The forest loomed before him, a wall of shadows and whispers. He stumbled, caught himself against rough bark. A trickle of blood from a fresh cut mingled with sweat on his brow. His lungs burned, legs screaming for rest, but fear drove him onward. Behind him, the shouts of guards grew fainter, swallowed by the night.
I'm free, he thought, a wild grin splitting his face. Darwin, Erlinda, that Lucas fellow - they can sort out their own mess.
He paused, bent double, gasping for air. The moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Ancient trees stood like silent sentinels, their gnarled branches reaching out as if to snare unwary travelers. As his breathing steadied, a twig snapped nearby.
The bandit froze, ears straining. Another snap, closer. His hand went to his hip, finding only empty air where his dagger should have been. Panic rose in his throat, bitter as bile.
"Who's there?" he called, voice hoarse.
Silence answered him. Then, a rustle of leaves. A figure stepped into the moonlight.
Alistair stood before him, blue armor gleaming in the ethereal light. "Quite the chase you've led us on," Alistair said, his tone conversational. He brushed a leaf from his shoulder. "I do hope it was worth the effort."
The bandit stumbled back, foot catching on a root. He landed hard, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs. As he scrambled to his feet, more figures materialized from the darkness. Royal guards, swords drawn, their faces impassive masks in the silvery light.
"I- I don't know anything," the bandit stammered. "Please, I haven't seen Erlinda since-"
Pain lanced through him, stealing his words. Blue lightning crackled around Alistair's outstretched hand, the air thick with the scent of ozone. The forest seemed to hold its breath, the usual nighttime sounds silenced by the display of power.
"Curious," Alistair mused, the lightning casting strange shadows across his face. "I don't recall mentioning Erlinda." He stepped closer, leaves crunching under his boots. "Now, where might she and Lucas be hiding?"
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The bandit's mind raced. Tell him? No, can't. But the pain... "I don't- we split up. They were heading back to the city, I think. That's all I know, I swear!"
Alistair studied him for a moment, then nodded to the guards. "Search the city. Every inn, every alley. Find them."
As the guards started to disperse, the air grew heavy, as if the very night was holding its breath. Another figure appeared, seeming to coalesce from the shadows themselves. At once, all the guards bowed, and Alistair paled visibly.
Prince Adrian moved towards the cowering bandit with what looked like unnatural speed, the shadows swirling around him like a living cloak. He looked at the man with disgust before turning to Alistair. "Delay that order," he commanded, his voice as calm and cold as a winter's night.
Alistair looked down, unable to meet the prince's gaze. "Your highness, they are close. If we hurry, we can catch them both."
A shadow hand, darker than the night itself, grabbed Alistair by the neck and lifted him off the ground. "You have failed me twice today, and now you have once more." The bandit, with gritted teeth, looked at the dangling body of the captain of the guard trying his best to breathe, grasping futilely at the shadows.
Prince Adrian's eyes, glowing with an otherworldly light, fixed on Alistair. "You had Erlinda in your grasp, and yet she slipped away. Twice." His voice was soft, almost gentle, but laden with menace. "Your incompetence tries my patience, Alistair."
The shadows released Alistair, who fell to his knees, gasping. "Forgive me, Your Highness," he wheezed. "It won't happen again."
"No," Adrian agreed, "it won't." He turned his gaze to the trembling bandit. "As for you... “ In a blur of motion, the prince was suddenly before him, a hand clasped around the bandit's throat. "You've played your part, little pawn. Now, your usefulness has come to an end." The last thing the bandit saw was the prince's eyes, twin pools of darkness that seemed to swallow the world. Then, mercifully, everything went black.
Prince Adrian let the lifeless body fall to the forest floor. He turned to Alistair and the stunned guards. "Clean this up. Then return to the city. Watch, wait, but do not engage. When Erlinda and Lucas surface, they will lead us straight to Darwin."
As the guards hurried to obey, Adrian's gaze fell on Alistair. The captain stood rigid, fear etched across his features. "Your Highness," Alistair began, his voice barely above a whisper, "I swear I will not fail you again."
Adrian's lips curled into a smile that never reached his eyes. "See that you don't, Alistair," he said, his tone deceptively gentle. "I would hate to see you rewarded in the same manner as our unfortunate friend here."