Daniel crouched in the underbrush, his breath steady despite the thunder in his chest. The eastern woods were silent, the traps he and Klav had set untouched. Too quiet. His instincts, honed by a past life of blood and betrayal, screamed that something was wrong.
The bandits should have come this way, tripping wires, falling into pits. But the forest was still, the air heavy with the scent of pine and earth. He glanced at Klav, hidden behind a gnarled oak, his face pale but resolute. Daniel's eyes narrowed, scanning the horizon. The river. They're coming from the river.
He cursed under his breath, the realization hitting like a blade. The bandits had flanked them, avoiding the trapped woods entirely. His plan had hinged on slowing them here, but now the village lay exposed, its homes ripe for slaughter.
I should've known. They've got someone smart leading them. Someone who saw the traps. He gripped the Absolute Lightblade's hilt, its faint hum grounding him. Five mana points or not, he'd carve through every bastard who threatened his family.
Klav caught his gaze, his hands trembling but his mana glowing faintly. "What now?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Daniel pointed north, toward the river's shallow banks. "They're coming from there. We hit them before they reach the village. Hard and fast. You freeze them, I cut them down."
Klav nodded, his jaw tight. I can do this. I have to. For Daniel. For the village. He summoned his mana, the air around him shimmering with temporal energy.
They moved, silent as shadows, weaving through the trees toward the river. The village's rooftops peeked through the foliage, smoke curling from chimneys. Daniel's heart clenched. Mom. Elira. Hold on.
The riverbank came into view, its waters glinting under the noon sun. And there they were: thirty bandits, maybe more, their armor glinting, axes and swords raised. A cloaked figure led them, his staff-sword pulsing with runes, but Daniel's focus locked on the grunts. The Leader could wait. These bastards died first.
The bandits waded through the shallows, their boots splashing, unaware of the storm about to break. Daniel signaled Klav, his hand slicing the air. Now.
Klav thrust his hands forward, mana surging. "Chrono Severance!" The air cracked, a pulse of temporal energy rippling outward. Five bandits froze mid-step, their bodies locked in time, eyes wide with unseeing panic.
Got them. Hold it, Klav. Hold it. His stamina burned, sweat beading on his brow, but he gritted his teeth, maintaining the spell.
Daniel exploded from the trees, the Absolute Lightblade drawn, its golden edge gleaming despite his lack of mana. He was a blur, his small body defying its limits. The first bandit, a burly man with a notched axe, didn't see him coming.
Daniel's blade slashed upward, cleaving through leather and flesh. Blood sprayed, hot and coppery, painting the river red. The man's scream died as his head rolled, splashing into the shallows.
One down.
The bandits roared, their formation breaking as Daniel tore through them. A sword swung at him, but he ducked, his blade slicing through the attacker's knee. Bone crunched, blood gushing as the man collapsed, clutching the stump. Daniel didn't pause, driving his sword into the bandit's chest, the blade punching through ribs with a wet snap.
Their so fucking slow and sloppy, it's almost adorable. He thought in a devilish grin. He was bloodthirsty, he wanted to kill all of them, and look as their blood dripped to the floor and their bodies devoid of life.
Klav released Chrono Severance, the frozen bandits staggering as time resumed. Daniel was ready. He spun, his blade a golden arc, decapitating one and gutting another. Guts spilled, steaming in the cool air, the stench of blood and bile thick.
The third bandit raised a shield, but Daniel's sword, divine even without mana, shattered it, shearing through arm and torso. Blood fountained, soaking Daniel's tunic. No mercy. Not for them.
Klav moved, his mana flaring again. Another pulse of Chrono Severance locked three more bandits, their axes raised uselessly. I'm burning out. Can't keep this up. He stumbled, his vision blurring, but forced another spell, freezing a mage mid-cast, the fireball fizzling in his hands. Daniel capitalized, vaulting over a corpse to reach the mage. His blade plunged into the man's throat, blood bubbling as he gurgled and fell.
The river ran red, bodies piling in the shallows. The bandits, bloodthirsty but unprepared for such resistance, faltered. A C-rank warrior charged Daniel, his mace swinging. Daniel sidestepped, the mace grazing his shoulder, pain flaring.
Fuck, that hurt. He retaliated, slashing the man's wrist, the hand flying free in a spray of blood. The warrior screamed, clutching the stump, until Daniel's blade silenced him, splitting his skull with a sickening crack.
Klav's stamina waned, his spells weaker. He froze one bandit, but the others pressed forward, their numbers overwhelming. A dagger grazed his arm, blood welling through his robe.
I need to get stronger. Please, help us Goddess of Light.
He gritted his teeth, summoning a final burst of mana, freezing two more. Daniel was there, his blade a whirlwind, carving through flesh and bone. Limbs fell, torsos split, the ground slick with gore. He's a monster. Thank the Goddess, he's my side.
The village erupted in chaos. Screams echoed from the streets, smoke rising as the bandits' mages torched homes. Daniel's heart sank. He glanced at the Leader, still at the river's edge, his staff-sword glowing but unmoving. Why isn't he fighting? Planning something?
They didn't have the time to think. Klav and Daniel pushed forward, eliminating any and all bandits.
They fought on, a brutal dance of blood and steel. Daniel's blade sang, each swing a death sentence. A bandit's chest caved under his strike, ribs shattering, blood spewing. Another's arm hung by a thread, severed by a precise cut, before Daniel finished him with a thrust to the heart. Klav's magic faltered, but he fought with a dagger, slashing a bandit's thigh, blood spurting as the man fell.
The bandits' numbers dwindled, their greed no match for Daniel's wrath and Klav's desperation. A mage hurled a fireball, but Daniel rolled, the heat singeing his hair. He closed the distance, his blade slicing through the mage's neck, blood arcing like a crimson ribbon. Klav froze the last grunt, a hulking man with a arhammer, and Daniel drove his sword through his eye, brain matter oozing as he collapsed. Almost done. Just a few more.
But the village burned. Flames licked the rooftops, screams piercing the air. Daniel's blood ran cold. Mom. Elira. He turned to Klav, his voice hoarse. "We need to get to the village. Now."
Klav nodded, panting, his face streaked with blood and dirt. I'm out of mana. I'm sorry, Daniel.
They ran, leaving the river littered with corpses, the water a churning red. The Leader remained, his cloak billowing, but Daniel ignored him. You're next, bastard.
The village was a nightmare. Homes blazed, villagers fled, their cries drowned by the bandits' laughter. Daniel and Klav sprinted through the chaos, dodging falling beams and panicked crowds.
Daniel's eyes scanned for his house, his heart pounding. Please be safe. Please. They rounded a corner, and there it was, his home, the door splintered, two bandits inside.
Daniel froze, his blood turning to ice. No. Not them. He charged, Klav behind him, their footsteps pounding the dirt. Inside, his mother, Lila, stood backed against the wall, her face pale but defiant, a kitchen knife in her trembling hands.
Elira, small and fierce, clutched a poker, her silver hair wild. One bandit lay dead at her feet, his throat slashed, blood pooling on the floor. But the second bandit, a leering brute with a scarred face, loomed over her.
"Pretty little thing," the bandit growled, his axe raised. "Got some fight in you, huh?" He swung, not to kill, but to stun. The flat of the axe struck Elira's head, and she crumpled, blood trickling from her temple.
Not dead. She's not dead. Daniel's vision blurred with rage.
Lila screamed, lunging with the knife, but the bandit swatted it away, grabbing her wrist. He laughed, his eyes raking over her. "Fuck, you're a sight, lady. Better than any whore in the city. Bet you're sweet under that dress."
The second bandit, a wiry man with a dagger, joined him, his grin vile. "Boss said we could take what we want. This one's mine."
Daniel burst through the door, a roar tearing from his throat. You're dead. Both of you. The wiry bandit turned, dagger raised, but Daniel was faster. His Lightblade slashed, severing the man's arm at the elbow. Blood sprayed, the limb hitting the floor with a wet thud. The bandit screamed, clutching the stump, until Daniel's blade plunged into his chest, piercing heart and lung. He fell, blood gurgling, eyes dimming.
The scarred bandit shoved Lila aside, his axe swinging. Daniel ducked, the blade grazing his shoulder, blood welling. Fuck, too close. He countered, his sword slicing the bandit's thigh, muscle parting like butter.
Blood poured, the man staggering, but he swung again, rage fueling him. Daniel parried, the clash sparking, then drove his blade into the bandit's gut. Intestines spilled, slick and steaming, as the man collapsed, his screams fading to a wheeze.
Klav rushed to Elira, checking her pulse. He dragged her to safety, his hands shaking. Lila sank to her knees, sobbing, her knife clattering to the floor. Daniel stood over the bandits' bodies, his chest heaving, blood dripping from his blade. I was almost too late. Almost.
The village burned outside, screams and flames rising. Daniel's eyes met his mother's, her face a mask of shock and gratitude. "Danny," she whispered, her voice breaking.
"Stay here," he said, his voice hard. "Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone but me."
Lila nodded, pulling Elira close. Klav stood, his dagger ready despite his exhaustion. I'm not done. I can still fight. No... I have to fight. Daniel believes in me, I gotta remember that.
Daniel turned to the door, his blade gleaming through the blood. The Leader was out there, and more bandits roamed. This isn't over. Not until they're all dead.
They stepped into the chaos, the village a battlefield. Daniel's mind was a furnace, burning with one thought: Kill them all. The Lightblade hummed, hungry for more blood, and he obliged, charging into the fray with Klav at his side.