In the dead of night, Ale was abruptly awakened by screams of terror and the clashing of metal. Opening his eyes, he glimpsed flickering lights and moving shadows not far away.
The adventurers hired earlier by the merchants for protection were now attacking the other travelers. Their faces were twisted with malevolent expressions, and their movements betrayed an abnormal aggressiveness. Merchants and refugees, panicked, were trying to flee or defend themselves with whatever they could find.
Solia, Bam, and Tim awoke with a start.
"What's happening?" cried Solia, grabbing her sword.
"It looks like the adventurers have lost their minds!" Tim replied, his eyes wide with shock.
"They're attacking everyone!" added Bam, his voice trembling.
The guards posted on the ramparts watched the scene, but despite the merchants' and refugees' pleas, they refused to intervene.
"Help us! They're going to kill us!" a merchant implored.
The captain of the guard, impassive, declared, "We cannot open the gates or intervene. Orders from Viscount Alaric de Montclair. It could be a ruse to infiltrate the city."
Ale realized they would have to face this threat on their own. He observed the assailants. Although he couldn't determine their exact class, he sensed they were stronger and more experienced than average. Their aura was intimidating, and their combat mastery was evident.
"We have to stop them before they cause more casualties," Ale declared with determination.
"But they're too strong for us!" protested Tim. "What can we do?"
Solia clenched her fists. "We can't just stand by and do nothing. Ale, do you have a plan?"
Ale nodded. "We'll face them together. If we combine our strengths, we have a chance."
Bam took a deep breath. "Alright, I'm with you."
The rebellious adventurers advanced, their gazes fixed on the group.
"Look who we have here! Novices who think they can stop us!" one of them sneered.
Ale murmured to his companions, "Tim, cover us with your bow. Bam, use your strength to destabilize them. Solia, stay by my side; we'll confront them head-on."
"Got it!" they replied in unison.
The battle commenced. Tim stepped back slightly, finding an elevated position to shoot from. He drew his bow and released an arrow that struck one of the assailants in the shoulder, causing him to stagger.
"Nice shot!" exclaimed Bam before charging in with his war hammer. He slammed it into the ground forcefully, creating a shockwave that unbalanced two of the rebellious adventurers.
Seizing the opening, Solia attacked one of them, their swords clashing in a series of rapid thrusts. "You shall not pass!" she declared with determination.
Meanwhile, Ale concentrated his magical energy. Noting that the assailants were scattered, he decided to use his spells to neutralize them.
"Ignicircle!" he murmured, pointing his hand toward one of the rebellious adventurers. A circle of fire burst from the ground, surrounding the enemy and imprisoning him within a barrier of swirling flames.
"What the...?" the man shouted, unable to cross the wall of fire without getting burned.
Another assailant was rushing toward Tim, intent on taking him down. Tim, caught off guard, barely had time to parry with his bow, but the adversary was too strong.
"Bam!" Tim cried out.
Bam intervened, intercepting the assailant with a powerful hammer strike. "Don't touch my friend!" he roared.
At the same time, Ale spotted another rebellious adventurer dangerously approaching Solia. He quickly chanted, "Petravines!"
Stone vines surged from the ground, wrapping around the assailant's legs and immobilizing him. "Impossible!" he yelled, struggling to break free.
Seeing the opportunity, Solia disarmed the enemy with a skillful parry. "It's over for you," she declared.
One of the adventurers, realizing they were trapped, shouted in frustration, "Why are you opposing us? These merchants are carrying incredible wealth! They don't deserve those treasures!"
Ale looked him directly in the eyes. "That doesn't justify violence and theft. You swore an oath to protect them."
The adventurer lowered his head in shame. "I... I don't know what came over me. When I saw all those luxury goods... an overwhelming urge to take them seized me. I lost my senses."
The other adventurers also seemed to regain their composure, realizing the gravity of their actions.
The merchants and refugees, seeing their attackers neutralized, expressed their relief.
As the first light of dawn began to break over the horizon, the battle was finally over. The merchants and refugees, now safe, offered heartfelt thanks to Ale and his companions.
The guards, who had been watching the scene unfold, finally decided to open the gates. The captain approached the group.
"You've shown great courage. On behalf of the city of Eldoria, I thank you," he said, his tone respectful.
Ale gave a slight nod. "We only did what was right."
"We'll take these rogue adventurers into custody," the captain declared, gesturing toward the subdued attackers. "They'll answer for their actions before the city's justice."
As the gates opened fully, an elegantly dressed man approached. It was Edwin Luxor, the merchant they had saved. He wore fine clothes typical of the wealthy district.
"I can't thank you enough, young man!" he said with a warm smile. "You saved both my life and my precious goods." He paused, before continuing, "My name is Edwin Luxor, a merchant of sophisticate fabrics. Please allow me to show my gratitude by inviting you to my shop in the Saint-Velarys district. I'll give you an exceptional discount of 80% on clothing worth up to 100 silver Lunaris coins."
Solia, hearing this, couldn't contain her excitement. "That's very generous of you, Mr. Luxor! We'll definitely visit your shop!"
The currency of the Empire, the Lunaris, was divided into three main units: 100 bronze coins equaled 1 silver coin, and 100 silver coins equaled 1 gold coin.
The median family income was around 20 silver coins and 50 bronze coins per month. His grandfather, by selling their medicinal herbs, earned an average of 25 silver coins per month, allowing them to live modestly.
Comparing this to the price of luxury clothing, Ale felt the enormous gap between social classes. Even with the merchant's generosity, he realized such expenses were beyond his reach.