Infinite Lives

Erran and Bryan walked through the trees until they entered a clearing.

They walked towards the village ahead of them and walked to the gate.

“So what is the plan exactly?” Erran asked.

Do something more substantial, ideally.

“Preferably find people to help that need more than menial tasks,” Bryan stated.

Erran nodded, and as they approached, Erran spoke loudly,

“I am Erran, and this is Bryan. We are adventurers looking for tasks to help people.”

Hmm, not something I would have considered doing.

Some villagers approached as they walked through the gate, and one stepped forward and spoke,

“Hello, surprised to see adventurers out here.”

The people chatted amongst themselves for a moment, and then spoke up again,

“We don’t have much we could use help with, just some jobs fixing things we have not got to.”

Fixing things didn’t really help…

“We don’t have much to give either. In fact, the only thing I can think of an adventurer might be interested in is that there is an Ironhide Bear nearby.”

The others nodded in agreement before he continued, “It is making it more dangerous to gather herbs and such.”

Erran turned to Bryan expectantly.

Unlikely to produce any feeling, but may as well deal with it.

Bryan shrugged then responded, “We will take care of the bear.”

Turning around, he began walking away, with Erran rushing to catch up.

“You are not very social, are you?” Erran said.

“I do not understand what you mean.” Bryan responded.

“You are just quiet blunt and don’t seem very bothered by things; is it just from experience?” Erran asked while looking up at Bryan.

I am an effective communicator.

“Is the point of communication not getting your point across clearly? I think I am adept at this.” Bryan responded flatly.

Erran, taken aback, thought for a moment before replying,

“Technically, yes. I am unsure how to explain it… I will try again later,” Erran said, stumbling on his words a bit.

Bryan shrugged and continued walking. After thirty or so minutes Bryan stopped and examined a tree.

Claw marks, large enough… I’d say this is its territory.

“The bear should be somewhere around here,” Bryan stated.

Erran nodded before replying, “Will you need my help or do you intend to become a blade tornado again?”

Erran chuckled a bit before Bryan replied, “No, that manoeuvre would be wasteful. I will assess once I see it, but I will handle it alone.”

Pausing for a moment, Erran spoke, “Are you sure? You must be strong, but an Ironhide Bear is no joke… it takes a party of Iron ranks to take one down.”

Bryan shrugged and pointed ahead.

“Shh, I will go deal with it. You wait here,” Bryan said quietly.

Erran crouched down as Bryan walked forward casually.

Looks like a standard Ironhide Bear… but will watch for aberrant behaviour.

Shield bubble.

Bryan drew his sword while raising one hand and firing two small Fire Bolts at the bear; they hit and exploded on impact.

Out of the smoke, the bear darted towards him, reared onto its hind legs and slammed its two large paws down on him; they slammed into the shield and stopped.

The bear roared and jumped back quickly, grabbing onto a tree and dragging on it until loud cracks could be heard. With a downward movement, it attempted to slam the tree onto Bryan.

This is the issue… they can be intelligent.

Blink

Bryan appeared behind the bear; with a quick movement, he dashed, jumped and drove his sword into the centre of its back before jumping back off.

The bear’s lower legs went limp while it still flailed its claws towards him. Bryan walked around the front of the bear and gripped the sword with both hands.

He waited for it to lunge with its teeth before driving the sword upward through the bottom of its jaw. It slumped, forcing him to lift the head with one hand to remove the sword.

Erran stood up and brushed dirt off his chest plate before walking over to Bryan.

“That was insane. I have not seen anyone fight like that. What rank adventurer are you?” Erran asked in an excited tone.

Bryan cut an ear off the bear before replying, “I don’t think I registered, so none.”

Erran stood still, looking at Bryan wide-eyed for several moments before speaking,

“Well, I am an Iron Rank and you are definitely higher than me. Why can’t I sense any power coming from you?”

Because I suppress the aura of my Mana, obviously…

“Not important; I am strong enough to help people,” Bryan stated flatly.

Erran chuckled and then replied, “Well, yes. That is true.”

“So where is the next village?” Bryan asked.

“To the north of here, but are we not going back to inform them it is dealt with or collect the reward?” Erran asked, looking to the west.

Bryan shook his head and spoke, “No benefit to that; they will notice soon enough.”

He then started walking towards the north. Erran looked around for a moment before jogging to catch up.

They walked through the forest for a while with Erran quietly humming as they did.

Bryan looked over at him, scanning from head to toes: short brown hair, not very muscular, iron chestplate and shin guards, but leather armour on the rest of him.

Hmm, if he is sticking around may need to get him better armour.

After a while, they approached another village in a clearing.

They approached the gate, and Erran announced them again. They entered and waited for the villagers to approach.

This is odd… wonder if they all do this out of habit?

One of the villagers stepped forward and spoke.

“More adventurers, how odd. My name is Terrance.”

“Do you need any help? Preferably it is something significant?” Bryan said.

“Well, we just sent an elf adventurer off to do something to help us, but he has not come back yet,” Terrance said.

Bryan walked a bit closer and stood opposite Terrance.

Sounds like an opportunity.

“Ok, what was the issue?” Bryan said.

Terrance sighed and replied while pacing, “It is complex. Bandits managed to find us and rather than robbing us, they forced us to pay them a small amount to keep other bandits away.”

He paused and sighed again before speaking more, “Then they kept coming back and demanding more money each time; recently we couldn’t pay what they wanted.”

Terrance stopped walking and looked at Bryan as he continued, “They took three women and two children from the village, and apparently they will hold them until we can pay up.”

Terrance then looked towards the ground.

They put up no fight?

“So you just let them take your people?” Bryan stated flatly.

Erran’s eyes widened before he spoke, “Bryan! ... you can’t ask that.”

Terrance swallowed and took a deep breath before looking at Erran and speaking,

“It’s ok, boy.”

He turned to Bryan and spoke, “They tried to stop them.” Terrance then pointed to five mounds with wildflowers laid upon them.

Either the bandits were significantly more skilled, or there are a lot of them…

Bryan nodded and then replied, “Point us in the direction, and we will retrieve your people,”

A slight smile appeared on Terrance’s face before he spoke, “Thank you. My hope is you meet the other adventurer bringing our people back and don’t need to put yourselves in danger.”

Terrance then pointed to the east.

“Danger from some bandits is not concerning,” Bryan stated, before walking out of the gate.

Erran jogged and caught up to Bryan and spoke,

“You do not hang around for pleasantries, do you? Just hear what to do and walk off,” Erran said before lightly chuckling.

Well, yes, it is how things get done.

“I do not see how hanging around would help, once I know what I am doing… I do it,” Bryan said with his head tilted at Erran.

Erran chuckled again before replying, “And there again.. I can’t argue with that response.”

Bryan frowned at him and spoke, “Why would you want to argue with me?”

Erran didn’t respond; he just laughed and patted Bryan’s back gently.

He is a confusing person.

They walked for about an hour and a half before Bryan stopped.

I can smell fires in the air could be someone camping or the bandits.

“They may be close now; we will approach cautiously,” Bryan stated quietly to Erran, who nodded in response.

As they continued, they spotted a wooden palisade in the distance with smoke rising about the wall.

Enhance Senses.

Bryan shushed Erran while he listened for a few moments.

Sounds like a fair few people, though I can hear someone behind a tree nearby.

Dispel.

Bryan gestured to Erran to stay still.

Concealment.

He snuck forward, approaching the tree, spotting a man crouching, peering towards the walls of the encampment.

Getting close to him, Bryan silently drew his sword and lifted it to the back of the man’s throat, noticing pointed ears.

Dispel.

“Are you a bandit I will kill, or the adventurer sent here?” Bryan said quietly.

The man jumped back and stumbled onto the ground with shock. He grasped his neck and showed a silver badge attached to a necklace.

“I’m an adventurer; don’t attack,” he responded in a hushed tone.

He may be lying, but I doubt he poses a threat alone.

Bryan sheathed his sword and then waited for the man to collect himself and stand up.

The man let out a quiet sigh before speaking, “That is a hells of a way to introduce yourself.”

Bryan stared at him while the man brushed leaves off his back carefully; he then continued,

“Name is Len, I was sent to deal with these bandits.”

Bryan nodded and, with his hand, gestured to Erran to join them.

“Why have you not completed the task yet?” Bryan stated quietly.

Len sighed and shook his head before responding, “I scouted the area, and there are twenty bandits. They have hostages in two parts of the camp too”

Erran walked over and stood beside Bryan before speaking, “Hey, my name is Erran. It’s nice to meet you.”

Len quietly chuckled and then spoke, “That is a proper greeting… not ‘are you a bandit I will kill’”

It was a logical question; if hostile, you would have attacked or shouted.

Erran rubbed his face before speaking, “Sorry, he isn’t very good with people. But he is a powerful fighter”

Len nodded and responded, “Fair enough, a bandit wouldn’t say, sure… kill me” After speaking, Len laughed quietly.

“So where are the hostages located precisely?” Bryan asked.

Len’s face went serious, and he spoke, “The children are in a cage on the far left, and the women are being held in a carriage on the right.”

The silver badge suggests he should be capable.

“How many could you take in a fight?” Bryan asked.

Len shrugged, then spoke, “Five to ten I’d estimate based on how they hold themselves. What about you two?”

Erran looked at the ground and responded, “One most likely.”

Bryan considered for a moment, then responded, “All of them, but I couldn’t guarantee the hostages would survive if I went alone.”

Len chuckled lightly, “All, oh you are funny. You don’t seem to have a guild badge.”

Erran, with a serious face, responded, “He is serious; he took out an Ironhide bear alone in under a minute.”

Useful to have someone else explain.

“Len, you should go to the left and protect the children, while me and Erran go right and take out those closest to the women. I then leave Erran there while I handle the rest,” Bryan stated.

Bryan paused a moment, then added, “Engage once you hear the explosion from a Fire Bolt”

Len shrugged then spoke, “Sure, sounds like a good enough plan.”

Bryan then walked off to the right, keeping his distance from the walls, with Erran following.

They walked to the far right side of the wall, noticing an entrance gate and waited while they crouched down.

Since they don’t expect an attack, only one guard is stood at the gate, and another two by the women.

Bryan unsheathed his sword then whispered to Erran, “I’ll go first; follow as quickly as you can.”

Erran nodded and unsheathed his sword, getting ready to run.

Physical Enhancement Rank Five.

Bryan dashed forward, stepped off the arch of the gate while passing beside the guard. He sliced the side of the guard’s neck while passing.

He then rushed over towards the two guarding the women, sliced their throats with a quick motion each, before stopping.

Dispel.

Bryan looked around as the guards near him fell, clutching their throats, as he surveyed the area.

The large tree at the back should work.

Raising a hand, Bryan launched a large Fire Bolt at the middle of the tree. It hit and caused a large explosion, drawing the attention of all the bandits.

“What the fuck… are we under attack!”

Those wandering the camp looked down from the tree, saw Bryan and dropped what they are holding and took out their weapons.

Erran had made his way through the gate and stood in front of the carriage with the women in it.

He is quite slow.

The bandit who shouted again before charging at Bryan said, “Kill these fuckers!”

The man began sprinting before an arrowhead suddenly protruded from his face, and he slumped to the ground with a thud.

Looking behind the group, Len was stood by a cage with a bow. Before the men moved into the way, Len winked at Bryan.

Didn’t need the help, but seems he may be able to handle himself.

One bandit spoke up, “To the right must be the mage; most of us get him the rest deal with the archer.”

Ten of the bandits grouped up and started cautiously walking towards Bryan, while the remainder tried to surround Len.

Shouldn’t waste Mana, so best to finish this quickly.

Bryan cracked his neck, took a deep breath and concentrated.

They are grouped together close… Lightning Bolt.

A large arc of lightning shot from both of his hands, arcing off all of the bandits, who shook violently before eight of them fell to the ground smoking.

One of the two remaining bandits launched an axe with all his force towards Bryan.

Bubble shield.

The axe hit the shield and bounced onto the floor.

Dispel, Blink.

Bryan appeared behind them thrust his sword into the back of one of the bandits, leaving it there he darted to the other, grasped him by the head as he lifted him off the ground.

He then twisted his hands to the left sharply, and the man went limp as he dropped him to the ground.

Looking behind him, Erran was stood nervously guarding the carriage, clutching his sword. Checking over to the right, Len was sat smiling on two bandits’ bodies, with four more on the ground around him.

That went well…

Bryan sheathed his sword and nodded to Erran, who walked up to him and spoke,

“That was quick even for you… to free the hostages, do we find the keys?”

“Make sure all the bandits are dead while I free the hostages,” Bryan stated.

He walked towards the carriage, inspected the lock and handle of the door, grasped it, took a deep breath in and ripped the door off its hinges.

Easy enough…

Inside three women cowered against the far wall of the carriage Bryan leaned in, and one kicked him in the face.

“The village sent us to rescue you; the bandits should be all dead… you can come out,” Bryan stated loudly.

Bryan waited, but only a shoe flew out of the carriage at him.

Curious… do they like the carriage?

Bryan walked back towards the centre and spoke to Erran, “They won’t come out, not sure why.”

Erran shook his head and spoke, “I am not surprised; a guy in full black armour and covered in blood hardly looks like a hero.”

That is just illogical… how I look doesn’t affect my ability to save people.

Bryan stared at Erran blankly until he walked off and tentatively entered the carriage.

Len walked over with the two children, one sat on each shoulder.

“Erran wasn’t joking that you are bad with people, was he?” Len said before laughing.

Bryan tilted his head at Len before responding, “So you got them out of the cage?”

Len smiled widely before he spoke, “Yes, picked the lock… not all of us can just rip doors off their hinges.”

Len paused a moment, then spoke again, “You do spells, move incredibly fast and can both lift someone off the ground and break their neck and rip a door off its hinges”

Looking thoughtful before continuing, “You are an interesting guy, despite your quirks.”

None of that is useful information…

Erran walked over with the three women behind him.

“Let’s escort them back to the village,” Bryan stated.

They all walked back through the forest, with the children swapping between Erran and Len.

One of the children asked to ride on Bryan’s shoulders.

“No, if we are attacked, I would have to throw you down,” Bryan stated bluntly.

The child ran back to Erran while Len laughed loudly.

Once they were close to the village, the children ran through the gate excitedly, and the women bowed before walking in.

Bryan, Len and Erran walked through the gate to see the children run to their parents, who embraced them with tears in their eyes.

Hmm, another sliver of something… stronger than before but still small.

Terrance walked up to them and shook their hands with a big smile on his face.

“I can’t believe you actually managed it… thank you so much,” Terrance said.

Terrance then handed Len and Bryan a bag.

“It isn’t much, but it was what we had scraped together to pay off the bandits; you deserve it,” Terrance said.

Bryan handed the bag back and shook his head before speaking, “You keep it; it wouldn’t benefit me.”

Bryan walked off, stood outside the gate and waited.

Erran and Len walked out a short while later.

“You know he thought he had offended you with the small amount they had to offer,” Erran said.

Why… that is an odd inference.

“That amount of money simply wouldn’t make a difference to me, but to them it’s a lot,” Bryan stated.

Erran smiled and spoke, “I explained that to them; not many people would do this kind of thing without reward.”

Bryan shrugged and spoke, “If I wanted money, harvesting monster bounties and trading them in at city guilds is more effective. I also take what bandits have”

Erran rubbed his face and sighed before speaking, “Yeah, don’t say that around other people”

“Think I’ll join you guys for a bit; you seem funny, and we worked well together,” Len said, putting his arm around Bryan.

Well, he has some useful strengths…

“Sure, let’s find something else to do.”

Hopefully we find more things to do to help me understand the feeling.