There was an overturned cart in the middle of the forest road. The merchant and his daughter were cowering as the bandits encircled them but clearly, the daughter had a fist clenched, wanting to do something but afraid for herself and her father. The horse must have run off somewhere but it could not have gone far. Iligo and Erron had extinguished their campfire and had come to see what the commotion was. They watched for a moment as the five bandits postured.
“Hand over any valuables you might be carrying and say your prayers,” the lead bandit said. “Of course, even the Gods won’t save you now that you’ve seen our faces.”
“That could have been fixed by wearing masks, you amateurs,” Iligo said as he stepped out into the open. “A competent crew would have taken the cart and the horse without a fuss.”
Iligo stood there confidently and with a look of disdain on his face. He had his long sword hung across his back and his right arm was in a sling. Erron calmly stepped out in the open and hung back a little behind Iligo but with a slight smile on his peaceful face.
“Wait your turn,” the lead bandit said. “We’ll get to you and your boy soon enough.”
“No, this is when the robbery stops,” Iligo said. “I won’t abide you terrorizing anybody else much less killing anybody.”
“Not much you can do about it,” the bandit said after a laugh. “You’re injured and the boy looks like a stiff wind would blow him over.”
“My name is not ‘boy’, it’s Erron,” he said. “And looks can be deceiving, you simpleton.” Erron had let his anger get away from him and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath to tamp it back down.
“We don’t care what your name is,” the bandit said. “I’d say they’ll care when they bury you but when we’re done, nobody will be able to identify you.”
“Absolutely frightening,” Erron said. “Are you two alright?” This was directed toward the merchant and his daughter as he took a few steps toward them.
“Take one more step toward them and we will end you!” the bandit yelled, tired of the dismissive attitude. “Just close your eyes and accept the inevitable.”
“You won’t make a move against any of them,” Iligo said.
“Who’s going to stop us? You?” the bandit asked. “You’ll only slow us down for a moment.”
“Don’t worry about them,” Erron said, gesturing at the bandits. “Are you okay? Do you require any healing?”
The two shook their heads, nervously glancing at the incredulous bandit leader. The bandits started to move closer, impatient about getting on with business before somebody else came down the road. Somebody like soldiers or guards.
Erron smiled. “Good,” he said. “You probably just need some soothing tea and a good rest to settle your nerves. Don’t worry, it’s coming.”
“Are you crazy?” the bandit leader asked. “I don’t care anymore. I’m going to personally pluck out your eyeballs.”
Iligo shrugged. “You can try,” he said. “Do you want to get started or are we going to talk all day? We want to get back on the road to the next town. I don’t want to sleep on the ground again tonight.”
“So damned confident,” the bandit said. “Look around, it’s five to two. You don’t have a chance.”
“Oh I’m staying out of this fight,” Erron said. “This is entirely his idea and I’m more of a healer than a fighter. You guys have fun, though.”
“Five on one,” the bandit said after too long of a pause. “Even better. Let’s go.”
“Enough talk,” Iligo said. “Time to fight.”
Iligo reached back and grabbed his sword hilt. He twisted it in such a way that he released his sword with the hilt still on it. The two-handed sword would be less effective with one hand and with the blunt hilt still attached but Iligo did not actually feel like killing anybody. The bandits started to laugh, obviously thinking that the hilt still being on was a blunder. They charged. Iligo was a whirlwind and moved quickly, striking at the bandits one at a time. He effortlessly dodged their strikes much to their surprise. One by one, the bandits fell unconscious on the dirt road. The look on the lead bandit’s face was especially satisfying right before Iligo kicked him in the face.
“That was amazing!” the daughter cried out
Iligo slipped his arm out of the sling and stretched it out.
“Your arms not injured?” the merchant asked.
Erron laughed. “I wouldn’t let him walk around injured like that,” he said. “He just likes to show off.”