Lillianna

We had been riding throughout the night at a decent trot and had not come across any others on our travel as of yet. With clear skies and a half moon we did not encounter any difficulty with visibility and we were keeping good pace. The trip so far had been a silent one with Erick quietly riding abreast of me. He would often glance over to me as if he was about to ask a question but each time he refrained from speaking.

It was about an hour before dawn when Nat informed me of a group ahead of us on the road.

~Master, there is a group ahead, signs of a past battle~

~Scout ahead for me~

~Yes Master~

With my command Nat who had been tailing above us, launched himself further down the road. I then signal for Erick to stop by the side of the road and we dismount from our horses. I further instruct Erick to lead the horses into the woods and to tie them down so they do not run away.

“Erick there is a group ahead of us on the road, stay here with the horses and be prepared to defend yourself” I whisper to him.

“I didn’t see anything” he whispers back.

“Nat sighted a group further down the road and said there were signs that a fight had taken place”

“Your bird can talk?” Erick questions in a slightly too loud manner.

“Quiet, we don’t know if there are more of them near us. Also Nat is not a bird and yes he can talk if he wants”

“He’s not a bird?” again Erick responses too loudly.

“I said quiet, I’ll explain later. Now stay here and wait for me, I’m going to find out who they are”

Erick nods in understanding and readies his bow while taking cover in the shrubbery, while I place my backpack onto one of the horses. After making sure that Erick and the horses were suitably out of view I summon Enenra around myself and skulk off down the road.

Arriving at a safe distance from the group I quickly rush off into the foliage to conceal my presence.

~Nat lend me your eyes~

My vision shifts to that of Nat’s who is flying above the group, with my new vantage point I start gathering information. It appears that a series of caravans had decided to spend the night camping by the side of the road and had been attacked shortly before my arrival. Judging by the corpses scattered around, the caravan guards had put up a good fight but were outnumbered by the attackers and in the end lost the battle.

*I guess this area isn’t as safe as I was told*

A group of survivors had been rounded up in the middle of the makeshift camp site and were being held there by what appeared to be brigands. There were only six attackers left and some of them were injured from the previous fight. The brigands were equipped with an assortment of haphazard armour and weapons. Most of them had crude swords and short spears that had likely been pillaged from other victims. One among the group had an air of superiority about him and was wielding a pair of fine steel swords, while wearing a short sleeved chainmail shirt.

*That’s probably the boss*

~Nat did you spot anyone else?~

~No Master~

I decide to take a closer look at the remaining survivors who numbered about a dozen and were forced to sit in a group. All of them were men and had the look of merchants and sell swords about them. They were probably traders and caravan guards who were headed for the frontier villages and had been set upon by a band of refuse on the way.

“Take whatever you want. Please just spare our lives” an old man in the group of survivors begged.

His begging was shifty repaid with a kick to the face from the leader of the brigands. The old man had fine travel clothes and appeared quite wealthy judging by the trinkets that adorned him.

*Not the smartest idea to wear that much jewellery when traveling is it?*

~Thank you Nat, just keep an eye out in case we missed anyone~

~Yes Master~

With my eyes and vision returning to normal, I decided it was better to take care of these brigands than trying to go around. I would need to return down this road once my business in Fornall had concluded and I didn’t want to take the chance that I would be ambushed by them in the future. The only issue I was facing was whether I should reveal myself as a mage to the traders and risk rumours of my escapades spreading. I had only revealed my abilities to the people of Riverbrook since I was planning on traveling north and wasn’t worried about local gossip. My original plan would not have me returning to Fraul for over a year and any rumours about me would have long dissipated by then.

*Better play it safe, I might need to stay around here for a while*

~Enenra release me~

~Yes Master~

The shadow enveloping me withdraws back into my cloak.

~I don’t want any of you to reveal yourselves unless absolutely necessary. Don’t do anything that would upset me~

~We obey Master~ the voices of my companions echo through my mind.

Although I generally disliked fighting without using my companions, the group before me didn’t seem too troublesome. I had trained in fighting without magic for just an occasion and almost couldn’t contain the thrill I felt about the upcoming martial exercise. The sensation of fighting using only my skill and training without magic was rare and I was eager to experience it once again.

*Does using Inanna count as cheating? Oh well I didn’t bring any normal weapons so I guess it doesn’t count*

I will Inanna into two silver daggers in my hands and quickly observe their appearance. The daggers had a plain design with a blade about a foot long and a simple guard above the hand grip. They gave off a faint silver glow in the darkness, giving them an otherworldly aura.

*Better make them look normal*

Once again I pour my will into Inanna and this time the daggers change from their silver appearance into that of mundane steel. With the dagger in my left hand in a reverse grip and the one in my right held in a forward grip and I make my way towards to the group of brigands.

Arriving within ear shot of the group I make my presence known.

“Well well what do we have here?” I proclaim.

“Who the FUCK are you?” the leader of the group shouts.

“Sorry I don’t give my name to dead men” I reply in a casual joking tone.

“Big words for a bitch who’s about to be put down” the leader sneers back.

I gesture with my right dagger for them to come towards me.

“Don’t cut her up too much boys, I want some fun afterwards and I don’t like fucking gutted cunts”

*A necrophiliac huh? Well who am I to judge*

The two men closest to Lillianna charge forward swords held up high ready to strike her down. Lillianna crouches into a defensive posture and blocks the first blow with her left dagger causing the sword to slide off harmlessly to her side. With an upward stab, she lunges the dagger in her right hand upwards and into the attacking man’s chin nailing it shut, with the tip of the dagger protruding from the top of his skull. Before the second man could finish swing his sword towards her, Lillianna withdraws the dagger from the first man’s skull and pirouettes on her left foot and kicks the man in the in jaw with her right.

The kick throws the man off balance and causes him to stumble backwards unable to finish his strike. Like a beast pouncing, Lillianna leaps onto the man, her cloak rustling behind her, she saddles the man on the waist, wrapping her legs around him. Before he could react she plunges the dagger in her right hand into the man’s temple while the dagger in her left hand is spun into a forwards grip and impales the man sidewards in the throat. She quickly dismounts the man before he hits the ground and gives him a swift kick as a sign of disrespect.

Three men who were standing next to their boss race forward undeterred by the deaths of their comrades. They close in on Lillianna, spears held forward in both hands and form an arc in front of her. In unison they jab their spears towards her aiming for her chest, but Lillianna ducks into a low crouch, her chest almost reaching the ground with her left leg out to the side and narrowly dodges their attack. Lillianna winds back her left leg while still crouching and releases it in a sweeping motion, kicking the legs of the three men out from under them.

As the three men hit the ground, she jumps towards the man furthest to the right of her in a high arc. With bone crunching force she lands on the man’s chest, both her feet coming down in a fierce stomp. The man lets out a gargled scream, bloody spit forming around his gaping mouth before he goes limp. Before Lillianna could descend from the crushed man, the closest attacker to her had recovered to his feet and had thrusted his spear at her left thigh. Having barely dodged in time the spear leaves a deep graze, causing Lillianna to cry out in pain.

Reacting to the attack, Lillianna kicks the man in the gut causing him to reel over forwards, she then proceeds to stab him multiple times in the face before turning her attention to the last of the three men. The last man appeared to be wavering in his will to fight and started backing away from Lillianna, his spear held in front of him in defence.

Limping forward Lillianna closes in on the man before leaping off her right leg her daggers held out ready to strike. Using her left dagger, now back in a reverse grip, she parries the spear aside and plunges her right dagger into the man’s heart. Landing on her wounded leg she stumbles and tries to avoid putting pressure on it before steadying herself and turning towards the leader of the group.

Witnessing the last of his men fall, the leader of the brigands draws his two swords and slowly starts to walk towards Lillianna. He spins the swords in his hands as he approaches trying to show off his martial prowess, while Lillianna watches on with a wicked smile across her face.

Having closed in on her, the man swings both his swords sidewards in a scissor motion aiming for her stomach. Lillianna dashes forward inside of his reach and shoulders the man with her right side while seizing the man’s right arm with her left arm, locking it in place with the inside of her elbow. The dagger in her right hand slashes the now immobile right arm on the inside of the man’s forearm, causing him to drop his sword. Before she can withdraw to a safe distance he stabs her in the back of her left shoulder through her cloak with the still intact left sword. Due to her proximity to the man and awkward stabbing angle the blade had not penetrate her shoulder blade but still left a gruesome wound.

Upon removal of the blade from her shoulder, Lillianna drops to the ground while using her right hand to brace her fall. Once on the ground she quickly knelt up and slashed the man across both shins causing him to also drop to his knees. Reversing the grip on her right dagger she plunges it into the man’s right forearm, effectively disarming him. Standing up weakly she uses the butt of her dagger to smash the man in the face causing him to fall onto his back.

“Not bad… for thieving scum” Lillianna said with a tired voice between heavy breaths.

Erick

It had only been a short while since Lillianna left me but I was already feeling anxious. Every noise I heard startled me and caused me to nock an arrow in anticipation of unseen dangers.

*Why did I agree to go with her, I’m not cut out for this kind of thing*

As I continued to wait I heard something land on the ground in front of me. In a panic I release an arrow at it and watch it fly towards what I now saw was a golden hawk, it was Nat. My mind raced with thoughts of what Lillianna would do to me for killing her bird, but much to me relief the arrow flew straight through Nat and stuck itself in the ground just behind him. I couldn’t believe what I had just seen, the arrow had defiantly hit its mark, however instead of impaling the bird it had passed through him as if he wasn’t there.

“My Master has a message for you” the bird chirped in a sing song voice.

I had not believed her when she told me that Nat could speak but with the evidence staring me in the face I had no choice but to accept it.

“Erick bring the horses and meet me further down the road. It’s safe now so no need to be weary, also don’t speak unless I tell you to” Nat said in a voice that was a perfect mirror of Lillianna’s.

I was taken aback with hearing Lillianna’s voice coming out of Nat and blankly stared at the bird for a few moments.

“What are you?” I question Nat.

He doesn’t answer and simply takes to the skies towards where I assume his master was. Not wanting to be alone in the dark for much longer I hurry to untie the horses and make my way down the road on foot, leading the horse by their reins.

Not long after, I arrive at a group of caravans with dead bodies strewn around, glancing around I notice Lillianna talking to an elderly man in fine clothing who is covered in jewellery. As I make my way towards her I gaze around at the dead bodies along my path and come across a particularly disturbing sight. A man wearing a chainmail shirt had been gutted with his intestines wrapped around his neck. It appeared that he had been strangled with his own intestines and had his genitals removed. Whether this removal was done before or after his death I did not know.

Lillianna

*This is what I get for being cocky I guess*

I had underestimated my opponents and the wounds I had sustained was the price I had paid. Not wanting to reveal my abilities I had forbid Nin from healing me during and after the battle.

~Master please let me heal you~ Nin pestered me.

~Enough, I already said not to heal me until we leave these people behind~

~Sorry Master, I’ll be quiet~ she replied in a sorrowful voice.

~No need to apologise, just keep me from bleeding out for now~

I had just finished talking to the caravan leader when Erick found his way to me.

“Sorry Saul, I need to get my wounds tended to and would like some privacy” I said to the elderly caravan master.

I lead Erick away from the survivors and found a place to sit down and tend to my wounds. The place I had picked was far enough away from the group so as to have them not eavesdrop on me but close enough that they could see me.

“What happened, were the bandits that strong? I didn’t think you would be injured by such men” Erick questions in a worried tone.

“I didn’t use my magic… I didn’t want them to know I was a mage, so keep quiet about it and help me bandage my wounds”

I take of my cloak which still had a gash where I had been stabbed and placed it next to me on the crate I was sitting on that belonged to the caravan troupe.

“Get some cloth from my bag and wrap it around the wound on my shoulder”

“Can’t you just heal yourself?”

“I just told you that I didn’t want them to know I was a mage. Having my wounds magically healed would be too obvious, now hurry up this shit hurts”

Erick finds the bunyip roots that are wrapped in cloth and quickly unwraps them and starts to shake the cloth clean.

“This is all I could find, sorry”

“That’s fine, just place the roots somewhere clean I still want to eat them later”

He places them on top of my cloak and proceeds to rip the cloth into two long strands.

“Help me take off my vest and shirt, it would seem odd to dress a wound on top of clothing”

“Ahhh… but” Erick mumbles.

“Look, I don’t care if you see me naked, just hurry up so we can leave and I can heal these wounds properly”

With Ericks help, I remove my vest and shirt and place it next to my cloak. He then helps me to bandage the wound on my left shoulder blade before also helping me dress again. During the process he tries his best to not leer at my breasts, which I find humorous since most men would jump at the chance.

“What about the wound on your leg?” Erick askes bashfully.

“Sorry but that’s all you get to see for today. I’ll just bandage it over my pants” I reply with a cheeky grin.

Erick puts on a disappointed expression but quickly recovers and hands me the other bandage.

“Don’t look so down, you got to see something only my women get to see. Consider it a gift”

“Your women?”

“I prefer the company of women. Sorry to dash your hopes”

“I see…” Erick says in a dejected manner.

I quickly bandage my leg and gather my things, putting my cloak back on and placing the bunyip roots back into my bag.

“By the way, what did you tell those people about us? Didn’t they ask who we were?” Erick inquires.

“I told them we were adventures from another continent and had just so happened upon them. Seeing innocent travellers such as themselves in trouble I decided to assist, while you looked after our horses.” I said in a flamboyant manner to emphasize the absurdity of the claim.

“Did they believe you?”

“They haven’t asked any more questions so I suppose so. Now let’s go get my reward. The caravan master promised to compensate me for my troubles”

“You didn’t try to make them sign one of your contracts did you?”

“Not this time, I just asked for coin” I chuckle in reply.

We find the caravan master as he is giving instructions to clean up the camp site and for his people to be ready to leave soon as possible.

“Excuse me Saul, I am ready to receive my reward” I interrupt the man.

“Why yes off course, fifty livres as agreed upon” Saul says as he hands me a small pouch full of coins.

“Fifty livres!” Erick exclaims.

“Quite the bargain for saving our lives if you ask me” Saul replies back.

“A bargain indeed. Now Saul, if you would excuse us we must be on our way. I bid you a safe journey”

After a few more parting words we continue heading down the road towards Fornall.

“What are you going to do with so much coin?” Erick asks.

“Nothing, you can have it. I just didn’t want to raise any suspicion by not accepting a reward” I reply as I throw the bag of coin into Ericks hands.

“Really? I could live of this for a year. Wait… what’s the catch”

“There’s no catch, I have enough money for now. I only expect something in return if someone asks a favour of me. If you recall I didn’t ask for anything when I freed you south of Riverbrook”

Erick doesn’t reply to my words and simply puts the bag of coin into a pouch on the side of his horse.

“Now let us be off, we can rest once we are a bit further down the road”

We mount our horses and trot off down the road away from prying eyes where I can heal my wounds.