First Fight?

As you and Elvin continue down the road, the morning mist begins to lift, revealing the sprawling landscape ahead. The path is peaceful for now, with birds singing in the trees and the sound of distant flowing water. The rhythmic crunch of your footsteps against the gravel is the only sound accompanying your thoughts.

Suddenly, the quiet is shattered by a rustling in the bushes to your left. You and Elvin both freeze, instinctively reaching for your weapons. A group of bandits emerges from the trees, their faces covered by ragged scarves and their hands resting on worn-out swords and axes. There are five of them in total, each eyeing you both with malicious grins.

“Well, well, what do we have here?” one of the bandits sneers, stepping forward. His voice is rough, as if it hasn’t seen the light of civility in years. “Seems like you two are in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

Elvin stiffens, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. “Stay calm,” he whispers to you, his voice low but tense. “Let me handle this.”

The lead bandit chuckles darkly. “Handle what? I think you’ve got more to worry about than your little friend here.”

One of the other bandits laughs and eyes your choice of armor, clearly unimpressed. “Is that what you’re wearing? What are you, a walking monkey joke?” He gestures at the little monkeys on your onesie, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

Despite the mocking, you keep your composure. Elvin takes a step forward, his tone more commanding now. “Leave us be, and we’ll be on our way. There’s no need for ****.”

The bandits exchange looks, clearly amused by the idea that you’d try to negotiate. The leader, a tall, scarred man with a deep scar running across his face, steps forward, twirling his dagger between his fingers.

“Too bad,” he says, his voice dripping with amusement. “You won’t be going anywhere unless you hand over everything you’ve got. Armor, weapons, food… and any gold or gems you might be carrying. We’ll take it all.”

Elvin tenses, clearly preparing for a fight, and so do you. You’ve got your bow and saber, but you can’t help but feel a bit nervous. The odds aren’t exactly in your favor. Elvin’s got experience, but the bandits look seasoned. It’s hard to predict what they’ll do next.

The leader of the bandits grins wider, his teeth yellow and uneven. “You’ve got ten seconds to decide. Hand over everything, or we’ll take it by ****.”

Your heart pounds in your chest as the tension builds. Time feels like it slows, and you can almost hear your own breath in the quiet stillness that follows.

“Let’s do this,” you mutter to Elvin, your fingers tightening around your bow.

The bandits’ leader raises his hand to signal an attack, but just before anything can happen, a loud whistle cuts through the air. The leader freezes, his eyes darting towards the treeline behind you. Elvin’s hand moves toward his sword hilt.

“Who’s there?” the bandit leader calls out, his voice suddenly less confident.

A moment later, an arrow flies out of the trees, striking the ground just inches in front of the lead bandit’s feet. The other bandits hesitate, looking around in confusion. You turn to Elvin.

“Did you—?”

“No,” he answers, his eyes scanning the area, trying to locate the source of the shot.

Another arrow comes flying out of the trees, this one narrowly missing one of the bandits, who yelps in surprise. The rest of the gang starts to murmur, clearly unnerved.

“Alright, alright,” the lead bandit growls, taking a step back. “We don’t need to deal with this.”

Just then, a figure steps out from behind a large rock near the edge of the path, a tall, slender woman in dark leather armor. She’s holding a bow, the string pulled back and aimed straight at the bandit leader.

“Leave them alone,” the woman says in a cold, steady voice. “Or we’ll make sure you regret it.”

The bandits, clearly intimidated by the woman’s sudden appearance and her accurate shots, take a step back. The leader glares at her, but the fear in his eyes is unmistakable.

“You’re lucky we don’t have time for this,” he mutters, turning to his gang. “Let’s go. We’re out of here.”

Without another word, the bandits retreat into the trees, disappearing into the shadows. The woman lowers her bow and steps forward, her eyes now focusing on you and Elvin.

“You two alright?” she asks, her voice softening a little.

Elvin nods, a little surprised but grateful. “Thanks. We didn’t expect company.”

The woman shrugs, offering a small, wry smile. “That’s the life of a traveler, I suppose. You never know what you’ll run into.” She looks at you curiously, eyes narrowing slightly at your attire, then glances at Elvin. “You’re well-prepared, but… that’s an interesting choice of armor. I didn’t think I’d see someone wearing that kind of… clothing on a journey like this.”

You smile a little, despite the danger that just passed. “It’s a long story. But yeah, I guess I’m still figuring this whole adventuring thing out.”

The woman’s smile grows slightly, her gaze softening. “Well, if you need a guide, or just someone to watch your back, let me know. My name’s Kira. I’m headed in the same direction.”

Elvin eyes her carefully, clearly considering her offer, but then he looks at you and nods. “Maybe we could use an extra pair of eyes. What do you think?”

You nod, feeling that perhaps this unexpected encounter with Kira might just be the turn your journey needed.

“Alright, Kira,” you say. “Let’s travel together for a while.”

With that, the three of you continue on your journey, leaving the threat of the bandits behind—at least for now. But you know that more dangers await. What lies ahead, you can only guess.