Far to the south west of the lost forest a small convoy travels on a dangerous road, inside the lead carrige a plump man with dark hair and wrinkled eyes fiddles with his merchant seal while a younger scrawny man cleans his spectacles with a ink stained handkerchief.

“Ah, not much longer now till we are home,” Tobias, the plump merchant says.

“Yes sir, these long trips do take a toll,” Clark, his assistant, says.

“Indeed, I don’t much care for it myself but those blasted fools insisted we come or no deal,” Tobias complains.

“Yes sir, but this road is known for bandits and monsters and you only hired a small number of men and not even adventures,” Clark states with a bit of scorn in his voice.

“You worry too much we are on our way back. These men got us to our destination and are returning us just fine. It’s not like they were cheap, they are merchant’s guild guards after all,” Tobias says.

“I still would have preferred at least one adventurer sir,” Clark says.

“Honestly, so would I but they won’t work with merchant’s guild men, and hiring just adventurers for this journey was too pricey, too much bad blood. But I’m working on that. So trust me,” Tobias says.

“Since I started working for you sir i've always trusted you, my wife not so much,” Clark says, with a chuckle.

Outside the carriage two sudden loud thunks are heard.

“Where did that come from?” Yells one of the guards.

“Everyone! take positions!” The head guard commands

“Sir, we’ve stopped,” Clark says worry evident in is trembling tone.

“I can tell, now get down you fool, and let the guards do their jobs!” Tobias shouts.

Within moments of the sounds of battle starting all goes silent.

“Well that was fast,” Tobias says.

“Why aren't we moving?” Clark asks.

“You don’t think they are all dead, do you?” Tobias asks.

“I hope not sir,” Clark says.

“Clark make a note, if they all died they only did half the job meaning we get a fifty percent refund for those useless fools!” Tobias says.

“Yes sir. As soon as I can find my quill.” Clark says.

“You lot, in the carriage, come out!” calls a rough voice

“We don’t want to.” Tobias yells.

“What, is he serious?” asks a voice with a cockney accent

“Do you know what position you're in?” the rough voice asked

“Ha, I got you asking questions, meaning I have the upperhand!” Tobias yells.

“Sir what are you doing?” Clark whispers.

“Hopefully getting new guards,” Tobias replies in a hushed voice.

“What's taking so long?” a female voice calls out

“Umm, they say they refuse to come out.” the cockney voice replies

“We are bandits not nursemaids! make them come out!” the female voice chastised

“How?”

“How? Break open the fracking door and pull them out!”

“Oh right.”

“Boss?” The rough voice interjects

“What?” Snaps back the female voice

“There's a wagon coming over the hill and four people are getting out.” The rough voice reports

“What people?”

“A tall guy and three midgets.”

“‘Ang on, those ar’ three monsters and ‘a armored something.” called out the cockney voice

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“Oh look, loot,” Bobbi says.

“Can we stop? We haven’t killed any flesh-bags for days and they are definitely bandits,” N.A.V.I. says.

“They look flammable, also just using [Shocking Arc] on small wildlife is boring, tasty but boring,” Swaggle says.

“Delphi if we go without combat we will get rusty.” Hooknose says.

“Alright, alright, park the goats up here let's go kill some bandits,” Delphi says.

“A loud cheer from the group sounds from behind Delphi at his proclamation.

“Look archers, they seem to have range on us,” Hooknose points out.

“They look afraid that's good,” N.A.V.I. says.

“Very good fear adds flavor to the meat,” Bobbi says.

“I like where your head is but we still gotta get down there,” Hooknose says.

“I got an idea,” Swaggle says.

“Well since no one else does let's hear it,” Delphi clacks with dismay

“Well Hooknose is like one big shield with a shield, so if we run behind him in a straight line till we get in range of magic we should be fine,” Swaggle says.

“Swaggle thats dumb, it’s all we got so it will have to do, but one problem i’m taller than you three,” Delphi says.

“Oh I know you just gotta tank it like a boss, boss,” Swaggle says with a crooked smile.

“I hate you sometimes. But let's do this everyone line up and charge,”

As Hooknose raises his shield Swaggle and Bobbi prepare spells and get behind the slow moving juggernaut. At the the same time Delphi stands besides Hooknose and signals the charge while N.A.V.I. hides under Swaggles hood. Barreling down the hill Delphi quikly outpaces the others.

“They charging, shoot them down, aim for the big one!” yelled a tall female

As Delphi charges down arrows begin to whiz by one after the other some shattering off Delphis hardened bones. Loud thuds are heard behind the shield train as they huddle closer running as fast they can with Hooknose in front.

“I never thought I would be envious of Delphi’s long legs,” Hooknose shouts.

“Just a little closer,” Bobbie yells.

“N.A.V.I. get ready,” Swaggle oders.

“Okay,” N.A.V.I. responds.

As Delphi closes in, a large bandit wielding a two-handed longsword charges Delphi, landing a blow on a hardened bone. Delphi responds with a {Brutal Uppercut} sending the bandits jaw to the inside of her helmet while keeping the momentum of his charge. As Hooknose gets closer Swaggle and N.A.V.I. both release their spells simultaneously [Wisp Fire] [Conjure Flame] Red and black flames fly out from behind the shield train hitting the two archers. One begins patting out the flames burning his clothing, the other wonders where the flame went until he begins to sweat and scream.

“Oh no fair, move faster my spells have less range,” Bobbi says.

I’m moving as fast as I can. Hooknose says through short breathes.

Delphi runs past the downed archers up to a scrawny human bandit wielding a sword and shield and releases a {Staggering Fist} stunning the man. The last drops his weapon and begins pleading as Swaggle and N.A.V.I. release their spells once more on the archers ending their lives.

“We made it, Swaggles plan worked,” Hooknose says through deep breathes.

“I didn’t get to shock anyone,” Swaggle complains.

“Yeah well at least you got to kill someone, what do I get a crybaby, and him, he was just stunned, yeah it could be fun, but sometimes a thrill gets the blood pumping, what a waste,” Bobbi complains.

“Oh will you stop there will be more, there's always more,” Delphi says.

“Well yeah at least there's loot,” Bobbi says.

“Excuse me but that belongs to me,” Tobias says.

“Did that wagon just talk?” Swaggle says.

“It’s a carriage, like in the books, meaning someones inside,” Hooknose says.

“Yes and that someone would be me and those goods are mine so shoo,” Tobias says.

“Everyone huddle up,” Delphi whispers.

“Okay we got a problem. Whoever is in there isn’t a bandit, most likely, and I doubt their an adventurer,” Delphi continues.

“Right, an adventurer could have killed the bandits easily,” Hooknose says.

“So he is in there and we are out here so let’s take the loot,” Bobbi says.

“The creator didn’t say we couldn't rob them,” N.A.V.I. says.

“Well he did say don’t harm them, is robbing harm?” Swaggle asks.

“I don’t know,” Delphi says.

“Well how do we find out?” Bobbi asks.

“We could ask them,” N.A.V.I. suggests.

“What? Ask whatevers in their if robbing it of loot hurts or not,” Hooknose says.

“Yes?” N.A.V.I. says hesitantly.

“Well I don’t see another way to find out without going home first and coming back, so someone ask,” Delphi says.

“I will do it,” Swaggle says as he saunters off towards the carriage.

“Hey you inside,” Swaggle says.

“Yes, wait, why are you still here? I told you to shoo, now begone with you,” Tobias says.

“But I got’ a question,” Swaggle says.

“Oh fine what is it?” Tobias asks.

“Is robbing you gonna hurt you in any way?” Swaggle says.

“What are you an idiot? Of course robbing me is gonna hurt me and others it will cost me part of my livelihood!” Tobias says.

“Oh I see well, who can someone rob?” Swaggle asks.

“Well I suppose bandits and crooked merchants but not honest merchants like me. Wait, why am I answering these questions? Begone or feel my wrath!” Tobias says.

“Okay I got the answer,” Swaggle says.

“We heard, everything for a mile heard that windbag in there. Hooknose, open the door,” Delphi says.