"Finally, some action!" Skorn growled, slamming his fist into the ground. The earth beneath the bandits shifted violently,
jagged spikes of stone shooting up to block their advance.
"Nice work," Ren said, electricity sparking in his hands. "But let's turn up the heat."
He thrust his palms forward, bolts of lightning arcing from his fingers.
The electricity danced between the bandits, stunning some and forcing others to scatter.
Talos, ever the tactician, uncorked a vial of green liquid and flung it toward a cluster of enemies. The vial shattered on impact, releasing a thick, choking gas that sent the bandits coughing and stumbling.
"Don't breathe that in!" Talos warned. "It's... not ideal."
Olivia stepped forward, water swirling around her as she deflected incoming arrows.
With a wave of her hand, she sent a jet of water crashing into a bandit, knocking him into a tree with a satisfying thud.
The bandits regrouped, their leader—scarred face—barking orders. "Don't let them intimidate you! Overwhelm them!"
"Overwhelm us?" Ren echoed, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh, buddy, you're out of your depth."
More bandits charged, their numbers threatening to surround the group. Skorn let out a roar, creating a wall of stone to protect the merchant and his cart.
"No one's touching that cargo!"
Ren darted forward, his movements a blur as he weaved through the chaos.
He ducked under a sword swing, delivering a crackling punch to the attacker's chest.
"Nice try, but you'll need to be faster than that!"
Talos, perched atop the cart for a better vantage point, launched more vials.
One exploded into a sticky substance that immobilized a pair of bandits.
"You'd think they'd learn not to bunch up," he remarked dryly.
Meanwhile, Olivia moved with precision, her water magic both defensive and offensive. She formed a whip of water, lashing at a bandit's legs and sending him sprawling.
"Ren! Left flank!" she called out.
Ren turned just in time to see a bandit rushing him. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a small storm,
the air crackling as lightning struck his attacker. "Thanks for the assist, Olivia!"
The scarred leader growled in frustration, pulling a horn from his belt and blowing into it. The deep, resonant sound echoed through the forest.
Moments later, reinforcements emerged—a hulking brute wielding a massive club and a mage cloaked in dark robes.
"Of course there's a mage," Ren muttered, dodging a fireball that seared the ground where he'd been standing.
"I'll handle the brute!" Skorn shouted, charging forward. He met the massive opponent head-on, their clash sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Skorn's stone armor absorbed the brute's strikes as he countered with heavy blows of his own.
Talos focused on the mage, using a concoction to create a barrier of thorny vines that disrupted their casting. "Can't chant if you're choking on thorns!"
The leader made a break for the cart, but Olivia intercepted him, her staff glowing with water and wood magic.
She deflected his blade, her strikes measured and precise.
Ren, meanwhile, unleashed his full arsenal of elemental power, keeping the reinforcements at bay. "Alright, time to wrap this up!" he called out, lightning surging through his body.
He directed the energy into the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked several bandits off their feet.
The remaining enemies hesitated, their morale shattered. With their leader disarmed and their numbers dwindling, they began to retreat, dragging their injured comrades away.
The battlefield fell silent, the only sounds being the heavy breathing of the Maniacs and the merchant's nervous laughter.
"You lot are amazing!" the merchant exclaimed, stepping out from behind the stone wall Skorn had created.
"Yeah, yeah," Ren said, brushing dirt off his clothes. "All in a day's work."
Skorn smirked, cracking his knuckles. "So much for a simple escort mission."
Talos adjusted his glasses, surveying the scene. "At least the merchant's hat survived. That's the real victory here."
Olivia let out a soft sigh, her eyes scanning the group. "Let's get moving. We've still got a job to finish."
As they regrouped and resumed their journey, Ren walked slightly ahead, his expression were unreadable,
"The Maniacs: turning simple quests into chaos since... well, always," he said aloud, though his voice carried less humor than usual.
Underneath his breath, he added quietly, "But this isn't over. These bandits were just scouts. The real threat's out there, watching us, figuring out how to strike next."
His eyes flicked toward the dense forest ahead, sharp and calculating. Whatever was coming, Ren knew they weren't done fighting. Not by a long shot.
----
As the group continued through the quiet forest, Ren fell into his thoughts, his gaze flickering to the faint sparks still dancing around his fingertips.
His thunder and fire element had done its job, but the temptation to use more of his abilities lingered.
Showing too much too soon is just asking for trouble, Ren mused, his lips pressing into a thin line. It's not the right time.
He glanced at Skorn, who was animatedly recounting the fight to Talos, and Olivia, who kept a calm but alert watch on their surroundings.
They are good people, but even good people could start asking the wrong questions if he wasn't careful.
I'll take it slow for now. Stick to thunder and lightning and little bit of fire here and there—they're dramatic enough to get the job done without drawing too much suspicion.
If I really need to, I can blend the other elements into what they already expect.
He exhaled softly, his resolve firming. That's the better play for now. No need to complicate things further.
With his plan settled, Ren let his usual smirk creep back onto his face and rejoined the conversation,
Whatever was waiting for them, he'd handle it. One careful step at a time.
-----
As they traveled further down the road, the sound of wheels creaking against the dirt path reached their ears.
A cart appeared ahead, moving at a steady pace.
It was loaded with goods, and a small group of guards marched alongside it. The travelers looked much like merchants, their attire was plain but purposeful.
Skorn brightened at the sight. "Hey, look at that! At least we're not the only ones out here. Safety in numbers, right?"
Olivia nodded, her expression relaxing for the first time since they'd left the forest.
"It's good to know we're not the only ones traveling this route. If anything happens, the extra security will help."
Talos adjusted his glasses, peering at the other group.
"They seem well-prepared. Those guards are armed to the teeth. I'd wager they've been through a few scrapes themselves."
Ren, however, kept his eyes fixed on the cart, his gut churning with unease. His companions might have felt relief, but to him, this was just another piece of a far-too-familiar setup.
"This is such a cliché," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for himself.
"Mysterious merchants, overly prepared guards, and a conveniently similar destination? This has bad plot twist written all over it."
As the cart inched closer, the guards from the other group glanced at them but didn't stop to engage.
Ren narrowed his eyes, mentally filing away every detail.
—the mismatched armor of the guards, the overly casual demeanor of the merchants.
They're playing it too cool. This is either a distraction or a trap waiting to spring. Calling it now.
"Ren, you coming?" Skorn called, already waving at the other group in a friendly manner.
Ren shook himself out of his thoughts and forced a small smile.
"Yeah, right behind you."
He kept his suspicions to himself for now, deciding to play along until things inevitably went south.
It's bad storytelling, sure. But at least I know how this story ends.
Just need to make sure it doesn't take us down with it.