8 Fire Emblem Part 6 Bandit Leaders

Hector despite what was told to him pressed on and continued to fight in his condition. Fighting under the terrible conditions earned him more scars but his body was stronger for it the next few days.

They even found Dorcas. He almost lost his life to some arrows by the Pegasus Riders. Treated by his wife Natalie with magic, the axeman was beyond suprised. even more so when she told him she became a Cleric under Tiamat.

"It is good you two are together again, go and rest while we take care of the bandits." Hector saw Dorcas as a liability right now. Remembering how weak he was in the beginning of the series, it would not be good for him to do more than protect Natalie and the other Support members. "A chance of an ambush is pretty high."

"Of course Lord Hector." Natalie grabbed Hector and pulled the big lug. Surprising him with her physical strength. "Come on, we can't get in the way."

"Um right!" Dorcas want to thank the Mercenary leader more but it could wait for later. "Tell me about this Tiamat person."

"Boss, the bandits are making a move." Raven came over to report. "Lucius and Priscilla have gone with a few of the others to save a merchant group. Clyde and a few on horseback went to protect one of the towns."

"I see. So just me and you to deal with this rabble." Hector drank some water moving forward. "Make sure to take them down effectively. No mistakes." The red-haired mercenary nodded and got ready.

Putting away his axe, Hector drew the Mani Katti. He was wanting to brush up his sword's work more.

"Boss, some sellswords are coming this way!" A bandit shouted. Scrambling, the others got ready to take them down. "can we get any reinforcements?" His panic was only subdued since it was two of them.

"Humph, it is just two brats, nothing to be worried about." The bandit leader of this group came out cocky. The small scar under his eye and the general vicinity in which he operated lead Hector to identify him as Batta. "We will kill them and join up with the others soon."

"I see boss Zugo not to far away, maybe he can help." A weasely bandit said hopefully. He was one of the few that was ok that so many of the bandits joined together to deal with the mercenaries. "We have the numbers!"

"Ahhh!" A bandit shouted nearby as he was cut down. Raven moved like a red wind of death striking. "So.. fast..."

"You are improving remarkably well." Hector commented. Stepping forward and blocking an axe strike with his arm guard, he swung the Mani Katti upward cutting a long flesh of skin off. "I might have to put you in charge of a squad before you are technically ready."

"You monster!" Batta shouted as he took a few steps back. He fell on his ass while watching another bandit get cut down by Raven. Hector walked towards him slowly coughing up some purple blood. Which made the situation even worse. "You had some of the poison.. how can you still be strong like this?"

"I eat my veggies and drink my juice." Hector swung his sword arm and cut the man's arm off when he raised to block. 'This sword is so light and sharp, it would not do well to ever clash it really."

"Hold on you weaklings!" Zugo shouted as he ran axe raised. The bandits with him went after Raven as they split. "Cut them down and hurry to meet up with the others!"

*Woom!* Hector fired four black balls of magic out. Double-tapping two bandits and staggering them. It would give Raven enough time to mount a counterattack quickly.

"I will take your arm as payment for my own!" Batta grabbed his weapon using his good hand. Swinging wildly at Hector who just dodged through the blows. The poison was making itself known briefly. "Stay still!"

Each strike was dodged as Hector focused on Zugo. The stronger bandit threw an axe at his head making him duck. As it came around as most of the thrown weapons did thanks to the magic of the dimension he ducked again.

'I wonder how long it will take for the bandit to bleed out?' Hector stepped forward right as Zugo made it to him. Slipping behind him, he punches the bandit in the kidney with full force. 'No armor, how silly considering all the stuff they stole already.'

"Ugh!" Zugo groaned in pain not used to getting hit there. He stumbled to the side and yelled at Batta to get up. "Don't stand there in a daze fool!"

The blood loss was getting to the bandit. He swung the axe once more but didn't connect.

"Heh!" Zugo took the chance and rammed him from behind. Sending him directly into Hector. "Thanks for the help!

Hector was like a wall as the bandit was pushed into him. Coughing some poison blood onto him, he watched as Zugo try to cleave through the other bandit. He was not physically strong enough to do so of course.

*Splurt!* Blood covered Zugo as he cut the back of Batta. His axe not even getting through the spine of the man. Hector just smiled as he kicked Batta with enough force to knock down both men.

"Your poison.. it is not that strong after some time." Hector looked down at the two of them. Suprised Batta was still alive. He gave a look to the bandit he cut open before wondering the same. But no, that man was super dead. "How many of you remain in the area? Tell me and your death will not be painful."

"I won't tell you anything!" Batta cursed as started to fade out. A cool sensation passed through as Hector used healing magic on him to close the wounds. His foot on top of the mans chest keeps him on top of Zugo. "You can't do this!"

He stared terrified at the sword at his neck. Hector's hand still glowing with the use of magic.

"Of course.. I can." Hector stomped down twice on the bandit. The weight made it worse on Zugo who had trouble breathing. "See.. I am still doing it!" Raising up again, he stomped down hard enough to break some bones.

*Crack!* With a broken sternum, every breath caused pain throughout his body. Then Hector healed him again before starting once more. He didn't forget about Zugo of course.

"Tell me what I want to know already!" With another stomp down, he went a little to far. His foot went through completely and got stuck. "Well.. that sucks!" A glint caught his eye as a bandit swung at him.

Bending to the side, Hector had good stability with his foot anchored in the one bandit's chest. The strike caught nothing but air. The bandit was shocked he was able to see him.

"Can you tell me what I want to know?" Hector stabbed him with the Mani Katti but kept the sword inside. "The wound will only be bad if swing outward, but if I move it around like this..."

Twisting the blade a little and moving against the organs, the bandit felt so much pain he thought he would die. But Hector used healing with his free hand to stave off death. Lifting him up and walking a little away from the two downed bandits.

Zugo could barely move after pushing Batta off him. His stomach and kidneys were hurting something fierce.

"I am losing patience." Hector touched the bandit's shoulder and slid him across the Mani Katti. "Speak!"

"The others are moving to ambush the Lorca tribe as they ran to the outskirts! They suprised us by not running towards the Sacaen Plains but towards the towns!" The bandit cried out.

True to his word, Hector gave him a quick death by sliding the Mani Katti upward. The blade brushed against the man's ribcage and slid up his chest. The bandit saw the blade covered in blood as his last sight.

"Haa!" Raven double gripped his sword as he cut down the last bandit that attacked him. He was covered in wounds but was otherwise fine. "Boss," turning to see if the other needed help it was unneeded. "that poison must have run its course already."

Raven applied some medicine and moved to check on the support group. A few dead bandits but nothing to major by the looks of it.

"Well, now you." Hector looked at Zugo with a smile. "Any useful information to give me?"

"Migal.. he is much stronger than me and is smarter. He is planning to break away from the Bandit Alliance and settle in one of the towns." Zugo slowly moved his hand towards his axe. Desperate to make a final attack at least. "I know a lot, you can only succeed with someone like me in your ranks."

Feeling the poison still inside him a little, Hector was ready to move on. Reaching out, Zugo thought he was going to help him up. But that was not the case.

"Nosferatu..." The casting of the spell without a tome was weak, but still doable. The life force of the bandit was ripped out of him and fed into Hector. "..better than wasting a Vulnerary."

Not even making a death cry, Zugo and the other bandits had fallen. A member of the support group came over cataloging them as normal. Quite a few bounties are to be earned from them.

Thinking of the few towns nearby, Hector sent a message out via magic. Speaking of the intel recently gained and description of Miguel from memory, he told them to be careful.

*Swoosh!* A dark blue envelop shot off with his words. It was such a low level spell, he spent a good bit of time securing it from mages who could intercept it and its range of reach.

"Kuff.. kuff.. kuff!" Coughing up some more purple blood, Hector was actually dizzy. His body was stronger from fighting so he was happy. Sitting in the dirt, he watched his people work with a smile. "Hmm?"

Natalie stood behind him using her healing magic. It would not get rid of the poison but it let his body recover from the beating it took from it. Dorcas stood to his front watching him closely.

"Natalie says you are looking for strong people and building a city, room for more?" Dorcas needed money and the treck to Bern would be to rough right now.

"You are a good man, and the caravan needs more defenders. Natalie has the makings of a good healer, so I can't have her sad. Lots of my people need the extra care besides what I can do." Hector waited until the others were done then swallowed the remains in his magic. 'The Primordial Sea has grown, and I can see some Items rising out.'

What they turned out to be may help him right now or be given to his mercenaries as a reward.