꧁𝕱𝖆𝖈𝖎𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕭𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖙𝖘꧂
I began to move a little and increase my sense of hearing. Yet I still sense nothing. Where did he go?
Did he wake up already?
Though it was raining heavily and very loud through my ears, I focused on hearing some voices or steps of a mortal being. And yes, I really heard some voices.
I tried to calm down my nerves and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath.
I found you, There you are!
I heard some voices echoing through my ears. There are coming from a far distance but I can sense that it is not that far from me.
After hearing those voices, I already knew that they are the one who abducted Livius. They believed that Livius would become an obstacle to them, so they decided to abduct him first. They have underestimated my abilities.
According to their disgusting conversation, their aim was me. But because they have thought that Livius was sleeping and very armed, they decided to get him first so they won't be harmed. Their next target would be me.
"Sell him as a slave? Isn't that better?"
"Oh, right! take advantage of him. Then we'll go after the girl. He he he. Two birds in one stone!"
"Silly you, of course yes. We'll got get her, she's our prey. To satisfy our lustful desires!"
"She may not be sold of as slave because look how foolish she is looking for us but never looked in the sky. Yoohoo! We're up here!"
"We're really lucky don't you think? These two kids decided to play around the forest, and we just hit a treasure!"
"Then... Hihihi... Why not satisfy ourselves by---"
"I'm thinking the same thing too!"
"Then who'll be the first to taste?"
I raised my head to look for their location. They're are spitting out some dangerous facts. They're indeed above of me. They are standing on the top of the tall trees. These trees are taller thrice of the Narra trees' height.
I smirked. If they think that I am weak and dumb as a prey, then I'll prove them wrong. I will play with their tricks.
Little did they know that even though I don't excel that much, I have learned the art of levitation.
Though I did not master it, but I can use the basic ones. Fortunately, I can use it in this kind of situation.
I jumped diagonally on the edge of the tree to the next tree. As I bounced, I manage to levitate at the same time.
The height of the trees are no joke, it will take me longer than I expected so I decided to use my speed ability which costs me a lot of vigor.
This ability, I have learned them back then when I was training as warrior in Coronia.
As far as I remember, I the dagger is inside of my pocket. Gladly, I used to carry it around.
Its blade is pretty simple yet it is easier to swing and its' sharpness can easily cut through a person's skin.
My eyes are getting blurry. My vigor is getting used up. Even so, I cannot be defeated by this bandits! I cannot let them take Livius away or take us away.
My feet is still at its speed and so as my magic. My mana is getting used up too. Gladly, I wore an amulet, a protection device. So, in this way, they won't be able to feel my presence or my killing intent.
My ears had gone deaf already by their non sense conversation. They are disgusting! Really disgusting! I must arrive immediately!
These kinds of situations are normal already since I used to live here. I tried my best escaping them back then when I was 12, they successfully abduct me and can no longer flee from them.
My fate is at least kind to me for letting Alice find me.
Right now, Livius is in their hands, I have to save him!
Before I reach the top, I decided to grab at least three twigs. This twigs should be thrown to each of them. Though they are light weighted and very small, its impact when thrown will be greater than expected. It can easily go through your skin and cut it.
I know, my skills are not good enough but I must try what I am currently planning. I want the three twigs to hit them. They are bandits, so I'm certainly sure that they are aware of this kind of situation so they must be prepared already.
Though the possibilities of my plan that it will work is too low, I will still try my best.
I took a deep sign and immediately threw the three wigs into a spinning motion towards them.
They noticed instantly how the twigs fly towards them so they caught the twigs.
I smirked. As expected!
"We planned of how abducting our prey and creating a small feast that we almost forgot that you are listening to us!" the huge bandit said.
"How did you went up here? You must be skilled. Hahahaha! Let's see what you got." the Bald Bandit laughed hideously.
"Hihihi. You're so thin, how can we satisfy ourselves? I don't want to share you with others, hihihi." the third bandit who lost his three teeth said.
I shivered after seeing their lustful faces. I cannot wait to get rid of them!
My eyes looked for Livius. His hands were tied and he is still unconscious. Seeing his situation gives me enough courage to do something that is beyond my limits. I smirked.
Though my skills are not something I should trust, but seeing him gives me confident and strength.
I have chosen to be wise.
In fact, I am now digging my own grave.
But I know, I won't die easily. If I were in my older self, one hand is enough to kill them.
They used the three twigs I've thrown against me. They threw it very fast. I instantly jumped to avoid them.
I dashed their swift attacks towards me.
While they are busy attacking them and I am dashing their attacks, I took the opportunity to get closer to them so I can slash them by my dagger.
Unfortunately, I stepped on the wrong branch of the tree. The edge of my clothes got stucked unto it. At this moment, I should be using the levitation spell!
However, I can't use my mana!
Something's blocking it! this is not fair!
Don't tell me...
They also have an amulet against me?
I am not prepared for this!
They laugh at me wickedly. Staring at me as if I've had my own defeat.
My eyes sharpened itself. I am not yet ready to be defeated!
I've done so many wrong things in this life, I can't die or be in a worse situation without having my own redemption yet!
I see!
These bandits seems not normal.
The fat bandit wears a ring, but the stone inside the ring isn't ordinary as if it was a magical stone. The bald bandit wears an earing without pair. While the toothless bandit wears a bracelet but has several stones inside it.
If that's the case...
I need to target the magical stones and disable them at once. In that way, I can fight them fairly.
Never underestimate me!
Now that I've remembered, back then, I've read books about bandits to avoid them.
Those amulets or talisman helps them to be stronger.
Though they are criminals, and wanted person, they can still have some sort of things that nobles and aristocrats used to have. That's because a black market exists. These nobles and aristocrats have their own illegal transactions without the Royal Investigation Bureau knowing.
Or perhaps, they have known, but they are also an accomplice to their illegal transcations.
Not all mortals here obey the law.
So do I!
There are a lot of evil people and also saints who have evil intentions and schemes.
Better trust no one.
Though I am about to fall, I used my remaining vigor to throw away my blade and made it sure to make it bounce back against their amulets. They still laughed as if I am hitting the wrong spots of their body without noticing that I have seen their weakest part.
"Your blade is so small to kill us!" the fat bandit said.
Yeah, too small to defeat you!
I laughed back.
After hearing the loud cracks of their magical stones, they stepped back. Their laughing faces had vanished.
I jumped on the other branch and smirked back.
They tried to use magic against them but it was no use. I also wear an amulet, you know?
If they tricked me, then I will also play their game with cheats!
I used my levitation spell. Though my remaining mana is really low, I will still use this opportunity to fight against them.
I retrieved my dagger back and used my remaining vigor for speed and slashed the huge bandit's leg. He is a hindrance. He should be defeated first. And so, I succeeded.
The fat bandit fell. "Simon!" the other bandit shouted the name of the huge bandit.
So, Simon was his name?
Then, I wish him to never rest in peace. He's an evil creature!
Now, it's my time to laugh back. "Now who will taste the feast? I wonder." I smirked.
I jumped and kicked the bald bandit. He was too thin, so I decided to slash his leg and kick him to fall down.
The bandit who has lost his three teeth in front grinned. "I'm so luck that I will be able to taste you on my own, I don't like to share you to others in the first place, hihihi!"
I clenched my fist after hearing his unpleasant voice.
"Thanks for killing them for me, hihihi."
"You disgust me!" I hissed.
I jump towards him, and pointed my dagger at him. Unfortunately, he was able to hold a strong grip from hands resulting me to drop my dagger.
I am very furious!
He used his two hands to prevent the both of my hands to attack him. With this kind of body he was able to dodge my attack and prevent me from stabbing him. I finally once felt how it feels to be shivered by your own fears.
He showed his dirty tongue and his saliva is flowing outside his mouth. The smell was very terrible! He pushed me into the branch as if he was ready to fulfill his disgusting desires towards me.
I won't. I will certainly never let such disgusting thing happen to me!
I kicked him immediately. This was my last remaining vigor. Using my last remaining mana, I also used enhancing spell which I have learned from my father before.
He screamed in pain. I stood up and stepped on his right hands.
"This filthy hands of yours, you won't be able to have that again." I retrieved my dagger back and slashed his neck. I kicked him to fall down.
I hope, you suffer, as your redemption.
May the victims of these bandits rest in peace.
I got exhausted. The loud beating of my heart slowly fades away.
Did I overuse my vigor and mana?
But my fear made me do so.
My body reacted lately. Tears fell from my eyes as if I was really scared. If I wasn't smarter than myself, if I didn't know all these things, will those bandits succeed with their lustful plans?
Though my feet hurts a lot, I still urged myself to walk in front of Livius and cut the rope that ties him using my dagger.
I held his hands and smiled. "T-thank you for protecting me before, now, I-I was able to protect you." before my eyes shut, I found myself falling from the tree with Livius.
So... These trees are also an illusion made by the bandits to trap their pray here...
I have no remaining vigor and mana anymore... I am so exhausted.
But before my eyes shut, I hugged him so when we fall apart, he will be saved.
My eyes suddenly shut again.
꧁𝕰𝖓𝖉 𝖔𝖋 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 8꧂
𝓐𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓻❜𝓼 𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓮: Hello, since I have been in a hiatus for too long. I decided to reward my readers by providing a short special chapter to all of you. Thank you for waiting and reading patiently with me. Thank you for bearing with my typographical and grammatical errors. Thank you for helping me grow. I wish you all the best! I will continue on writing and proof reading the story.
To summarize this chapter, Livius had went missing and Elliana had guessed that Livius was been abducted by the bandits above her who was in the upper part of the trees. She decided to save Livius by attacking and killing the bandits. Yes, I did not warn all of you about the brutal scenes coming, so I apologize. To uplift the mood, I will be writing the special chapter below and it was written in a third person point of view. ;) Thank you!
꧁𝕾𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖎𝖆𝖑 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗꧂
James, or also now called as Livius, had witnessed Elliana fighting with the bandits. At first, he was clueless. He was still unconscious yet his projection is now awake, meaning, he will be able to wake up at any moment.
His projection is one of his abilities as a royalty. Any person who has a royal blood will have his or her own unique ability. This ability could be passed to generation to another generation. Meanwhile, Livius had inherited his mother's ability. It was a projection and several identities. This ability had become an advantage to him in keeping Harmonia back then in a nice situation.
For example, he wants to date Elliana as Alyanna back then, at the same time he has duties as a King. So he will make a clone of himself, working and can communicate to other people while he was dating Elliana. That was the maximum level of his projection.
But now, he was as his lowest level of his projection. He can literally just do the basic projection which is everyone believes to be your "soul" or "ghost version". He can see what's happening around him but he will remain unconscious.
So, he had witnessed Elliana fighting against the bandits. He knew that there is nothing he can do. All he wants is to be awake right now, but it seems to be not the time yet.
When Elliana had the most difficult battle with the bandits, he was very furious either.
But, he suddenly asked himself, "Why?"
"Why does this young Lady seems to care to me a lot, have I met her before?"
When Elliana successfully defeated the last bandit, she held Livius' hand. Though he was a projection, he also had felt the warm.
So, Elliana lose her consciousness and fell of the tree. Yet, she secured his body to not fall into a despicable state even if it means sacrificing herself.
Livius suddenly felt his emotions coming inside him. His heart began to beat loudly. Then he realized that he was conscious already.
He took the chance to use his mana and created a levitation spell for the two of them. They both landed in the ground safely. The three dead bodies of the bandits began to disappear into dust.
He carried the 10 year old kid in his arms and whispered... "Thank you for saving me." He showed his first smile to the young lady in front of him.
He layed her in a comfortable grassland beside a huge tree.
"...Your experience is not something you should encounter, I wish you to rest well. Have a sweet dreams." he said and snapped his finger and kissed the young lady's forehead as if he was trying to put a sleeping spell to her.
His intentions are pure. He wanted to give the young lady's a sweet dream in return of his gratitude by saving saving.
Elliana unconsciously smiled as if she already had a sweet dreams.
꧁𝕰𝖓𝖉 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕾𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖎𝖆𝖑 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗꧂