We had an early morning after that night. Robin insisted that we leave in the morning, given that we'll have to reach the next town by night.
The sun is at its peak and the heat picks up. My stomach grumbles loudly and Robin turned around to my side.
"Let's stop over there and take rest."
Robin said before leading me inside the forest. There we no logs to sit on, but sitting at the soil will do. I am not exactly exhausted, given that walking and lifting are the things I usually do back in my town, but I sure am powerless without a lunch. Granted, I did ate breakfast, I just didn't expect to not see a vendor. I mean, that should be given yeah? Gosh, I'm such an idiot.
"Sorry about this. I lose all my strength if I am hungry."
"No worries. My steed, Cavall was also the same."
I guess it's an honor to be the same as the steed of the mighty Captain.
"Here, some jerky.", Robin offered a few pieces of jerky to which I silently chew into, trying to get myself full.
"Thanks, Captain.", I thanked her while munching on the jerky.
"Stop calling me Captain. People will get suspicious if you do. Also, hold the jerky yourself."
"But we're a mercenary group right? Wouldn't 'Captain' make sense?"
Robin also sat and rests her feet. She takes a piece for her own and took a bite out of it with her eyes staring at me aimlessly.
"I suppose it does. Fine, we'll leave this for later."
We've rested up for a bit more and then we continued. The forest grows thicker and darker, but the path was clear for us nonetheless so we marched forth.
Looking at Robin, with or without armor, she still possess the feeling of safety that she just lets out. It's as if she's still fully armored. Is this what it looks like to have no openings? Compared to her I look frail and unbalanced. I need to follow her steps, shouldn't I?
Suddenly, while admiring her form she suddenly stopped and reached her arm out to stop me from my tracks. Two of her hands holding her spear tight as she seems to vigilantly look around. In response, I turned around behind me and took out the book, conjuring the chains as we lie in wait for an ambush.
"Tsk, I thought you two were just some stupid travelers."
A man's voice came out of the side of the forests. The bushes let out a sound before a man reveals himself. His bloodshot eyes turn to look at me after he faces Robin.
"Alright alright, guess I didn't get lucky this time.", the man added before kneeling to the ground, dropping the woodcutter's axe that he uses to arm himself. Robin kicks it away for precaution.
Something feels off with the way he acts. Why didn't he go after me? It would have opened up opportunities for him if he were to take me hostage first. I need to look out for whatever he's cooking up.
"Hmm, you seem compliant."
"I only choose battles where I can win, Miss."
I need to use it, whatever I did the other day. Seeing the spirits and all. Although I am not really sure how I did it.
"Would you please lower down your spear? It's kind of scary having you point it."
I try to differentiate the senses I feel. Hearing, sight, and touch, I separate those senses in my mind. I hear a loud ringing in my ears, as if it's warning me. I recall the feeling of strangeness and it gets stronger the more I try to reach out to it. Eventually my eyesight doubles for a moment, becoming blur for an instant before clearing up. It's like my senses were enhanced, I feel the slight movement of the wind and the sound it makes as it hits something...specific. I can't exactly describe it, it's like a howl yet the wind picks it up and blows it away. Following where the sound comes from, I see a spirit taking aim. The weapon is not visible, but their posture seems to suggest it's a bow.
I see, one...two? No, about three of them lying in wait. One is hiding behind a tree near Robin and the guy, another one next to him and the last one a few distance away from my side.
"Weaken.", I said while pulling the chains. As I do so, the chains come out of the ground and pulled their spirits down.
"Look, I'm unarmed. I bet you could use some help?"
The three men persevered despite the weight of my chains, pulling the string of their bows. That must be their signal. Still, it's troublesome dealing with will. How can I make this more effective?
Should I just add more chains? But I need to conjure more if I do. It will take more time.
A flicker of blue flame lets out in my hand, it was created when I conjured the chains, perhaps a byproduct of the materialization? Would it be similar to blacksmithing, where I need heat to make those chains?
"Wait, maybe I was too quiet, I bet you need some HELP!", the man shouted.
"Have you gone insane?", Robin answered coldly.
There's no time for me to ponder on it. I need to make a move. I'll just do something else. If making the chains is the same as forging it, then perhaps I could control other factors that I need to make it.
It has always been there, the flow of heat in my arms. It was always gathering at my palm to my fingertips. I simply got numbed of it, however if I try to be conscious of it...
I followed the trail of heat in my arms and pushed it out, increasing the size of the flames. It doesn't feel burning at all, it was simply warm and embracing. Holding the chains tightly, I sent flames throughout the length of the chains, hoping that I could strengthen it this way. The idea is to scorch their spirits in those flames, so they offer less resistance before I pull them down once again.
Surely enough, they slowly fell on their knees.
"Captain, there's three more hiding in the forest.", I whispered to Robin, tiptoeing my way to her ears.
"I'm aware that this guy is acting unnatural. Wait for them to take back their friend.", She answers back, not letting her guard down.
"Don't worry, I already restrained them. It should be safe to apprehend that man."
Robin confusedly turned her attention on me and raised an eyebrow. I only nodded for confirmation, knowing I can't show her the ephemeral chains that I am pulling right now.
"You seem certain of it. I'll restrain him then."
Robin said, taking out a rope from her bag and tied up the man's arms and wrists.
"W-wait, I said I need help! Darn it! Help! ...Idiots.", the man can only resign himself to his fate after no help from his friends came.
"Where are the others?", Robin asks after restraining the man.
"In that tree over there, the other just a bit to their side and one at my side.", I directed, pointing my finger on the places I mentioned.
"Got it, then excuse me for a moment.", Robin said before going after each and every single one of them. I can see their spirits moving slightly while Robin ties their arms. After I make sure that Robin already restrained them, I loosened up the grip on their spirits before letting it go.
"How was their condition?"
I asks due to my curiosity. Robin then gently places them down to the ground, letting them sit together.
"They were really weak, as if they caught fever. Was this your doing?"
"Yes...I--err, I was looking for a way to weaken their condition. Enough for them to lose strength atleast, but I might've gone overboard.", I said apologetically, turning my head down to the ground. Robin responded by patting my shoulder with her hand, reassuring me of my actions.
"Good work. You did your best to avoid bloodshed, that alone is enough. To be honest, I felt useless in there."
"That's not true! I was only able to calmly make my move because you were here!"
"It's better this way. I was trained to protect and to kill effectively, if I were to pick, I rather fulfill the former."
Robin calmly answered before dragging the bandits with the rope she somehow has a bundle of while I follow her quietly, observing the movement of the bandits that resigned themselves to being dragged.
...atleast walk, will you?