A/N:
Heeeeey, guess who's alive?
Grazyfish here, sorry for being inactive for the past 7-8 months or so.
Long story short, Life and University have been tag-teaming my ass, killing both my time and inspiration to write. Once I did manage to get around to writing, I felt a little discouraged, unsure if people were still interested in this story.
However... I recieved a little comment a little over a month ago which stoked my writer's fire once again, spurring me on to write this chapter!
Hopefully uploads will becoming more consistent but no promises. Uni is a bitch.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
Robin shielded her eyes as the sun peeked over the mountains, bathing the valley they were galloping through in a warm yellow light. Her hands were cramping from holding the reins of her horse all night, almost as badly as how much her rear ached as a result of the bumpy ride
"How much further?" She heard Dalton groan, echoing what she wanted to say in her heart. They had been riding all night and the fatigue was beginning to set in.
"N-Not much furtha," Noel stuttered, clearly picking up on the other soldier's irritation, "It be just around ta bend ahead."
The clopping of their horseshoes became muffled as the dirt road they were trodding on transitioned to a grassy meadow. Dew flew up and all over the area as they tore through the area, sparkling around them like a mist of small diamonds.
As they rounded the bend, Noel pulled his horse to a stop, motioning to the area ahead.
"There it be, milady," He muttered, wiping his face with his sleeve, "Looks like we made it before them thieves did too."
"That's good," Robin replied, patting the young soldier on the shoulder as she gave him a warm smile, "Thanks, Noel."
The shy boy promptly averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing an interesting red as he mumbled out a reply. Pheros chuckled sadistically at the sight while Dalton rolled his eyes.
The bend opened up into a wide open plateau that was surrounded by sheer cliffs. Lush grass covered the plateau as far as the eye could see, with a few large ponds shimmering in the early morning sun. The main thing that caught Robin's attention was the large ruins that sat in the middle of the area. Although it was much smaller than Fort Laguna, it was by no means a small structure. The roof of the temple was easily five times her height and its width was at least twice its height. The structure was made of a slightly turquoise marble, the blueish stone shining in the morning sunlight. Large pillars and thick walls supported the entire building, the sheer girth of the structures giving off an impression of indestructibility. Or at least, it would have, had it not been for the multiple cracks in them. One of the pillars was even lying against one of the walls, its base completely broken in half. Vines and other creepers ran along the walls and pillars of the temple, covering large sections of the structure in greenery. In some areas, the vines seemed to be the only thing holding the temple together, wrapping tightly over the cracked stone beneath. Other parts of the temple littered the meadow as well, with a few large pillars and sizable chunks half-submerged in the ponds that lay around the plateau.
"Wow..." Elaine murmured, cupping a hand over her eyes as she leaned over her pegasus to get a better look, "It's so big and old and-"
"Looks like it's about to fall apart," Dalton said flatly, rolling out his shoulder, "Are you sure that there are even any people living in that thing? It looks like an accident waiting to happen."
"I have to agree with Dalton, those ruins are far from habitable," Pheros muttered, pulling back the hood of her cloak.
"Well, then what are those?" Robin asked, pointing to one of the ponds.
Upon closer inspection, there were some T-shaped structures made out of sticks that stood along the edge of the pool. They were posted parallel to each other, with smaller poles suspended perpendicularly along their tops. From the poles, hung large white cloths and other dull-coloured articles of clothing.
Among the structures, there appeared to be a cloaked figure. His white robes fluttered in the wind as he moved from pole to pole, taking down some of the fabrics and hanging up others.
"...Hanging... racks?" Noel murmured nervously, "All the way out here?"
"Well, since we're here, we might as well go ask whoever is over there," Robin said shrugging her shoulders, "It can't hurt to check."
The small group began to trot slowly towards the cloaked figure, removing the hoods of their cloaks to avoid suspicion. Elaine too grounded her pegasus, opting for a less conspicuous appearance
"Hello there!" Robin called out, waving a hand at the person. The figure turned to her direction, staring at the approaching group. Robin stiffened up for a second, only now realising how threatening a small group of armed personnel may seem to a mere villager.
Fortunately, the man soon raised a hand, waving back in kind.
"Hello there!" He shouted back, his voice ragged with age, "What can I do for you young 'uns this fine morning?"
The man seemed to be in his late forties, evident in his short grey hair where streaks of white were present. His face was wrinkled with age, although that did not stop his eyes from twinkling with a spark that belonged to one many years younger. Another thing that betrayed his age was his body. Although it was covered by a loose robe, his muscles and build would have put any young man to shame. She chuckled softly to herself as she caught a glimpse of Noel out of the corner of her eye. The poor boy was looking down at the dirt, clearly feeling emasculated by the older man.
"Actually, I was just wondering if you lived here," Robin replied, wearing her signature business smile, "I've been told that there were some kind villagers that lived in these ruins. I guess I can infer that what I've been told is true."
"Ha! You sure can, young miss!" The cloaked man laughed, resting the basket he was carrying on his hip, "We're just a bunch of priests and religious that live here under saint Nomah's protection."
"Could I bother you to show us around?" The silver-haired lady asked politely, "We've been riding all night and were wondering if we could take a break here."
"Of course!" The old man replied energetically, turning around beckoning to them, "Lemme bring you inside, just follow me."
As they began following behind the man, Dalton rode up next to Robin, slowing down to match her pace.
"When are you gonna tell them about the real reason we came?" He whispered roughly, his irritation showing in his tone, "We should just tell them to evacuate already."
"Look, we need to go about this slowly," The tactician hissed back, glowering at him, "We can't just strut up into their house and say 'Oh yeah, you are all going to attacked soon so we need to get the hell out of here.'. It just doesn't work that way."
"Why not?" the ponytailed man asked, folding his arms.
"Have you heard of tact?" Pheros answered dryly, chipping into the hushed conversation, "Imagine the chaos and disorder that would follow if we break the news so suddenly."
Robin nodded let out a sigh of relief knowing that at least someone else understood her point.
The old man led them to the front of the structure, its immense size looming over them. They halted their horses just outside, dismounting as they hitched their horses to a nearby post. A pleasant breeze came from within the structure, tossing Robin's hair around as it blew past. coming from within. Most of the structure was open, partially from design, but mostly from the damage and wear time had wrought upon it.
As they entered, they could see a small congregation of villagers gathered in the centre of the temple. The group appeared to have a variety of ages, the oldest of which seemed to be pushing 70. A few yawns could be heard as many of the villgaers began to stir, a few of them walking about and waking others as the morning rays flooded in from the east. Robin could hear soft murmurs coming from the group as a few of them sat upright, curious about the new people walking towards them.
"Good morning everyone!" The old man called out as they approached, cupping his hands over his mouth, "I've found some friends who are in need of a rest!"
Robin watched as a few of the younger members rushed up to the grey-haired man, having a small chat with him before running off out of the side of temple. The old man led them over to the circle of villagers, taking a seat next to them before motioning for them to do the same.
"Oh, where are my manners," He said, shaking his head as he stuck out a hand, "My name's Jameson, pleasure to meet you."
"Robin... and the pleasure's all mine," The female tactician replied, taking his hand and shaking it, "These people behind me are my companions this journey of ours."
"Well, Robin," Jameson began, resting his arms in his lap, "What brings you and your group this far north? Judging by your equipment, you didn't come here to sightsee."
He nodded his head towards Dalton as he spoke, whose red armour glinted through the front of his cloak.
"Oh... I see..." Robin mumbled, "Well, I assure you, we do not mean any harm. In fact, quite the opposite."
A look of confusion flickered across the old man's face. He leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
"What do you mean?"
Robin glanced left and right, making sure no one else was within earshot before whispering, "Well, we have word that this place may be in danger soon."
Jameson paused for a second, before leaning back, a surprisingly neutral expression upon his face.
"Is that so little lass?" He asked, clicking his tongue, "And what reason do you have for me to believe you? What if YOU are the ones bringing danger to this place?"
"Well... that's a valid point," The female tactician admitted, a sinking feeling beginning to form in her gut.
"I don't mean to come off as impolite lass," Jameson continued, "However, it pays to be cautious. We haven't lived out here for so long by welcoming every armed group with open arms."
"I understand your point," Robin muttered, hope rekindled within her, "But please believe me. We overheard some bandits planning to attack a nearby temple, so we decided to come and warn you before-"
"Jameson!" A loud voice shouted, "We've got trouble!"
Robin and Jameson turned to see one of the men that had gone out earlier come running back the way he came, breathing hard.
"There's... outside... bandits!" The youth spluttered, panting heavily as he spoke, "Lots of 'em!"
The room grew restless, some began to whisper anxiously as others shook the remaining sleeping ones awake.
"Looks like you were right," The old man whispered, standing up before saying, "Everyone! Listen up!"
The room fell silent, all the villagers turning to look at their de facto leader.
"Panicking now is not going to get us anywhere," Jameson said, his tone firm and unwavering, "We must prepare for this calmly and rationally."
His although he was not shouting, his voice was loud and commanding, echoing slightly throughout the temple.
"For now, gather all injured and elderly to the rear of the temple," He continued, "Those of you that are able, pick up a weapon and form up on my right."
Almost as if something clicked in their heads, the villagers began to move, quickly ushering and helping the weaker members of the community towards the back while others rushed off to arm themselves.
"Please, allow us to assist," Robin volunteered, rising up next to Jameson, "After all, that was our original intent in coming here."
The older man turned to her, a small smile on his wrinkled face.
"That would be much-appreciated lass," He mumbled.
Robin gave him a nod of acknowledgement, turning to the rest of her party. Small flashes of sunlight glinted off their weapons as they unsheathed them, preparing for the battle ahead.
"So? What do we do, Hon?" Pheros asked, brushing her blonde fringe back.
"We fight," Robin replied, motioning for them to move closer, "First off, how defensible do you think this temple is?"
"Pfft, it has more holes than a sieve," Dalton snorted, "You'd be better off hiding in an open field. At least there's no roof to collapse on top of you."
"Exactly," The silver-haired woman continued, pointing in the direction they entered, "So we have to take the fight to them."
"But how?" Elaine asked, polishing the sharp end of her spear, "They almost definitely outnumber us, and I don't think we can afford to pull these villagers to the front line with us."
"We won't have to," Robin answered, adjusting her coat, "Basically, we're going to have to use guerrilla tactics to win this."
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she played the scenario out in her mind.
"Dalton, Elaine, I need both of you to harry their front lines. Your main goal is not to wipe them out, just keep them occupied."
The two riders nodded silently, the ponytailed man cracking his neck as the bubbly girl stretched her arms.
"Pheros, your role is to pick off any archers and mages you find. Without them, the bandits will have no other answer to our mounted offence."
"You got it, Hon," The blonde woman replied.
"All three of you, remember this. If things go sideways or if a good chunk of them slip through the defensive line, fall back to the temple," Robin finished, earning nods of acknowledgement from the three soldiers.
They quickly left to find their horses, walking out the way they came. Noel however, looked about nervously, sweat trickling down his face as he gulped anxiously.
"W-What about me, l-lady Robin?" He stuttered.
"You and I are going to hang further back, keeping an eye on the battle," Robin replied, turning her attention to the nervous youth, "Both of us aren't proficient in fighting on horseback so we need to stay near the temple so we can respond appropriately."
"O-Okay, ah understand," Noel said, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper.
The young boy fidgeted nervously, his hands tightening around the bow in his grasp.
"Noel, what's wrong?" Robin asked, easing her tone as she put a hand on the scared squire's shoulder, "Trust me, it won't do you any good to shoot arrows when you're shaking like this."
"Well... y-ya see..." Noel began, taking a deep breath before continuing, "Ah... ah actually haven't really been inna fight before... A-Ah can shoot a target r-real good but... Ah don't know about... killing someone..."
"Aww don't worry about that," The tactician said reassuringly, a warm smile across her face, "All I need you to do, is to keep an eye out for the enemy. You can do that right?"
"Oh! O-Of course!" The squire replied, a sigh of relief escaping his lips as the tension left his body, "Ah can do that, l-lady Robin."
"That's the spirit!" The silver-haired woman chuckled, slapping him on the back, "If all goes well, you won't have to fire a single shot."
She pushed him in the direction of the others, turning back to Jameson and the others. The old man was giving out instructions to a number of the armed villagers, telling them where to take cover and which points of the temple to defend. The men and women were armed with pitchforks and rudimentary spears, as well as looks of anxiety and worry. The silver-haired tactician sighed softly, shaking her head a little. Elaine was right. These folk would not last a second against a bunch of brutish bandits.
"Excuse me, good sir," She interjected politely, tapping Jameson on the shoulder, "Might I have a word?"
"You lot, head over- Oh, yes of course," The greying man replied motioning to the rest of the villagers to hold, "What is it, Robin?"
"My party and I will head out to intercept the enemy forces," Robin said, "Can you and your men hold this temple?"
"What?" Jameson cried, a look of surprise on his face, "But there are only five of you! How do you intend to face the entire army of bandits marching towards us? At least bring the fight to the openings of this temple, then we can at least catch them at a choke point."
"If the temple holds up," Robin replied flatly, pointing to the multiple cracks in the walls, "Look, when I overheard their conversation before, they seemed to be planning to destroy this place. If that happens, everyone inside will be crushed under the rubble."
She pointed over to the cluster of villagers at the back, huddled into the back wall as if hiding from the cold.
"Trust me, we're trained soldiers," The silver-haired woman pleaded, placing a hand on the older man's shoulder, "We can handle this."
A sighed escaped Jameson's lips as his shoulders sagged, folding his arms in thought.
"You may operate as you wish," He said resignedly, "But if you do get injured, do fall back within the temple. We have some capable healers- here, let me call over our best one."
The robed man turned, cupping a hand over his mouth as he called, "Brady! Brady where are you?"
After a brief pause, a young man clerical robes came over. Robin's eyes flickered over him as he approached, observing the man as he drew closer. What instantly stuck out to her was his clothes, although they had a design similar to Pheros', they were black with purple accents. Short blonde hair seemingly sparkled in the sun as the front curled upward into a small cowlick. His face seemed to be in a perpetual frown, completely at odds with the stereotypical soothing demeanour typically expected of men of the cloth. A small scar over his left eye finished the thuggish look as he swaggered over.
"What'cha need?" He asked, toting a staff on his shoulder as if it were a club.
"This is Robin," Jameson introduced, motioning to the silver-haired woman, "She will be helping us in our defence against these intruders. Robin, this is Brady, one of our finest healers."
A look of surprise came to Brady's face, the cleric seemingly shocked by the introduction.
"Pleasure to meet you," Robin said, sticking out a gloved hand.
She watched as Brady seemed to narrow his eyes at her, as if trying to remember something.
"Robin?" Brady whispered, hesitantly shaking her hand, "Yeah... nice to meet ya too..."
"Is there something wrong?" The tactician asked, tilting her head slightly.
"... No... it's nothin'," Brady finished, shaking his head a little, "It's just... nothin'... If you need me, I'll be further in the back."
He gave Jameson a nod, turning back the way he came as he walked away, musing through his thoughts. Robin shrugged her shoulders, turning to join the rest of her crew. That was... peculiar...
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
As Robin stepped out of the temple, she saw and understood what the man had said earlier. The road they had taken to come here was no longer visible, obscured by a wave of roughly fifty armed thugs, their steel weapons shimmering in the morning sun. They marched forward as an unruly horde, steadily making their way closer and closer towards the ruined temple. She scanned the horizon, searching for the large bandit, Xalbador. But at this distance, it was hard to see anything.
"We're ready, Hon," Came a voice to her left.
Robin turned to see her comrades, all mounted and ready to move.
"Alright," The silver-haired woman sighed, mounting her own horse, "Let's get this done with. Stick to the plan, and pull out if it gets too dangerous."
They all nodded in unison, Dalton and Elaine charging straight into enemy lines while Pheros followed at a distance. Noel trotted over to her side, his shoulders shaking nervously.
"A-Are they gonna be awright?" He stammered, his hands gripping his reins tensely, "That be an awful lotta bandit folk out there."
"Don't worry, they definitely got this," Robin assured him, silently hoping that she sounded more confident than she felt. She ushered her horse closer to the fray, just so she had a better vantage point.
As soon as the bandits in the front saw Elaine and Dalton, they broke into a full sprint, weapons raised as they charged forward. A dull roar began to rise from the approaching army, accompanied by the din of thuds that came as their boots slammed into the wet earth.
Dalton seemed to meet them straight on, charging headlong at the front of the mass of bandits.
"Come at me, filthy swine!" He roared, drawing his longsword, "I'll let you taste the steel of Valm!"
With an expert tug of the reins, he dug his heels into his horse's side, causing it to peel off to the left. Screams and cries of pain filled the air as he tore down the flank of the mob, slaying any person his blade could get purchase on.
The brutal display drew the attention of many of the bandits, causing them to swerve in his direction.
"Don't let 'im get away!" One of the bandits shouted out, waving an axe in the direction of the crimson cavalier, "Show 'im no merc-ACK!"
He was interrupted by a gout of blood that spurted out of his mouth, splattering red flecks onto the bandit next to him. The others that were close to him backed away quickly, only just noticing the large spear that pierced his chest from out of nowhere.
Elaine quickly pulled her weapon free as she flew by, grabbing it and getting ready for a second throw as she banked right of the mob. The thugs below her scattered about, breaking their formation for fear of getting turned into a human kebab.
However, they did not move fast enough as Elaine chucked her spear once more into the crowd, the weapon screaming through the air as it skewered two thugs together. Blood gushed out of their mouths as the metal tore through their torsos, their weapons clattering to the ground.
A couple of the bandits in the rear began to knock their arrows to their bows aiming up at the flying cyan menace. They would never let their arrows fly however, as twin fireballs flew towards them, catching them in the chest. Both of them screamed infernally as they tried to pat out the flames that now engulfed them.
From across the way, a small smirk found its way onto Pheros' lips, the blonde cleric falling back slightly as the wave of bandits surged forward.
"Just try to shoot her!" She shouted, her hands coalescing with magical energy once more, "There's more where that came from!"
A smile crept across Robin's lips as Dalton and Elaine made another pass around the crowd, splintering it and sending it into disarray. Apparently, the bandits were more disorganised than she originally thought.
"Looks like we may not need to fight at all," She muttered to herself.
"Huh-what?" Noel spluttered caught off guard by the sudden dialogue, "A-Ah didn't catch that, lady Robin,"
"It's nothing," Robin replied, stretching her arms, "Just help me keep an eye out for the big, musclebound one."
"O-Of course!" Noel stammered, giving her a small salute.
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
"Well this is going just peachy, ain't it?" Xalbador grumbled, watching as his men were being slaughtered left and right.
This was not part of the plan at all. All he had to do was destroy a supposedly unguarded temple. No one told him there was going to be any form of militia. He squinted his eyes at the ponytailed cavalier, moving to the side a little as a pair of boots stomped past him. The red armour he wire was unlike that he had seen before. Whatever it was, it was definitely foreign to the east side of Valm.
"Maybe I should cut and run," The big man mumbled to himself, shifting the cover above him to properly hide his person, "There ain't nothing left here for me."
His eyes drifted over to the pegasus knight above him, a devious thought coming to his head.
"Then again..." He mused, an evil grin on his face, "I wouldn't mind having a taste of her if my plan goes well. Zen's gonna have me killed if I return emptyhanded anyway."
He bid his time, the smell of the wet soil tickling his nostrils as he waited patiently. Just then, the flying knight chucked her spear into the bandit in front of him, piercing it through his chest.
"Bingo!"
With a loud shout, Xalbador burst up from his hiding spot, throwing the corpses of his men off his back as he stood up to his full height. With one swift motion, he heaved his giant axe towards her, the huge weapon swirling like a deadly frisbee as it flew towards its target.
The pegasus knight head snapped towards the axe as it closed in, pulling down sharply on the reins of her steed. The pegasus let out a whinny as it did a steep dive, barely avoiding the incoming weapon.
"Ah, the fun ain't over yet!" Xalbador yelled, running over to the spear in front of him.
He grabbed hold of the weapon, giving it a sharp tug as he yanked it downwards. The pegasus knight let out a surprised yelp as she was pulled off her pegasus, only being attached to her steed by the footstraps of her saddle. The flying horse struggled to balance itself, tilting dangerously as the weight on its back shifted violently.
At this point, the axe Xalbador threw earlier began to curve around, circling back to its owner and threatening to cleave through the struggling pegasus.
"No!" A loud voice shouted, followed by a blast of wind.
The gust intercepted the axe, throwing it off trajectory but knocking the pegasus out of the sky. The winged horse began to tumble head over heels down towards the ground, only to be barely saved by a secondary gust of wind.
'Must've been the other broad,' Xalbador thought to himself, 'That ain't a problem, more fun for me then.'
The grin on his face grew wider as he began to approach the fallen knight, catching the hefty axe as it returned.
"Men!" The muscular man roared, smiling at the prospect of having a woman to himself, "Go for the temple! I have some breakfast to catch."
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
"Elaine!" Robin screamed, watching as her friend began to tumble out of the sky. She cracked the reins of her horse, running toward the pegasus knight as a gust of wind softened her landing.
She silently cursed herself as she charged into the fray. Of course Xalbador would be hiding nearby. She should have seen it coming, but no, she had gotten too complacent.
"Milady!" She heard Noel cry, his voice wavering slightly as he raced after her, "To ya right!"
She whipped her head upwards, catching sight of what Noel was referring to. The bandits had split up, half of them circling around them to get to the temple behind. With Elaine gone, one side would be going unchecked as they ran around the perimeter.
"Noel! Head back and report to Jameson!" The tactician commanded, "I'll be sending some help as soon as I can save Elaine!"
"R-Roger that!" Noel replied, steering his horse in a loop as he raced back to the ruins.
Robin's eyes focused forward, trying to find Elaine amidst the crowd in front of her. A flash of bright blue caught her eye as she saw her friend standing guard near her pegasus, dirt and mud smeared across her clothes and armour. The defensive stance she had taken up had bought her some space, the bandits circling around her. Suddenly, two bandits broke the perimeter, charging towards her.
"Oh no, you don't'!" Robin thought to herself, quickly unhooking her feet from the straps of her saddle.
She pulled her reins left, sharping leaning into the right as well to make her horse swerve to the right. The animal whined as its rider shifted suddenly, almost causing it to lose balance. Meanwhile, The silver-haired woman began to gather up mana in her left hand, feeling the magic well within her.
"Sorry about this," She whispered in advance. letting herself tumble off her steed.
She felt her body lurch forward as she did, her world turning upside down as she fell head over heels off the charging animal. Immediately, she stuck out her hand towards the ground, releasing the magic she had gathered.
"Elwind!"
With a violent gust of wind, Robin felt herself fly skyward, propelled by the blast of the spell. Her horse was blown back, falling onto its side in the dirt as it let out a pained neigh. The tactician struggled to get her bearings as she somersaulted in the air, trying to locate where her friend was. Soon, she caught sight of Elaine and the two bandits, both of which had stopped to gawk at this ball of coat and silver that had just flown up into the air.
"Thunder!" She shouted, launching a spell at one of them.
The bolt of lightning shot forth from her hand, leaving a bright trail as it crashed into the chest of the bandit. The thug grunted in pain as he fell to the ground, clutching his chest. At the same time, Robin descended from the sky, blade drawn as she fell onto the other one. She managed to plunge the weapon a good way into the man's chest, feeling it get wedged into his torso. The bandit let out a pained cry, swinging his axe wildly. The tactician quickly dodged backwards, releasing her weapon.
"Damn, that armour's thicker than I thought," She muttered under her breath, gathering up mana in her hands.
She launched an elfire at him, setting him ablaze. The man screamed as he rolled on the ground, trying to pat out the flames, his armour not helping with his current predicament.
Robin quickly dispatched the other bandit she had shocked earlier, hitting him with another round of thunder as she backed up to Elaine.
"You alright?" She asked, preparing spells in either hand, not breaking eye contact with the ring of bandits that surrounded them.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Elaine replied, "But my girl isn't doing too hot."
Robin's glanced behind at her. Elaine was right. Other than being slightly scuffed up, she seemed fine. Her pegasus, on the other hand, was in a much worse state. One of its legs was bent at an awkward angle, making walking impossible. Its wings were badly ruffled, the number of feathers sticking out making it hard to tell if they were broken.
"I guess we're not flying out of this one," She said, taking a second look at Elaine, "Wait, where's your spear?"
"I lost it after I got pulled," The cyan-haired girl grumbled, a look of disappointment on her face, "Sorry, Robin. Got yanked right outta my hand."
"Looking for this?" An unknown voice yelled from the crowd.
Just then, Elaine's spear came sailing over the perimeter in their direction, the cord trailing behind it like a tail. Both women watched it sail over them, the aim of whoever threw it awfully off-target as the weapon landed in the dirt behind them.
"Was that supposed to hit?" Robin scoffed, looking at where the lance landed.
"No," The voice replied somewhat uninterestedly, "This is."
"Robin! Duck!" Elaine shouted, grabbing the silver-haired woman and pulling her to the ground.
The tactician felt her body slam on the ground as she turned around. A large axe carved through the space she had just been, circling off to the left as it passed. She glanced around, trying to make sense of who she was fighting. The perimeter had opened up on one side, the bandits all standing by with wicked grins on their faces as a single man sauntered towards them. Judging by his build and the huge axe, Robin knew it had to Xalbador. With a loud chopping noise, the huge weapon made its way back to him, who skillfully caught it in one hand as he made his way towards them.
"Huh, didn't expect you to dodge that actually," Xalbador muttered bemusedly, grabbing the axe in both hands, "Well, at least you won't be avoiding this!"
Before he could bring the axe down upon them, his head snapped upwards, jumping backwards at what he saw. A cone of fire shot forth above the two girls, covering them and blocking them from his view. Robin whipped her head back to see Pheros galloping up, scattering the bandits around her.
"Don't worry, girls," She declared confidently, "I've got you."
Xalbador guffawed loudly, slapping his thigh as the cleric approached.
"It's like an all-you-can-eat buffet!" He laughed, pointing a finger at the three of them, "But sharing is caring, right? Boys! First come, first serve!"
At the command, the bandits all begin to whoop and cheer, some of them even howling. They instantly broke formation, charging at the women like a pack of crazed dogs. Pheros instantly reacted with an elwind, blowing some of them off their feet. Elaine followed suit, retrieving her spear and using it to fend off the manic thugs.
Robin took a deep breath as she blasted a bandit with a spell, reassessing the situation. They were liable to be overwhelmed if they continued to hold their position. Dalton was probably still holding off part of the force as they charged the temple. The temple itself would be having its own problems as well, she could not count on any help from them. She looked about for any form of escape. Pheros was probably the only one that could get away. Her own horse was nowhere near and Elaine's pegasus was probably not flying anytime soon. Pheros could probably save two if she rode with another person. But then what about the last one?
Her eyes fell on the de facto leader, Xalbador, smug grin on his face as he watched the chaos before him. Then, a plan hatched in her head, albeit an extremely risky one.
"Pheros!" Robin shouted, casting another spell at a bandit, "We need to get out of here!"
"But how?" Pheros yelled back, fending off another couple of thugs.
"Yeah, we can't exactly run away!" Elaine piped up, "We're surrounded!"
"Take Elaine and run!" The tactician replied, grabbing a sword from a fallen bandit, "If you carve a path, I can follow behind!"
Both women whipped around, doubtful looks on their face as they looked Robin in the eyes.
"Trust me," Robin pleaded, pulling out a tome from her coat, "I have a plan."
Pheros nodded her head, motioning for Elaine to get on. The cyan-haired girl quickly vaulted onto the horse's back, stabbing another bandit who strayed too close.
"Remember, don't stop running," Robin mumbled, flipping through the pages of her tome.
"Got it," Pheros replied, putting both hands out in front of her, "On my signal."
Robin backed up against Pheros' horse and the two of them began to gather mana in their hands, the faint light coalescing around their hands. Elaine kept the oncoming bandits at bay, thrusting her spear at anyone that got close.
"Now!"
Both women let loose an arcfire spell, scorching any bandit within the cone in front of them. The two of them were facing opposite directions, sweeping the spell to catching more bandits in the range of the spell. Screams began to fill the air as a good number of the thugs were scorched where they stood, collapsing to the ground as they writhed in pain.
Pheros quickly spurred her horse onward, jamming her heels into its side. The horse let out a neigh, rearing up on its hind legs as it charged out of the crowd. Robin, however, had other plans; she began charging straight towards Xalbador.
"Robin!" Elaine cried out as the tactician disappeared into enemy lines.
Elaine's cry rang dimly in her ears as Robin continued barrelling towards the muscular bandit. Her eyes met with his as she charged towards him, a wicked smile spreading across his face.
"Oh, a solo tango eh?" He said excitedly, spinning his axe in his hand, "Now that I can get behind! Men! Don't let the others escape! This one's mine!"
Robin smiled mentally, glad that her gamble paid off. She quickly surged forward, thrusting her sword at Xalbador's chest. However, the big man dodged backwards, with a speed completely at odds with his bulky size. Just as quickly as he had dodged, he lunged forward again, bringing the axe down on the smaller woman with a roar. Robin quickly threw her sword up to meet it, deflecting the blow off to the side. Even though she had managed to avoid the brunt of the attack, her arms still trembled under the weight of his strike.
"Damn, that's heavy!" Robin thought to herself, quickly backing up a good bit.
She quickly prepared a spell in her off-hand, hiding it behind her back as she did.
"Oh, I know what'cha up to!" A gruff voice growled.
Robin looked up to see the huge axe come flying at her, the metal glinting in the sun as it spun cut through the air. She threw herself back to the ground, feeling her back squelch on the wet earth.
"Hello, beautiful," she heard from her right, catching sight of Xalbador out of the corner of her eye. How was he so fast?
With a loud whack, she felt a burst of pain in her right side as Xalbador swung a booted foot into it. A gasp escaped her lips as the kick flung her a good three feet away, gritting her teeth to try and maintain her focus. With a flick of her wrist, she let her spell go, sending an elthunder spell at the muscular man. Xalbador grunted heavily, the spell impacting on his torso and sending tendrils of electricity sparking around his body. He fell to his knees, clearly caught off guard by the sudden attack.
Not missing a beat, Robin spun in midair, managing to stick her landing. She clutched her side with her left hand, wincing as she did so. Definitely a few cracked ribs in there. She would need to see Pheros later, but now she had more important things at hand. She sprinted towards Xalbador, grasping her sword in both hands as she charged towards him.
Just then, a faint chopping sound began to grow louder behind her. The tactician spun on her heel, using her momentum to swing her sword in a wide arc around her. With a loud clang, her blade intercepted the spinning axe, the impact throwing the axe off course onto the ground. Robin reeled backwards as she struggled to hold onto her weapon, her forearms quivering from the exchange.
"Not bad, little girl. Not bad," She heard Xalbador grunt, an almost genuine tone of surprise in his voice, "But not good enough."
She quickly spun left, trying to slash at him but he deflected it with an arm. A smile flashed across his face as he slugged her across the face, his arm shooting his fist forward like a piston. Robin's vision spun as the blow caught her square in the face, sending her reeling back as she dropped her sword. Blood instantly began pouring out of her nose and mouth, causing her to cough and splutter.
Xalbador reached out to grab the tactician, catching her throat in his right hand. Her eyes went wide as the flow to her windpipe was cut off, feeling his meaty fingers squeeze around her neck. She began to claw at his hand, doing her best to squirm out of his grasp.
"Gotcha," The muscular man whispered, raising her body off the ground, "You're a feisty one arent'cha?"
Robin's vision began to blur as tears welled in her eyes, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth. She tried to gather mana in her hands but to no avail; she could barely stay conscious, let alone focus long enough to cast a spell.
"Don't you worry, beautiful, you and I are gonna habe a fun time," Xalbador continued, his grip tightening even more, "'I'll even catch your friends so they can join in. What'cha say to that, hmm?"
As he said that, he tilted her head in his direction, grinning at her smugly. Robin, however, took full advantage of it. She spat out a gob blood at his face. The viscous red liquid splashed onto Xalbador's face, blinding him as it covered his eyes. The big man stumbled for a moment, turning his head away. Robin quickly followed up, mustering all her strength to kick him in the face.
The booted foot hit him across the chin, the impact from which snapping it to the right. As his head tilted violently, it acted as a lever, sending the shock of the blow to his brain. The muscular man stumbled momentarily, his grip slackening on the suffocating woman as he fell to one knee.
Robin landed in a heap on the damp ground, spluttering and coughing as sucked in deep breaths of sweet air. Xalbador wiped the blood from his eyes, clutching his head with one hand as he tried to regain his bearings. He placed a hand on his knee, standing up once again.
However, Robin was not about to let him to that. With a kick like lightning, she struck him in the knee, causing him to fall back to the ground. She grabbed the sword she had dropped, spinning around and burying it deep into an unarmoured side of the big man. The bandit leader roared in pain, swinging wildly in an attempt to hit the silver-haired woman.
Robin quickly darted back, leaving the sword buried in his side. She began to gather mana in her right arm, wiping her bloodied nose and mouth with her off-hand.
"Fire!" She shouted, almost choking on her own blood.
The spell shot forth, slamming into Xalbador's side and singeing his armour. However, the impact was enough to push him over, knocking him onto his back. Robin quickly surged forward, smashing her knee into his face as he tried to get up. With a pained grunt, the muscular man went down again, landing with a wet thud on the soil. Robin seized the opportunity, shoving her hand into his breastplate.
"Elthunder!" She roared, releasing the spell point blank.
With a flash, Xalbador's chest seemed to light up as lightning burst forth from Robin' palm. Sparks of electricity began to curl around his torso, blood spraying out of his mouth as he was fried from within. Robin struggled to get her hand free, being pulled around like a rodeo as his body shuddered violently. Then, after the big man's spasms ceased, his arms fell limp at his sides, unmoving.
Robin pushed herself onto her feet, breathing heavily. Her side felt like it was on fire, each movement she made, further aggravating the injury. Her eyes flickered upwards to see the ring of bandits around her. There were not many left; only a handful. All of whom were looking at each other, unsure of what to do with their captain dead.
'Please run away,' Robin pleaded internally. If they all rushed her right now, she was deader than a slain risen.
Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves accompanied by loud screams came from behind her The tactician gingerly turned to see a flash of crimson flash by her, slaying the bandits around her. The flash came to a stop in front of her, the familiar face of Dalton looking down at her.
"You alright?" He asked, holding out a hand, "Pheros told me to come get you."
"You have impeccable timing," Robin replied, taking his hand with a smile, "Where are the other two?"
"They've fallen back to defend our position," The ponytailed man answered, pulling her up onto the rear of his horse, "We managed to clean up most of the remaining bandits. The only ones that remain are the ones charging the temple."
Robin gritted her teeth to prevent herself from screaming, the sharp tug from Dalton causing her side erupted with pain once more. She looked up to see Dalton holding a familiar steel sword towards her.
"Here," He said, "I found it a while ago. Though you might want it back."
"Thanks," The silver-haired woman replied, taking her sword back and sheathing it, "Alright then, let's..."
She trailed off as she looked down upon the axe of Xalbador, dirtied and partially covered in mud.
"Hang on," She continued, pointing at the weapon, "We might need that."
o - o - o - o - o - o - o
Robin squinted her eyes as Dalton rode around the right side of the temple, catching sight of the numerous bandit corpses that lay across the field. The side entrance to the temple was currently blocked from them, a large chunk of fallen temple obscuring their view. However, the sound of metal slashing against metal told Robin all she needed to know.
"Hold on," Dalton muttered, drawing his longsword, "It's gonna get rough."
Robin nodded, tightening her grip around his waist. Dalton charged around the edge of the rubble, bursting out onto the plain behind it. The bulk remaining bandits were currently engaged with the people from the temple, who were desperately guarding the entrance to their home with their lives. The villagers were not being overwhelmed, but they were not pushing the bandits back by any means. At the front of the group stood Jameson, shouting commands to the villagers nearby. Behind him, just outside the entrance of the temple, was Noel, the frightening boy hiding behind a pillar with an arrow knocked.
Out of the corner of her eye, Robin caught a flash of magical fire, the flames burning a few of the bandits. She caught sight of Elaine running a bandit through with her spear, kicking him out the blade as she pulled it out of him.
"Let's join them, shall we?" Dalton remarked, charging straight into the heart of the armed thugs.
With a warcry, he skirted around the edge of enemy lines, felling whoever he could get his blade on. As the bandits rallied to attack him, he broke away, circling around before they could get in range. Robin took some shots are well, firing off a couple of spells at the crowd of thugs. Although her aim was off due to the fact that she was on a horse, the sheer number of bandits around her made it hard to miss.
"Uh... We need help!" A voice cried out, catching her attention.
Robin snapped her head in the direction of the shout, seeing a small group of villagers that were surrounded by bandits. A few of them looked injured, their weapon out of their reach, presumably knocked to the ground by said bandits.
"Dalton!" She shouted, pointing in the direction of the group, "Over there!"
With a grumble, Dalton spurred his horse in the direction, galloping at full speed. He dove straight into the bandits, slashing and slicing with his longsword. Robin tried to follow suit, but both her injury and her lack of equestrian experience resulted in only a few superficial slashes here and there.
"Are you okay?" She asked the villagers.
All of them looked at each other, before turning and nodding at her.
"Alright," The silver-haired woman said, detaching the huge axe from Dalton's saddle, "Dalton, I need you to help me with this. Just do what I told you."
"Got it," The brown-haired cavalier replied, taking the axe.
Holding the weapon in one hand, he cupped his mouth with the other, taking a deep breath. Robin meanwhile cast a small wind spell, amplifying Dalton's voice.
"FILTHY RABBLE! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!" He yelled, a vein on his temple bulging as he did.
The chaos paused for a moment, everyone in the battlefield stopping to look at him.
"SURRENDER NOW! YOUR LEADER IS DEAD!"
He held up the huge axe, the metal gleaming in the sun. Many of the bandits visibly began to panic, looking at one another. The silence dragged on for a few seconds, a few murmurs being exchanged between the thugs. Then, some began to follow the command, dropping their weapons by their side and raising their hands in surrender. Others began to turn and run away, bolting in the direction they came. All of them seemingly losing the will to fight.
Pheros looked to Robin, motioning to the ones that were running away. The silver-haired tactician shook her head. The villagers began to approach the ones that had surrendered, tying them up in ropes and bringing them to a corner outside the temple.
"Well, that was easier than I anticipated," Robin muttered, dismounting from Dalton's horse.
"I suppose so," Dalton replied, dropping the axe to the ground with a clatter, "I'll go interrogate the ones we captured. You go get patched up."
"Got it," Robin replied, lazily waving back to the ponytailed man, "Don't go too hard on them. The last thing we need is more bodies to clean up.