The armed men advanced on the group. The vendor stood behind them waiting for an opening to strike. Serenya instinctively raised her hands in a defensive position, ready to use her powers to protect her friends. Fear and adrenaline coursed through their veins. The vendor's smug smirk only fueled their anger and determination to escape.
Rowan's brow furrowed in concentration as he closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts on the large rocks surrounding them. He visualized them lifting off the ground and soaring through the air with a powerful force. Suddenly, the rocks began to shake and tremble as they rose from the earth, floating in mid-air like they were weightless.
With a flick of his wrist, Rowan sent the rocks hurtling toward the group of armed men, who were taken aback by the sudden attack. The rocks whizzed through the air, some of them shattering into smaller pieces upon impact with the ground. The men scrambled to dodge them, ducking and weaving to avoid getting hit.
Serenya, seeing an opportunity to assist, joined in the fray. She raised her arms to the sky, calling forth a powerful gust of wind that whipped through the leaves and branches, sending dust and debris flying. The force of the wind was so strong that it knocked some of the men off their feet, causing them to stumble and fall.
As the group took advantage of the brief moment of respite, Aricen utilized his illusionary powers to create multiple copies of himself, causing the men to become confused and disoriented. They swung their weapons haphazardly, striking nothing but air.
Casey, meanwhile, channelled her lightning power into her hands, creating small bolts of electricity that crackled menacingly. She sent the bolts flying toward the men, causing them to jump and scatter as they narrowly missed their targets.
But their victory was short-lived, as the vendor himself appeared from the shadows, a wicked grin on his face. The vendor, however, proved to be a formidable opponent, darting back and forth with lightning-fast speed and delivering powerful blows to the group. They knew they couldn't defeat him head-on, so they worked together, each using their unique powers to keep him off-balance and distracted.
Finally, they saw their chance. As the vendor moved in for another attack, Rowan used his telekinesis to lift a large tree branch and hurl it toward him. The vendor dodged it, but it created a distraction long enough for the group to make a break for it.
"Follow me," Rowan called out. With a nod of their heads, they turned on their heels and ran, their footsteps pounding against the ground as they followed him. Behind them, the vendor's laughter echoed through the trees, taunting and jeering at them.
Serenya spotted a nearby river and quickly gestured for the others to follow her. As they ran toward the water, she concentrated her power, creating a massive water spout that sent them soaring into the air. The group clung together as they soared over the heads of their attackers and landed safely on the other side of the river.
Panting and out of breath, the group paused to catch their breath and assess their situation. They knew they couldn't outrun the vendor forever, but for now, they were safe. They exchanged glances, each silently agreeing that they needed to find a way to defeat the vendor and his men once and for all.
Aricen spoke up, "We need to get out of here, but we can't outrun him on foot. Serenya, can you use your wind power to create a strong enough gust to carry us away from here?"
Her eyes were filled with hesitation as Serenya nodded. "I can try. But we need to move quickly before he catches up to us."
The group quickly huddled together, with Serenya in the centre. She closed her eyes and focused her power, calling upon the elements to aid them. The wind began to pick up, whipping around them and tugging at their clothes.
Suddenly, a massive gust of wind swept them off their feet, lifting them high into the air. They soared above the trees, the rushing wind deafening them as they clung together tightly. The vendor's angry shouts could be heard in the distance as they were carried farther and farther away.
Finally, the wind died down and they gently touched down on the ground, several miles away from the vendor and his men. They collapsed in a heap, panting and gasping for air.
"That was close," Casey said, wiping sweat from her brow. "Thanks, Serenya. You saved our skin."
Serenya smiled weakly, still recovering from the exertion of using so much power. "I'm just glad we made it out alive. But we can't rest yet. We need to keep moving before he catches up with us again."
The group quickly got to their feet and set off, making their way out of the deep forest. They knew they couldn't run forever, but for now, they were safe.
***
As the dust settled, the vendor's group began to assess the damage. Their leader's shop was destroyed, and they failed to capture the group that had caused the destruction.
The vendor himself was furious, his face twisted in anger as he paced back and forth.
"How dare they escape like that?" he fumed. "They will pay for this!"
The men surrounding him exchanged uneasy glances, not wanting to be the one to incur the vendor's wrath.
"What do we do now, sir?" one of them finally spoke up, hoping to diffuse the situation.
The vendor replied, "We will find them. We'll track them down and make them pay for what they've done. And next time, we won't let them escape."
The group murmured their agreement, their eyes fixed on their leader. They knew the vendor's wrath was not to be taken lightly. He growled. "But first, we need to rest and regroup."
The men nodded in agreement, grateful for the reprieve. They knew the vendor would not rest until he had exacted revenge on them. The thought made them uneasy, but they were loyal to the vendor and would follow him no matter what.
As they made their way back to their camp, the vendor couldn't help but think of the power he could gain if he could capture the elf and his group. The king will surely promote him after seeing his loyalty towards him.
As they began to pick up the pieces of the destroyed shop, the vendor couldn't help but think about how he had underestimated them, but he wouldn't make that mistake again. He would do whatever it took to bring them to justice.
Meanwhile, Aricen and his group had managed to find temporary refuge in a small village on the outskirts of the forest. They knew they couldn't stay there for long, but for now, they were safe. They began to plan their next move, knowing that the vendor and his group were still hot on their heels.
Serenya broke the silence, "Brother, why did you risk your life for that artefact?"
Aricen sat down heavily on a nearby bench and let out a sigh. "It's more than just an artefact, it's a key. A key to a powerful source of magic that has been hidden for centuries."
"A source of magic?" Casey leaned forward in interest. "What kind of magic?"
"It's a kind of magic that has the power to heal, to create, and to destroy," Aricen replied gravely. "It's a power that should be wielded only by those who have the wisdom to use it for good. But in the wrong hands, it could be catastrophic."
"No wonder the vendor was so desperate," Rowan said. His brow came together in thought.
Aricen's face darkened. "How did you know he was the king's man though? It took me by surprise."
"I worked in several places as Mr Lucius' spy. I have so much deep information and connections. There is a total of thirteen commanders, each one of them divided by power. The Zeroth commander is said to be the most powerful and trusted one of all. The one we met today was the eleventh. Imagine if the double-digit numbers were so strong. What about the single digits?"
The group fell into contemplative silence, each lost in their own thoughts about the power and the danger they might face. They knew that they had to keep the artefact out of the wrong hands, but they also knew that they were up against a powerful enemy.
"We need to find a way to keep the artefact safe," Serenya said finally. "And we need to get to The Great Snow Witch too."
"By the way," Casey turned towards Aricen, "Does this artefact help in direction too?"
"You mean, to help us find the Snow Witch?" he asked, looking at the box, "Maybe and maybe not. I only know about this from books and people. Who knows this mystic pendant possesses a power greater than we can imagine?"