14 Bandits

The Next Morning

When Zark got up I had already put my hammock into the wagon, cleaned my bowl from last night, picked up the crystal circle and hooked the Raybacks and Llama to the wagon. I was putting out the fire when I woke him and told him, "If you are coming you can finish the soup from last night on the way. It's in the front of the wagon." he looked at me in surprise but said nothing about my attire. I jump into the wagon, he followed and we headed down the road.

The first two days Zark did not shut up. I've learned a lot from him but he sure has been annoying me. From time to time I've pulled off to the side of the road collecting herbs or fruit that I hang on the sides of the wagon to dry in the sun. Day two I killed one of the Slyma and after cooking some I preserved the rest. His face went a little lighter grey when I removed the brain and sat down to eat it raw. I offered him a bite and he quickly shook his head no and ran off into the woods as I took another bite smiling.

Day 3 Zark hasn't said a word sense we started out this morning. After two hours pass. I clear my throat and ask, "So what is going on? You have been quite a chatterbox until this morning." Zark rings his hands and says nervously, "Sorry I'm kinda nervous. We are a minimum of a day from the town of Bilge. It's a pretty ruff town. I've heard lone travelers often get attacked by bandits."

I laugh, "So that's why you wanted to travel with me." He shakes his head yes and said, "I didn't think I'd be able to get past alone." I smile and say, "You do realize I'm just one female? I also see no reason to babysit you." He looks even more nervous as he says, "Y-Y-Yes and I wouldn't expect you to but you have this wagon. They can't tell it's just us." I laugh and say, "Relax I'm not worried. I can't say anything about you, but I can take care of myself." He doesn't say anything and just stares straight ahead looking worried.

It is mid morning when I smell them, eight total. I pull a jar out of my Void bag and pull off the cover dumping the contents over the edge of the wagon. Zark looks at me in confusion and asks, "What was that? It looked black." I smile keeping my eyes forward, I say, "Nothing important." He looks even more confused, and very worried as he starts playing with his short sword that's laying across his legs, but he says nothing else. After a few minutes three guys jump out in front of the cart. One grabs the Raybacks leads saying, "Not so fast." The Raybacks moo as they come to a sudden stop.

I look at the three and smile as two more come out from either side of the trail. They all appear to be some kind of humans. Four have yellow skin with green hair and the one holding my Raybacks has blue hair and orange skin "Are they actually humans?" I think. Instead I say, "Hello good Sirs. How can I help you?"

The one at my side pulls out a knife and says, "There is a toll to pass through so we will be taking everything you have, get down. This is not an option. It's an order." I smile and climb down saying, "I can't have that, release my wagon at once." The guy next to me licks the blade of his knife ending at the tip saying, "I don't think you realize the position you are in." I smile and say, "No, you don't." With that I reach out and hit the back of his blade. The blade slices through his tongue and into the back of his throat. He falls to the ground gagging on his own blood and knife.

"One," I say out loud and draw my sword. The men look shocked and then break out in laughter as they look at the empty sword hilt in my hand. The one holding the raybacks says, "That was a big mistake." Zark engages one to the side of the wagon. The two at the front of the cart that are not holding my Raybacks come around to my side of the cart. The one on the right who has a scar running down the left side of his face says, "You may have been lucky surprising Tapis, but what are you gonna do with a hilt and no blade against us."

At this point a scream is heard from in the woods. I smile and say, "That's two, this sword hilt was made for me by the Noraces." At that they all look at the hilt and take a step back. "In fact it was made specially for me," I continue. The skin on my hand that holds the sword starts to turn my copper tan color. My finger nails become sharp and the color rushes up my arm stopping at my shoulder.

Another scream from the woods, "Three." I swing the hilt and a black fire blade appears. The fire extends with my swing slicing through both their necks and setting the bodies on fire as they fall to the ground. "Four and Five." Another scream in the woods. Followed by a rustling. "Six, two left." The sound of metal hitting metal can be heard on the other side of the wagon, followed by a thud then a grown, and feet running."

I smile as the man holding the leads of the Raybacks let go and starts running down the road. I see a blur of black heading towards the fading sound of foot steps, and I take off after the man in front of me. I swipe my sword and it cuts through his left leg. He screams as he falls down the cut on his leg burning. I hear another scream to the back of the wagon. The man tries dragging himself forward I take out my knife and throw it. It lands in his left hand pinning it to the ground.

He screams. I wave my hand and the fire vanishes. He uses what little strength he can muster to remove the knife pinning his hand to the ground. He then curls himself up into a ball as if he is trying to protect what is left of his hand, and cries in pain. He looks over his shoulder at me as I get closer. I put my sword hilt away as he turns himself over still clutching his bleeding hand so he can see me better. I crouch down to his level and say, "three questions, one" I put up one finger. "What are you?" He looks at me with surprise and confusion on his face and half yells and half cries, "What do you mean what am I? I'm a human."

He looks at my arm and hand, "What the hell are you." I ignore him as I think and say, "question two," I raise two fingers. "What Magic can you humans use?" He looks at me for a minute in confusion then says, "Are you crazy. I'm a human. It's common knowledge that we are the perfect creation. Every creature knows humans can use all magic depending on our affinity." I think for a minute and say out loud to myself, "Hmm then it's like what I read. The pictures in the books showed humans as orange and yellow but I never actually thought."

He interrupts my loud thinking with his questions, "What's the third question. Are you gonna let me go? What do you want with me?" I bring my attention back to him and smile as I grab him by his shirt lifting his upper body off the ground I say, "There was no third question I just want to see you dead." I take his head and squeeze crushing his head like a melon.

I lick my fingers then open his skull the rest of the way and take out a chunk of brain matter. After that I hear a splat sound followed by a thud as I toss his body to the side of the road a chunk of brain still in my other hand. I Retrieve my knife, get up and walk to the other side of the wagon. My fire wolf meets me as I look down at Zark . He lays up against the wagon wheel.

I take a bite of the brain I have in my hand and say, "You have a sword in your gut." He coughs up blood and looks up at me, "Guess I'm not gonna make it to Azar." I pop the last bite into my mouth, swallow and squat down to his level. "Nope you will not, but you should be pleased, your death will be of use to me." I reach for his head.