Damn my ass hurts. Why did they make us ride horses?
"I see the camp up ahead!"
Biron, one of our class's scouts called out.
"Everyone dismount! We need to formulate a plan to capture them!"
Cameron Hall, the self-proclaimed leader of our class called out to dismount.
We all pulled our mounts to a halt and hitched them to the trees off the side of the road just inside the cover of the forest.
We gathered around forming a huddle so we could talk strategy. Cameron started off trying to give us a plan he came up with.
"Now obviously we don't want to kill them because they're people-"
"They're bandits. They wouldn't hesitate to kill us, why should we leave them alive?"
I interjected. Cameron was going to give some shitty plan and some speech about how we need to bring them in and give them a fair trial.
Right now he's just looking at me shocked, as if I dared to disagree with him. Seriously does he think he's the main character or something.
"It doesn't matter that they're bandits, everyone has the right to a fair trial!"
"We're not on Earth anymore, Cameron. If we waste time trying to arrest them, we'll all get ourselves killed. They outnumber us massively, while you're arresting one, another will simply come up behind you and stab you in the back. Or worse"
I glance towards the group of girls that were in our class. These guys are bandits. They raid villages, kill all the men, rape the women, and sell all the children as slaves.
Cameron seemed to shrink at my words. He just stood there in silence before speaking, his voice barely audible.
"But… they're people."
"We're far stronger than them. If we just go for a frontal assault we'd absolutely destroy them. They've built their camp inside abandoned mine tunnels, they have nowhere to run."
Cameron just looked up at me.
"It'll be a bloodbath. You're talking about slaughtering people."
"So what if I am?"
I steeled my nerves. I had spent the past day mentally preparing myself for having to kill these bandits. I can do this.
Most of the class looked at me as if I was some kind of monster. Only Ben looked at me as if I was human.
I turned and began heading towards the bandits camp.
"I don't care what you guys do. I'm going to complete our mission. We have to kill the royal family one day, if we can't even put down some bandits, how will we bring ourselves to kill royals."
Ben ran to catch up to me. He caught up and walked a pace behind me.
"John, I don't care what happens to me, I aint letting you throw away your humanity on your own. I've been with you for years, John. I know what kind of person you are. You're planning to sacrifice your own humanity if it means they can keep their morals."
"Ben, you don't have to do this with me."
"I know. But I want to."
Ben's face was warm as he said this. This guy had been by my side since primary school. He stood by me no matter what.
I can't let him die. Even if he throws away his emotions, becoming a pawn for the Earl, I won't let him die.
We stop just before we reached the camp.
"Ben promise me, no matter what you'll survive."
Ben closed his eyes and a huge grin lit up his face.
"Only if you do the same."
A slight smile comes to my lips. And we clasp hands.
"It's a promise."