It was already a couple of hours past dusk and all it could be seen was darkness and the occasional rustle in the trees and bushes, in this forest there were two persons with oil lanterns moving trough the trees.
"Seriously, I get the creeps at night. Who knows if an Elemental Beast will jump at us out of nowhere."
While he was complaining the other individual just shook his head and waved this hand dismissively.
" In this part of the continent? Ye right. Don' t worry you have a fully fledged Elementalist right next to you to... "
*rustle*
"You heard that?"
The moment both of them turned their head, all they noticed was two blurry shadows striking at their heads.
*thud*
Moments later the two individuals were now laying unconscious in the floor while two others were now standing above them.
"You sure you didn't over do it?" Said the younger one in hunter attires while looking at the ground with a look of sympathy.
These two individuals were Aster and the Commander.
"He is a fully fledged Elementalist." The older one in uniform said sarcastically. "I'm sure he is fine."
Moments latter a group of guards came out of the woods, they were wearing a slightly more formal attire than regulars hunters would and some of them were carrying backpacks.
"Well then tie them up before they wake up and have someone keep an eye on them. Their hideout should be up ahead so move quietly."
They followed the commander's instructions and just like instructed the two bandits were now tied to a tree while a guard was keeping an eye on them. The rest of them followed the commander and Aster for a few minutes before the commander signaled them to stop while hiding behind some bushes.
"That should be it." He said while tilting his head towards what appeared to be a cave of sorts. Said cave entrance appeared more like a fissure than an actual cave and from an outside perspective didn't even look that deep at all.
Aster scanned the area for some time before addressing the commander.
"I don't feel anyone at the entrance, how deep is this thing supposedly?"
"Pretty deep, probably. I mean it's not like we had someone come in here with a ruler or anything when they found it, but at least we know this is the only way out. Also, I don't feel anyone either."
After saying, so he left his cover and started to move inside while keeping his senses sharp and a hand on his weapon.
"All clear to me. They are probably deeper in."
As he said those words a confused look appeared on Aster's face. 'Not sure why they would have two guys on guard duty in the woods but not even bother to put one in the entrance. Heck if anything that is more counterintuitive than not having anyone in guard duty in the first place.'
Unfortunately Aster failed to finish his reasoning in time as the Commander took a step to far.
*click*
The wire the commander had touched was connected to a small metallic box with a bright fire crystal embedded into it.
None of them could react in time.
*boom*
...
...
...
A few hundred meters away a loud sound and the echo that followed had woken up a few individuals who started to turn on their lanterns waking up the rest.
" *yawn* Shit. What or who the fuck was that."
"Stop yelling you fuck. Elements my head... sounded like the alarm. Is Barry on guard duty? Did that idiot trip on the wire again."
"Fucking Barry!!!"
"I'm gonna kick his ass!"
While most dismissed their concerns on their "friend's" dumbassery one of the man had kept a straight face since the moment he woke up and was now standing up.
"Get your things."
Even thought it a single sentence it's all it took for all the other ones to shut up.
"Boss?" One of them said.
"We have company."
...
...
...
"Commander!" Aster shouted as he shook his head trying to shake the dizziness felling out of it.
" *cough* *cough* I'm ok. Just caught by surprise there. Fuckers."
The blast was luckily nothing more than a flash of light and sound.
"Well our surprise attack just went down the gutter. Ok listen up." He then proceeded to point at two guards who instantly froze. " You two will stay here and slice and dice at anything that comes out, the rest of you take your balls out of your bags and get ready to move in."
All of them proceeded to unsheathe their weapons and followed Aster and the Commander inside while the two other ones started to once again breathe.
...
...
The walls were relatively dark barely reflecting the light of the lanterns, there was no wind, and only the footsteps of the guards could be heard as they moved forward. They soon noticed a brightly lit area ahead of them.
"Do you think they will surrender?" ' I would rather solve this peacefully if given the change.'
"I wouldn't."
Contrasting his usual and slightly cocky behavior the commander said those words very seriously, and soon after started to flow his aura trough his body. Aster and the guards following right after.
It didn't take long before they arrived at a large lit room in the caves.
The guards were met with more than a dozen bandits all in leather hunter like attires, most of them had some type of blade unsheathed with a few holding crossbows in the back of the group, similarly they were all exerting their auras except for one. He looked young, in his mid twenties and had a muscular but slim build. He was wearing a similar set of clothing as his companions, but had less armor, especially in the joints, he was sitting down while playing with a dagger in his left hand balancing it on the tip of his finger and twirling it around meanwhile his right one was simply holding another identical dagger by the handle.
'Well they outnumber us 3 to 2, I can clearly feel three elementalists when there was supposed to be only one not to mention that guy over there as yet to release his aura, so most likely that number is closer to four.' Those were the thoughts going trough Aster's mind, the Commander having similar ones.
'We're fucked.'
Yet he didn't let it be shown as he then addressed the bandits in his usual way.
"We have your little club surrounded, now you either drop your weapons and do this the easy way or I will personally make sure none of you will ever be able to hold anything else for the rest of your lives." As he said so he further unleashed his aura. Wind started to flow out of him. The bandits felt as if they were moving against a strong gust of wind in their minds.
The guards also felt the pressure but considering they were used to it by now they felt reassured and calm instead. Aster on the other hand was slightly surprised but then also calmed himself as the aura didn't have the slightest bit of malice intent directed towards them.
At that moment the bandit who was still siting down stopped playing with his dagger and stood up.
"No" Its was a single word yet it shattered the confidence of every guard present.
He took a glance at the guards stopping slightly at Aster whose eyes were still as lively as before and then landing on the Commander.
"Let me tell you what is gonna happen. You are gonna let us trough and do nothing to stop us. If not..."
At that moment everyone in the room felt as if they had just been pricked by hundred of thorns even if it only lasted a moment. Only Aster felt the sharpness of his aura yet didn't flinch.
"I will just cut my way trough" He said on a nonchalant way."
The Commander moved closer to Aster and whispered to him. "I will handle that cocky punk you try to keep thing even while I deal with him." Aster softly nodded while inwardly calming himself.
"Tough luck buddy, but you must have a few loose screws if you think we are simply gonna let you walk away." He said while he was putting himself in a combat stance holding his sword with both hands looking straight at the bandit leader followed soon after by Aster and the guards.
The bandits also got themselves ready except the leader who remained in a relaxed pose both arms by his waist casually holding his daggers eyes locked on the commander.
At that moment a weak cold felling made the guards shiver, it was a weak sensation that none of them noticed, yet it made their bodies react. When they noticed the Bandit Leader was already rushing towards their commander at an inhuman speed. The commander however was already swinging his sword already expecting the attack. Aster on the other hand moved past the guards and raised his sword quickly blocking an arrow aimed at one of the guards head.
That odd felling that made the guards shiver, the sensation that none of them had felt before was no other than killing intent.