Chapter 2: The Bandit Attack
Shana cooked for Dart on the morning after the grand party. He continued to sleep, for he had done quite a bit of dancing with Meru. Queen Emillie had said that she was sending over a servant to help with the household affairs. According to the Queen, she could also serve as a body guard.
"I wonder what she is likeā¦" Shana said.
This is when she heard her front door being knocked on lightly. With excitement, Shana walked over to her front door and opened it. She did not expect to see what she saw. She was a young woman, a little taller than Shana. She was an Asian girl around her early twenties. She had black straight hair with pink streaks. It reached to her upper neck. She wore a pink dress with red dragon-like designs. The dress was cut totally up both her legs, showing that she was accustomed to fighting. This point was further proven as she had a large glaive or scythe strapped diagonally across her back.
Her eyes were most unique. They were thin like a cat's. They were silver, yet they had some pink in them. She bowed respectfully. "My name is Esther and I will be your humble servant." Shana smiled and invited the girl inside.
"So, you used to serve King Albert and Queen Emillie?" Esther smiled gently and replied "Yes, I have humbly served them for seven full moons. I was pleased to serve them."
Shana smiled, but noticed the girl struggling to stand straight. "Would you like me to take you weapon?" Esther smiled and replied "Yes madam, if you would only be so kind." She unstrapped the large weapon and handed it over to Shana. Once Shana grabbed it, it felt heavy in her hands.
"What exactly is this called?" Shana asked. "Oh, it's called a glaive. It's a good weapon for someone like me. Do you use a weapon as well?" Esther replied. Shana hung the glaive on the wall next to her and then pulled down her bow and arrow. "This is my choice. I enjoy the art of aiming and targeting. It's very challenging." Just then, Dart walked out of his bedroom. He saw Esther and said "Did King Albert send you?"
Esther bowed very low and replied "Yes sir. My name is Esther. The King told me that I was to serve Dart and Shana, two legendary warriors, and his best friends." Dart smiled and said "That's us."
Everyone laughed when suddenly, screaming was heard outside. Esther was the first to run to the window and look outside. Dart and Shana followed and saw a group of bandits attacking some of the town's people. "Oh my god!" Shana yelled. Esther turned to her and said "Who are these people!"
Both Shana and Dart shrugged in confusion. Just then, a sword laughed through the window and nearly impaled both Shana and Esther. "Ha ha ha!" laughed the insane bandit as he viewed the fear on Shana and Esther's faces. Then, he left to attack nearby innocents. With anger, Esther ran to the weaponry wall and removed her glaive. With one look at her new master, she said "I am sorry to be leaving like this, but I can not allow these five men destroy anyone. Please forgive me."
With that, she ran outside. Dart and Shana soon followed, grabbing their weapons and armor. Outside, a little boy was being chased by a bandit. He fell to the ground after tripping on a rock. The bandit smiled before raising his sword high in the air. Just as he was about to strike, Esther slid into a split and blocked the sword with her glaive. "Look away child." She said to the scared child.
As soon as he looked away, she yelled while quickly rising to her feet. With one furious swing, the bandit's throat burst open, releasing a dam of scarlet. Esther starred at her weapon, saw the blood and quickly deflected another attack.
The bandit dropped his word and grabbed onto her glaive with both hands. Esther struggled to get it away from him. He laughed at her, but stopped as soon as she kicked him in the face. He let go and fell to his back, only to be stabbed in the chest with the glaive.
Dart charged at another bandit and swung his sword at the man's head. The bandit blocked it, but did not block Dart's kick to the groin. The bandit fell to the floor and surrendered. As the other two bandits ran through the village, Shana chased after them. One of the bandits stopped to help the other steal some gold coins from an item shop. "Ha ha ha, this is too easy."
Just as he finished his sentence, an arrow plunged into his head. The other bandit turned to see Shana standing in the door way, aiming with her bow. Quickly, he threw a ball of smoke at her and pushed her out of the way. As soon as he took five steps, Shana tossed a potion of fire at him. It landed next to him and exploded, burning him to a crisp. Shana walked over to Dart and said "Where's Esther?"
They looked over to see Esther wiping blood from her glaive with a cloth while speaking to a child. "You will be fine." She said as she left the boy. "So, how many votes do we have to question the remaining bandit?" All three raised her hands. Dart smiled before walking over to the man and asking him who he worked for. The bandit replied fearfully.
"They told us to do it. They said to also find a girl and tell her they said she will pay for what she did."
"Who are they?" asked Dart.
"They said that they are the last of their race"
