I start casting buffs on myself right away, what use are they if I don't use them in a battle.

[Brute Buff]

[Soften Steps] x2 I cast it on myself and Lem. Don't have time for Nephos.

[Hardended Skin] I cast it on Lem and Nephos.

I'll cast [Dull Pain] when the situation calls for it. There's a cool rush of energy flowing through my body. These are only the basics. Once I get to higher-level enchantments, it'll be a whole other ball game.

The fogs enveloping everything around us. An arrow blasts into my chest and I'm launched backward. I try to turn my backward momentum into a fall but fail. The arrow didn't hurt but it did carry a lot of force.

I still can't make out who it is. [Take cover!] I rush under the carriage and cast [Hardened Skin] on Nephos again. She's not well and I don't intend her to die here from whatever is coming.

A volley of arrows comes hurtling down to the ground. The tails are green and red. It's a striking combination. Must be a little expensive. I wonder if I can resell them.

I PM Lem first. [What's the situation on your side?" The fog is so thick that I can only make out an outline of the first carriage. [I'm fine, hiding in the carriage. My wolf is searching in the dark.]

[Don't move out. It's too dark here.]

I have to check up on Nephos. I'm not getting any response through our bond.

It's weird and it shouldn't be like this. I take a deep breath and rush out of the carriage. I grab her leg and pull her out. I grab her by her torso and push her under the carriage. This is going to protect her, from whoever's attacking us. She's still groaning and not in a good condition. Is the fog poisoned or something?

[Be careful there might be poison in the fog.]

[Ask Nephos to use her vines to search out there.] I look at Nephos and I think she is feeling a little better. Her breaths are getting deeper and her eyes are starting to focus up.

"Do you know where they are?"

She nods and starts to use her magic. She doesn't know where they are but I think she's looking. It takes her five minutes or so. During that time, we've gotten another volley of arrows.

"They're approaching the first carriage."

"From which direction?" I could've used [Sense Shockwave] but it's just too obvious. They would've been alerted and I would be exposed.

"They're circling around, I think the strongest one is approaching from the left." That gives me a frame of reference. Though, I am curious. How does she know who's stronger and weaker? Can she tell their levels as well? I'll chew on these questions later.

I cast [Soften Steps] on myself again. I send a quick PM to Lem. We need to take out the stronger one first.

Before I'm about to leave, Nephos grabs my hand. She cast some sort of spell and a tiny vine sprouts out of the ground. The vines grow larger and larger while it coils around my armor. Camouflage. This is great, it should offset the blinding golden light coming off my armor, the robes effective but not sturdy.

I crawl and start circling around. I head for the left carriage in a circular arc. I have my [Short-Sword] equipped.

I think I'm lost, the fog is too thick when I stumble onto him or her. I can't tell, they're wearing a grey robe. [Brute Buff] and I stab them through their chest. I think this is my first PK.

I don't expect my sword to move like this. There should be a lot more resistance, instead, it passed in too quickly. It's too clean of a strike.

I back away. I don't know where this is going. The grey robe turns around and pulls back his bow. I'm close enough to rush in and punch them in the face. That felt right.

I use my left to slash at them and once again, it didn't feel like a slash. I don't even think there was any damage. This is weird.

I stab the short sword into the ground. It has to be hand-to-hand combat. Those camo-vines are turning into a disadvantage now. They restrict my freedom of movement.

An arrow stabs into my ribs from the left. It doesn't come in with its full force but it launches me to the left a little bit.

I send a quick PM to Lem, [You should come out now.]

[Gimme a sec.] I don't think she's going to have a chance. There are six people in the enemy party. There are two of us. I take a deep breath, this is fine: I'm used to one v. multiple enemies.

I decide to back off and run away. An arrow punches its way into my back but I don't care, I just run away. Why the hell would I fight against so many people. [Don't come out yet Lem!]

I communicate something to Nephos and circle around to the right of the carriage. [Lem, ask the lady where her package is. Is it small enough that we can carry it?]

[Yeah, it's a chest.]

[Ok, can you pick it up?]

[Yeah, I can manage.]

Nephos, now!

Vines thicker than my forearm are crawling up and binding the men. [Lem get out now! Head straight!]

I can hear the shouts and curses traveling through the air. Nephos come over here.

It should be easy for Nephos. She can tell where everybody is. Is it because we're grass covered ground. Who cares in this situation!?

It's Lem, she's got a chest under one of her arms and she's grabbing the lady's hand. Why fight when you can run away?