As the morning sun cast its light through the windows of Bang's house, Luce and Bang sat at the table, their bowls of hot porridge steaming before them. The air was filled with the comforting scent of oats and warmth, a contrast to the weight of their conversation from the night before.

* Luce, Bang said, spooning another mouthful of I've been thinking about what you told me last night. Confronting the king won't be easy, but it's the right thing to do.

Luce nodded; his gaze determined.

* I know. If you’re willing to stick with me that would be great. He deserves to pay for what he did to my village and my loved ones, tortured them and whatnot. To believe I once worshiped that man.

Bang grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

* I get you man. Hasn’t been treating us plains folk well too. Ignoring our demands and just our existence cuz we are apparently not a larger part of the population.

Luce chuckled, a hint of relief softening his features.

* So, I know it's early, but I wanna have a toast.

* Let’s do that.

Bang raised his porridge bowl and shouted,

* TO LUCE, CHILLSIDE, AND DOWN TO THE KING.

* DOWN THE KING. Luce echoed.

They clanged their bowls together. Finishing the last of their porridge. Bang stood up with a stretch. Luce nodded, pushing aside his empty bowl.

* So how do we plan this? I need to meet someone in Dodonma and after that we can start our way to the capital. Luce wondered.

* I propose that we start off by taking stock of what we have and what we’ll potentially need. And then start packing and finally leaving. You said you needed to meet someone?

* Yeah, a man called Sylvestre Marchinbury, you’ve heard of him? Luce answered.

* Nah like i said been living here my whole life through bad and worse so I only know the people who don’t live too far and that’s pretty much it.

Together, they gathered their belongings. Luce took his package which of who was now pretty beat up and almost falling apart. Bang had prepared a bag with a few knives and a lot of food and water.

* What’s in that package anyways? Bang asked after seeing Luce take it.

* Ah not much. I asked a friend back in Chillside to get me some retractable blades from the capital when he visited it. Always been my dream to be stealthy and hunt prey without it seeing me. But now, Luce sighed, with my Legion that’s going to be pretty hard.

* Oh yeah, never asked what is your legion anyways? Bang asked after shoving a whole loaf of bread in his bag.

* Berserk, I get mad means I get strong, and I got blessed by a god.

* Gods damn Luce, some very high people want to see you succeed, bang said awestruck.

* Well anyways back on topic yeah retractable blades you can place on your arms and then you use your clothes to hide them and with just a simple movement they go in and back out. Pretty useful for my village since we lived pretty much only on hunting, but now are just pretty much useless to me.

* I mean, uh, if you’re not going to use them, could I, try them?

* Sure, it’ll cost you, payed half my savings for them. Luce chuckled.

* Is my friendship not enough to you? Bang said with a fake hurt face.

* You know what. Take them but I choose the price at any time I want. Sounds good to you?

Bang reached his hand to shake Luce’ and they shook.

* Well, Bang said, do we have everything?

* I think so, we have food, we have water, we have our wills to live, weapons?

* Oh yeah uhm I have this, uh spear?

They both looked at the raggedy stick. Bang said not convinced:

* Unless the guards and the king are gonna wait for you to kill them you are going to be doing no damage with this bramble.

* Yeah, I agree got anything better?

* I mean we can always check in the cabin out back. My folks always had one or two weapons in case things went ass up.

They opened the door and were greeted by a warm golden light and gentle breeze on their skin. The light made the plains look as if they were burning but with such a beauty no one would try to stop it. They walked through the garden the grass softly rustling with the wind, if one saw this world without knowing it they would mistake it for heaven.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The small cabin was a stark contrast next to the golden grass it was brown unchanged by the light. Bang proceeded to open the door and entered, Luce followed, not far behind.

* There we are. Bang said.

The walls were stacked with tools and sharp objects. There were hammers, knives, scythes.

* So? What do you want? Choose your pick. Bang said opening his arms to show everything.

* What’s that? Luce pointed at the handle of an object sticking out of a pile of junk.

* Ooh I don’t know. How bout you go check.

Luce walked over to the handle and gripped at the firm wooden shaft and pulled.

The blade was long, about 70 centimetres long and about 8 centimetres wide. It was as grey as gravel and was as basic as swords got. It’s only defined difference with any other long sword was the beginning of the blade. It had small sigils, unreadable.

* How did your parents get this? Luce asked intrigued by the almost too perfect sword.

* I don’t know man they collected stuff and stashed it in here, I guess. Said bang hesitantly.

* Oh ok, they used all of these for clearing moles?

* Yeah probably, I don’t really know I was small and all.

Luce looked at bang suspiciously and took the sword.

* Well, let’s get going then. Bang said quickly.

As they walked back Bang started unpacking the little package Luce had been carrying this whole time. The little blades were attached to a leather strap that was made to be put around the arms and Bang proceeded to put them on.

* Holy hell they fit me perfectly. They are so sick.

Bang swung his fists around extracting his blades and pulling them back in in one swift motion.

* So, I guess we have everything? Luce asked.

* Yup. Said bang giggling like a child still playing with his blades.

Luce with his new sword and Bang with his new blades swinging them everywhere cutting grass and crops.

Stepping outside, they were greeted by the crisp morning air and the vast expanse of the plains stretching out before them.

As they began their journey towards Dodonma, Luce couldn't shake the gravity of their mission. The weight of seeking vengeance for his fallen village rested heavily on his shoulders. Yet, having Bang by his side brought a sense of camaraderie and courage. And he felt reassured although he felt like Bang was hiding a few secrets of his own.

The grass was like waves in the vast expanse and the little houses like ship in a sea of green and brown. A few cows grazed grass here and there. They walked at a steady pace chatting along the way of miscellaneous things of no importance and moments of silence were also present were they just walked and thought to themselves.

As they walked, the landscape changed subtly, the distant outline of Dodonma becoming more defined on the horizon. Luce felt a surge of determination with each step, knowing that they were one step closer to confronting the king, meeting Sylvestre, and setting things right. In Luce’s eyes Dodonma held the answers he was searching for.

Suddenly, their path was interrupted by a group of four rough-looking individuals emerging from behind a cluster of trees. The bandits eyed Luce and Bang with suspicion, their hands lingering near their weapons.

Bang raised an eyebrow, unfazed.

* Well, well, well, what do we have here? Looks like we've stumbled upon some company.

Luce tightened his grip on his sword, prepared for whatever might come their way. The bandits exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and menace.

One of the bandits stepped forward, a sneer on his face.

* What brings you two to these parts? Looking for trouble?

Bang shrugged casually.

* Nah, just passing through on our way to Dodonma. What about you?

The bandit's eyes narrowed.

* Dodonma, huh? You don't look like you belong there.

Bang's easy-going demeanour seemed to grate on the bandits' nerves. The leader took a step closer, his voice laced with hostility.

* You think you can just waltz through our territory without consequences?

The bandit leader reached inside his jacket and pulled out a pistol.

* Well better empty your pockets now aye.

Luce pulled his sword out and bang stepped back lifting his arms.

The bandits walked slowly towards them all of them drawing weapons.