Chief Bathesda

As the alarm sounded again, the streets erupted into chaos. People scrambled to gather their belongings and usher their children to safety, barricading windows and doors to protect themselves from the impending threat. Nienna watched in concern, her eyes scanning the panicked faces of the townspeople. She could understand their fear - they were fixers, not warriors, and the thought of defending themselves against ruthless bandits was daunting.

Aria hastily gathered Nienna, Jaxon, and the others, urging them to seek shelter. "We have to get out of here, now!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with worry. "The grown-ups will handle this, we need to let them do their job."

Nienna hesitated, her hand on the hilt of her dagger. "Wait, I thought you guys were the ones in charge," she said, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Aria and Rian exchanged a nervous glance. "Yeah, in charge of surveillance, not fighting," Rian explained hastily. "We're still training, we can't just - "

Nienna cut him off, her voice firm. "The grown-ups aren't forthcoming, and the bandits are already here. We should fight them off."

The group stared at her in incredulity, Jaxon's expression particularly skeptical. "No offense, princess, but surviving a few ambushes and major death situations doesn't equal fighting skills. It equals luck," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Nienna rolled her eyes, a flush rising to her cheeks. "You know, if you spent more time actually teaching me than being sarcastic, we wouldn't be ambushed at all," she retorted, her hand tightening around her dagger.

Gio, the dark-haired guy, threw up his hands in exasperation. "Oh my God, you two get a room!" he exclaimed, just as the revving of engines echoed through the air.

The group turned to see a convoy of rugged, makeshift vehicles careening towards them, bandits spilling out of the trucks like a dark, menacing tide. Nienna's heart skipped a beat as she gripped her dagger, a fierce determination burning within her.

Without hesitation, the group charged into battle, their movements a blur of steel and fury. Nienna dodged and weaved, her dagger flashing in the sunlight as she clashed with the bandits. Jaxon fought alongside her, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. Rian and Aria worked together, their movements a perfect sync as they took down bandit after bandit.

Gio, meanwhile, had commandeered one of the bandits' vehicles, using it to ram into the enemy lines and send them scattering. The sound of crunching metal and screams filled the air, the battle raging on with no end in sight.

Nienna's breath came in ragged gasps, her muscles aching with exertion. But she refused to back down, her determination to protect the townspeople burning brighter with every passing moment. She clashed with a burly bandit, her dagger flashing in the sunlight as she fought to gain the upper hand...

And then, just as she thought she had the bandit on the ropes, a loud crash echoed through the air, followed by the sound of Gio's voice, shouting in alarm. "Nienna, watch out!"

Nienna spun around, her dagger at the ready, just as a massive bandit came crashing down on top of her. She dodged to the side, avoiding the bandit's crushing blow by mere inches. The bandit slammed into the ground, sending dirt and debris flying everywhere.

Nienna took advantage of the bandit's momentary stunned state, striking out with her dagger and landing a solid hit. The bandit howled in pain, clutching at his side as Nienna danced out of the way, her eyes scanning the battlefield for her next target.

Jaxon was fighting off a group of bandits, his sword flashing in the sunlight as he took down opponent after opponent. Rian and Aria were working together, using their agility and quick reflexes to dodge the bandits' attacks and strike back with deadly precision.

Gio, meanwhile, was using his vehicle to ram into the bandits, sending them flying. He leapt out of the vehicle, a fierce grin on his face, and charged into the fray, his fists flying.

Nienna spotted a bandit sneaking up behind Gio, a cruel-looking knife glinting in his hand. She sprinted towards them, her dagger at the ready. "Gio, behind you!" she shouted, just as the bandit struck.

Gio spun around, his eyes widening in alarm, but Nienna was already there, her dagger flashing in the sunlight as she deflected the bandit's blow. The two of them clashed, their blades ringing out as they fought for dominance.

The battle raged on, the sound of clashing steel and screams filling the air. Nienna's muscles ached with exertion, but she refused to back down, her determination to protect the townspeople burning brighter with every passing moment.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the bandits began to falter. They retreated, leaving their fallen comrades behind. As they fled, their leader turned back to Nienna and the others, a snarl twisting his face.

"This isn't over," he spat. "We'll be back, and next time, you won't be so lucky."

Nienna stood tall, her dagger still clutched in her hand. "We're not lucky," she said, her voice steady. "We're just better than you."

The bandit leader's face darkened with anger, but he knew better than to take on Nienna and the others again. He turned and fled, disappearing into the distance with his cohorts.

As the dust settled, Nienna and the others stood victorious, but battered. They shared a weary glance, their chests heaving with exhaustion.

"Well, that was fun," Gio said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Nienna rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."

Jaxon chuckled. "Hey, at least we made it out alive."

The grown-ups, hearing the commotion, rushed out of their homes, each one frantically searching for their children. Aria and Rian's mother was the first to spot them, her eyes widening in alarm as she rushed over to check them for signs of hurt.

"What just happened here?" she cried, her voice shrill with worry. "What were you doing outside the house when the alarm was sounded?"

Another parent screamed, her face pale with fear. "And who are they?" she demanded, her eyes fixed on Nienna and Jaxon.

The children all started to explain at once, talking over each other in a cacophony of sound. The chief and the other elders facepalmed, their expressions a mix of exasperation and amusement.

"Quiet!" the chief exclaimed, her voice ringing out across the square. Jaxon sighed, stepping forward to intervene.

"Finally, someone older," he said, winking at the chief. "Kids, am I right?"

But the chief was not having it. Her expression was stern, her eyes flashing with authority.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" she demanded, her voice firm.

Aria spoke up, her voice hesitant. "We um, we kind of ambushed the princess, but I swear we let her go as soon as we found out. We were about to -"

But her mother interrupted her, her eyes widening in shock. "The princess?" she repeated, her voice trembling. "You mean, the princess?"

The chief's eyes snapped to Nienna, and it was as if a lightbulb had gone off in her head. "Your Majesty," she breathed, her voice full of reverence.

The other elders bowed, their faces solemn. Nienna's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she tried to wave them off.

"Please, get up," she said, her voice awkward. "I haven't been that for some time now."

The chief rose, her eyes fixed on Nienna's face. She looked at the tire tracks on the ground, and then her gaze snapped back to Nienna.

"Wait...where are the bandits?" she demanded, her voice incredulous.

Aria rolled her eyes, her expression exasperated. "That's what I was trying to say before you interrupted me, Mother. The princess..." Gio chimed in, his voice full of excitement. "Led us to fight them, and we did!"

The chief's face turned bright red with anger, her eyes flashing with indignation. "You did what?" she thundered. "I have told you many, many times that violence is not the answer. The deal is, they come, we give them what they want, and we live peacefully."

Jaxon and Nienna stared at her, their faces incredulous. "No offense, but that's cowardice," Jaxon said, his voice blunt.

The chief's face turned purple with rage, but before she could explode, one of the elders whispered something in her ear. Her expression changed, her face smoothing out into a calm mask.

"Let's not discuss this now," she said, her voice smooth. "Come, you must be tired and hungry."

The meals were passed around, and everyone sat in awkward silence, the tension palpable. The grown-ups were still fuming at their children, and the children were trying to save face. Nienna gulped, attempting to break the ice. "The food is nice," she said, forcing a smile.

The chief gave her a tight-lipped smile, her eyes still flashing with anger. "So, what brought you here?" she asked, her voice dripping with skepticism.

Jaxon opened his mouth to respond, but Nienna cut him off, tired of having him speak for her all the time. "Actually, we were hoping to find a map to the lost city of Tamarang," she said, her voice firm.

The chief's expression changed, her face darkening like a storm cloud. She dropped her spoon, the clatter echoing through the silence. "Why would you need such a thing?" she demanded. "Finding it is almost as dangerous as finding the Shadow Realm, if not more."

Jaxon grumbled under his breath, "Trust me, we know."

Nienna's eyes locked onto the chief's, her determination burning brighter. "We are searching for the lost army, and the Blade from Hades. It is my destiny to use it to defeat my uncle."

The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the adults. Jaxon tensed beside her, but Nienna didn't notice it. The other kids looked at her in awe, their eyes wide with wonder.

The chief's expression softened, her voice taking on a conciliatory tone. "I'm all for stopping your uncle as well, but I believe we can settle this by speaking amicably."

The elders nodded in agreement, their faces somber. Nienna's jaw set, her voice calm but firm. "I appreciate your concern, but I think I'll do it my way."

Jaxon stood up, his movements fluid. "She's right, now if we could just have the map, we'll be on our merry way."

Nienna rose beside him, her eyes locked onto the chief's. But the chief's expression turned stern, her voice firm. "We can't let you leave."

Nienna and Jaxon frowned, their faces mirroring each other's confusion. "Letting you go with the map is tantamount to killing the princess, and no one wants that on their conscience...you're much too valuable," the chief continued.

Jaxon's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Okay, nice joke, but we really have to go."

He stepped back, but his back collided with one of the guards, who stood firm, his arms crossed. Jaxon's eyes flashed with anger, but Nienna's hand on his arm stayed him.

The chief's voice dripped with sincerity. "I don't think you understand...no one is leaving. We have to keep the legacy of the royal bloodline safe...it's what the king and queen would have wanted."

The room fell silent once more, the only sound the heavy breathing of the adults. Nienna's eyes locked onto the chief's, a spark of defiance burning within her. She knew that she had to escape, no matter the cost. The question was, how?