"Hey, what happened to Garret and Finn?" Lina asked, her gaze darting through the darkening trees.
Ming paused, her expression unreadable. "You're right. They should have met us by now." She turned to Lina, her voice calm but firm. "Let's go find them, shall we?"
Lina nodded, trusting Ming's judgment despite the unease that gnawed at her. As they retraced their steps through the forest, the feeling that something was wrong only deepened.
They reached the spot where they had last seen Garret and Finn, but the silence of the forest weighed heavily on them. There was no sign of the two men.
"Maybe they went back to the village," Ming suggested, her voice unnervingly casual.
"Maybe…" Lina murmured, though doubt gnawed at her. Why would they leave without a word?
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind them. Lina spun around, dagger raised, only to see Finn stumble into the clearing. His face was pale, his clothes disheveled.
"Finn!" Lina called out, relief flooding her. "Where's Garret?"
Finn stumbled forward, eyes wide with fear. "He..." he gasped, "I'm sorry, Lina."
"Sorry? What happened?" Lina asked, a knot of worry tightening in her chest.
Before Finn could answer, a shadow fell over him. Ming moved with lethal precision, her sword flashing as she drove it through Finn's chest. "Finn, you weren't supposed to survive."
Lina's blood ran cold. "What are you doing? What is going on?"
Ming's eyes flicked over to Lina, a smirk curling her lips. "You're a smart girl, Lina. Figure it out."
"No… No way. You—you're one of them." Lina gasped, staggering back.
Ming's smile twisted, cold and cruel. "Took you long enough," she mocked. "Yes, I'm one of them. And you've walked right into our trap."
Lina's heart pounded in her chest. Her mind raced, trying to grasp the betrayal. She had trusted Ming, fought alongside her—and it had all been a lie. The warmth and camaraderie she had felt were nothing but a façade.
"But why?" Lina asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and fury. "You could've attacked me in the village. Why all this?"
Ming shrugged, wiping her bloodied sword on the grass. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, it's not just about you. We needed to make sure you wouldn't cause trouble before we hit Ashborne. And you made it so easy, playing the hero."
"So, everything—the mission, the bandits—it was all a setup?"
"Pretty much," Ming confirmed nonchalantly. "We've been working with the real bandits for weeks, setting up ambushes, spreading rumors, ensuring the village would trust us. But now that their usefulness has ended, we had to get rid of them. That's where you came in. And now, with you out of the way, we can finish the job."
Lina's heart sank as the weight of Ming's words hit her. She had led these wolves right to Ashborne's door. Her pulse quickened as she realized the danger the village was in.
Ming noticed her movement and chuckled darkly. "Oh, don't even think about running, Lina. You're not leaving this forest alive."
Lina tightened her grip on her dagger, her mind racing. "You're wrong, Ming," she said, her voice steady despite the fear clawing at her insides. "I'm not going down that easily."
Ming raised an eyebrow, amused by Lina's defiance. "Bold words, but you're outnumbered and outmatched. You don't stand a chance."
Lina's eyes flicked around the clearing, searching for any sign of movement. If Ming was working with the bandits, then they had to be nearby. She needed to be ready for whatever came next.
"Then I guess I'll just have to make my own chance," Lina replied, her voice hardening with determination.
Ming's smile faltered, but then she laughed, cold and harsh. "Suit yourself, Lina. Just know that this is your last stand."
Before Lina could respond, a group of bandits emerged from the shadows of the trees, surrounding her. Their eyes gleamed with malice as they closed in, weapons drawn.
Lina's heart raced, but she didn't let fear take over. She took a deep breath, centering herself. The bandits thought they had the upper hand, but they didn't know about her damage reflection ability. She just needed to use it wisely.
"Let's see what you've got, then," Ming taunted, stepping back to let the bandits take the lead. "Show me how strong you really are."
The first bandit lunged at Lina, his sword aimed at her chest, and that was his fatal mistake. The bandit staggered backward, eyes wide with shock as his own blow sent him crashing to the ground.
The others hesitated, taken aback by what they had just witnessed. But Ming's harsh voice spurred them on. "Don't just stand there! Take her down!"
The bandits attacked in a frenzy, but Lina remained calm and focused. Each time they struck at her, their blows only sent them flying. The air was filled with the sound of clashing weapons and pained grunts as the bandits fell, one by one. Lina at this point was just standing as she let her skill do the work.
But she knew she couldn't keep this up forever. If she could create a distraction, something to catch them off guard, she might have a chance to escape and warn the village. But what could she do? The odds seemed overwhelming.
Suddenly, an idea struck her. It was risky, but it was the only option she had left. She just needed to buy herself a few seconds.
Lina took a deep breath and shouted, "Wait! Stop!"
The bandits hesitated, confused by her sudden outburst. Even Ming frowned, clearly unsure of what Lina was up to.
"What are you playing at, Lina?" Ming demanded, her voice laced with suspicion.
Lina forced herself to smile, though her heart was pounding in her chest. "You want me, right? You want to take me down yourself. So why don't you stop hiding behind these grunts and face me one-on-one?"
Ming's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Lina feared her gamble wouldn't pay off. But then the bandit leader's pride got the better of her.
"Fine," Ming sneered, waving her hand dismissively. "Stand down, boys. I'll handle this."
The bandits reluctantly backed away, leaving Lina and Ming alone in the clearing. Lina knew she had only a small window of opportunity to make her move.
"Alright, Lina," Ming said, her voice dripping with arrogance. "Let's see if you're as tough as you think you are."
Lina readied herself for the fight of her life. She couldn't afford to lose.
Ming lunged at her, her sword a blur of steel. Lina dodged the first strike and tried to counter with a quick slash of her own, but Ming was fast—too fast. The bandit leader easily deflected Lina's attack.
Ming was a skilled fighter, and it was clear she wouldn't go down easily. Each clash of their blades sent shockwaves through Lina's arms, and she could feel her strength waning.
"You're good," Ming admitted, her voice strained as they locked swords. "But still an amateur."
Lina gritted her teeth, refusing to give in. She had to find a way to win—she just had to.
Then, in a flash of movement, Ming's blade slipped past Lina's defenses, slicing across her arm.
Well, that's what would have happened if not for Damage Reflection. Instead of Lina being in pain, Ming was the one who recoiled, clutching her arm in shock.
"I don't understand what's going on, but if I had to guess, it's the damage reflection skill you wrote on the form," Ming muttered. "Well, I don't believe such a skill exists," she shouted as she charged at Lina.
As Ming moved in for the kill, Lina stood her ground, waiting for the moment. When Ming's sword came down, Lina didn't try to dodge. Instead, she let the blow connect, using her skill to reflect the full force of the attack back at Ming.
The impact was devastating. Ming's eyes widened in shock as her own attack rebounded against her, sending her flying backward. She crashed to the ground, her sword clattering from her grasp.
Breathing heavily, Lina stood over her fallen opponent, her body trembling with exhaustion. "I told you," she said quietly, "I'm not going down that easily."
Ming groaned, struggling to sit up, her face twisted with rage and disbelief. "You… how…"
But before she could finish, Lina turned and ran. She didn't have time to waste. The village needed to be warned, and she couldn't afford to stick around for another fight.
As she sprinted through the forest, the sounds of the bandits pursuing her echoed in the distance. But Lina didn't look back. She had made it this far, and she wasn't going to let them stop her now.
The trees blurred around her as she pushed herself to run faster, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The village wasn't far—she just had to keep going.
Finally, the edge of the forest came into view, and beyond it, the lights of Ashborne flickered in the distance. Relief flooded through her as she burst out of the forest but her happiness was short-lived.
The bandits had already made their move.