So. Here we go. Time to write two years in the span of I don't know how many chapters. Probably a good amount. Don't worry though. I plan on including battles with bandits, Risen attacks, treasure hunting, and a preview of a very crazy person. So here we go, the first part of Aiden's little 'vacation'. Enjoy.

-Chapter Sixteen: Journey

I enjoy walking, I really do. If am really bored or super angry; I go on a pleasure walk to clear my head and relax. But now I want to cut my own feet off. Me and Anna left Shepherd HQ three hours ago and we have been walking nonstop since then. I don't know where I am going but every time I ask Anna where we are going first; she says, "Somewhere. Now save your breath for the walking handsome!" This isn't a march where I need to keep walking to reach our army's goal. I am on a journey and that means we can take breaks! Plus it's about two hours past lunch and I am really hungry considering Anna and I started the journey before breakfast. Maybe I can sneak a biscuit before we stop, eat, and take a break.

I reach back and pull out a travel biscuit out of my supply back while we walk down a dirt road. It's pretty empty around here. Occasionally a farmhouse pops up every now and again but other than that it's just a simple grassland with the occasional cluster of trees. I wonder why we even went this way. It's nowhere near civilization so why would Anna want to be out here? I should ask her this time. Like, in a serious tone. Maybe that will work.

I finish eating the biscuit and say, "Hey Anna; where the actual fuck are we going?"

"About time you asked that. We are heading to this little border village on the Ylisse-Plegia border known for it's famous staves. I want to get this new staff they have apparently made and mass produce it. This staff can teleport people so I want to get in on that." Well; that's why we are traveling such a lonesome road. Also why is she telling me 'About time' I 'asked'. I've been asking this entire time! Oh traveling… Makes me very tired. Also bored. I wonder when we are going to run into some bandits? There has to be bandits after wars in the losing territory seeing how the losing country's army would have been utterly destroyed or something to that effect. So I wonder if this village is going to be destroyed when we reach it seeing how it rests on the border. I'm betting that's what is going to happen when we arrive there.

Anyway, Anna and me go back to a comfortable silence while we walk. I guess there isn't really anything to talk about now that it's just me and Anna. But sometimes silence is good so I'm fine with the current situation. We continue to walk down the path for a few more hours until we come across a bunch of mountains. There is a little hole in the base of the mountains, shored up with some wooden supports. That seems perfectly safe! That was sarcasm in case you were wondering.

Anna says, "Finally! We made it to the entrance of the village! The only way into the village is a tunnel system dug into these mountains right here. We just have to go for a mile, take two rights, and then take a left to get to the village. Then business begins for us; well me seeing I'm the smarter one here."

"I resent that," I say, frowning at Anna while crossing my arms. I'm smart too! Some of the time.

"Is it not true?"

"Some of it. Well let's go now-"

I stop halfway through my sentence when a man suddenly walked out of the tunnel. He is a Barbarian with a rather large, crooked nose. He walks out for a bit more but stops halfway between me and Anna, and the tunnel. Oh boy here we go.

"'Ello there travelers!" the Barbarian says, hoisting a bronze axe onto his shoulder. "Ya plan on using this here cave things are you not?"

Anna places a finger on her chin and says, "Yes sir! We do plan to use the tunnel system today."

"Well ya see here travelers; there is a toll to use this here cave thing. Ya need to give us all your belongings and we will letcha go!" Wow… That is new bandit type of demands. Poor bastard is going to die here isn't he?

I look at Anna and she gives me a nod to go ahead. I draw my sword and say, "Sure. Here's your payment, cold steel!" The bandit lets out a little shriek before running back to the entrance of the tunnel system.

"Get ready boyos! We better show these dastards the might of the Bazzar Bandits!" Bazzar Bandits? Is that the name of their little group? Pretty stupid and familiar for some reason.

He reaches the entrance and six other bandits, mostly Barbarians with an Archer here and there, rush out and take battle positions. I am doubling my bet on the village being destroyed. This just screams ruined town. Anna also draws her blade and we advance towards the bandits together. Two Barbarian runs towards us and we engage them. I simply stepside my Barbarian's attack and stab him in the throat. I pull my blade out and suddenly feel a weight on my back. I turn my head and see a Barbarian's axe simply resting on my back. The Barbarian himself looks surprised like he attacked with all of his might but it didn't do anything. Which I doubt is true. He rears back and hits again, nothing happens again. I… Just… Wow. That is sad.

I turn and cut the Barbarian's head off to put him out of his misery. This is too easy. Really. They can't hurt me at all. I think I'm too strong for enemies like these now. But that is sorta a good thing seeing how I can easily take out a group of bandits now. I turn to see Anna finish up her share of the bandits before we both move towards their leader. Suddenly, an arrow flies past my head; making me stumble a bit to the side. I look and an Archer drawing another bow while two other Archers rush towards him to help. Me and Anna rush forward and both cut the Archer that fired at us in three pieces. We then take on both of the reinforcing Archers, easily cutting them down with one swing from both of us.

We make it to the tunnel entrance with the Barbarian still there. I bet he is going to say something bravdo-ish despite all of his allies dead behind us.

"Ya don't scare me!" he shouts, raising his axe over his head. The Barbarian then jumps into the air and swings his axe down, his entire body weight helping him as he flies towards me. I simply step to the side, dodging his attack. I then stab him in the throat and cut his head off while wrenching my sword from his neck. I hope we get something much more challenging than this shit. I wipe my sword on the Barbarian's corpse before sheathing it. I look to Anna and sigh.

"I think that village is gone Anna." I say, looking at her while she wipes her weapons clean with a rag, scowling while doing it.

She finishes cleaning and sheathes her weapon, saying "If it is then I hope they left behind schematics saying how to build it." Anna then smiled a smile that made me feel super uncomfortable. Like a creepy killer smile. "But if there isn't any schematics then we are going to pay a visit to those Bazzar Bandits!" Yep that is a creepy killer smile. I shiver a little bit as Anna passes by me and into the tunnel.

We are going to kill some bandits aren't we?

So. Here's the chapter. It's all I could get through because of writer's block. Sorry about that. You can yell at me if you want. I deserve it for pushing through such a shitty chapter. But I plan on making it up next chapter with a special guest that many people sorta love. Plus crows. Yeah, I'm talking about him. But I better shut up before I give anything else away. So bye.