"Woah, woah! Stop! We have two adventurers here!" The leader of the armed men ordered as he was stopped on his tracks by Leo and Luis.
The leader wore a red robe and a spiked helmet. His armor was heavy, steel-made, and is dimly reflecting the light of the day. His face was rough, but he has a very gentle expression. Leo knew that he has some kind of authority, and he leads some sort of army, so he gambled to stop him and his men. But more than that, he saw that he looked approachable.
"Who are you two?" He asks with a dubious look.
"We're just bypassers looking for a ride," Leo said, increasing his voice over the sound of horses neighing.
"What bypassers? You two are adventurers, right?"
Looking confused, Leo shifts his eyes on Luis, noting the way he was currently dressed. Then he answers, "Right, we're adventurers!" He nodded his head as he spoke.
"So, adventurers! What are you doing here in the range of Azealea?"
"Range of Azealea? As I said, we're adventurers! We go on adventurers!"
"Fair enough... just odd to see people like you traveling in a place where monsters are practically extinct."
"What do you mean by Monsters?" With an obvious look of confusion on his face, Leo repeated the word. Luis also did, although only for himself. They were ultimately ignored.
"Well, we don't want to waste time... say, adventurer, have you seen a group of bandits pass this area?"
"Bandits?" Leo mutters, looking at his brother again before answering, "Yes, we have seen them."
"Ohho! Then, which direction they went?"
"Straight, from where we came from."
"So you've met them?" It was the leader's turn to have a confused expression on his face.
"We despatched of them. They attacked us first, so we have been forced to kill them."
With a bit of hesitation, Leo answered.
"What...?" The word came out of the leader's breath. He was stunned and he turned to look behind his men to confirm if they heard the same.
"23 armed bandits?" He asked.
"Two dozens, yes."
"The prisoners?"
"Killed on crossfire."
"Crossfire... do you know what that means?" The leader whispers to one of his men.
Hearing him, Luis gave the answer himself, "It means caught in the fight and killed."
"You killed the prisoners, too? I can't believe it... did you have anyone with you? A group of other adventurers, perhaps?"
"No, just the two of us."
"Impossible..." The leader murmurs for himself. "Adventurer, what's your name?"
"My name is Leonardo Chigurh."
"The other?"
"Luis Chigurh."
"Brothers, huh? You also have a last name, so that means you came from a wealthy family. I'm not that surprised..." The leader pinches his chin as he said. "My name is Bernard Hilda, from the aristocratic family of Hilda. I was assigned to guard the city gates of Azealea, hence, it's my duty to capture those bandits and prisoners. I request one of you to take my men to where you dispatch them."
"I'll let my brother take you there. But what about me?"
"I'll take you first to the city."
***
"You did not let a single one of them alive?" Bernard asked Leo, riding a horse of his own.
"We decided that we should at least keep the prisoners, but they tried to escape so we impaled them too."
"Impaled... if what you're saying is true, then you have given a very befitting death to one of the most infamous criminals in the city."
"Is that true? What was his name?"
"Impaler Jack."
"Impaler? Then I hope he's not the one I disemboweled or beheaded; impalement will suit his name." Leo casually said.
"Tha-That is true..." Bernard nervously answered, taken aback by the terror of his words.
"Well, you seem adept in killing, what's your history?"
"I don't think that's something I should disclose."
"Well, I shouldn't dive into your private life. I will get a report from my men later, I should settle with that." Saying so, Bernard stares ahead.
"By the way, I'm really sorry, but I just forgot... what year is it again?" Leo asked, interrupting the silence that just came.
"That's an odd thing to ask... but I shall answer it. In the Akin calendar, it's year 239; Gustav: 376."
"I just always forget..." Leo strokes his face as he groans. Obviously pretending he knew what he just heard.
"It's confusing, alright," Bernard comments on Leo's reaction.
"One last thing... you won't capture me for killing those bandits, will you?" Leo shoots a menacing glare at Bernard, who was focused on staring at the horizon.
"Of course not. There's no law in Zealean or anywhere else in that matter that states you're not permitted to kill bandits. They're bandits; they're allowed to be killed by anyone."
"And the prisoners?"
"You'll be questioned first. But if you're honest about what you said earlier, you won't get punished."
"Alright... thank you for reminding me." Leo calmply replied.
"Since you're an adventurer, you'll easily find lugging in the city inns. You and your brother might need some rest. You fought an unbelievable number of people."
'That's right; I'll definitely need some rest."