Reynard Bravely Ran Away!!(1)

"H….help me…please" the dark elf said. Her voice was dry, slightly deep, and coarse. She probably hasnt drank water in a while.

Should I free her? The thought of leaving her behind crossed my mind but I acted against it. I wouldn't be a hero but that doesn't mean I had to be mean or cruel. And leaving her to die is cruel.

"There." I said after I quickly cut her restraints.

She rubbed her wrists and looked at me nervously before eargerly grabbing the water skin next to her. She drank viscously and emptied the water skin.

"Thank you, barbarian, I'll repay this I promise you. I swear on it." She said before moving towards a pile of armor and weapons and the corner.

I quickly took a look outside the tent before taking a course of action. Judging by the screams I didnt think that it was going well by any means but what I had thought was not even remotely close to what was really going on.

Rape, murder, torture, burnings. Right there in the open streets. People fought back but the village we were in was just that. A village, the defenders had clubs and other improvised weapons. Occasionally an old sword and the like but nothing that could seriously be considered a weapon.

The attackers however were a different story.

They were well equipped with leather and mail, there also were a few that had pieces of plate armor that were most definitely stolen from corpses or something similar.

Bandits…. Fuck.

This was bad. I couldn't see the men that saved me anywhere. All I could see was destruction and cuelity. Men raped women in the open street, and killed any man they saw. They even killed fucking babies.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fist. How could this happen? Out of the blue? Just this? Is this how life is here? Cruel and unpredictable? I didn't want to stand by and let this happen but what could I do? There was easily over 50 bandits that I could see.

Ill…. Ill make sure to stop these things from happening. Ill make my own mercanry group and destroy them. I can do it. I will do it.

After looking outside I looked at the dark elf putting on armor in the corner. I assume its hers, it did match her aesthetic. It was dark plate armor with dark mail underneath. It looked elven as far as I could tell. Elegant and masterfully crafted for protection.

"No helmet?" I asked her. The only thing missing from her well protective armor was a helmet. The most basic of protection.

"I dont like them." She said plainly.

... Shes serious!!???

Helmets were the most basic of armor. Historically even if you didnt have mail or armor or anything you at least had a helmet.

I guess it is a fantasy world after all.

The dark elf then grabbed a black buckler and black sword that was nearby.

"I guess you like the color black." I said to her. She just gave me a questioning look.

"I think you should take all the equipment you need, we must escape before the bandits outside find us." I said to her.

"I agree, we'll have to escape, judging the noises outside well have no chance at winning with just us. My name is Nephiah." The drow quickly said before grabbing some more equipment and provisions.

I soon followed her lead and began to grab anything that might aide in my survival. I also looked for any armor that might fit.

"My name is…." I thought for a second before saying anything. Should I use my real name? Or make a new one? My old name was fine but…. I think I should make a new name. "Reynard. My name is Reynard." I said to her before quickly continuing to collect and look for equipment.

Withen a few seconds I found some equipment that looked like it might fit. Most of it was scratched up, an bit bent and out of shape but it will have to do for now. The first peice of armor I picked up was a helmet. It looked like a medival European helmet with a unique nasal guard that went down past the nose and covered the lower half of the face in an upside down T. A mouth guard I guess you could say? It also had a mail coif that was connected that protected the neck.

The next pieces of equipment I found was a simple black gameberson and chain mail shirt which I quickly put on. I then found a metal plate cuirass that had a unique masculine look, with defined lines that made it look like armor had pecs and abs. It also had a good amount of coverage of my chest and back but none for my arms.

I began to search for some leg or arm armor and quickly found leather boots and a segmented metal skirt that covered my thighs down to my knees. The leather boots fit a little loose but seemed like it was made out of stern leather.

The next and last peice of armor I found was matching segmented metal shoulder pauldrens with a thick black cape that was attached to it, the cape was thick and warm and went all the way down to my ankles.

I quickly put on all the armor I found and searched for my weapons. My heart pounded with anticipation, the sound of battle, the smell of blood, and cries of death became louder and louder the longer I took. I didn't have much time until they found us.

Spear… shield….sword….dagger!!

I quickly planned what I needed to look for and searched. I always used this combo in games that allowed it, and spears and shields were some of the most used equipment in history.

I very quickly found a simple spear in the tent. It was fairly long and had a nice metal tip with two prongs sticking out at the base of the blade and a tied piece of red ribbon. I wonder what that was for I've seen it very commonly in games but im not sure why. Maybe to distract someone? Not sure. The blade of the spear had a few nics and wasnt all that sharp but it would still definitely kill.

The next piece of equipment I found was a simple round black shield with metal bracings on it. It had no engravings or anything on the shield like I usually see. It was a bit banged up but definitely the best kept equipment out of all the rest I found.

The next and last piece of equipment I found was a black longsword. It was a simple sword that definitely was made for combat and nothing else. It was well made and sturdy and still suprisingly sharp despite the nics and scratches on it.

The dagger I had already grabbed so I just holstered It on my waist.

With all my equipment and weapons found along with some provisions and tools I could fit in the small pouch I had on my waist. I made a plan in my head while I was looking for my equipment . Ill cut through the back of the tent and run as far as I could away from here. Despite my wishes of killing all the bandits I knew my limits. There was no way I could take on that many bandits with just my mediocre skills and little knowledge of swordfighting I knew. I only watched videos and swung the replicas I had around sometimes, I never even had a spar before!!! My expertise was in strategy and commands, not swordfighting. I would have to learn sooner or later but for now I would have to make it out alive.

"Guess you like the color black." The drow said jokingly.

"It was all I could find," I said to her lame joke. "Nephiah, do you know this area well at all?" I then questioned.

She was quick to answer.

"Yes and no, I know where we are but not the surroundings. Ive never been to this village before." She said very calmly.

How can she be so calm….

"Where are we?" I asked her. The sound of fighting and screams were way too close to comfort. We would have to leave now.

"We are currently in Anivinco Province. Im not sure exactly where but I think we're in the northern region of the province. Those men rode for quite some time from where we were at." She then stopped suddenly."…. And I wasnt looting your tribe they…..took something precious to me I just wanted it back." She said shyly. For some reason she doesn't want to offend me. At least I think that's what it is.

"No matter, survival comes first I'm sure you had a good reason but we must leave." I said walking past her to the end of the tent.

"What are you doing?" She asked, following my lead.

I didn't answer her question I just simply unsheathed my dagger and cut the tent from around the top of my head to my ankles in height.

"Run!!!" I yelled before stepping out the tent with my spear and shield in front of me.

...… Damn its cold.