V1.C9. Bandit Attack (III)

CHAPTER 9: BANDIT ATTACK (III)

The low crackle of a campfire filled the quiet night air as three figures sat in the shadows of the forest, their expressions calm, even casual. Around them, nearly three dozen bandits—men and women armed to the teeth—rested in various states of readiness. Some were sharpening blades, others eating their last meal before the attack, and a few slept with weapons cradled in their arms. The atmosphere was not one of tension, but of certainty—this was just another raid to them, another well-planned strike that would leave no room for failure.

At the center of the camp, three figures stood out. Their leader, Kiva, a tall, broad-shouldered woman with fierce, angular features, stared into the fire with steely eyes. Her long, black hair was tied back in a braid, and her armor was worn from years of combat, but her movements were relaxed, as if this entire night was nothing more than routine. A scar ran down the side of her face, giving her a permanent snarl, though her expression remained cool and calculating.

Beside her sat two men. The first was a wiry figure named Daiko, his lean body clad in dark, flexible leather armor that allowed for swift, deadly strikes. His piercing eyes scanned the perimeter of the camp, ever watchful. Daiko was the strategist of the group, always thinking several steps ahead. His long, thin knives gleamed in the firelight, and his demeanor suggested he was itching for the fight to begin.

The third member of the trio was Sorin, a hulking brute of a man with a shaved head and a thick beard. He was built like a mountain, his massive arms crossed over his chest as he sat by the fire, his gaze distant. Unlike the others, Sorin rarely spoke, but when he did, it was with a calm authority that belied his size. He was the enforcer, the one who led the charge and broke through enemy lines with sheer force.

Kiva broke the silence, her voice low and steady. "The village is evacuated. Our spy's reports were accurate."

Daiko nodded, his lips curling into a thin smile. "Of course they were. The airbenders are predictable. Once they got word of us, they evacuated the villagers without a second thought."

Kiva's eyes gleamed in the firelight as she shifted her gaze to the distant lights of the temple. "The temple is well-fortified. High walls, high ground, and plenty of airbenders inside. But none of that matters. We've done this before, and we'll do it again."

Sorin grunted in agreement, his deep voice rumbling like distant thunder. "They'll scatter once we hit them where it hurts. The walls won't hold long."

Daiko, ever the planner, leaned forward slightly, his sharp eyes meeting Kiva's. "The key is timing. Our spy inside the temple has already provided everything we need. They know the weak points, the layout, the movements of the novices. The north wall is the softest target. That's where we'll make our entrance. And while they scramble to defend it…" He trailed off, a smirk forming on his lips.

Kiva finished the thought. "We hit them from the south. Catch them off-guard while they think they're defending the north. It'll be chaos, and by the time they realize what's happening, it'll be too late."

Sorin leaned forward, resting his massive hands on his knees. "And the spy? Can they be trusted to pull it off?"

"They've come through for us so far," Kiva replied, her tone measured. "But this is the last test. When the signal goes up, we'll know if they've earned their place among us."

The three sat in silence for a moment, the crackle of the fire the only sound between them. Then Kiva stood, her posture relaxed but radiating authority. "Get ready. The signal should come soon. Once it does, we move. This temple will fall like all the others."

Daiko's eyes glittered with anticipation, and Sorin nodded, his massive hands flexing as he mentally prepared for the coming fight. None of them showed the slightest hint of fear. This was their life—raiding, conquering, defeating those who thought themselves untouchable. To them, this was just another night, just another temple.

---

At the temple gates, Yogan stood beside Renji, their gazes locked on the dark forest below. The tension between the two brothers had always been there, but tonight it was set aside. There were more important things at stake—the temple, the village, and the lives of everyone within their walls.

Renji had been appointed by the elders to lead the defense, and Yogan had to admit, he was the right choice. Despite their differences, Renji had always been the more level-headed of the two. He was strong, strategic, and calm under pressure. Now, with the weight of the entire temple resting on his shoulders, Renji seemed even more resolute, as if the burden had sharpened his focus.

"You ready for this?" Yogan asked, his voice quieter than usual.

Renji glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "I don't think anyone's ever truly ready for war. But we'll do what we have to."

Yogan nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. He shifted uncomfortably, his mind racing with thoughts of what was to come. "If we can hold them off long enough for the villagers to evacuate, we might stand a chance."

"That's the plan," Renji replied. "But don't underestimate them. These bandits aren't just thugs. They've done this before, and they know what they're doing. We need to be ready for anything."

Just then, Kaiya and Kezin appeared at their side, both looking tense but determined.

"Where's Yoan?" Kaiya asked, her brows furrowed with concern.

Yogan exchanged a glance with Renji before responding. "I haven't seen him since earlier. He was supposed to be with the rest of the novices, preparing the defenses."

Kezin's eyes narrowed as he scanned the temple grounds. "Something feels off."

Before anyone could respond, a deafening explosion rocked the night, shattering the quiet. The north wall of the temple erupted in a plume of dust and stone, the ground trembling beneath their feet.

"North wall!" Renji barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Move!"

Airbenders scrambled from their positions, rushing toward the source of the explosion. Yogan, Renji, Kaiya, and Kezin bolted toward the north side of the temple, where smoke and debris were already clouding the air. Novices shouted orders, and the older monks formed ranks, preparing to defend the breach.

But as they reached the north wall, something wasn't right. The wall had been blown apart, but there was no sign of the enemy. No bandits storming through the gap, no attacks—just the eerie stillness that followed the blast.

Yogan's heart pounded in his chest as his eyes scanned the rubble. "Where are they?"

"It's a trap," Renji muttered, his face pale. "They're not coming from the north."

Realization dawned on them too late. From the south, a sudden roar pierced the air as the full force of the bandits surged over the southern wall. Torches flared, and the dark figures of bandits poured into the temple grounds, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight.

"South wall! Fall back!" Renji shouted, turning and sprinting toward the southern perimeter, Yogan, Kaiya, and Kezin close behind.

Chaos erupted as the bandits clashed with the airbenders in the courtyard. Blades met gusts of wind, and the sounds of battle filled the night—shouts, clashing metal, and the cries of the wounded. Renji, at the forefront, led a group of airbenders to meet the charge, using precise bursts of wind to disarm and knock down attackers. But there were too many. The bandits fought with a deadly efficiency, cutting down anyone who stood in their way.

Yogan barely had time to think as he threw himself into the fight, using his airbending to hurl attackers off their feet and deflect blows. Beside him, Kaiya moved like a whirlwind, her movements fast and sharp, while Kezin's waterbending flowed with grace and power, sweeping through the enemy ranks like a tidal wave.

But it wasn't enough. The bandits were relentless, and the airbenders were quickly being overwhelmed.

Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin led the charge from the rear, their presence commanding and dangerous. Kiva's fierce expression never wavered as she cut down airbenders with brutal precision. Daiko darted through the chaos like a shadow, his knives finding their marks with deadly accuracy. Sorin, a towering force, swung a massive hammer, sending airbenders flying with every blow.

Yogan could feel the tide turning against them. The temple grounds were littered with the wounded and dead, both airbenders and bandits alike. Blood stained the stones, and the air was thick with the smell of smoke and fear.

"They're pushing us back!" Kaiya shouted, her eyes wide with desperation.

"We need to regroup!" Renji called out, though his voice was strained with the weight of the battle.

Yogan's heart sank as he looked around. The bandits were too strong, too well-prepared. They had been outmaneuvered, outsmarted. The north wall had been a distraction, and now the temple was falling.

The battle raged on across the temple grounds. Bandits and airbenders clashed in a chaotic whirlwind of blades, bending, and cries of battle. The once serene and peaceful courtyard was now a warzone, littered with the injured and dying. Yogan could barely keep track of where the bandits were coming from, their numbers overwhelming as they pushed deeper into the heart of the temple.

Amidst the chaos, Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin moved with terrifying purpose. Their eyes were not on the airbenders they were cutting down, but on the distant outline of the Great Hall, the heart of the temple. That was where their true mission lay.

Kiva wiped the blood from her blade, her fierce eyes scanning the battlefield. "We've softened them up enough. It's time."

Daiko, who had been dancing between airbenders with his twin knives, nodded with a smirk. "The Great Hall. Everything we came for is in there."

Sorin cracked his massive knuckles, his eyes flicking to the Hall in the distance. "Let's finish this."

The three bandit leaders began moving, cutting through the chaos of the battle like predators weaving through a herd. In the midst of the fight, they were calm, composed, and utterly focused. They followed the mental map of the temple they had memorized, their path cutting through the courtyard, skirting the southern wall toward the Great Hall's entrance.

From the side, Yogan caught a glimpse of them, his heart stopping. He saw their movements, saw the way they cut through the airbenders without hesitation, and he knew instantly that they weren't here just for the fight. They had a deeper purpose, and they were heading straight for the Great Hall.

"Kezin!" Yogan shouted over the chaos, pointing toward the three bandit leaders. "They're heading for the Hall!"

Kezin, fighting off two bandits with water whips that danced around his arms, looked up, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the trio. "They've got a plan. We can't let them reach it."

Without another word, Yogan and Kezin broke away from the main fight, weaving through the chaos of airbenders and bandits alike, their eyes locked on Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin as they slipped toward the Great Hall. Kaiya followed close behind, her eyes wide with determination.

"Yogan! Kezin! Kaiya!" Renji's voice called from behind them, sharp and commanding. "Get back here, we need you!"

Yogan faltered for a moment, glancing back at his brother. Renji was standing near the front lines, desperately trying to hold back the flood of bandits. For a split second, Yogan felt torn, knowing they were needed in the defense. But something about the way Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin moved told him that whatever they were after in the Great Hall was more important than the fight out here.

"Sorry, Renji," Yogan muttered under his breath. "We have to stop them."

Without another glance back, Yogan, Kezin, and Kaiya followed the bandit leaders toward the Great Hall, their footsteps pounding against the temple stones.

---

The Great Hall loomed ahead, its towering stone walls lined with ancient carvings and statues of long-forgotten airbender masters. It had always been a place of reverence and peace, but now it stood silent, its sacred halls about to be desecrated by invaders.

As Yogan, Kezin, and Kaiya reached the entrance, they skidded to a halt. The heavy wooden doors were slightly ajar, and inside, the faint glow of torchlight flickered in the darkness. They exchanged a glance before pushing the doors open, slipping into the shadows of the Hall.

Inside, they found Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin standing near the far wall, studying something—though Yogan couldn't see what. And there, in the center of the Hall, was a figure Yogan hadn't expected to see.

"Yoan!" Yogan gasped.

His brother stood beside the bandit leaders, his posture rigid, his face pale. There was a strange emptiness in his eyes, like he wasn't entirely present. His hands hung limply at his sides, and it was clear he wasn't a prisoner, nor was he resisting.

"Yoan!" Kaiya called, her voice echoing through the Hall. "What's going on?"

Yoan slowly turned to face them, his eyes blank. "They… they came for something. Something important."

"Yoan, get away from them!" Yogan shouted, stepping forward.

But before Yogan could take another step, Kiva whirled around, her sword flashing in the dim light. "You're too late," she sneered. "You should have stayed in the courtyard where you belonged."

In an instant, Daiko and Sorin moved, fanning out on either side of Kiva as they prepared to face Yogan and his friends. The tension in the air was thick, and the weight of what was to come pressed down on Yogan like a storm about to break.

Kezin stepped forward, his waterbending already swirling around his arms like a living shield. "We're not letting you take anything from this temple," he said, his voice steady despite the fear that gnawed at the back of his mind.

Kiva chuckled, low and dangerous. "Then you'll die trying."

The fight erupted in a flash. Kiva launched herself at Yogan with terrifying speed, her blade slashing through the air. Yogan barely managed to dodge, the blade slicing through the space where his head had been just a moment before. He retaliated with a powerful gust of wind, but Kiva was already moving, her strikes impossibly fast.

Daiko moved like a shadow, slipping past Yogan to engage Kaiya, his twin knives spinning in his hands. Kaiya struggled to keep up, her airbending defensive and desperate as she blocked each strike. But Daiko was faster, his movements precise, and Kaiya found herself on the back foot, barely holding her own.

Sorin, the brute, charged at Kezin, his massive hammer swinging in wide arcs. Kezin's waterbending danced around him as he deflected the blows, but each strike was so powerful that it left cracks in the stone floor. Kezin fought with grace and speed, but even he was struggling to keep up with Sorin's relentless assault.

The bandit leaders were stronger, faster, and more experienced than any of them had anticipated. Yogan found himself pressed back by Kiva's onslaught, each of her strikes coming closer and closer to landing a fatal blow. Beside him, Kaiya was barely holding off Daiko, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to keep her airbending flowing.

Kezin, though more skilled than any of them, was still only human. Sorin's sheer brute strength overwhelmed him, and with one final, devastating blow, Sorin's hammer crashed into Kezin's defenses, sending him flying into the far wall. Kezin slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Kezin!" Yogan shouted, but he had no time to help. Kiva's blade was already flashing toward him again, and all he could do was deflect the strike with a gust of wind.

It wasn't enough. A moment later, Kiva's sword slammed into his side, sending him sprawling across the floor. The air was knocked from his lungs, and his vision blurred as the world spun around him.

Kaiya, too, was overwhelmed. Daiko's knives found their mark, and with a swift strike to her midsection, she crumpled to the ground beside Yogan, gasping for breath.

Yogan tried to stand, tried to summon the strength to keep fighting, but the world was growing darker by the second. The last thing he saw before everything went black was Kiva standing over him, her eyes gleaming with triumph.

---

When Yogan came to, the Great Hall was eerily quiet. He groaned, pain radiating through his body as he struggled to sit up. Around him, Kaiya, Kezin, and Yoan were still unconscious, their forms motionless on the cold stone floor. Blood stained the ground, though none of the injuries seemed life-threatening.

The bandit leaders were nowhere to be seen. But as Yogan's vision cleared, he saw the doors to the inner sanctum of the Hall were wide open. Whatever Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin had come for, they had taken it.

Suddenly, the doors to the Great Hall burst open, and Monk Nara stepped inside. Her eyes, usually calm and filled with wisdom, were hard as steel as they took in the scene—the unconscious novices, the damage to the temple, and the open doors to the sanctum.

And then the bandit leaders appeared. Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin emerged from the sanctum, their expressions unreadable, but there was a glint of satisfaction in Kiva's eyes.

Monk Nara stepped forward, her presence commanding. "Whatever you've taken, you won't leave this temple alive."

Kiva's lips curled into a smile. "We've already won, monk. This temple belongs to us now."

Without warning, Monk Nara moved, faster than Yogan had ever seen. She launched herself at the bandit leaders with a series of powerful airbending strikes, the force of her attacks shattering the stone floor beneath her feet. Kiva barely managed to deflect the first blow, her sword sparking against the air as she was pushed back.

Daiko darted to the side, his knives flashing in the dim light as he tried to flank Monk Nara. But the elder monk moved with a grace and precision that made it clear why she was one of the most revered masters in the temple. Every strike of Daiko's knives was met with a wall of air that deflected his attacks effortlessly. She barely seemed to be exerting herself as she twirled through the hall, her airbending flowing like a natural extension of her body.

Kiva, Daiko, and Sorin were relentless, their combined attacks designed to overwhelm even the most skilled fighters, but Monk Nara held her ground with supreme confidence. Her movements were fluid, her mastery over airbending second to none. Gusts of wind blew back each assault as though they were nothing more than playful taps against a giant.

"You think you can take us all on?" Kiva hissed through gritted teeth, her blade arcing toward Nara's throat.

With a flick of her wrist, Monk Nara summoned a powerful blast of air that threw Kiva back, slamming her into a nearby column with bone-rattling force. Before Kiva could recover, Nara spun, creating a whirlwind beneath her feet that propelled her upward, giving her a vantage point to send a focused wave of air toward Daiko. He was quick, darting out of the way at the last second, but even he was starting to feel the pressure.

Sorin, using his brute strength, swung his massive hammer with all his might, intending to crush the monk with one earth-shattering blow. But Nara was faster. She sidestepped the attack, the hammer crashing into the floor where she had just been standing, sending cracks rippling outward. In the same motion, she spun and sent a gust of wind so forceful it knocked Sorin off his feet, his hulking frame crashing to the ground with a thud.

For every attack the bandit leaders launched, Monk Nara had an answer. Her movements were like a dance, a carefully choreographed display of airbending mastery that left no opening for her enemies. The three bandit leaders, though skilled, were starting to realize they were outmatched. Every strike they attempted was parried or dodged, every move countered with swift precision.

"This isn't working!" Daiko growled, his frustration mounting as he struggled to land a blow. "She's too strong!"

Kiva, panting, wiped the blood from her mouth as she stood, her eyes narrowing in thought. "We need to split her focus."

At that moment, the three bandit leaders shifted tactics. Daiko and Sorin launched simultaneous attacks from opposite sides, forcing Monk Nara to defend on two fronts. Sorin's hammer swung in a wide arc while Daiko's knives whirled through the air like deadly darts. At the same time, Kiva, quick on her feet again, closed in for the kill, her sword aimed straight at Monk Nara's back.

Monk Nara's eyes flicked between them, her mind working in tandem with her body as she deflected Sorin's hammer with a gust of wind while parrying Daiko's knives with a controlled air blast. But Kiva's sudden approach forced her to react faster than she'd planned. With no time to summon a defensive wall of air, she pivoted to block Kiva's sword with her staff, the sound of metal on wood ringing through the hall.

Despite her mastery, the intensity of the three-pronged assault was beginning to take its toll. Monk Nara was calm, but even the best airbenders could be worn down by the sheer force of numbers and skill. She twisted and ducked, her staff spinning like a whirlwind as it blocked and parried, but the strikes were coming faster and harder now. The bandit leaders, sensing they had found a crack in her defense, pressed on.

Kiva let out a sharp whistle, signaling the next phase of their attack. Daiko grinned, and with a quick flick of his wrist, he hurled a smoke bomb into the air. The hall exploded into a thick cloud of smoke, blinding Monk Nara momentarily. She coughed, her vision clouded, but her senses remained sharp. She felt the shift in the air as Sorin barreled toward her, but before she could react, Daiko's knives cut through the smoke, forcing her to dodge.

"Now!" Kiva shouted, her voice barely audible over the chaos.

In that brief moment, the three bandit leaders seized the opportunity. Kiva and Sorin closed in from either side, while Daiko slipped behind Monk Nara, his knives poised for a killing blow.

But even with her vision obscured, Monk Nara's instincts were impeccable. She dropped to the ground, sweeping her leg out in a wide arc and sending a burst of wind that knocked Daiko's feet out from under him. At the same time, she unleashed a powerful gust that hurled Kiva and Sorin backward, their weapons clattering to the ground.

Yet, despite her mastery, the fight was dragging on, and the bandit leaders were skilled in their own right. Daiko was back on his feet in an instant, his knives flashing through the smoke as he darted toward her. Sorin roared, swinging his hammer with renewed fury. And Kiva, her eyes blazing with determination, circled Monk Nara, looking for any sign of weakness.

Monk Nara knew she couldn't let this fight continue much longer. The longer they dragged it out, the more chances they had to land a lucky blow. She had to end it.

She slammed her staff into the ground, summoning a powerful vortex of air that cleared the smoke and sent the bandit leaders reeling. For a moment, it seemed like she might be able to finish them off. But then Daiko, faster than she anticipated, threw a handful of small explosives at her feet. They detonated with a blinding flash of light and sound, and in the confusion, Kiva and Sorin used the momentary distraction to pull back.

"They'll just keep coming," Kiva muttered, wiping sweat from her brow. "We need to get out of here."

"We've got what we came for," Daiko said, his breathing labored. "There's no point in dying here."

Sorin grunted, his hammer resting against the ground as he glared at Monk Nara. "We'll finish this another time."

Before Monk Nara could recover, the three bandit leaders made their escape, slipping through the shadows and out of the Great Hall. Monk Nara, still partially blinded by the flash, stumbled forward but regained her composure quickly. She could have pursued them, but something stopped her.

Her instincts told her to check on the others first.

---

Monk Nara rushed to Yogan, Kaiya, Kezin, and Yoan, who were still lying unconscious on the floor of the Great Hall. Her hands moved swiftly, assessing their injuries. They were battered and bruised, but alive. Kezin stirred first, groaning as he opened his eyes.

"They… they got away," he muttered weakly.

"Don't speak," Nara said gently, helping him sit up. "You all fought bravely, but they were prepared for this. Rest now. I'll check the Great Hall."

Leaving the injured novices behind for a moment, Monk Nara strode toward the inner sanctum of the Hall, her heart heavy with dread. The air felt wrong—like something precious had been disturbed. She stepped inside the sanctum, her eyes immediately drawn to the towering statue of the legendary warrior, Wan.

The statue of Wan stood as it always had, the figure strong and resolute, his arms outstretched as if to embrace the very air itself. But tonight, something was different. Above Wan's head, the faint glow of light spirit Raava flickered, her form ethereal, almost as if she was embracing Wan in an eternal dance of light and protection.

But there was something else.

Monk Nara's eyes widened as she noticed the statue's eyes. They were glowing with an eerie, white-blue light, casting long shadows across the walls of the sanctum. The glow pulsed softly, like the heartbeat of something ancient and powerful.

Nara stepped closer, her breath catching in her throat. She had seen this glow before, but only in the most sacred texts. Wan and Raava, the first spirit and human to combine and become—the guardian of balance between light and dark.

"What did they take?" she whispered to herself, her heart pounding as she stared into the glowing eyes of Wan.

But the statue gave no answer.

Monk Nara turned and glanced back at the unconscious figures of Yogan, Kaiya, Kezin, and Yoan. Whatever the bandits had stolen, it was tied to something ancient, something beyond any of them. The truth lay hidden in the shadows, and she could only hope that when it revealed itself, they would be ready.

[A/N: Read five chapters ahead for this novel, available on my patreon right now at patreon.com/saiyanprincenovels]