I fear for my niece.
We cannot take two steps without her witnessing or being part of something potentially life-threatening.
We recieved an anonymous tip-off regarding the location of a new bandit hideout, recommending the most experienced of our order
With Kerl in Jail, it was up to me to locate the new Bandit headquarters, and I grabbed the closest comrade I could find.
In Hindsight, I should have grabbed the Second closest. Robynwen wasn't ready.
The tip-off had said that the bandit camp was around the waterfall near Staddle, so we crept there as the sun descended behind the horizon to look around. I spotted a large crevasse near the base of the waterfall. Pointing it out, I sent Robynwen to examine it closer.
I shouldn't have.
A man jumped out from behind a jutting rock near the crevasse, grabbing her and dragging her into the darkness. I heard a muffled scream, then nothing.
Shouting her name, I threw myself from the valley edge, plummeting down into the pool below. I dragged myself out, drawing my blade and charging into the shadows.
The tunnel was long and winding, twisting and turning many times, and decorated with many bandit symbols, furnished with beds and chests, but I eventually rounded the last corner and confronted my opponent.
I will admit I was surprised at his identity.
He was Osdegul, Lieutenant of Hector Worthenine, who in turn was the mercenary commander of Lady Hughes forces.
I reeled, shocked.
Surely she had not betrayed us?
But his words put my mind at ease.
"Surprised to see me? Carlsson pays better than One Eyed Di."
I shrugged, smiling coldly at him, while inside in turmoil, frantically searching the hollows in the walls of the cave for Robyn. I eventually saw her, lying bound and gagged behind Osdegul.
I attacked, and he dodged. Again, and again, and again. Attacking very little, more focused on evading my own attacks.
The fight was great deal shorter than I had anticipated, although 'twas through no skill on my part, or at least very little. I noted the mercenaries heavily notched blade, and noted the position of the largest crack. With his next attack, I blocked with the edge of my blade rather than the flat surface, landing the block perfectly into the notch.
Osdeguls blade shattered, cracking cleanly across the blade, starting at the notch. Shards cut his hands as they fell, and he staggered back, bewildered.
I stood there, a strange, protective fury in my soul, born from love and fear and hate and whatever monster I was before I met Robyn.
I would not go back to that.
But I would embrace it one last time.
I grinned coldly at Osdegul.
"Uh oh," I said.
And then I cut his head from his shoulders.
I sheathed my blade, running over to my niece and lifting her gently to her feet, being careful to stand between her and the body. I reassured her, while inside reassuring myself.
I did not lose her.
I will not lose her.
I escorted her out of the cave before returning with pitch.
A lot of pitch.
I burned everything in the cave.
