeat, she thought he might be one of the gods which roamed Aeora in the form of men, untouchable except by the strongest of Spirit Knights. But she dismissed the thought as an impossibility.
The boy was smirking, like he’d heard a mildly funny joke, and he brandished a plain blade towards the bandit captain. “If you want to hurt one more person in this caravan, you’ll have to fight me first.”
His eyes met hers, and he winked.