Ashes and Kingdoms

3-1. Raiders

Chapter Three

In the twilight, the leaves of the colored trees rise and descend, and autumn gives me a hissing exhale. The dongle fell plump and hit Finn directly in the head. Valt, who was right behind me, laughs a lot. Finn did his hand on his head with an obscure face, but he didn't speak.

Beyond the bushes that hide their appearance, there is a cabin not so far away. It's a simple accommodation dotted along the street. Near the end of the day's itinerary, which is based on healthy travellers, there are establishments with meals as well as beds, liquor bars and horses to replace. But not all travelers can always travel from such facilities to such facilities, so only simple cabins are built in between.

There's just a sleeping table and stables on the board, and the food doesn't even have a grate blanket. Previously, the caretaker looked around periodically and looked into the sun-baked bread and blanket twice, but it's been a long time since the Empire's funds and manpower have been out of reach.

Of course, there was nothing wrong with the legion soldiers, each carrying a blanket and a few days' worth of food.

What Phineas is watching now was about ten legion soldiers. One platoon. They have climbed mountains while performing authentic tasks, such as cutting stretched tree branches, repairing loose laying stones and removing collapsed rocks and soil.

Finn and the others had already driven away a group of scouts. It was a soothing means such as sneaking off the reins of a loba or horse in the middle of the night and letting them get away, disrespecting one or two of their luggage for where they were taking a relaxing break, but that was all they gave up and turned back. Thanks to this, my conscience didn't hurt much either, I got extra food and it was enough to laugh that Valt was an easy job.

But this time the platoon was strong. Probably not like before, they came from the regular army serving in Karsum. Even during the work, the luggage was kept within reach, and when resting, he always stood on a sentry post to keep the loba and his people safe.

Finn remembered his respect for the Legion soldiers he had lost and became heavily concerned with the idea of raiding them. but this one is also a job. There's also a reason I have to.

- And the branches of the casserole and shrub swayed, and Mac came back. Keeping his small body alive and able to move quietly while skilfully hiding his figure, he has been active for a long time since this job began.

He did not speak up and reported with hand movements.

"Two on the table, one behind. And then inside. '

The signal was something I realized I needed a fin and was taught by the blue fog. These ambushes are the eighteenth of the Sarda tribe, so we have all the “words” we need, including the number and placement of prey and our actions.

Finn nodded, handing out instructions to his folks behind him. Everyone, except Mac, is a senior who is older than himself and has army experience, but when he started acting a lot, Finn quickly stopped feeling hesitant or reluctant. All we need is a definite and lucid operation.

A red, moist sun is caught on the top of a pointed mountain. The neighborhood was already dominated by the shadows of thin purple for the most part. Even in front of the cabin, the pine lights are burning.

The fins moved out quietly and according to their respective roles. Only the blue mist and plast of cover don't move the spot, send lucky shivers with your fingers.

As the raiders approached the cabin sufficiently, the blue fog narrowed their eyes and did the trick of pinching the candle core. As soon as possible, the flames of the pine lights sway even though there is no wind, making a fine noise and shrinking.

What, what's up, the fire went out when the two watchmen stopped by, and the two shouted surprised when their eyes were crushed by the darkness.

At the same time Finn and the others rushed out. Mac sinks himself into one of the watches and hits him, and Finn quickly ties him up with a rope where he pokes him down. In the meantime, Mac made me bite the sagging. Likewise, the other can seal the movement at the hands of his peers.

Mac looked up and laughed prankily, guessing what it meant and Finn grinned bitterly as well. I practiced in my peers so that I could quickly bind my hands and feet and chew my snaggles without fail. If this fails, what would have hurt our eyes?

Even in the back, a fellow led by Valt was handily cleaning up the watch.

There are noises coming from inside the cabin. I guess I heard the first short scream the watch raised. But the window was already down the rain door, so Mac couldn't hold it down from the outside and open it.

Valt peeks into his face from behind and sends a signal. Finn nodded, raising his hand towards the bush. I heard noises and noises in the cabin. The corner light went out.

"Don't make a scene!" The captain's reprimand flies. "We're going outside, be careful. Be a pair."

Mac and Finn looked at each other and laughed. Not to say that the only way to direct in the dark is to speak up, and this is not something that had caution or anything.

But it was a mistake to swallow. Among them, the Legion soldiers would have consulted in their own way.

All of a sudden, the door was kicked and the army soldiers jumped out at once, sticking out the cutting edge of the sword. In a hurry Finn also responds with a sword. Valt also rushed through the back door, and from the bushes an arrow of plasts flew in.

(Don't kill me, don't hurt me if you can)

Finn quickly ran his eyes at everyone as he told himself, and when he spotted the captain, he slashed him without hesitation. Blue fog taught moves were helpful in getting the soldiers out of the way to retreat without stabbing them. Simply use the joints to gently twist or push, and the opponent is disoriented or turned the other way around.

Finn's purpose seemed immediately apparent to the captain. Eyes and eyes meet, blades engage.

"You're still a kid!

Yelling as if outraged, the captain paid Finn's sword. Fast on boulders. But like Finn, the captain isn't going to kill him again. He stares at the fin in disgust without putting a punch in the resulting gap.

Finn stared at the captain's movements, alarmed by the signs behind him. As usual, the emotions disappear and only the senses are sharpened.

From Finn's expression, the captain, who guessed he wasn't just a boy, unwittingly lags behind. Not while standing up, frightened but half a step ahead of you. Finn didn't miss that.

Finn pops forward without a call or temper. The captain returned to me and paid his sword from the bottom to the top to defend himself, but only cut the sky.

Finn grabs the shaken arm and quickly puts his foot on it as he uses the momentum to knock it back, kicking the captain's foot up with his heel.

Zun, and when the captain fell in a heavy sound, Finn pressed his opponent's shoulder to the ground with his knees, swording down his throat - on the brink, letting him lie down.

"Drop your weapons!

As Finn raised his face and shouted, the air on the field seemed trembling. Not a single legion soldier had yet been defeated, but everyone breathed on their shoulders at the evidence that they were struggling and threw away their swords without defying Finn's orders.

Mac and Valt hurry to collect it and tie up the corps soldiers who surrendered. The captain groaned under Finn.

"When the bandits come out... did they report you?"

We're refugees.

Finn said, checking the situation before letting the captain stand up. Of course, the sword remains caught in the throat without alarm.

"Mountain winters come early, long and arduous. You'll find it in the food in front of the fireplace when you get back to the foot, but not this way."

"Then you should go down to town. What are you hiding from behind these mountains?

"From the tyranny of legion soldiers. From hunger and deception, from the beast of darkness. There are too many things in the lower realm that must escape and hide."

Finn answered pale and signaled his companions with his eyes. After confirming the prisoner's commandments, several enter the cabin and carry out their luggage. The captain roared in his face, realizing how handy he was to open his back sack and take out only the food without hesitation.

"Escaped soldiers."

"Some of it," Finn admitted, nodding lightly. "But there are also ordinary people. This isn't what we all wanted."

Whatever the circumstances, sin is sin.

"I want to know what you would do if you were put in the same situation as us. If I had other options, I'd like you to tell me."

Not sarcastically but seriously, Finn watched the work. He says not to take it all, but to leave it to the extent that it can descend from the mountains. Otherwise, because a legion soldier might turn leopard on a looter.

Pack up the loot and your empty pals will take you out into the woods. Finn slowly moved away from the captain and drew his sword. The captain is distorting his face to anger and shame and staring at Finn.

How many Legion Soldier grudges will I buy in the winter? Finn thought melancholy and laid down his sword.

"You should spend the night in this cabin. We're done for, and we won't need the lookout or the pine lights that much. Because the dark beasts who live in the mountains don't seem to come aggressively unless we serve them."

"White what?"

An army soldier tied up spit a pep on the ground. Finn is attacked by a bad feeling, frowning and looking at the man.

The sun hid itself across the mountain, and the rest of it dyed the sky in a sea color, but the purple blue darkness had already fallen around the cabin. Needless to say, behind the surrounding woods, the darkness...

"Hey Phineas," Valt whispered closer. "There's a bad sign of it. Familiar."

Finn nodded silently. The cold air sneaks in through the gaps in my clothes and crawls up my skin.

Lena, what's going on?

"It's still far away, but I have a family of darkness. Very... very, very dark... >

Can you get rid of it?

"If you can show yourself in front of these people, you might be able to keep them away. But the darkness here is so deep.

I can see Lena getting anxious. I guess it's not easy for her to defy the dominant dark forces in this setting either. Finn made a quick decision.

"Everybody, get in the cabin! Hurry!"

Quick to say, Finn unraveled the corps of nearby legion soldiers. Walt and Mac, who remained on the spot, do not hesitate to be him. He hastened the confused legion soldiers and drove them into the cabin before Finn lit a pine light. Mac brings a corner light from the cabin and transfers the fire.

When they were ready to intercept, Valt and Mac pulled out their swords and offered them to Finn. Finn turns consciousness within himself and guides the forces flowing from the Fountain of Light to his fingertips. When I touched the blade, the two swords glowed.

"I guess the three of us will have one night alone."

Mac says anxiously. Valt checked the blade carefully before looking around.

"It depends on how many came by. Besides, are the others safe?"

"There's blue fog over there. Don't worry."

Finn responded, pulling out his own sword. Feel the warm signs of Lena, her whole body filled with that power and her fears disappear.

"I don't want the Legion soldiers to see anything extra if they can, but with a lot of them, they won't have a choice."

Hugh waved his sword and Finn gazed between the trees. Valt also nodded,

"The first wave will be for the three of us. I don't know what's going on, but if someone comes out, it's out of the way."

I left room for dialogue and went around to the back door.