Spartan Law: 4

"Boy, glad to see you picked up some equipment."

Arwin greets me as I approach the caravan with my new weapons.

"I found some more people to join us on our journey."

The knight moves to the side and presents 2 people. Well people isnt exact. A older bald man with a small nose in red and yellow cloths, a book in his hands and beside him a literal fucking centaur with a bow strapped on their back and a long black jerkin flowing down their chest, a manly face with a short black beard and flowing locks of curly brunette hair.

"This is Pagos and Siscus."

He introduces them left to right the old man smiles lightly, and the centaur just stands silently.

Pagos the old man puts the book onto his belt loop, it hangs narrowly from a small red rope.

"It is glad to meet you, Adonis I think your name was?"

"Yep that's me."

Pagos strikes his hand forward for a shake and I greet him with my own grasp.

"Let us have a peaceful trip then."

He smiles lightly and returns to reading inside another wagon, briskly speeding off.

And the centaur? He just ignores me and continues staring silently forward.

Arwin grins and hikes the beasts forward, I hop along side him and watch as the village disappears behind us.

"Javelins eh? That's a little ancient dont you think?"

"Not at all sir, a missile that can be used by infantry is amazing and can stagger an enemy, in a large scale battle infantry would even resort to throwing rocks so their archers could get hits on stunned enemies."

"You seem to know alot about military strategy for a village boy.. But you are right, we have grown too reliant on mages to shock enemy shield walls, it's a shame how people are set in their ways now a days kid, Orario seems to be immune though, I'm sure you will love it lad."

Arwin pats me lightly on the shoulder.

"Thank you sir, I hope so too."

Arwin slowly grimaces as the dirt path slowly elevates, some traces of snow even showing in more muddy patches.

"This area huh.. Be on watch boy, bandits love raiding in these parts as the mountains give them an easy escape."

"Alright then, I will keep my eyes peeled as well as I can."

My eyes dart around the trees as the wagon train moves forward at a gruelling speed.

"Only a half a days travel left and then it will be over, dont be worrying much now boy."

Arwin reassures me after his vague statement about dangerous bandits in this area.

The centaur marches along side the lizard beasts and his eyes scan the forest, this whole time he has clutched his longbow in his hands, an arrow knocked and ready for any ambushes.

I peel back the white canvas behind me to reveal the robed man sitting and reading.

"Hey old man get out of your shell and keep those eyes peeled."

"Of course of course, you are right."

He snaps the book closed and moves to the back of the wagon and begins peering into the woods.

"Why did you get that old man anyways? I understand the centaur but.."

"Wasnt it obvious? Hes a mage my boy."

"A mage? I thought you had to be in a familia to use magic."

"Correct."

"Wait, that guy is an actual adventurer?"

"Yes, hes part of a small familia that resides in Orario and in return for giving him a ride back he said he would protect our goods.'

"Do you know wich familia?"

This is my chance to get in good with a familia! Come on please be a good one!

"Erm, Gwy- Gyd? Oh Gwydion that's right!."

.

I have no idea what culture that god is even from, and Sir Arwin said they were small so I probably shouldn't join them because I have ambitions bigger than being a level 1 or 2 my whole life.

"Hmm so we should be fine then sir Arwin?"

"Of course, the weakest level 1 easily overpowers any bandits that are without a gods blessing."

Phew..

Mountains bandits seem like they would be especially molesty or something. I dont want to think about 'that' movie..

Squeal like a pig.

You got a purty mouth.

Stop thinking about it!

Stop!

..

Hopefully no bandits attack us, but let's look at with no bias.

Bandits are definitely going to attack us, this is a prime spot and our group looks very weak.

"Hmm. Hmm... Oh Misty eye of the mountain below."

Maybe singing some little lotr diddies will help me calm down.

"Ha wheres that song from I've never heard it?Wait a second. Your an amazing singer kid.. Full of surprises."

Amazing singer? Not even close.

"Keep careful watch of my brothers' souls

And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke

Keep watching over Durin's sons."

Haah, this is tiring and I have barely sang for more than 30 seconds.

"That was petty good lad, maybe you could become a bard haha."

"In your wildest dreams bud."

"Hah-"

"Boy get ready!"

The centaur rears back and draws his bow as something shuffles around in the woods. Arwin lifts his visor down and draws his sword and mans his heater shield.

"Fuck already!"

The baldy hops from the back of the wagon and opens his book up, a flame grows in his hand as the rustling grows closer.

"Your money or your life."

My back goes cold, my spine chills and everyone around me freezes.

"Where. Where did he come from."

Arwin says shakily, a long curved machete held to his throat.

"Again, your money or your life."

From the forest a group of atleast a dozen bandits in dirty cloth and hide armor wielding hatchets, daggers and kite shields made of old boards.

The man holding a blade to sir Arwins throat, is not a man at all.

A lizard folk. Vibrant orange scales with piercing blue eyes.

"I am Fang Raksa son of Fang Rogga king of the mountains!"

The blade creases against Arwins skin, directly where the chainmail shawl reaches his neck, a tiny but deadly gap that could end him with a small cut.

"Hand over everything."

"Dont listen to this Looter!"

Arwin pleads not for us to give up, to him the mission is more important than his life.

*swoosh*

"AGHHH WHAT THE AGHH!"

The lizardman lights on fire, his scales begin melting off his skin revealing light blue skin clinging to bones that slowly crease off as the flames spread.

Arwin elbows the bandit chief in the stomach and pushes off of him, the lizardman falls to the ground screaming and the rest of the mountain bandits charge.

The centaur charges a man and stomps him down, while his hooves are planted on him he aims his bow down and plants an arrow in the hillbillies head.

A vagrant surges towards me, I pull out a javelin and throw with all my might, my technique is shit but. the blade on the javelin is sharp so it doesn't matter as long as I hit him.

The javelin sticks into the mans chest, he screams in agony as blood spews out of him as the spear wiggles around in his stomach. Another bandits rushes me with a seax in hand, trying to gut me. I parry his attack with my shield and stick my spear into his chest, the furs on his body are not able to even dream of blocking it and my spear emerges on the other side of his body, I pull as hard as I can while also turning the blade wich leaves a gnarly wound in the mans upper solar plexus.

"Gyah you- I WILL KILL- AGHHHH!"

His body catches into a tornado of flames and his flesh begins being wrenched forcibly from his body by the flames cascading down his bare skin, his clothing turns to ashes nearly instantly as he falls to the ground thrashing about until he slowly grows still, smoke rising from his body.

The remaining bandits waiver, watching their boss melting into the floor.

"COME ON ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!"

I throw another javelin into one of the fleeing bandits, he clutches his back and falls forward, gasping for his remaining life.

"Agh, bastards almost got us!"

Arwin spats, kicking the corpse of a bandit.

"Phew my friends, that was quite an ambush."

The mage scratches his neck, sweat runs down his face and his arms are shaking from strain.

"Good job my friends, Orario is not far now."

Arwin pats me on the back, I begin retrieving my javelins and looting anything worthwhile, their weapons are all sealable, I retrieved 3 hatchets and the large scimitar the chieftain had.

"To think in the north realms beyond Orario there are bandits even more terrifying, sea raiders from beyond the blue.. The merchants their must be tougher than me."

The centaur chimes in as he pulls his arrows out and wipes them clean on a waistcloth, the blood staining the brown leather.

I put the loot into the front most wagon, shoving it between some crates and lean my head back.

"Yah, go on now, yah!"

The lizards begin trotting forward.

"The caravan master, where is he?"

Arwin stops his whipping momentarily.

"Oh, we didnt even check on him, he is in the middle wagon. Surely he is fine, probably just cowering. The ride is not long now 4 hours I would say."