A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 2: My Mistake. (Part 2)

I had been thinking a lot since we left Stonewall. How to defeat the bandits or whether we should bother at all. The problem wasn't just their numbers but more so how organised they were. The tactics they had used on us and how prepared they were, if it weren't for the fact we had avoided them the first two times I would have been sure we were being targeted. Knowing the strength of the Hero and her party they could probably fight that number of bandits with relative ease. Ordinarily if it weren't for the surprise attack they wouldn't have been pushed back. Which begged the question should I just try convince them the bandits exist and have them make a pre-emptive strike? That is if they would even believe me. The other point was what the bandits were planning. Why group in mass so close to a town like Wester? Simple reason being it was a great target. It was a town doing well for itself, unassuming and more importantly lightly guarded being relatively close to the Capital. I could only think they wanted to pull off one last raid. Hit the town hard and be gone by morning. Taking the south road they could split apart and make it across the border to the neighbouring countries spoils intact. The army wouldn't even be able to follow them with the demon threat. So, if I repeated the first two times and tried to leave as early as possible we could avoid their ambush... but then the people of Wester would be slaughtered. I frowned.

We arrived in Wester and after dropping off the Hero and her party to the inn I parked the carriage in the lot beside it. My duties included caring for Pina, maintenance for the carriage and buying any supplies needed as well as to organise the inventory. There wasn't much to do after only being two days into the journey or at least that's how it should have been. The sun had set and I wasn't where I usually was. No, I was outside town in the cold keeping an eye to the west. The moment we had arrived I excused myself and kept an eye out for anyone leaving the city.

Although I had never been taught how to use magic or a sword I had been taught how to hunt, to stalk prey in the dark and, mind my confidence, was pretty damn good at it. I wasn't bad with a bow either but as a non-combatant, excluding my kitchen knife, I was never given any weapons. Not that I wanted to fight, in fact if there was fighting I much rather to sit back and hide behind a rock.

Still my main priority was staying alive and to do that I needed information. Just as I was beginning to tire a flash of light came from the forest far into the distant. There was a pause and gazing into the darkening town a flash of light replied. A coded message. The flashes continued but didn't follow any of the proper signals I knew of. What I did know was that it couldn't have boded well. I needed to make my move.

"Hey what are you doing?" Taylor's voice almost caused me to have a heart attack. "Relax, I'm not here to kill you." She smiled.

"I was just taking a stroll...." Even I knew that was a terrible lie.

"Sure you were."

"What are you doing here anyway?" I changed the subject.

"Well our driver vanished and I thought I might as well see where he went. I must say you're pretty good. It was kind of hard to find you."

"Thanks," I replied dryly. Obviously I wasn't good enough.

Taylor's gaze sharpened, "So do you mind telling me the truth?"

I raised my hands in surrender, "Nothing nefarious if that's what you're thinking. I heard some rumours of bandits coming from the North. I just wanted to keep an eye out."

"The lot in the North? I thought the army was taking care of it."

"Maybe but I heard from some fellow drivers that they might be heading south. Wester fits right in their demographic to be attacked and there hasn't been any more news of the bandits for a few days. Plenty of time for them to make their way here."