"Ream swing harder," Main called out as he watched his son diligently train. The frustration was plastered across his face as his eyebrows furrowed.
"Yes... yes... father," A young Ream replied through rough pants as he adjusted his posture and sprinted forward.
Thunk.
"Rotation son. Rotate your body!"
Thunk. Ream rotated his body as he was asked to as he slammed his dagger against the tree that was in front of him as drops of sweat slid down his face.
The humidity in the air was making it tough. Panting, he jumped back agilely after his strike.
"Harder son HARDER!" Main shouted as his son ream tried as hard as he could to swing forward at the tree that was in front of him.
Chink. A different sound echoed through the area as Ream's dagger slipped out of his hands, caught in the trees fibres.
"Guh.." Ream's cried out loud as he dropped to the ground in pain as a long gash of red appeared across his arm. Immediately Ream felt it. The pounding of his heart. The rush of adrenaline course through his body as an unbearable pain spread through his arm as sweat began to build up all over his body.
His teeth ground together as he forced the urge to back cry down into the pit of his stomach.
'You're tougher than that.' Ream told himself as he used his uninjured arm to push himself off of the ground.
Main who stood nearby clenched his teeth as he watched. 'He's tougher than that.' Main told himself as he began to breathe heavily. The urge to go treat his son was very strong. But he fought against his parental urge because he knew that he shouldn't. 'Ream knows what to do.' Main thought as he tried to convince himself. Rocking from side to side impatiently, Main watched his son pick himself off the ground and analyze his own wound.
Red stained the ground and floor as it began to darken as the seconds passed. Reams heart pounded as he tried to see through the sweat and tears that blurred his vision.
'Disinfect.' He thought as he reached towards his small medicinal pack and pulled out tiny bag. 'Magental flower powder.' He confirmed as his hand glowed green and dumped the contents of the bag over his wound.
Flour-like dust sprinkled downward and seemed to fuse into his arm.
"Ssssss"
Wincing in pain, Ream pulled out a packet of finely wrapped cloth as his hand shook from his pangs of pain. Fumbling for a second he dropped the roll of cloth onto the floor. 'No!' he thought as he watched it roll away from him.
...
Chink. The sound of clashing metal as Ream nearly deflected a hit with his dagger and he was knocked backwards. Rolling briefly, he managed to collect himself as the hit shocked himself out of his melancholy.
"Kid. Hand over your herbs." a dirty grown man shouted at him as he chuckled as he walked out from the cover of the foliage beside the path the Ream as travelling on. Full of confidence, the man knew that he had he had an advantage. Ream was quickly surrounded from all sides by three burly men covered in worn l leather armour, the situation was clear. Ream was a victim of a bandit ambush.
"Kid. I don't like killing children so don't force my hand. Just hand over everything and I'll let you go." the dirty bandit called out. "I'll give you three seconds."
"Three..." the bandit began to call out as Ream looked forward hatefully. Before the bandit leader could continue, Ream tilted his body downward and launched himself forward with a burst of speed.
'Rotate.' he told himself as he slashed at the feet of the bandit that blocked his way in front of him.
Chck. The sound of flayed flesh entered the air as Reams dagger hit bone.
"AAAAARRGG." the bandit cried out loud as he clutched his foot. Blood flowed between his fingers as he tried to stop his bleeding ankle but couldn't. Angrily, the bandit tried to get up, but with his ankle slashed, he couldn't.
Jumping backward, Ream didn't let up his assault. Using the momentum from his first rotation, he expertly slashed another bandit across the neck before he could even react. Bloods spurted out as the second bandit's unprotected neck was sliced through.
Thump. Another body dropped to the floor.
"Kid. You shouldn't have done that." the leader of the bandit group called said as he charged forward. With giant axe in hand, the leader chopped downward as Ream's face. His aim was clear. He was going for a kill.
Bending downward, Ream tried to dodge towards the side, but as he did, he heard the bandit leader shout.
"Gleaming Strike."
Glowing, the axe seemed to accelerate suddenly.
'I won't be able to make it.' Ream thought as his eyes widened. Pulling his dagger upward he expertly angled his dagger towards the side as he took the hit.
Bang. The two weapons collided as the axe was deflected across Ream's shoulder and stuck into the ground beside him.
Jumping backwards, Ream's muscle memory instantly kicked in as his hand reached into his medicinal pouch pulled out a tiny bag. 'Powder, binding, resin.' He repeated in his head as he skillfully patched up the wound on his shoulder in half a second. Almost instantly, his pain was reduced and disappeared as he collected himself.
Ping.
In the distance, the Bandit Leader pulled his lodged axe out of the ground with one swift motion and walked towards Ream. The scars that he gained from hundreds of battles gleamed in the sunlight as he did . It became apparent that Ream wasn't dealing with any ordinary bandit leader.
"Drop. The pack kid." the leader repeated as he walked forward towards Ream.
But Ream didn't back down. He was finally free to explore the world and he wasn't going to let a single Bandit stop him short of his goal.
Bending downwards again, he sped up. The wind flowed through his long tied back silver hair as he did.
"Kid, you're testing my patience." the leader replied at Reams action. Swinging diagonally, the leader called out. "Wide sweep."
As if the axe elongated, the edge of the axe's blade shot out towards Reams body.
Bending his body lower, Ream managed to dodge the swing, but as he approached the bandit leader, he couldn't help but feel that he was in danger. 'Why?' he questioned as he pulled out his dagger and prepared to launch an attack. Before he could react, he felt it.
A hit. Swiftly and blind to his eye he was kicked back through the air.
Thump.
Reams body slammed against the ground ten metres away. Ream tried to get up but immediately collapsed again as he reeled in pain and the warm metallic taste of blood entered his mouth.
'An internal injury.' Ream confirmed as he quickly bit down on a pill that he had always hidden within his mouth in case of emergencies. Instantly the medicine kicked in as his pain eased as its properties spread through his body and began to heal him.
But it was still too slow.
"AAAGH" Ream cried out as he felt his long silver hair being torn from his body and his body lifted into the air.
'It's cold.' Ream thought as he felt a cold metal blade placed against his neck and a foul stench enter his nose as he watched the giant body of the bandit leader approach him.
"Boss." I got him. "Should I kill him?" the remaining bandit asked.
"No, we will sell him to the nobles. I'm sure his silver hair will sell for quite a good price. Besides... he'll make good knightly material if he doesn't sell.' the bandit leader replied as he smiled as he walked towards Ream and seemed to pull out a tiny sack out of his pocket.
"Good night kid." the leader said as he bent forward and forced Ream to inhale a white powder.
'Thornbush powder...' Ream thought as he felt his consciousness fade.
In a short two minutes, the battle was already over.
Ream had been captured the fifth day of his journey.
...