FVN Chapter 57 The Hunt: Bandit King
Chapter 57 The Hunt: Bandit King
The sky was a murky blanket of swirling dark clouds, thick and oppressive, casting an eerie shadow over the land. The winds, sharp and biting, howled through the air, carrying with them the unmistakable scent of rain and the foreboding promise of a coming storm.
As Cassius stepped through the Portal, an unexpected sight met his eyes. The trees, usually standing tall and rooted firmly in the ground, were flying straight towards him. With a swift, precise strike, Cassius severed an incoming tree right at its midsection.
"WELCOME! WELCOME" a deep voice boomed with a hint of playful amusement.
Cassius turned his head and saw the backs of the Mercenary Queen, the Madman, and the Duke, their postures sturdy as they gazed intently in the direction the voice had come from.
In front of them stretched jagged cliffs, the formidable base of a towering mountain. No matter where Cassius directed his gaze, the cliffs seemed to encircle them, creating a natural barricade. The party found themselves standing in a small, isolated clearing filled with weeds, the only open space amidst the rocky expanse.
And then he saw them—figures scattered along the cliffs above, perched like vultures on the rocks. Every ledge, every outcropping seemed to host a new group of them, ragged and worn, dressed in tattered clothing that barely clung to their frames. They held weapons—sabers, spears, spiked clubs. They wore mocking smiles, and twisted expressions of amusement and derision, as they looked down upon the party from every angle.
Despite the overwhelming odds, the Duke's party showed not a single sign of panic or unease.
The Mercenary Queen was a study of calm composure, her arms crossed firmly over her chest. Beside her, the Madman was another story. His eyes darted everywhere. With his fingers hovering in the air, he pointed at each figure on the cliffs. "Fifty, fifty-one, fifty-two..."
His voice was barely a whisper, but the cadence of his counting seemed to fill the air, an eerie contrast to the silence surrounding them.
The Duke, as always, stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture impeccable. Cassius stood beside him, his expression unreadable.
The crowd of ragged individuals stepped aside with synchronicity, forming a path, and then, stepping from the shadows of the jagged rocks emerged a tall figure. A large saber rested comfortably on his broad shoulder.
His voice broke the silence, echoing across the cliffs "Welcome! Uninvited Guests! What brings you to the abode of this humble bandit? Did you like our heartwarming welcome?".
The man was referring to the trees that they had uprooted from the mountainside and thrown at the Duke's party.
The bandit leader's smile twisted further as his eyes locked onto the Mercenary Queen, his gaze hardening with a sharp, venomous recognition. "Oh!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with a dark amusement. "I recognize a face! To think that the Leader of the pesky mercenaries was also among the uninvited guests."
BOOM!
The thunderous crack of lightning shook the very air, the sky above darkened by thick, swirling clouds. The already heavy atmosphere thickened, charged with an almost palpable killing intent.
"You see supernaturals like her are extremely rare" The Bandit King's hand hovered in the air, his hand still suspended in the air, just a breath away from her but still can't reach her. "See this! What a strong ability... even among supernaturals. A barrier that protects from even the aura of an Ascended. Not letting anyone get close. Even artifacts with penetration are meaningless against this barrier."
"Though," he began as he removed his hand, his tone almost regretful, as if pretending to sympathize, "it is sad to say that the woman has already used up all her mana and is now using her life force to maintain this barrier."
"Just shut up! Your voice is stinging my ears," the Mercenary Queen snapped. She unfolded her arms slowly, the movement deliberate, as her eyes flicked toward the Bandit King. "Hand her over while I am talking peacefully," she added, her tone dangerously measured.
"This woman is a gift from a distant brother of mine," The Bandit King said with mock sincerity, leaning slightly forward, his eyes never leaving her face. "How could I hand her over to you?"
"That distant brother of yours is currently lying on a ship without his head," the Madman taunted, as he spoke, he summoned his spear. He held it up, pointing to the tip stained with dried blood. "See the dried blood on the tip of my spear? There should be your brother's blood somewhere mixed in it. Wanna lick? I'm sure a dog like you will recognize the taste."
The Madman, despite not being an Ascended, boldly continued to provoke one fueled by the unwavering presence of the Mercenary Queen at his side.
The Bandit King, his patience at its breaking point, finally unleashed his aura. But as soon as it surged forward it was countered by Mercenary Queen's aura.
The Madman, despite not being an Ascended, boldly continued to provoke one fueled by the unwavering presence of the Mercenary Queen at his side.
The Bandit King, his patience at its breaking point, finally unleashed his aura. But as soon as it surged forward it was countered by Mercenary Queen's aura.
"Enough talking peacefully!" The Mercenary Queen's voice thundered through the clearing "Bandits should be declared a race by the empire, that is meant to be slaughtered like pigs!"
In an instant, she was in motion. Her muscles coiled with power, and with a single, fluid motion, both her axes were out. The ground beneath her cracked, splintering with the force of her movement. She was a blur of deadly motion, her axes cutting through the air with brutal intent. In one fluid arc, she was upon him, her axes raised high, ready to cleave down on him.
The Bandit King, his face contorted with fury, retaliated by swinging his saber with a fierce determination at the Mercenary Queen.