As soon as Aelorin freed the two captives, he quickly assessed their abilities. He wasn't about to risk his neck without knowing what assets he had on hand. "Tell me," he started, his tone level but with an edge of urgency, "what are your skills? Can either of you handle a fight—weapon or no weapon?"
The human boy, tall and wiry, shrugged with a hint of cockiness. "I'm decent with a sword. Magic? Not so much. But, hey, I've taken on a thug or two," he replied, flashing a grin that might have impressed someone who didn't know the stakes. Aelorin couldn't help but feel the boy might be overselling himself, but he'd take whatever help he could get.
The half-giant girl, on the other hand, looked down at her massive hands, her voice quieter. "I'm strong, but my aim's… questionable. And sometimes I struggle to control it, but… I can try." She was still just a kid, her innocence showing as she tried to put on a brave face.
"Well," Aelorin thought, his mouth pulling into a smirk, "if they can't handle a real fight, they'll at least make decent distractions. That might be all I need to get the upper hand." Just as he finished this thought, the human boy's voice cut through.
"Hey, what are we going to do about their gas? If they use it, we're as good as dead," he said, concern creeping into his tone despite his previous bravado. He looked from Aelorin to the half-giant girl, clearly hoping one of them had a magic solution to this all-too-real problem.
It was true—they had no gear to block gas, no masks, nothing. Even if they tried to hold their breath, they'd still end up inhaling just enough to feel the effects, and fighting in that state would be near impossible.
Aelorin clenched his jaw. "We could try holding our breath, but that's only going to work for a few seconds, and it'll make fighting… challenging. Even for me." The odds were grim, and he hated feeling cornered. If they ran, they'd just get caught again; four hunters chasing a single deer. It was a losing game.
But he refused to back down. "I have a plan," he said, his eyes gleaming with a determination that made his companions stop dead in their tracks. "But it'll only work if I have both of your cooperation."
"Really?" the half-giant girl gasped, her eyes lighting up with hope. She might be tough, but she was still just a kid, and her excitement was understandable.
The human boy, however, narrowed his eyes, looking at Aelorin as if he'd just suggested they jump off a cliff. "Let me guess, you want us to act as bait while you waltz away? Yeah, not happening," he snapped.
Aelorin let out an exasperated sigh. "You ignorant human. If I wanted to escape, I wouldn't need to use either of you. I could've left you both here and outrun those thugs on my own," he spat, his patience fraying. For the first time, his anger slipped through, and he realized he'd just called his former race ignorant—out loud, too. It was a sign of just how fed up he was.
The half-giant girl quickly stepped in, her calm voice managing to break through the tension. "We don't have time for this. They could find us any second now, and arguing isn't going to change a thing." She shot the human boy a stern look, and finally, he grunted in reluctant agreement. At least one of them was reasonable.
"Fine," he muttered, crossing his arms. "What's the plan?"
Aelorin nodded. "Good. Here's what we're going to do…"
---
Meanwhile, outside the carriage, two of the kidnappers sat on the front seat, guiding the horses while the other two rode alongside on saddled horses. They were deep in conversation, oblivious to the drama brewing within their carriage.
"Brother, can you believe it? They're paying us a fortune for a bit of royal blood," one of them chuckled, his eyes gleaming with greed. "With that kind of coin, I'll drink all the ale I want and finally get some proper attention at the brothel. Feels like it's been ages since I… you know…" He trailed off, winking, causing the others to burst into laughter.
"Oh, please," another retorted, slapping his knee. "Why would any woman lie down for a poor man like you? Hahaha!"
"Hey! I'm just as good as any other man!" The kidnapper's face turned red as he glared at his friend, but his embarrassment only made the others laugh harder.
"Let's face it," another chimed in, wiping away tears of laughter, "none of us are the catch of the century. My own wife ran off! Fell in love, she said. Bah! I'm done with love—food and money are all I care about now. Maybe I'll even go into the 'child retrieval business' full-time," he muttered, a guilty edge to his voice.
"Yeah, because being broke and single is such a laugh riot," someone snorted, earning more laughs.
"Shut up, all of you!" their boss barked, his voice like gravel. His eyes flashed with irritation as he glared at them. "We're on a job, and if any of you idiots mess this up, you can kiss your pathetic dreams goodbye. Not that you'd call those garbage 'dreams' anyway."
One of the men on horseback laughed, ignoring his boss's warning. "When I get my share, I'm going straight to see Rayla Vandhelson. Have you seen her? She's got this—"
His words were abruptly cut off by a loud thud from the carriage. The laughter died instantly as they all froze, tension cutting through the air like a blade.
"What was that?" the boss demanded, his face darkening. "Two of you, go check it out. If someone's trying to mess with our haul, make sure they pay with their lives."
The carriage came to a slow halt as the men on horseback dismounted and approached, weapons ready. They moved cautiously, fingers brushing the hilts of their swords, eyes scanning every shadow.
As they reached the back of the carriage, they glanced at each other, looking puzzled. "I swear I heard something," one whispered. He gingerly placed his hand on the wooden door, peeking around it. "It looks fine. Maybe it was just a rock," he called back, trying to ease the tension.
Just as they were about to turn away, a sudden movement caught their eye—a flash of something from beneath the carriage. Before they could react, the half-giant girl lunged out with the speed of a bullet. She brought her fist down in a crushing blow that landed squarely on one thug's chin. The sickening crunch echoed through the quiet forest, and the man's head snapped back, his neck breaking instantly as he collapsed in a lifeless heap.
The strength of a giant—even a young one—was terrifying.
The remaining thug stumbled back, his face twisted with shock and fury. "You little wretch!" he snarled, drawing his sword and lunging at her.