The bandit with the bow froze.
Lyra stood behind him.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then the archers eyes widened.
"H..how–".
Lyra's blade flashed.
Clang.
The archer barely managed to twist aside as her dagger scraped across the metal plate on his shoulder.
"Move!" the swordsman shouted.
The axe wielding bandit charged toward Aren immediately, clearly deciding that the quieter looking traveller was the easier target.
Aren's grip tightened around his blade.
The man's axe swung downward with brutal force.
Aren jumped back just in time.
The blade slammed into the ground where he had been standing earlier, sending dirt and leaves flying.
"Stand still!" the bandit snarled as he yanked his axe free.
Aren steadied his breathing.
He couldn't fight like Lyra.
But he had survived the dire wolf.
And that thing had been much worse.
The bandit swung again–this time horizontally.
Aren ducked low, the axe whistling over his head. As the man's momentum carried him forward, Aren lunged forward and swing his sword.
The blade slashed across the bandits forearm.
But to shallow to cut through.
"Gah!"
The man staggered back, clutching the bleeding wound.
"Little rat!"
Behind them, steel clashed loudly.
Lyra moved like a shadow.
The swordsman swung wildly, trying to keep up with her speed, but every stroke met empty air. Lyra slipped past his attacks effortlessly , her dagger flashing again and again.
The archer had dropped his bow and pulled a short sword.
"Stop dancing around!" he shouted.
Lyra sighed softly.
"You're slow".
Before either bandit could react, she stepped forward.
Her blade struck the bandits wrist.
His blade fell from his hand instantly.
A second later she kicked him hard in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground.
The archer lunged at her with his sword.
Lyra turned smoothly and caught his wrist mid-strike.
For a brief moment they struggled.
Then Lyra twisted sharply.
Crack.
The man screamed as his wrist snapped.
His sword dropped to the ground.
Aden barely had time to glance at the fight before the axe bandit came to him again.
Rage twisted the man's face.
"You're dead!"
The axe swung downward in a powerful arc.
This time Aren didn't retreat.
He stepped to the side.
The axe struck to the ground again – but before the bandit could pull it free, Aren drive his knife foward.
The blade sank into his side.
The bandit gasped.
Aren pulled the sword back out and stepped back quickly.
He glanced back at Lyra who was calmly wiping her dagger.
"That took longer than expected" she sighed.
"You call that long?"
" I prefer efficiency" she responded back.
One of the bandits groaned weakly.
Lyra crouched next to him.
"Who do you work for?" she asked calmly.
The bandit responded in a coarse tone.
"G... Go to hell "
Lyra sighed calmly.
She then lifted him up by the collar and turned him upright.
"I'm gonna ask again" she said, her golden eyes reflecting the light of the sun.
"Who do you work for".
"The black thorn group" the bandit responded.
Fear replacing his anger.
" I thought so"
"Black thorn ?" Aren said curiously.
"They're a well known bandit faction in this area" Lyra replied.
"They control the trade routes in the eastern part of the forest"
She stood up and started walking away. "Well then let's go"
"Wait... Are we just gonna leave them like this?" Aren said
"They'll be fine.." Lyra replied.
As they continued walking Aren couldn't stop himself from asking.
" You knew they where there , didn't you?"
Lyra nodded .
" Yes"
" And you still walked right into them"
Lyra glanced sideways at him.
"I wanted to see if you could fight".
Aren blinked.
"... Seriously?"
She smirked slightly.
"You did better than expected".
As they continued walking east , the forest began to thin again.
The trees grew further apart.
Sunlight filled the path ahead.
Lyra suddenly stopped.
Aren looked up.
In the distance, just beyond the edge of the forest, wooden walls Rose above the horizon.
A small settlement.
Smoke drifted from several chimneys inside.
Lyra folded her arms.
"There it is"
Aren starred.
The first town he had seen since his exile.
"Welcome" Lyra said calmly,
"To Red Hollow".