11 Ambush

I jumped out of the carriage, just to see, that there were numerous bandits surrounding our area. The Twin Horns were already in fighting positions and prepared for the upcoming confrontation.

"Look's like we hit the jackpot. Not just three, but 4 women at once?" The bandit chief looked next to me, where my mother was currently standing. That fucker.

"Art! Protect your mother!" Rey was a completely different person. He was totally focused and I've never really seen him as serious and afraid as now. He was fighting, because he feared for our lives. I saw it in his eyes. Dad...

The bandits came rushing in, but were met with arrows and spearheads. Helen was a good shot for sure. Durden cast an earth wall spell at a perfect timing, forcing the bandits to run around. This covered us from straight attacks and helped us funnel the bandits. As everyone was fully occupied. It felt wrong to just stand by. I saw Adam struggling not far away from me, I should help him.

Two bandits were totally focused on Adam. This gave me the chance to jump up from behind, and with a dagger I'd taken from Jasmine before the battle started, stabbed one of them in the neck.

"Arrghhh!"

The other one turned around, which was a crucial mistake. Adam noticing this gap flipped his spear and stabbed him in the chest. To finish him off, I sliced through his throat. I had to make sure...I had to make sure that the peasants that endanger my family died.

"Thanks Art, but get back to your mother. I can handle this from now."

I swiftly returned. My mother and Angela were fending off incoming aerial attacks, while my father was engaging the bandit leader. They had some mages as well, but we had the situation under control for now.

Their numbers were no joke, and they had the high ground. It's surprising that we are even holding out this long, let alone fighting back. That just goes to show how skilled the Twin Horns actually are, as well as my parent's. Speaking of my parents. My father was currently still fighting their leader. I saw my dad struggling. My father was fast enough to evade most attacks, but some still managed to injure him every now and then. Small slashes spread across his body, slowly ripping through his clothing. He's struggling! But just as I wanted to step in, a long range attack targeted me and my mother. I won't be able to stop it, except if I throw my body in front of it. I will protect my mother.

My mind was made up, I would jump and block it, but seconds before I could do so...

"Earth wall" Durden came in clutch. His earth wall barely managed to hold off the attack. He cast a spell, whilst holding off 2 bandits. He's no joke. The second I didn't watch my father's fight, was the second he lost.

"Arghhh" My father was thrown back towards us, struggling on the ground.

"Pathetic weakling!" The bandit leader looked happy. "You won't even make a good product, I should just kill you here and now."

"Shut your mouth" Jasmine jumped in, taking on the big guy all by herself. Her movement was fast and unpredictable. Impressive really. But will she be able to hold up?

"Rey!! I need to..." before my mother could finish her sentence, father jumped in "No! You can't! I don't need healing, I'll be fine." My mother looked desperate. She seemed weaker than usual and the heat of battle seemed to do a number on her.

"Rey I have to heal you." Her look changed, she was determined. She knew that Rey's wounds could end up fatal. She held her palms towards his wounds and chanted some spell. Green glowing light, exiting through her hands started healing the wounds.

"Arthur!" My father looked serious. He doesn't usually look at me like this. "They know your mother is a healer now. You have to take her down the mountain path and protect her. We will take care of things here."

I wanted to refuse. I wanted to stay and fight. But all of that disappeared with my father's next sentence. "You need to protect your mother and sister!"

Sister. Jinah. Mother and sister. I froze for a second. My mother was pregnant. That's why she seemed so weakened. I'm getting a sister? That thought managed to clear my head and I returned to full focus. I grabbed my mother's hand and looked at my father. "Don't take too long, dad." He forced a smile on his face, even though he was obviously nervous.

As I attempted to sneak away with my mother, two bandits cut off our path behind the carriage. I held my hand before my mother. "Wait. Don't move" I jumped towards the bandits. They didn't expect this four year old to slice em, but he did. He did slice them. This dagger is not too bad. I'll keep it.

"Art!!! Watch out!" My mother panicked, I looked over to see where her gaze was focussed. Up on a cliff, there was a mage, preparing a huge spell.

"Earth slide"

Earth slide? Don't tell me? NO! MOOM! The ground started shaking and began falling in itself. We were close to the edge of a cliff. I can't let my mother fall. I leapt towards her, her step already unsure, she was about to fall down. I won't do it from this angle. I need to jump. It was clear to me. The choice ahead was an easy one. Trade my life for hers.

I jumped in front of her, which meant that I was now midair. I aimed my hand at her. 'Mana release'. A strong current of mana exited from my hands. The wave was enough to push my mother back. She fell on her back, but she wouldn't fall. As for me, the shockwave pushed me back...

"ARTHUUUUUUUR! NOOOOO!"

I could still see them fighting, as their heads turned around.

Screams filled the valleys of the mountain as I fell through it. This is it...I'm gonna die again.