“No kidding.”
A few hundred feet from the goblin snarl, Shade and I had reached the edge of a narrow, winding road, now observing a modest, makeshift campsite nestled beside it. Gathered around a small crackling fire, a group of five middle-aged men sat laughing and exchanging crude jokes as they sipped from dented metal flasks. Each man wore a weathered leather tunic, partially hidden beneath a moss-covered cloak that hung over dark, dirt-streaked trousers. With their hoods pushed back, I could clearly see their grins stretched wide in drunken amusement, and their eyes gleaming with smug satisfaction. Some were completely bald, their scalps catching the firelight, while others had long, unkempt hair that hung past their shoulders, adding to their rough and ragged appearance.
Bandit A
- Strength: 401
- Speed: 372
- Stamina: 351
- Endurance: 364
- Durability: 384
- Mana: 248
- Soul Rank: Stable
- Soul Color: Blue
Bandit B
- Strength: 391
- Speed: 368
- Stamina: 349
- Endurance: 358
- Durability: 377
- Mana: 242
- Soul Rank: Stable
- Soul Color: Blue
“These are nice names, Sys.”
Before you blame me, you can’t see their names unless you already know them. It’s how it works, so don’t pin it on me.
“If you say so.”
What interested me was what laid near the edges of the camp. Past the laughing men was a large carriage.
Do you know what I’m talking about? Those large wooden wagons that people ride with horses? Well, this wasn’t an ordinary one.
The exterior was made of polished mahogany, reinforced with gold-trimmed windows that were oddly barricaded. Intricate carvings of lions, vines, and winged beasts curled along the sides, all leading to the central drawing of a great serpent like beast. Rising up, the beast’s head was aimed at the beholder, baring its horns and sharp eyes while coiling its body. Four great wheels, bound in iron and polished to a mirror sheen, bore the carriage smoothly over roads. Golden lanterns hung at each corner, unlit as if they lost their purpose.
It was strange.
This group of men didn’t seem to be the affluent type. How would they have such an extravagant carriage in their possession?
I looked at the carriage closely, specifically the blocked out windows.
The screaming I had heard before had stopped.
Bandits.
Exactly.
And not just any. Do you see that mark on that guy’s neck right there?
I looked at what Sys had pointed out. There was a purple mark, a three fingered hand with claws that bore downwards.
That’s the mark of the Clawed Syndicate.
“The who?”
They’re a relatively huge group of bandits that reside in the forests of Myrkwind. But, that’s weird. The Verdant Vanguard should have blocked any attempts at entering the villages. None should be able to even get close.
“They must be bad at their job.”
No that’s not…….
While Sys busied himself trying to make sense of whatever that was, I had more pressing concerns. First and foremost, I needed to find out whether the true owners of that carriage were still alive. The screaming had stopped, which suggested the worst, and there was reason to believe they’d been killed. However, I hadn’t seen any blood trails. Shade had caught a scent, but it was weak, too faint to follow with certainty. That told me one thing for sure: they were injured, but not dead.
It also made sense that if the owners were some rich merchants or whatever, the bandits could get even more dough if they used them as bargaining chips.
This was all speculation for now, which is why I need to confirm it.
“Right on it.” Rogue declared as he scurried off.
Expertly sidestepping fallen leaves and loose pebbles, Rogue moved with careful precision, using the dense foliage to conceal his presence. As he advanced swiftly through the underbrush, a sudden rustle startled him. A wild rabbit darted from the bushes and nearly collided with him, causing him to instinctively leap back.
“The hell’s the matter with you?” Rogue grumbled as he regained his footing.
Only a few seconds had passed, and Rogue had already arrived at the back of the carriage. Climbing the wheels, Rogue slowly got on top.
“Uh, boss? Small problem.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t fit.”
“........Huh?”
“There’s no holes or anything that I can wiggle my way into. It’s all locked shut, aside from this small crack underneath the entire thing. But, it’s way too thin for me to even think about.”
This was troubling. “Alright, it’s fine.” I recalled him.
I needed a way to see in there, but how can I? Who can slip inside such a small………Luci.
“Ssshall I ssserve, sssire?”
The sinuous body of my summoned snake, Luci, slowly uncoiled around my legs. Her lithe form moved with fluid grace, her scales shimmering with interwoven hues of deep purple and midnight blue, creating a mesmerizing pattern that illuminated her otherwise pitch-black body. Her pale, white eyes glowed softly as she gazed up at me, unblinking and watchful.
“Can you slip into this small wedge in that carriage over there, and tell me what you see?”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Ssswiftly, sssire.”
Rushing through the grass, Luci headed to the back.
“Sssome yearsss sssince ssstretching thessse legsss.”
“You don’t have……..whatever. It also hasn’t been for years.”
Luci has a habit of speaking mainly using words that contain the letter s. It gets annoying sometimes, which is why I don’t summon her as much.
Wait, how’s Luci even supposed to get up there?
“You’re back?”
Yeah, I was just puzzled as to how they’re here, but that’s not important. How can Luci climb up?
“Just watch and see.” I actually didn’t know whether Luci could climb or not.
Shade and I quietly moved so that we could have a better look. It only dawned on me that Shade had been so quiet.
“You alright, Shade?”
“Yes. I’m just quiet since this is a very serious situation.” His tail wagged as if he expected praise.
“Nice looking out.” I patted his head.
I then looked at the carriage.
Luci waited in a coiling position, until she wrapped her tail around the top of a wheel and dragged herself up.
What the hell-
Gently placing herself down, she then slipped beneath the crack.
“Not bad.”
We’re just going to pass over that- ah well, it’s whatever.
“Sssire.”
“Roger.”
“Ssspouses and………..”
“And?”
“......................”
“..........Are you really trying to think of s words?”
“Sssmall sssweetheart, sssired sssweetly.”
“........So a girl?”
“Precisssely.”
So a father, mother, and a daughter. Traveling merchant family? Were they just unlucky and got attacked by these guys?
Maybe. That emblem looks familiar as well……….where have I seen that before?
“Do they see you?”
“Sssertainly.”
“That one does not count-wait, they’re not screaming at you.”
“Ssscared but sssilent.”
Scared but silent. It made sense. They were probably ordered by the bandits to stay silent after that loud racket earlier, which is why they held their tongues even when a snake entered their carriage.
“Splendid work.” I recalled her.
So there really are people in need of help, but the question is how? What can I do against five fully grown men? I can summon three wolves at once, but would they be enough to take all five down? Maybe, if we catch them off guard with an ambush. But there's always the risk it won’t go as planned, and if it doesn’t, I’ll be left vulnerable due to my mana depletion. Their physical abilities aren’t to be underestimated, either.
I think it’s best to send a summon back to the village, and to have them lead backup here.
Backup…….
I looked at Shade. If it was any other summon, they wouldn’t be able to transport backup as fast. But, that meant that if I went with the wolf plan, I’d only have two to help.
I need a different plan.
“Shade, go back to the village and try to lead them back here.”
“But, master…..” Shade wasn’t comfortable with the idea of leaving me behind.
“It’s okay. I’ll be safe, I promise.”
With a sad look, Shade slowly walked off, before breaking into a full sprint.
So, do you have a plan?
I looked at the figures laughing around the fire, defenses lowered and paying zero attention to the trees.
If I want to raise the chances of a successful ambush, I’ll have to disarm them.
Something like that needs a big distraction.
Distraction, distraction. What could distract a group of men in the wild?
Got it.
“Wwhhaatt’ss ggooiinngg oonn?” Tank, my turtle summon, asked as he slowly raised his head.
Tank's appearance was distinctive, his main body a soft shade of light blue, while his shell stood out in stark contrast—black, adorned with intricate purple designs that seemed to pulse with a subtle energy.
“Wowiewhatarewedoingtodaymastergotanynutsforme?” My squirrel summon Nibbles asked while quickly checking the surroundings for any fallen acorns.
Her dark, bushy tail twitched restlessly, and her black body jerked in multiple directions, moving with erratic energy. The blue and purple patterns across her body flickered and shimmered, creating a dazzling light show that danced around her with every movement.
“What is it now?” My lizard summon Geek lazily asked while resting.
Sleek and ebony, Geek's patterns were sharper and more defined, etched in a deeper shade of purple that contrasted against his dark body with a subtle intensity.
Are you sure about this? These infamous three? The Pace Setters?
“I have to let our friend here meet them.”
Who are-
“Tank and Geek, I need you two to stage a fight for those bandits.”
The two looked back at me with incredulous eyes.
“Wwhhaatt?” Tank was shocked, though you could barely tell since his eyes were stuck back in the past. They were still at the point in time when he asked why he had been summoned.
“Hell no.” Geek retorted as he missed a small ant. When the ant got too far, Geek cussed and returned to resting. “Why do we have to do that?”
Honestly, it’s for you, since this is your first time seeing them.
“I haven’t summoned you guys in a while, so I wanted to be fair and to give y'all a new task.”
“We’re fine.” Geek answered as he prepared to sleep.
“Ii ddoonn’tt mmiinndd ttoooo mm-”
Just as how Luci has her own unique way of speaking, Tank’s a very slow speaker.
“AslongasyougivemeanacornthenI’lldowhatever-”
Nibbles is the most energetic out of all my summons, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing.
Her shivering figure looked at me anxiously, her front teeth gnawing at her nails……or whatever squirrels had for nails. If there ever was such a thing as an addict for squirrels, then Nibbles was it. If you gave her an acorn, then she even exceeded Rogue and Jittear as my fastest land summon. She can even give Shade a rough time.
“Geek, I’ll give you as many bugs as you want.”
“Hmmph.” Geek still didn’t open his eyes.
“I’ll have someone feed them to you, so you can sleep while eating.”
Geek’s eyes flared open. “Let’s get this show on the road, Tank.”
With newfound energy, Geek rushed to a spot near the fire. Tank slowly followed behind.
I reached into my pocket and found an acorn. I always kept a few acorns on me, in case I ever needed Nibbles’ help. I threw it to her, and she caught it tentatively. That didn’t last long as she made it disappear in seconds.
“As for you, Nibbles, I want you to steal their weapons and hide them far away. But, make sure they don’t hear and see you.”
“OnitbossandI’ll-”
I didn’t even get to hear her finish her sentence before she was gone.
What now? You’re just going to wait here?
“Not necessarily.”
I glanced back at the carriage, a sinking certainty settling in. These bandits valued the carriage, but more importantly, they valued the people inside. They could easily use them as hostages—or worse, sell them into slavery. If an attack were to come, especially from wolves, their first priority would likely be self-preservation. They'd probably focus on getting the people to safety, perhaps even fleeing with them while protecting their own escape. The horses they had taken were relatively calm, and could easily be used to make a quick getaway with the carriage, picking off any wolves that got too close. While my wolves might manage to injure them, I knew better than to underestimate horses. Even a single well-placed kick could be fatal. And if things got desperate, they might even sacrifice the merchants as bait to buy themselves time.
To prevent all of this, I needed to ensure the trapped people were free from the bandits' grasp when the time came. But how? It was far too risky to release them while the bandits were focused on their little performance. Do I really have to leave them there? Destroying the door was out of the question—too much noise, and they could easily clear the wreckage in no time.
An ambush is just too risky. These guys are strong, and I don’t know if an ambush will even be enough.
Let’s think about something else then.
If I can keep the merchants out of their reach, while also forcing the bandits to leave, then they’ll either waste their time and efforts or leave them behind.
How can I scare them away?
How can I keep the people safe from them?
I looked at the wheels and the horses. The carriage could only be drawn if the horses were present, and if the wheels were perfectly fine.
You look like you got something.
“I do.”
I summoned Drill and Melvin.
“Let’s get digging, boys.”