"Ugh... I can't drink anymore~"
"Phuooo! Jwust wone morr sip! Comon!"
"I-I... feel like... bleg–! Ack..."
The three bandits soon fell unconscious. One even lying peacefully on his own vomit.
All three were flushed red, with bottles of booze and other alcohol all around them.
(This was god-damn tiring... 4 Hours just for them to start drinking, and another 2 for them to knock themselves out)
'Hey! Do not invoke God's name in vain!'
(As if a God across exists)
'Ofcourse he does! Want me to recite to you the Bible once more?'
(No no... I'm good. Heard you well enough the last time)
Flames flickered around Feyd as his blindfold and gag soon burned to dust.
"Agh... This soot tastes terrible!"
He then melted the cuffs just enough to escape out of them.
He still couldn't see much, with only the lingering burnt edges of the blindfold and gag illuminating the dark box he was inside of.
(Why don't you just try to Rift us out?)
'Well we're in a moving train. I'm not confident enough to teleport us since I've never used my Rift inside something that's moving this fast'
Feyd had used his ability on the inside of a carriage, but it stayed in place in the air and quickly destabilized as the carriage wall, too large too fit through, slammed into the Rift.
The Rift created a small explosion, blowing the wall open and losing them the last of their money they had at that time.
If the same thing were to happen in the train, especially with how fast trains go, he wasn't sure what the outcome would be.
He noticed that the box he was inside of was pretty good at resisting heat, so he didn't even bother trying to blast it open.
Not only would it waste his energy, there was also a better way out!
He waited for Ray's shadows to solidify inside of the locks sealing the box, and opening them each one by one.
He could vaguely sense objects with his shadow, and combined with his psychic senses, I didn't take too long for Ray to locate the locks.
(I'm canceling the Telepathy. I'll break you out soon)
Although it might've been faster to open his own lock first, he knew he would be too tired to open Feyd's immediately after. They had already wasted a lot of time on the three bandits outside, so he would've rather helped Feyd escape and let Feyd help him too.
Unlike like him, Feyd still had a lot of his energy left.
A series of clicks resounded through the freight as Feyd slowly crept the top of his box open, cautiously looking around.
'Three drunk bandits... Check. Knocked out? Check. Ray's box... Over there'
He slowly, methodically made his way out, before closing the box behind him shut.
The interior was quite dark, with light coming in only from the occasional window.
The light bulbs affixed to the walls were either switched off, or didn't work.
He slowly moved towards what he assumed was Ray's box, since it seemed similar to his box.
Fully black, with tons of locks.
Slow applications of heat, and a quick pull broke each lock one by one.
By the time he reached the last one he was only slightly tired.
The final lock broke with a slight clang, as Feyd slowly lifted the cover.
And inside he saw–
A strange man!
'Huh?'
The man seemed to have already noticed the sounds coming from the locks being broken, as he was preemptively looking up by the time Feyd had lifted up the cover.
The man's skin was bronze in colour with bulging muscles lining his body. There was a gag on the floor which seemed to have been bitten through as broken cuffs lay around him.
"Uhmm... Can I help you?"
The man examined Feyd for a moment before speaking.
"You aren't a bandit I assume. Are you a thief or a soldier?"
Feyd scratched his head slightly at the man's question.
"Umm actually neither...? I was also captured by the bandits just recently, a few hours ago.
Me and my friend tried to hitch a hike not knowing this train was being used by bandits"
Feyd gave a sheepish smile as he looked away, half-embarrassed and half looking for Ray.
The man seemed ready to give a boisterous laugh but quickly refrained himself. He slowly got up with a grin.
"I see. Well I can assume you had something to do with the guards drinking all of a sudden, since they don't usually drink. Especially this much"
He glanced at the three drunk bandits.
"Anyways I have a preposition for you. Care to hear me out?"
Feyd raised an eyebrow at his words but soon nodded slowly.
In a hushed voice the man continued.
"How about we make an escape attempt from here? I'm the chieftain of one of the local Wastelands tribes. We were captured while on our journey for a new home!
Those motherfuckers! Kehk!
Most of our tribe in inside cages in this singular freight train. I saw each one being hauled inside before I got shoved inside this special box"
The man's anger seem to slowly seep out.
"I believe Escaping will be a tough ordeal for you, and whoever you are searching for"
He remarks as he notices Feyd looking around for something.
Feyd gives a wry smile at being found out.
"There is strength in numbers! Especially since our weapons are just in the freight over. All we need to do is break through, get some equipment, and we can storm the whole train!"
Feyd paused at the man's words, before giving him a curt reply.
"I would love to, but I'll need to discuss things with my friend first"
The chieftain nodded with a slightly downcast expression, but he didn't get angry.
Prejudice against the trials in the Wastelands depicted them as savages, but the tribal people only had slightly worse upringings than the 'normal' people.
The tribals knew how to use guns, the importance of education, and even interpersonal skills!
At this moment the tribe chieftain knew that he couldn't force the stranger infront of him to help, especially since he broke the locks out of a box extremely similar to his!
A feat a strength which not even he, the greatest Warrior of his tribe, could do!
Also, the man saved him and gave him the opportunity to attack the bandits. If not to respect his strength, the trine chieftain would respect the stranger for helping him.
Eventually Feyd found Ray inside of a box that was covered by a cloth. It was the same box as his.
With the same method he used to break the tribe chieftain out he helped Ray escape.
Unfortunately for the chieftain he didn't notice the flames as he was fully focused on saving his tribesmen, who were inside simple cages covered in cloth.
They had first wanted to rebel constantly, clamoring around all day and night and disturbing the bandits.
Soon the bandits got fed up as they killed two men and a child as an example.
They were truly sad for the child as the two men who died were tribal warriors. Individuals who feared no death. Their decision to rebel was respected by the others.
Yet the child was simply following the actions of the adults, without fully comprehending the possible consequences.
They were soon told to either shut up or go to hell, with the bandits threatening to kill more if they didn't shut up.
Even with all the commotion going on as Feyd broke the chieftain and Ray out the tribesmen didn't dare make a sound, worried a someone might die.
Soon all of the tribesmen for broken out, with everyone trying their best to bend the bars of the cage, making enough room for each individual to escape.
While they were doing that Feyd and Ray were whispering to each other in the back.
"So yeah, those are all members of a tribe, and the tribe chieftain wants me to help them attack the bandits"
"Wouldn't it be easier to just escape?"
"Well don't you want to get back our stuff? They said it's probably in the freight over"
"So you wanna help them take over that freight, and then escape?"
"Close. I wanna help them, and us, escape"
"Wait why? We get no benefit out of this"
Ray tried to explain to Feyd the futility of the situation.
"There are possibly hundreds of bandits on this train, and we have what– a few dozen tribesmen?
How do you plan on killing them all? In any case why even help them? After escaping most probably the lucky survivors will just die in the Wastelands"
Feyd brought his hand to his chin as he made a contemplative expression.
Ray hoped Feyd would just try Escaping alongside him. Unfortunately for him, his hopes were soon shattered.
"Well it's not like we have to kill all of them. Just a freight or two of them.
Anyways we can try escaping anytime if things go south. Also think about the loot we can get!"
Feyd gave a slight smile.
"Also, it's the right thing to do. To help them. It's what my past self would've done anways"
Ray narrowed his eyes at Feyd, who only gave him a wry smile.
Eventually Ray gave up as he made a helpless expression.
"Fine... We can help them. But remember, we leave AS SOON as thing go south!"
"Aye aye captain!"
Ray chuckled as Feyd gave him a sloppy salute.
Soon the tribal chieftain and his people made his way to them.
"So. Helping us or not?"
Feyd gave a confidant nod as he extended his hand.
"Yup. Looking forward to this!"
The chieftain also gave a solemn nod, yet a wide grin was plastered on his face. He gave a firm handshake to Feyd.
"The pleasure is all ours! By the way, names Ragnar. Ragnar Rahk of the Rakh tribe!"
Feyd retracted his arm as he introduced himself and Ray.
"The names Feyd. And this is Ray"
They quickly huddled around, ready to make a plan.
"Alright, so how do we do this?"
Ragnar drew a small train with eight freights with a piece of metal, scrapping it onto the metal floors untill he was satisfied.
"We are currently on here, at the last freight"
He stated as the piece of metal in his hand circled the last freight of the train.
"Our weapons, or other miscellaneous objects will be placed here, the next freight over.
Then the next freight is like a lounge, for the bandits to relax, play some cards, and eat and drink.
Finally the freight after that, the 4th freight, has the main goods these bandits managed to steal. A bunch of vehicles. Let's make our way till the there and escape from the side entrances with these vehicles!"
The tribesmen all praised Ragnar as he explained the plan. Both Feyd and Ray nodded along, clearly appreciating it.
"But wait, how did you find out all of this?"
Feyd asked puzzled.
"Ahem... Well the bandits took me to meet their captain yesterday to talk aboit joining those pieces of shit"
"As if we would ever be criminal scum like them! I spat in his face before he and his men ganged up on me and I was taken back. I learned the places as I was taken back and forth, while eavesdropping on the bandits around me"
Ray gave Ragnar a brief glance with a slight speck of respect in his eyes.
"Nice"
Ray then continued, asking.
"Well do they have any Manipulators, or Gifted in the train?"
Ragnar looked exasperated for a moment before shaking his head.
"No way, ofcourse not! Manipulators and Gifted are powerful individuals! Manipulators are control an element of the world, and Gifted have strange abilities! Why on earth would they be bandits; no, better yet, why would they be part those bandits?
I won't act like me and my people are that strong. Those bandits are barely average sized compared to other bandit groups. Maybe only in large and power groups will you find Manipulators or Gifteds"
Both Ray and Feyd looked at each other for a moment, confidence burning in their eyes.
They both thought: 'Maybe killing everyone would be difficult, but taking out a freight or two will still leave us with enough juice to escape!'
"How about this. Me and my friend take care of the next freight and..."
They continued discussing as a few of the tribal kids slowly shifted towards the three drunk bandits, feeling they had nothing to add to the plan making.
Life in the Wastelands was though, with the tribesmen embracing joy anyway and anywhere they could.
Even though the kids were in a dangerously precarious situation, they decided they still needed a little fun before they attacked the bandits
A few of the kids bound the three bandits up, gagged them, and threw them inside of the box where Feyd was in.
The locks there were simply unlocked and could be locked again.
They laughed and giggled as they forced the three into the cramped box in awkward positions, satisfied by this small revenge.
They then locked the box once more, imagining the reactions of those three when they woke up.
They then burst into laughter once more imagining their screams and struggles!