1 An Ambush!

In a mountain somewhere, there was a small glimmer of light, flickering like a firefly in the night sky, it's coming from a hole surrounded by a rocky terrain, a cave. A bonfire was lit, and shadows can be seen with the brightness of flames. Short and small sounds can be heard, it's something or someone moving inside the cave, maybe staying inside waiting for the sun to rise.

"Are you okay kid?" , a grumpy voice can be heard.

An interjection voice can be heard, there's someone else in the cave.

"Did not feel much better," as the male voice answered, the source of it get closer and closer to the bonfire.

" You mean, you've done this kind of things before?", the first one asked doubtfully.

"Few, I've done a lot of kinds of things, what about you old man?", the other one answered confidently.

" It was a bad one, I was hoping I won't have to do that again, now I'm at this mess," regrets can be heard.

"You're lucky this time."

"What are you talking about kid?", the old man confusedly asked.

"This is going to be my last, and I will go out with a bang."

The source of the voice is now visible, as he gets much closer to the fire, A young man with relaxed raven hair, wearing a black cloak on the outside and a red scabbard can be seen as it glimmer a diamond.

"You've proven the rumors, now I want to believe you, but I won't sacrifice my dying life to know if you're really good at this, I rather see how you do things than believe what they spread at the camp."

The old man also gets closer to the fire, as if he's trying to get a closer look at the young man's confident smile. His face is as old as his voice, a nearly shiny ashen hair, the sharp nose and the big eyes, as he stares with doubts without hesitation.

" Can't blame you, sometimes people exaggerate for luxury," the young man just briefly replied.

" It doesn't matter, the truth will come out after a minute," the old man sighed.

" Hanzo."

"Ehh... About time we introduced ourselves Black Cambion, this old man's name is Slyvia, but the young one calls me-"

" Smoke, I also heard about you," Hanzo interjected.

Slyvia was not surprised that Hanzo knows him, but with the strangeness of Hanzo's name, a 'z' was not standard on his time.

" Now we're done here," Slyvia destroyed the dying bonfire with few small kicks, the darkness did not engulf the cave as the brightening lights are coming from the mouth of the cave, the sun is finally rising.

On a mountain lays a wide rocky road, able to fit 2 carriages at the same time. As the sun rises, few loud noises can be heard.

Horses neighs, wooden wheels hitting the rocks, the sound of marching feet, human voices, steels clanking against steels.

An Open Carriage can be seen, the contents were wrapped with brownish clothes, a man was sitting near it as the coachman continues in driving the carriage. In front of the carriage were 10 people, wearing their similar set of armors, crimson in color, a phoenix carving can be seen on their chest.

They were conversing with their helmet on their hands about random topics as if it's afternoon.

Of course, the man sitting in the carriage was also wearing a set of armor, similar but much shinier proving it's superiority. He lay his helmet on the carriage as his ponytail brown-gold hair flow in the air. Unlike the front soldiers silver cleaver swords, a crossbow was hanged on his back, it has unusual patterns, it was as black as midnight, some functioning parts were shiny as silver, it gave off such dangerous and mysterious aura.

" I've heard a story."

"Is it about the whore, your cousin fucked some weeks ago?"

Colossal laughter can be heard.

"No, but seriously, have you ever heard about 'Hell Bandits'?", the soldier asked with a serious tone.

The others pondered for a second.

"The guys that stole a merchant cart a few days ago, or is it the one who killed and stole from a merchant cart days ago?", one man replied with a question.

"Probably the one who killed, you know the situation in the kingdom, people do crazy things just to live," another one commented.

"Well, some people do crazy things because they're crazy."

"Are you saying you're worried man? There's only us, the coachmen, Sir Vegon there and some trusted nobles who know what we're doing here, heck they'll probably hang me if I told my wife."

" You didn't ?".

"What the-!", the man reacted to the joking peer.

The group continued traveling as the front soldiers continued talking without rest.

Is there no end on their babbling?, Vegon asked himself, they were traveling for almost 5 hours and the people in front still did not stop since they started, they were probably chatting since when they were preparing for the long travel.

" I'm gonna drink their finest drink when I finish this thing."

"Don't forget the women," another soldier commented as few of them sneered at the joke.

"And the----"

Boom!!

A massive explosion can be heard, Vegon automatically stands at the carriage as he takes a closer look at the source of the loud noise.

"What the hec--"

Another explosion was heard accompanied by a cry of pain. A survivor of the previous blast can be seen crawling on the ground, with bloodshot eyes, spewing blood on his face as he struggles, his lower body was separated, his own intestines were following him like some ropes as he crawls away from the bloody mess of a ground leaving his lower splattered body.

Two men were shouting, gasping for breath as they got caught up in the explosion leaving their body engulfed in flames.

The others were watching not knowing what they're supposed to do, it was just seconds ago when they were talking about how they will spend the money they'll get on escorting the carriage, they were in shock watching their friends die on pain.

Vegon shouted that the group should go back to minimized damage but the soldiers were not responding, and the coachman was struggling to keep the afraid horse still.

If it is notorious Hell Bandits, then going back won't do, too dangerous, spending bombs on ambush, they know about the contents were bringing, Vegon thought.

The surviving soldiers draw their swords as they prepare for the incoming swordfights. Only 5 of them were left, some of them were shaking in fear, others were crying as they remember their dead peer and their family and future and some have eyes with anger on the one responsible for all this.

"Helll-," the one who got his lower body separated finally died as he grasps for a miracle.

The other two died after shrapnel passed through their armor.

Vegon where turning his head trying to guess where the arrows will come from, he already reloaded his crossbow, wearing his helmet, it might not be enough but he thinks his armor might take 3 bolts or so or he can use his interrogation skills to survive.

"Wait."

"What are you trying to do kid?", Slyvia was surprised on Hanzo's attempt on stopping him fire the first arrow.

" We used such an embarrassing way on the other one, maybe the few can go with a sword fight, look they're asking for it," Hanzo pointed at the surviving soldiers.

" The fuck are you talking about? We're bandits, you want to get me killed too? You know they're five of them and look at the guy on the carrier who's holding a crossbow", Slyvia complained about what he think Hanzo's stupid suggestion.

" That's Vegon, pretty good marksmanship."

"Yes, more reason to not do what you want," Slyvia was trying to convince Hanzowhile Hanzo just smiled everytime he talked.

"If you don't want to, you can just stay here.", Hanzo sighed and gave up on bringing Slyvia.

A drawn sword from a leather scabbard can be heard.

"Ohhh," Hanzo turned back and see Slyvia with a silver cleaving sword on his right hand and bow in the left.

"She's Wolf."

"Nice name for a sword, you won't need it though, I need someone to intercept Vegon, the guy that can shoot," Hanzo suggested.

"Where did your 'I can do this shit.' came from?, Slyvia asked jokingly.

"Experience."

It was just a few minutes ago since the last explosion.

Vegon was still turning his eyes, trying to find the ambushers, sweats were dripping inside his armor, it was scorching inside especially with a helmet worn.

" Sir, can't we just go back?", the coachman nervously asked, he was sitting steadily for a minute after he calmed down the horse, waiting for Vegon's order and now cant' help praying, he is in the open with no protection for his body whatsoever.

" Too dangerous, what we have here is decoys for the enemies, maybe a bit of luck will save our lives," Vegon answered but still turning his head.

Suddenly a sound of moving bushes can be heard, Vegon turned his attention to the source and saw a man.

Vegon was expecting few more, but after a few seconds, he did hesitate in asking.

" Are you alone?"

"Yes," the man answered.

" But you know I can just lie right?", the man smiled teasingly.

" I prefer to believe you're the only one but with the spending on this ambush, it has better success rate if there are more people involved," Vegon shared.

" You should join us," the man acted surprised.

"Too late," Vegon refused.

" So you're the one who killed Roger??!!", one of the soldiers grasps his sword as he pointed it at the man.

"You can call it that, which one is Roger?", the man asked.

" I'm going to kill you!!!".

The soldier charged towards the man as the man prepares for the incoming attack, a clear sound can be heard.

Sprung!

Hanzo luckily dodged the incoming projectile, he turned his attention to a tree and saw an arrow that was not previously there.

"So fast, so that's the 'Black Sparrow' can do," Slyvia was in awe.

Thinking that he has an advantage the soldier tried to slash down towards the man, but he just jumped 2 feet back.

Very Agile, Vegon thought. He was both in awe and discouraged with that kind of talent on the right side, there are many things the kingdom can accomplish but it was not enough, you can't win in battle dodging attacks you must also exert strong attack to defeat the opponent.

" This is what you get from killing my friends!!!", the attacking soldier roared as he slashes to the left in full force.

What he did not expect that the attack will not be dodged but blocked with another sword.

"The heck is that kid thinking, slashing sword is not smelted for blocking cleaving sword," Slyvia reacted on disbelief.

Vegon was different, he did not expect Hanzo to block the sword, dodge might be possible, but barring that kind of attack took a high level of body coordination and also pure strength but what is most surprising is that he used a slashing sword.

Who made that sword?, Vegon was trying to recall blacksmiths he read about.

"Guys meet Akai."

Hanzo slashed upward right, the soldier was not able to react fast enough as blood spurted from his body.

"This is why I wear black cloak", Hanzo removed the blood from his face.

I need to stop him now, Vegon was done reloading another arrow when something was coming towards him. It was able to scratch his left shoulder padding, making a hole in it too.

"That's why he has the guts, but too bad he still need my help in taking care of the marksman," Slyvia was preparing to shoot another arrow.

"Now let's see who's next," Hanzo was walking towards the four left.

The others were shaking in fear, but then they decided to-

" Let's do this together," one of them requested.

"He's maybe faster with one of us but together!".

They charged together, slashing from other directions to another, two of them were trying to get's Hanzo's back.

Hanzo blocked and dodge attack one to another, Hanzo's maybe faster but it's noticeable that he's losing stamina cause the slashes are nearly hitting him only the distance of hairbreadth.

" Blocking and Dodging will overwork you, it's because you're too confident on taking all of us by yourself!", one of the soldiers confidently say.

One of them slashed downward, but Hanzo dodged sideward, he tried to pierce attack, but another one attempted on cutting him, so he has to block.

The four of them grasp for breathing as they raise their confidence of winning.

Hanzo pushed the soldier's sword making him fall to the ground that's when Hanzo attack the other guy.

The fallen soldier got grossed out as the head of the dead soldier flew right on his chest. The body was still grasping the sword on its hand as his right hand tried to touch its nonexistent head.

Still, one of the three did not falter and slashed towards Hanzo but killed him in the process.

"Now there's only two of you, hey stand up!", Hanzo was talking about the fallen soldier.

" I'll still die anyway," he answered.

" At least you're given a chance to die as a soldier, look at your friends and tell me you don't feel pity for their painful death."

" I do ", he laughed " You're the one who killed him not me."

"Then point your anger," Hanzo pointed at himself.

The soldier stood up with the remaining soldier on his back.

The two of them both died after a minute.

" These guys were strong," Hanzo talked as he watches the bloody scene he made himself.

"What the fuck, Hanzo kill that guy already!, Slyvia's grumpy loud voice can be heard.

Noticing that Hanzo is coming toward's him, Vegon tried to escape, he pushed the dead coachman's body to the ground and attempted on driving the carriage back to where he came from.

This means there's no other trap back the way, Vegon noticed there are only two entities involved in this ambush, the swordsman, and the archer.

Unfortunately for him, he was struck by an arrow on his left shoulder where the hole was made. He did not successfully turn the carriage back, that's when Hanzo famously jumped on the carriage and pointed his sword at Vegon's neck.

" You did not kill him? Why?", Slyvia arrived on the carriage.

" His worth is much better alive," Hanzo smiled looking at Vegon which he strangled his hands with rope.

" Did you just kill the innocent coachman?", Hanzo asked as he noticed the arrow on the coachman's corpse.

"It was an accident, he went crazy when arrows were shot," the old man explained.

Hanzo pondered for a second on how the heck an arrow in the heart is just an unlucky shot.

" So the Hell Bandits."

" The heck you did not make him sleep!", Slyvia reacted.

" So you know us," Hanzo replied.

" I've heard things, you've done pretty bad things yourself Black Cambion."

" You and your 'Black Sparrow' is a pretty good combination, but the ownership is transferable to this old man," Hanzo pointed to Slyvia.

" I can't do anything about that, do I."

" No, you cant."