"Oh, and just because we're out of the city, doesn't mean that we can get careless. Other then the fact that we could possibly run into any sort of magical beast, there also bandits that tend to stake out the roads, especially the roads that lead to the capital. So, keep alert. Alright?" Nicholas explains to Duvainion.
Duvainion just nods, now looking about around themselves. And Buddy also keeps alert, searching for any suspicious scents, wanting to help as well.
-------
After about a few days of travel, they stop, Nicholas hearing something from nearby, and Buddy seeming to confirm Nicholas' suspicions, emitting a low growl as well.
"I knew it... They're close by. Get ready for a fight." Nicholas warns Duvainion, while getting out his daggers. He looks about, making sure that they won't be ambushed too easily.
This just seems to make Duvainion a little nervous, never having had to fight another person before, let alone harm anyone. Though he still creates his dark energy sword, not wanting to be a burden in the fight at all, if possible.
Soon enough, a small group of about 4 bandits now surround them. "A little young to be travelling on your own, ain't ya, kids?" The first bandit remarks, while brandishing his own sword.
"You don't even know what we're capable of. Don't you dare look down upon us." Nicholas replies seriously.
"Fine then. You heard 'em boys, no holdin' back."
As the first bandit then lunges for him, Nicholas jumps out of the way, then swiftly maneuvers around him, and stabs him in his side.
"You little brat!"
As they're fighting, Duvainion and Buddy also fight their own battle. Duvainion manages to create a tiny shadow portal in the ground, which one of the bandits ends up accidentally stepping into, stopping him from continuing his charge towards him. As the one bandit just struggles with trying to get his foot out, the other still attempts their attack, though as Duvainion then puts his attention to defending, the tiny portal he had created now closes, with the foot of the bandit still within it, essentially just cutting his foot off. The bandit that had been stuck previously is now on the ground, his right foot missing from the top of the ankle down. "Sh*t! You little f*cker! "
Duvainion, and even the other bandit, look over at the now one footed bandit. Seeing this just shocks the both of them, but Duvainion comes to his senses first, and uses this as his opportunity, and actually ends up stabbing the other bandit in his back.
As Nicholas finishes off the second bandit, he looks over to where Duvainion is. "Not bad. Now, you should probably finish him."
"I... I don't know if I can..."
"Of course you can, you already got them this far. Doesn't take a lot more, with the shape they're in, now."
"No, like... I... don't want to..."
"Ah. Sorry." Nicholas then throws his dagger at the bandit that Duvainon had stabbed, and then slits the throat of the one footed bandit. After retrieving his other dagger, he then puts his daggers away. "And remember to keep concentrating on those portals, don't want to accidentally maim anyone who actually matters."
"Right... I didn't even know that could happen. But I guess that's a good thing to know ahead of time." He then lets his dark energy sword disappear.
"Yep. Anyways, if we're all done here, we should get going immediately, before any more end up showing up." Nicholas explains as he starts to head off.
"Okay." Duvainion quickly agrees, then starts to follow Nicholas, with Buddy following beside him.
As the three of them head off, though, a shady figure can be glimpsed watching them from afar, though they don't seem to notice the figure.
-------
After a few more days of traveling, the large forest is soon within view in the distance.
As they eventually enter the forest, Duvainion looks around, amazed by the seemingly mystical trees.
"What's up?" Nicholas questions Duvainion.
"You can't sense it? These trees seem almost... alive."
"They're trees. Of course they're living."
"No, I mean in the other way. You know, like living in a magical type of way." Duvainion tries his best to explain it to Nicholas.
"If you say so." Though Nicholas still seems a bit skeptical about it.
As Nicholas and Duvainion continue on their way through the large and ancient forest, they eventually come upon a large, white, dire wolf. Nicholas stops Duvainion, and they hide while he carefully watches it. Despite its enhanced senses, it doesn't seem to notice them yet, as it seems to be focused on something else, with its nose to the ground, and digging slightly at the base of certain trees, but soon moving on to different trees, almost as if it were trying to find something.
They try to sneak past it while it seems to be busy, though it soon stops what its doing, and looks around some, as they pass nearby. This alarms Nicholas, and he tries to hurry before it sees them. Soon, though, it does end up noticing them, and then slowly starts to approach them, growling, and not seeming too pleased at their presence in the forest.
Nicholas pulls out his daggers, ready for a fight. Though before either of them gets the chance to do anything, a voice speaks up. "Wait! Don't hurt them, either of you." The Dire Wolf stops growling, but does still stay in a defensive stance.
Nicholas looks around as he hears this voice, though seems unable to pinpoint where it's coming from, and still refuses to put his daggers away. Though, a small figure soon drops down out from within the treetops. This figure is soon recognized as another elven child, though he seems to be a Wood elf, and he looks to be only about a year or two older then Duvainion, even. He then approaches Duvainion. "Duvainion? Do you... remember me?"
"Wait... Hunter?" Duvainion seems to recognize him soon enough.
"You two know each other?" Nicholas questions them.
Duvainion nods. "Yeah. He's an old friend of mine. what are you doing out here?"
"I've always lived out here
"What? I don't remember that?" Duvainion just asks, confused.
"I stayed in the city with my parents sometimes, when we were doing business, but otherwise, we usually stayed out here, helping the forest, and its guardian."
"Guardian?"
"Oh, right. You were just about to fight. Duvainion, and friends, this is OluIa, the Forests Guardian. She's probably just about an ancient as the forest itself. So, please, there's no need to fight."
"...Fine. But I will still defend myself, if I get attacked, first." Nicholas then puts his daggers away.
"So, the Guardian is a giant wolf?" Duvainion asks.
"Yes and no. She usually prefers this form, but she can transform into almost any animal or beast form that you can imagine." Hunter explains.
"Cool."
"Anyways, what are you doing out here, Duvainion?" Hunter asks him.
"Well, we're kinda trying to get back into the city."
"Back into? Wasn't it taken over?"
"Yeah. How'd yon know about that?"
"Well, my parents haven't exactly returned since their latest visit, so I went to go check it out. Except I didn't even get into the city before encountering those gross Orcs. Luckily, though, the simple soldier Orcs, at least, seem to be somewhat superstitious, and refused to even come near this forest." Hunter explains his brief encounter with the Orcs.
"Wow... Well... At least you were able to find out something even a bit useful?"
"Right... Anyways, enough about that. You probably want to get going, and we should probably get back to work, too."
"Yeah, what is she doing, by the way?"
"Oh, OluIa? There, unfortunately, seems to be something wrong with the forest. But we can't seem to figure out what, so she's been searching the roots of the trees. Although we still haven't found anything yet." Hunter just seems worried as he explains this.
"Do you want any help?"
"What? Duvainion, we're kinda on a bit of a time limit, aren't we?" Nicholas tries to remind Duvainion.
"Well, I guess. But they need our help, too."
"Look, how about we come back, but only after we finish up what we need to do. Okay?" Nicholas attempts to compromise.
"Alright..."
After a moment, though, a feminine voice rings throughout all their minds. 'Hunter, why don't you go with them, and help them out?'
Though this just seems to confuse both Duvainion and Nicholas, Hunter doesn't even react to it.
Hunter then looks towards OIuIa, "Are you sure?"
'You have been getting better with your archery, I believe that you could be of use to them.'
"But what about helping you?" Hunter asks her.
'I have been doing this on my own for years before you, I will be fine for a few more weeks. Besides, there is still Serenity around to help me, too.'
"Well, if you say that it's okay. If you guys will have me?"
"I suppose the more help we can get, the better. Duvainion?"
"Yeah."
"Cool, thanks, guys."
"Right. Let's get going." Nicholas starts to head off.
Duvainion and Hunter follow him, with Buddy following after Duvainion.
"So, Duvainion, who's the shadow wolf puppy?"
"Oh, I met him when me and my bodyguard were originally escaping the city. I had named him... Buddy."
"That's cute. He seems excited to be able to follow you, too."
Duvainion and Hunter just seem to be catching up some, as they continue on their way through the forest.
-------
It's about a day later, but now a group of bandits head through the forest.
"Boss!" A bandit scout approaches the bandit leader.
"What is it."
"We can't seem to find the warrior children from before, but we have encountered someone else that may peak your interest, sir." The scout explains.
"Hm... Alright, show me." The band of bandits heads off.
They soon come upon a large clearing, containing a humongous tree, very much larger then all the other trees around it. And within the clearing, near the huge tree, is a small female centaur, who seems to be around the ages of about 16 to 18. Although she doesn't look like a standard centaur, she resembles deer fawn, instead of the usual horse. Her fur is a silky silvery color, and her hooves, underbelly, and fawn spots are a soft golden color; and she even has deer like ears that poke out of her long and wavy deep golden hair. The centaur girl just stands near the base of the huge tree, seeming to be doing something at the roots of the tree.
The bandit leader just seems pleased when he sees her. He soon motions for the other bandits to move in on her. Once they surround the now frightened centaur girl, he approaches her. "You're certainly a rare centaur. Especially in these parts."
She soon pulls a bow out, though no arrows. "I do not wish to harm anyone, even low lives such as yourselves. Leave this forest now, and nothing bad will happen."
The bandits just laugh at this, then the leader speaks up again. "Harm us? Your pathetic bow doesn't even have any arrows. Get her."
As the bandits start to close in on her, she then pulls the string of the bow back, and an arrow made of a bright light green energy soon forms within the bow. She then unleashes multiple arrows in a row, all within quick succession of each other, aimed for each of the bandits, with deadly accuracy, though none of them are dead, just seriously injured. "One last warning. Leave this place, now."
"You b*tch!" The bandit leader then charges for her, but before either of them can do anything, large roots erupts out of the ground, grasping each of the bandits. As they struggle to try and escape, the roots then start to bring the bandits under ground. Seeing this, the centaur girl just puts her bow away. After all the bandits are eventually gone, now, she then turns back to the large tree.
"You didn't have to do that for me, you need to preserve your energy, until we can figure out what's wrong with you and your children." She just sounds concerned as she says this to the massive tree. "But, thank you, nonetheless." She smiles, and gives a respectful bow.