Chapter 8: Bandits Assault
Jane and Jester continue to walk through the forest, with Dragon following behind them. Fortunately, the place isn't hostile. The flowers that blossomed flew in a beautiful suit pattern. Looking at it makes their hearts soothe into a lullaby and Jester is taken into a sudden calm state that cannot be comprehend by even the poorest peasants. Jane thought that if the incident didn't happen, regardless of the methods, they wouldn't be here. Dragon just looked sleepy as he ignored the beauty that surrounds him, unlike Jane and Jester, who is sensitive to sightings such as this.
"Wow, so splendid. What are you two admiring about?" Dragon finally asked after brief moments of glittering impression.
"Uhh...its this beautiful scenery. Gives quite a presence isn't it?" Jester said calmly.
"Yeah." Dragon could only say that word since the two are still in awe of the view.
The group continue to traverse the path. Seeing many beautiful wonders contrasting to their previous experiences. They feel the anticipation and spirit to continue on despite the incidents that repeatedly occurring throughout their past. Jane remembered the part where she was with Gunther and had been competing for many things. But now, she is with Jester and Dragon trying to find the missing hero that could possibly never exist. Her mind become enthralled into a state of change. Assuming as such, her maturity sense begin to increase at this state. Jester 's mind is still calculating as he thinks of a way to solve the hidden mysteries that envelops them. Dragon just looked silly and incompetent seeing them together with smiles on their faces. Probably not getting used to certain incidents like this made him rather oblivious at concepts like love and kindness. Though he does cherish Jane as such in that manner.
After a few minutes of brisk walking in the scenery, the view changed into a rather uncomfortable forest with dark shades circling around them. They seem frightening, but they manage to retain positive influence and carries on nonetheless.
They though sensed a mysterious presence that made all of them shiver. They managed to trace its presence and intercept it. Then, two man came out equipped with slingshots arrived and ambushed them.
Battle 3: Jane, Dragon and Jester VS 2 Unknown Bandits
"Jane, who are these weird short-lives?" Dragon asked
"Bandits? But why are they here?" Jester answered instead of Jane.
"W-What's with their eyes? They're hollow.." Jane questioned.
They notice that their eyes are completely hollow. It is truly terrifying sight to see. Even Dragon is scared. Their body posture is rather bent. (like a zombie, though they have no idea what they are but for simplicity's sake details will be skipped.)
Jester then understands what happened.
"They've been possessed." Jester said with a serious tone.
"Possessed? Floppy Ears! This is not time for jokes!" Dragon exclaimed to his statement.
"No. Look, they're not themselves. They seem to have lost their souls in the past. We have to save them." Jester explained.
"So! We just have to knock them out right?" Jane said.
"Right. Possession spells can be canceled by knocking them out." Jester said while reading one of the scripts he had in possession of just yesterday.
Jane brings out her sword and does battle with the bandits. She manage to knock one of them easily. But the other has some experiences with sword evasion and easily avoids it like a tango dance, as awkward as it may. Dragon tried to assist, but things go a little bit crazy as the bandit just twirl around in confusion.
"Uhhhhh...what's going on?" Dragon asked.
"He just..spin around like a fool." Jester said.
Jester, Jane and Dragon locked eyes on that idiotic looking bandit who is still spinning around like an idiot. He then finally hit a tree in all that revolving and he himself got knocked out.
Everyone sighed as everything seems alright now. Their eyes returned to their normal selves and closed it in that instant. Jane carried them to a nearby tree for the bandits to rest. Jester just looked rather speechless as the battle turn out to be a comedy sideshow, which is a letdown considering that they are possessed.
"Umph" Jane said "This should make themselves comfy while they snore like stage freaks."
"Jane, I believe we should move on. We can't have all day to take care of these people." Jester advised to Jane. She tried to object this statement, but she knows that her goals must come first. So they left them there, knowing that they aren't knocked out at all. But they revert back to their normal selves.
"Maggots!" Jane said that word quite frequently while they walk through the forest. Jester tries to lead the way so that he can observe and analyze the surroundings carefully. Dragon just stared at the sky with a really annoying look on his face. He still sees the purple flames and visioned something that couldn't be his original thoughts. He is still looking dumbfounded as he stares at the infinite space above him. He has been completely lulled himself in a land of dreams confounded in the laws of theory and fiction, confused at which choice he is trying to decide. Dragon, miraculously, is still walking suit with Jane and Jester as he is still thinking as such. And for the sake of Odin, please don't object to whatever he is thinking since he is still in a dreamland of stardust and space cows.
"Dragon?" Jane asked to Dragon who looks as if Cupid have pierced an arrow into his heart, passing his hard dragon scales. He still doesn't answer.
"DRAGON!" Jane finally screams at Dragon, snapping out of his lull trance the instant it happened.
"Eah! S-Sorry Jane." Dragon apologized.
"Look!" Jane pointed Dragon to a village named Alta, which is a very small town that buckets itself with flowers on every row and column. The residents there are calm and collecting people who can accept any excuse for any reason.
While walking, Dragon himself is quite jealous at the sight of love. He sees cows in barns that he feels as if he is in heaven. He tries to get closer to reach his heavenly prize, but Jane and Jester's glares at fixed point stopped him from doing so, since it will frighten the cows dearly.
Whereas Jester sees a first sign of what may be called a windmill. He seems to know about it, but has never seen one in Kippernia Castle. (which is hardly believable) He views it as a wonderful spinning house and seems to be rather fascinated by it. Jane, on the other hand, seems to see an inn nearby.
Jane then goes to check in the Inn. To their surprise, due to an incident, they manage to stay for free.(Conveniently since they don't have any gold coins that they can pay for, they accept the deal as an advantage to them.) The incident in question confuses them, but they aren't given any details regarding it other than the fact that a supernatural artifact caused multiple incidents about a ghost moving about the village. Terrorizing citizens who bravely tried to head out at midnight. And thus, they decided to free accommodations to put safety as a first countermeasure to sales. Jane though takes the opportunity to stay there and come up with a solution to catch the ghost.
They have gone silent for a few minutes as it pans to the hotel room. Dragon obviously can't stay inside the hotel, so they have to brief outside after they locked their room and head to the fields for the plan to come into motion. Especially since he is the one who is going to keep watch this night.
"Okay. Here's the plan!" Jane said then they got nearer to each other to discuss the plan further.
Without knowing as to what will happen, will they be able to capture the ghost? And will this chapter relate to the next one? This filler comedy chapter with weird twists will hopefully encourage the next chapter!