Chapter 12 – Towards the City
The wagon swayed as it rushed through the snow. Lein was skillfully guiding the horses through the forest. It’s been half a day traveling full speed and the horses are exhausted. However, due to the mana provided by Lein to the horses they were able to maintain top speed.
Suddenly, a few shadows flickered through the trees and flew towards the wagon. Lein manipulated the horses to avoid the attack causing the wagon to scrape against one of the trees.
More shadows appeared in front of the wagon forcing Lein to stop because large tree trunks were laid across the path.
The horses neighed as Lein glared at the shadow figures, “What do you want?”
The shadows didn’t say anything and started to attack Lein. Despite having more mana, Lein was exhausted from providing the horses mana and travelling for over half a day nonstop.
The shadows attacked Lein with small knives and throwing poisoned needles at him. Lein quickly formed a barrier surrounding him as he fended off the attacks of two figures.
“Hnn.. What’s going on?” Mila said groggily. It didn’t take long before she realized that there were three figures rushing towards her and Mili, Xaro, and Naulo were unconscious.
Quickly she formed fire marbles and shot them out at the aggressors. They swiftly dodge them without losing their speed but then Mila closed her palms and the three red marbles that imbedded into the snow exploded blowing away the three figures.
“Unn, Big sister?” Mili woke up hearing the explosion.
“Ehh. Why am I sleeping here?” Xaro woke up as well.
“I don’t know but apparently we are being attacked right now!” Mila said quickly as the other two got into defensive position trying to figure out what was going on.
Xaro noticed Lein having trouble, “Mila can you assist Lein from a distance?”
Mila nodded and sent glowing blue marbles towards the two figure, which they blocked with their swords but then the marble froze the sword over as soon as it came in contact with the sword.
“Lein come over here!” Xaro shouted as Lein stumbled over with small and large injuries. Mili quickly supported him and placed him down nearby Naulo. She healed his injuries but his mana was almost depleted so he can no longer be useful in battle. Once a person’s mana is depleted, they will die. As long as there is a little bit of mana left then they can recover but a person with no mana will die. It was one of the laws that existed since the Grand Rebirth.
“I-I’m sorry. I can no longer protect you all.” Lein said sadly.
“What’s going on?! Why are we suddenly in the middle of nowhere and getting attacked?” Xaro demanded an answer.
Mila was holding the five figures garbed in black cloths back with a small ice barrier surrounding the wagon.
“Xaro. The village was attacked and I’m not sure if there were any survivors.” Lein said with difficulty, but when he looked in Xaro’s eyes he decided that he needed to know the truth. Even though the elders stated that they shouldn’t, Lein wanted revenge! Lein wanted them all to pay back with blood! However, he knows he will die here. He believes that these children can carry out the Renaun’s revenge.
Xaro’s eyes turned red as well as Mila’s. Tears started flowing out of Mili’s eyes.
“Who?!” Xaro ground his teeth.
“The Ragohu.” Lein hissed.
“Xaro, I can’t maintain the barrier any longer. These figures seem to be waiting for something or someone.” Mila stated.
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“Haha, how right you are young lady!” Another shadowed figure appeared, “I guess I wasn’t able to meet that old one anymore.”
“Who are you and what do you want!” Xaro asked through clenched teeth.
The leader figure pointed at Mili, “I just want to bring that little missy with us and complete my mission. Too bad, that old guy didn’t accept our deal for us to bring that missy with us in exchange for our help. If he agreed then maybe, just maybe, more people would be able to survive the attack. Don’t blame us.”
Mili went pale. Mila frowned, “What do you want with my sister!”
“Urr…I think I’ve said enough. Go.”
The five figures went and attack the barrier at the same time. However, they threw weapons at it since everything that went into contact with it froze and shattered.
Xaro pat Mila’s shoulder and charged through the barrier and off the wagon towards the leader figure.
“Oh? You really want to fight me, little one?”
“Shut up! I’m not a little one.”
**sigh**
Xaro charged powerfully towards that figure and they clashed. Xaro was able to push the leader back a few steps.
“At least I’m more powerful than you!” Xaro said.
“Boy, do you know the phrase of ‘a lamb doesn’t fear the tiger’?” The shadow figure smiled underneath the mask.
Then the figure gave out a punch towards Xaro’s open side. It seems to be nothing but a feint cause there was no mana in the punch that Xaro can sense. When the fist got closer Xaro felt that there was something off about it but wasn’t able to react in time and as soon as the punch connected a huge amount of mana surged out and blew Xaro away crashing through a few trees.
“Xaro!” Mila shouted as she was fending off the five others protecting Mili, Lein, and the unconscious Naulo.
This distraction allowed for a few needle attacks of the figures to pierce through her.
“Mila!!” Mili shouted nervously as she tried to heal the wounds. However, the loss of mana is something she can’t give back.
“Haa…haa..haa” Mila breathed roughly.
“I’ll hold them off! You take Naulo and ride the horses over the fallen trees!” Lein said.
“Y-you can’t! You are almost out of mana!” Mila screamed, “and what about Xaro!”
“Just GO!” Lein stood up with difficulty as he used that last of his mana to create a whirlwind to knock the figures far away, giving time for the others. The five figures were knocked back, but a shadow flashed and a knife embedded into Lein’s heart.
“Sorry, I can’t let you deplete your mana and die that way. It’s too troublesome.” The leader shadow said.
People who use up all the mana in their body would burn from the inside out until nothing but ashes are left. The body requires mana to function so without the support, it would eat the flesh. It was one of the most painful ways to die. Though the leader wasn’t being merciful, it was just because they were in a forest and that would attract attention. Not to mention they were somewhat near a city.
Mila looked wide-eyed at the death of Lein. She was shocked still. Even though she was a very smart girl, she had never seen a person get killed right before her eyes. She had never experience war and death. The fear of seeing the life of a person slowly disappearing before her eyes made her lose her thought. This one tiny moment was all that professionals needed to return from the knockback and attack her.
Mila quickly built a shield around her and Mili but due to the rush of all five figures and the short time, the shield was easily smashed through as five knives stabbed into her. All of them aimed for a vital spot.
Mila died before even realizing as the figures took a step back and away from the wagon. Mili grabbed onto the falling body of Mila and healed her. Mila’s body went back into pristine condition but she didn’t live again.
“Mila! Big sister! Answer me! D-don’t scare me! Please. P-please! Please don’t leave me alone!” Mili sobbed.
“Now come with us, kiddo. Before we drag that red head back here and chop off his head in front of you.” The leader said coldly to the sobbing Mili.
Mili’s body kept shaking. She was trembling as she was mumbling, “it’s all my fault. They died because of me. Uncle Lino died because I wasn’t strong enough. Big sister Mila died because of me. I’m so weak. I’m so useless. Why? WHY?”
“WHY?!!!!! UWAAAAAAA” Mili faced towards the sky as she let out a heart-wrenching yell.
The leader’s face changed as he jumped back far away from the wagon. The five other figures were too slow as they clutched their faces screaming out in agony.
Smoke rose from the spaces in the five figures’ clothes as their skin started to wrinkle. In the span of a few blinks the five figures were dead on the ground with extremely dried out and wrinkled skin as if they aged beyond what their body could handle.
Mili’s eyes grew blank as she fainted. The leader figure appeared right beside Mili who was still holding onto her sister’s body.
Not good. She overused her mana. I need to bring her back fast before her mana is completely gone.
He grabbed the unconscious Mili and left the area not looking once at the five figures that died.
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Nighttime arrived.
“Hey boss! There seems to be a fight that happened over here!” A deep voice sounded out in the forest.
A few moments later a group of 3 burly men arrived at the wagon wreckage. They wore leather armor and a large sword hung on their hips.
“Boss, there seems to ‘ave been a fight ‘ere.” Said one of the men with a large beard and bandana on his head.
“Boss, there is a red head kid over here! He seems to have been injured but it’s not life threatening. I say that he is pretty sturdy and would fetch a pretty good price.” Said another man that wasn’t as burly as the other two.
The man they called “boss” came into the clearing and looked around. He also wore leather armor but had a cape made from white wolf’s fur drape on his back and he wielded a saber.
“Boss!” the third man called out with shock in his voice, “There’s another kid over here in the wagon! I got to say that this child is beautiful!”
The boss and other two walked over to the wagon with one of them carrying Xaro over his shoulders.
The boss smiled when he saw the angelic child, “Hehehe. Seems like we can get a good amount this time. The cities always lack beautiful things; especially when they are young.”
The boss turned around and headed back to his group, “Grab the child and burn the corpses. Dead people, at least, deserve respect.”
“Yes, boss!” The three said as the one that found Naulo carried him princess style while the free handed one burned the wagon that had Lein’s and Mila’s corpses.
Back at the bandits’ camp they threw Xaro into the caged carriage and placed Naulo in a free one after moving the few other captured people into the other cage. They thought Naulo’s value would increase if they kept him well fed and clean.
Soon the bandits, or so they seem to be like, headed towards the city with the unconscious Naulo and Xaro.
End of Arc 1 – The Renaun Village