Forest Bandits

"Kite, Kite!" Ludo yelled as they made their way to the bottom of the chasm by foot.

Liliana turned toward Elian. His brow was furrowed with self-reproach. "I should have been able to pull him back," he muttered, clenching his fists. "If only I had been quicker, stronger…"

She exchanged a worried glance with Ludo before stepping closer to Elian. "You did everything you could," she said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The landslide was too sudden, even for you."

Ludo nodded in agreement. "Elian, you saved us with that barrier. Without you, we all would have been caught in it. Kite wouldn't blame you."

Elian stopped pacing and looked at them, the torment clear in his eyes. "But he's out there alone because I couldn't—"

"Because you did what you could," Liliana interrupted, her voice firm. "Kite is alive out there. Plus, he's strong and smart. I'm sure he'll find his way to the wagon somehow. It might take him time, but he will."

The conviction in her words seemed to reach Elian, and he took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "You're right. We need to focus on finding him, not on what we could have done differently."

Ludo nodded. "Exactly, now help me find him."

Liliana smiled and nodded.

Together, they resumed their search, calling out for Kite and listening for any response. The forest was vast, but their determination was unwavering. They would find their friend. Liliana believed it with all her heart.

"Kite!" Liliana yelled.

"Look what the cat dragged in, three runts. What are a bunch of ten-year-olds doing here in the forest?" a fat guy in black said, smirking at them.

Liliana's heart skipped a beat at the sight of the man in black. She instinctively stepped in front of Elian and Ludo, her stance protective. "We're looking for our friend," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

The man's smirk widened. "Lost, are you? Maybe I can help… for a price."

Elian stepped forward, his earlier self-doubt replaced by a fierce resolve. "We don't need help from the likes of you," he retorted, his hand subtly reaching for the small dagger he kept hidden.

Ludo, ever the peacemaker, put a hand on Elian's arm, a silent plea for caution. "We just want to find our friend," he said to the man. "We'll be on our way, and you won't see us again."

The man chuckled, a low and menacing sound. "Oh, I think you'll be seeing a lot more of me. You see, this forest is my territory, and everyone has to pay a toll."

Liliana felt a surge of anger. "We're not paying you anything," she declared boldly. "And you can't claim the forest. It belongs to itself, not to any one person."

The man took a step forward, but before he could respond, a rustling came from the trees. All eyes turned to see a figure stepping out of the shadows. It was Kite.

"Is there a problem here?" Kite asked, brandishing his golden sword.

"Kite!" the trio said, smiling.

The man smirked. "Look, a fourth one. And this one seems to have a nice sword." He snickered. "Hand it over kid and I'll let you four pass."

Kite's grip on his sword tightened, and he took a step forward, positioning himself between the man and his friends. "This sword was given to me by someone very important," Kite said, his voice steady despite the danger. "I won't hand it over to a thief."

The man's eyes narrowed, and he took a menacing step forward. "You have spirit, kid. But you're outnumbered and outmatched," he said, gesturing to the shadows where more figures emerged, backing him up.

Liliana felt a surge of fear but also determination. They couldn't let this man intimidate them. "We don't want any trouble," she said. "We just want to find our friend and leave."

Elian formed a barrier around himself and his friends.

"Oh ho! So, a fight you chose. Fine!" He curled his hand into a fist. The man must've been a bruiser like her daddy.

"Elian! Move!" Liliana yelled.

Elian glared at the men. "My shield will hold."

The crew laughed. "You really think your pathetic kid magic can withstand old Lagh's fist?" they mocked in unison.

The blond kept glaring at them.

Kite took a deep breath and pushed Elian away as Lagh threw his fist. The barrier shattered. He dug his feet as he tried to stop the man's fist with the blunt end of his sword. 

"Kite!" Liliana said as she helped Elian up. As they fought, the other bandits rushed in.

One grabbed Elian by the foot.

"Let him go!" Liliana yelled, making the forest shake. She might've been a healer mage, but she could be as dangerous as a bruiser.

She frowned. If only she knew other kinds of support magic apart from actual healing.

Liliana's voice echoed through the forest, a clear note of command that seemed to resonate with the very essence of the woods. The trees themselves seemed to respond, their branches swaying more violently as if angered by the bandits' presence.

Roots shot up and grabbed the bandits, throwing them away.

"Ugh, you wimps! You can take on a little girl!" Lagh yelled as he himself struggled against Kite.

Elian, now free from the bandit's grasp thanks to Liliana's intervention, scrambled to his feet. "We need to regroup!" he shouted, moving to stand back-to-back with Kite.

Kite nodded, pushing back against the bandits with a series of deft moves that belied his earlier calm demeanor. His sword was a blur, and though he was outnumbered, his training was evident in every parry and thrust.

Ludo, not one to stand idly by, joined the fray, his own magic flaring to life. Water rushed out of his hands, sweeping the bandits away. While he too was a healer by profession, he could be just as dangerous as Liliana when push came to shove.

Ludo's water magic created a slippery terrain, causing the bandits to lose their footing. "We have to end this quickly," he said, glancing at the darkening sky.

Liliana, her hands glowing with a soft green light, focused her energy on the plants around them. Vines crept up silently behind the bandits, binding their arms and pulling their weapons away. "You will not harm my friends," she declared, her voice echoing with the power of the forest.

Lagh, realizing the fight was not going in his favor, roared in frustration. "Retreat!" he bellowed to his men, struggling against the combined might of the young mages.

The bandits, now thoroughly ensnared by the forest's grasp, had no choice but to heed their leader's command. They retreated, disappearing into the growing shadows of the trees.

As the last of the bandits vanished, the forest calmed, and the roots and vines receded back into the earth. The group of friends stood in the clearing, exhausted but victorious.

Kite sheathed his sword and turned to his friends with a grateful smile. "We did it," he said, his eyes shining with pride.

Liliana's heart swelled with relief and pride. "Let's get back to the wagon," she suggested. "We're safer there."

"About that, I actually found Sylvana," Kite said. He looked over his shoulder.

A shy-looking, white-haired girl with lilac eyes stepped out of the shadows.

Kite beamed. "She saved me."

"I... didn't really do much," she mumbled, keeping her eyes down.

Liliana hugged her. "A friend of Kite's is a friend of mine!"

"Eh? I-I'm not sure if we're friends just yet."

Ludo sighed as he adjusted his glasses. "Liliana, don't go hugging everyone. You'll scare them off."

Liliana released Sylvana from the embrace, but her smile remained warm and welcoming. "Sorry, I got carried away," she apologized. "It's just… we've been so worried, and seeing Kite safe with you, it's a relief."

Sylvana managed a small smile, her lilac eyes flickering up to meet Liliana's. "It's okay. I'm glad he's alright too."

Elian stepped forward, extending his hand to Sylvana. "Thank you for helping Kite. I'm Elian," he introduced himself.

Sylvana hesitated for a moment before shaking his hand. "Sylvana. And it was nothing, really."

Ludo, still standing a bit apart, gave her a nod of acknowledgment. "I'm Ludo. We appreciate what you did."

Kite smiled. "She even summoned a griffin. Although, I didn't get to see it."

"Woah! Tomas would love to see that!" Liliana said, giggling.

Her cousin smiled and nodded. "Yeah, he sure would."

Sylvana blushed at the attention.

"We should probably make a camp," Elian said, looking at the darkening sky. The forest was bathed in twilight. "It's not safe to travel through the forest at night."

Silvana smiled. "I know a way we can move fast."

Liliana's twilight-colored eyes sparkled. "Griffin time?"

The white-haired girl nodded and held a hand toward the sky. Suddenly, a golden circle appeared in the sky and out of it came a golden griffin.

The golden griffin descended gracefully, its large wings stirring the air and sending a gentle breeze through the clearing. The majestic creature landed softly on the ground, its bestial eyes surveying the group with a calm curiosity.

Sylvana approached the griffin, her hand outstretched. "This is Zephyron," she said. "He'll help us travel quickly and safely."

Liliana clapped her hands in delight, her earlier fears forgotten in the presence of such a magnificent beast. "It's beautiful," she exclaimed.

Elian, who had been quiet, stepped forward with a look of awe. "I've read about griffins, but I never thought I'd see one."

Ludo adjusted his glasses. "It really is amazing."

Kite, still holding his sword nodded. "Can he carry all of us, though?"

"Yes," Sylvana confirmed. "He's strong enough."

One by one, they climbed onto Zephyron's back, finding secure spots among his golden feathers. Sylvana took her place at the front, her hands resting gently on the griffin's neck.

Kite wrapped his arms around her waist, while Lilian wrapped her arms around his.

"Ugh, a little tight there," Kite said, wincing.

She chuckled weakly. "Sorry." 

"Are you ready?" Sylvana asked, looking back at her new companions.

They all nodded, and with a powerful leap, Zephyron took to the sky. The ground fell away, and the forest became a sea of green below them. The wind rushed past, and the thrill of flight filled them with a mixture of excitement and peace.

As they soared above the treetops, the last rays of the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and purple. They were flying, truly flying, and the problems of the world below seemed distant and small.

Liliana leaned close to Kite, shouting over the wind, "This is amazing!"

Kite grinned, the wind whipping through his hair. "It really is!"

Sylvana smiled and petted Zephyron's head. "Thanks, Ron."

He nodded his head and out a sound like the mix of purring and a raven's caw. Liliana had expected it to sound like a mix of a lion's roar and an eagle's screech. Although, the meowing-caw was much cuter.

The griffin's powerful wings carried them further, and as the stars began to appear, they knew they were in for a treat with Sylvana joining their circle of friends.