The fight raged on, chaos swirling as the Maniacs exchanged blows with the bandits. Steel clashed against stone, and bursts of elemental magic illuminated the battlefield. Among the frenzy,
Olivia moved to cast a spell, but a sudden strike from Eugan's fire-infused blade knocked her off balance. She cried out in pain as a burning gash opened on her shoulder.
"Olivia!" Talos yelled, his usual calm demeanor breaking as he rushed to her side. Skorn glanced over, his expression darkening.
"We need to finish this quickly," Ren growled, his focus narrowing on Zeph and Keo, who were still holding their ground. With a surge of lightning crackling around his hands, Ren nodded to Skorn. "Let's take them down."
Both charged forward, their combined fury aimed squarely at the bandits. Keo staggered, clutching his side where Skorn's stone spike had left its mark, while Zeph grimaced, blood dripping from a deep cut on his arm. But as Ren and Skorn closed in for the finishing blow, Valeri, who had been lying low, suddenly rose from her position.
In one fluid motion, she drew her bow, her icy arrow glinting in the dim light. She aimed—not at the fighters—but at the caravan.
"Talos! Protect Olivia!" Ren shouted as he caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. His voice was sharp, carrying a tone of urgency that left no room for hesitation.
Talos reacted instantly, pulling Olivia into a shield of swirling wind magic just as the arrow hit its mark. The caravan erupted in a deafening explosion, flames and debris flying in every direction.
Ren and Skorn were forced to halt, shielding themselves from the blast. Smoke and dust filled the air, the chaos momentarily blinding everyone.
Ren took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing as he looked around the chaotic scene.
The dust had mostly settled,
but there was no sign of the bandits. They had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only destruction.
"Where the hell did they go?" Skorn muttered, frustration lacing his words.
Ren didn't respond immediately. His hands trembled slightly as he clenched them into fists,
lightning faintly sparking around his fingertips. His head lowered, his expression dark.
"I knew it," Ren growled, his voice low and simmering with anger. "They were playing us from the start."
The faint crackle of electricity surged around him before he forced it to subside. Taking another breath, he glanced back at the group, his anger barely contained.
They may have vanished, but this isn't over. Not by a long shot.
Talos knelt beside Olivia, carefully inspecting her injury. "She's stable," he said, his voice steady but strained. "But she needs proper healing soon."
---
Ren and Skorn moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any lingering threat. The tension in the air was palpable as they approached Talos, who was tending to Olivia's wound.
"You alright, Olivia?" Skorn asked, his voice heavy with guilt.
She managed a faint smile, though pain was evident in her expression. "I'll live," she said softly.
Skorn's tail flicked behind him, a telltale sign of his frustration. He scratched the back of his head, his usual humor replaced with genuine regret.
"I should've been faster. I should've seen that attack coming."
Ren's jaw tightened as he knelt beside Olivia, his stormy eyes filled with self-reproach. "This is on me too," he admitted, his voice unusually soft.
"I should've anticipated more than just a frontal fight. I was careless, and you got hurt because of it."
Olivia shook her head slightly. "You don't need to blame yourselves. We're a team. This is what happens in battle."
Ren's hand tightened into a fist. He looked Olivia straight in the eye, his voice steady but layered with determination.
"No, this was avoidable. I won't let this happen again. Ever. I'll make sure of that."
The conviction in his voice left no room for argument. Even Olivia, though hurt, nodded quietly, trusting his resolve.
Standing up, Ren turned his attention to the damaged caravan they had been guarding. He strode towards it,
his steps purposeful yet tense. Skorn followed closely, both of them ready for any sign of lingering danger.
As they approached the wreckage, they noticed movement underneath the remains of the cart.
Ren raised a hand, signaling Skorn to stay alert. "Careful," he muttered, stepping closer.
Skorn's eyes narrowed as his tail flicked anxiously. "If it's another bandit, I'm flattening them into the ground."
Ren crouched low, brushing away some of the debris, and froze. Huddled beneath the damaged cart, trembling, was the merchant with the oversized hat. His wide-brimmed headgear was tilted, partially shielding his terrified face.
"Seriously?" Ren sighed, straightening up.
"You've been hiding here the whole time?"
The merchant peeked out cautiously, his face pale. "W-was that not the safest option? I'm just a merchant, not a fighter!"
Skorn raised an eyebrow, his tail slapping the ground with an audible thump.
"Safest option? You were seconds away from becoming collateral damage!"
The merchant blinked rapidly, then managed a nervous smile. "But I didn't, right? I owe you my thanks for that!"
Ren rubbed the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath. "Of course, the guy paying us hides while we nearly get blown to pieces."
Skorn folded his arms, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe next time you can pitch in, you know, grab a stick or something. Show those bandits who's boss."
The merchant stammered, "M-me? Fight? Surely you jest!"
Ren waved him off, shaking his head. "Relax. No one's asking you to fight. Just...stay out of the way without almost dying, alright?"
The merchant adjusted his hat nervously, nodding. "Duly noted. But I must say, you've done an excellent job protecting me so far!"
Skorn snorted, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, we're just swimming in success right now."
Ren shot Skorn a warning glance before turning back to the merchant.
"Look, the immediate threat is gone—for now. But you're not safe yet. Stick close, and don't do anything reckless."
The merchant nodded eagerly, his hat wobbling as he crawled out from under the cart. "Of course, of course! I'm in your capable hands!"
--
Ren turned away from the wrecked caravan and barked, "We need to get Olivia and find a healer. Now. Let's move!"
His tone carried an edge that sent a chill through even Skorn, who instinctively straightened up. It wasn't often that Ren raised his voice, but when he did, it left no room for argument.
Skorn glanced at Talos as they began to follow Ren. The tension in the air was heavy, and for once, Skorn didn't have a quick quip ready.
As they walked, Talos leaned toward Skorn and whispered, "Ren's blaming himself. He thinks Olivia got hurt because of him."
Skorn frowned, his usually playful demeanor replaced by a rare moment of seriousness. "That idiot…" he muttered under his breath.
They reached Olivia, who was still leaning against a broken wheel, her injuries hastily bandaged by Talos earlier. She gave them a weak smile, trying to hide the pain.
Ren crouched beside her, his expression unreadable. "We're moving you to a healer. Can you walk, or do you need me to carry you?"
Olivia shook her head softly. "I...I can manage."
Ren's jaw tightened, his frustration barely contained. Without another word, he gently helped her to her feet, his movements careful and deliberate.
Talos sighed and nudged Skorn lightly. "He's blaming himself, but we all know this wasn't his fault. Maybe say something to him?"
Skorn gave Talos a sideways glance. "And risk getting my head bitten off? Yeah, no thanks. I like it where it is."
Talos smirked faintly. "Coward."
Skorn sighed, running a hand over his scaled forehead. "Fine, fine. I'll try."
As Ren started leading the group, Skorn caught up to him.
"Hey, Ren...you're not the one who shot that arrow or set the caravan on fire. So maybe stop acting like you are?"
Ren didn't look at him, his voice was cold. "I should've seen it coming."
"You did see it coming," Skorn countered. "You yelled at us to stop it. Stuff happens. We all got out alive, and Olivia will be fine once we get her patched up."
Ren stopped walking and turned to face Skorn, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and guilt.
"Fine? She almost got killed because I wasn't fast enough!"
Skorn stood his ground, arms crossed. "And yet, here she is, alive and cracking jokes five minutes ago. You're not a one-man army, Ren. We're a team, remember?"
Ren hesitated, his shoulders slumping slightly. He ran a hand through his hair and muttered, "Let's just get her to the healer."
Skorn watched as Ren walked ahead, his usual confidence replaced by a weight that seemed too heavy to carry alone.
Talos walked up beside Skorn, giving him a small nod.
"Nice work," Talos said quietly.
Skorn sighed. "Yeah, well, he's still an idiot."
The group pressed on, the unease hanging over them like a storm cloud.