Merida and Bandit were dropped off at the centre of a large wooded forest. Both were geared up with their weapons and armor and a small satchel with what few supplies they brought. Merida had her bow slung over her shoulder and her quiver attached to her hip, while Bandit had her daggers on the back of her belt, and her miniature crossbows at her sides. The two were in a small clearing that was surrounded by trees and the odd boulder here and there.
The roar of a dragon could be heard in the distance as Toothless took off into the sky with Edan and Jack close behind.
"Okay." Merida said as she pulled a compass from the satchel at her side and looked down at it. "North is...that way." She said pointing in a certain direction into the forest.
"Maybe it would be best if I went alone." Bandit said. "After all, these woods contain strong magic. We will have to tread lightly."
Merida rolled her eyes and brushed past Bandit and headed straight into the woods.
"Or...not." Bandit said following Merida.
The two traveled through the dark woods together. Merida was strutting along without a care in the world down the stretch between the line of trees, while Bandit was being super tactical. She had her two mini crossbows out and was moving from cover to cover, watching for any sign of hostile movement from all directions.
"You need to lighten up a little." Merida said as she pulled herself over a large log that had fallen from a tree. "I mean, there's not much of a point to being stealthy, if there's nothing to be stealthy from."
Bandit sighed as she rolled out from behind a rock and took cover behind the log. "You move how you wish, and I'll move how I wish."
Merida rolled her eyes and continued on deeper into the woods. They trekked deeper into the dark woods where very little sunlight shone. There was only shadows and darkness under these tall trees, and the only life that could be seen was the green grass. There was no flowers, no beautiful lush plants that took years to bloom were seen anywhere, no vines or moss on the forest floor. Just grass, trees, and dirt.
Bandit had continued following through stealth for another 5 minutes, before giving up and following Merida through the clearing of trees.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Merida said surveying the woods around them.
"A sword part I would assume." Bandit said. "A handle, the whole hilt...maybe the blade?"
Merida shrugged and looked around. "So...where exactly are we?"
Bandit looked around at the surroundings. "I...don't know." She looked up for the sun but the trees blocked her line of sight to it. "I can't see the sun. I'm going to take a look." She spread her butterfly wings and let them hum and flew straight up.
She had raced up alongside the tree trunks and was inches from the branches to the giant trees when she felt a powerful jolt zap through her entire body. "URG!" She groaned in pain and remained suspended in the air until she was sent flying backwards and straight back into the ground.
Merida' eyes were wide and she watched as Bandit made a large crack into the ground around where she landed.
"Bandit!" Merida rushed to her side and found the girl already trying to sit up. "You okay?"
Bandit groaned and rubbed her back. "Ow. What was that?"
Merida looked from Bandit to the sky and took out her bow. She loaded an arrow and let it fly straight up. It could have easily gone farther than it did, but like Bandit, it bounced off an unseen wall and sent it plummeting to the ground.
"We're trapped." Merida said as she helped Bandit to her feet. "Something's blocking our way out."
Bandit pulled her one minicrossbow out from her belt and pointed it off into the woods.
"What is it." Merida asked as she grabbed an arrow from her quiver.
"Come out now!" Bandit called out. "And have your hands up."
From the bushes nearby emerged a small boy and a small girl holding hands.
Merida's eyes went wide and she pushed Bandit's weapon aside. "What are you doing? They're kids."
"No." Bandit pushed Merida away. "They aren't."
Merida put herself between Bandit and the kids and knelt down. "Hello. We're not gonna hurt you."
"Help us. We're lost here."
Merida's eyes slowly went wide.
"Please help us." It was the voice of a little girl, but it was coming from the boys mouth. "Please, we need help." The boy's voice came from the girl.
"Move." Bandit said quietly.
Merida rolled away and Bandit sent a bolt towards the boy but it was stopped. The boy's arm was up and had grabbed the bolt in the air and looked at it.
"Oh I'm doing it again." He said in a the little girl's voice. "They're just...too many mouths." He dropped the arrow and the two looked at Merida and Bandit. They're mouths opened wide showing a set of huge, long sharped teeth.
"Wow!" Merida locked an arrow into her bow and sent it flying towards the girl's body but was once again caught in midair.
Bandit stepped forward and locked her small bow back into her belt. "Cover your ears." She said to Merida.
Her mouth opened wide and an ear piercing scream came from Bandit's mouth. A shockwave of sound rocked the ground and followed along a path straight into the pair of children. With their hands still clasped together they were sent flying back into a tree.
Bandit pulled back and shut her mouth.
"We have to go." Merida said grabbing onto Bandit's arm. "C'mon."
Bandit glared at the two kids before brief moment before turning back and followed Merida deeper into the woods.
"What were those things?!" Merida asked as she leaned back against a fallen log as she caught her breath.
"Not 'those'. It's only one." Bandit said as she reloaded her crossbow.
Merida watched Bandit for a moment. "You seem to know a lot about this thing."
"I do." She locked her bow back into her belt and started walking off.
"Wow wow." Merida rushed over and stood in her way. "Where are you going?"
"To kill that thing."
Merida stared at Bandit for a long time. "There's something you're not telling me."
"I don't need to tell you anything of what's happened in my past-" She stopped.
Merida looked Bandit in the eyes. "No. But you're part of this team now, and if we're part of a team, we need to stick together. Please...tell me what-"
"It...it killed my brother."
Merida went silent.
"Back when I was younger, we lived alone on the streets of a nearby kingdom to Arendelle. We were out in the woods when we found a cabin in the woods. An elder lady invited us in...and she...she offered us food and water. I remember passing out after one bite...and then I awoke in chains. My brother next to me, also in chains...he wasn't breathing. The lady...she wasn't old anymore. She was...a hideous monster with sharp teeth. When she went to unlock my chains I hit her with the shackles still around my arm. And then...I ran. I ran for what must have been miles because when I finally made it to the guards and told them where the cabin was, I had passed out." Bandit went silent for a long period. "They never found my brother...and soon I was on my own, before the Black Kings brought me into their gang. It was only when the family of Zather destroyed the gang leader's base that I left. I lived on the outskirts of Arendelle for over a year...and then you guys showed up."
Merida and Bandit stood in silence.
"Well…" Merida said softly. "You never have to worry about
losing anyone else again." She smiled. "Everyone on the team is capable of looking after themselves."
Bandit was surprised when Bandit pulled her into a hug. "I miss my brother's too. Sure I know where they are, but I haven't seen them in a long time now. I don't want to try and relate that I've lost someone, but I know how you feel when you miss someone." Merida grasped Bandit's hand tight. "We're a team. And we stick together. So, let's go kill that monster."