Return to Jorgaldur Volume I: the battle mage

Bandits (III)

Eldi didn't know what to do. He understood that humiliation and pain caused the cat-woman to speak those words, but he couldn't do what she asked for. He had no idea how to treat someone so desperate, someone who didn't want to continue living. He wasn't an expert in psychology, much less in helping someone in that situation.

"You have suffered a lot, but you still have a life ahead of you, you can't die here," he tried to comfort her, hesitantly.

"My friends... My companions... All died... And I... I've only lived for them to... Every day... I can't anymore... I don't want to remember anymore. Kill me. I can't... They put a restriction on me... Please kill me," she implored him.

Eldi had his heart broken, and only his will prevented him from shedding tears, because he couldn't relax now, there were still dangers, there was still work to do. He could only think of one option, one that he didn't know if it was good for her, one that he didn't know if it would work out well. He was sure that there were better paths, but he couldn't suggest a path he didn't know about.

He took a deep breath, trying to put aside his own feelings, he couldn't get carried away at that moment. With a serious face, he spoke to her again.

"There are still some bandits, they should be sleeping. Don't you want to take revenge?"

She raised her head suddenly, her teeth clenched and her fangs protruding. For the first time, there was sparkle in her eyes, a wild glow.

"Untie me. Is there any weapon I can use?"

Anger and desire for revenge had made her react, accepting the mace and shield that the man gave her, as well as complete armor. Although her mind was clouded, thinking only of slaying those bandits, she was surprised at the quality of the equipment she had received. After a few Basic Healings, she felt more powerful than ever.

Mace and shield had always been her choice, but she had never wielded such weapons, nor dressed a magical armor that fit her body. She knew there were, but not for someone of her status. In a normal situation, she would have wanted to know where they had come from, she would have wanted to know how that stranger had gotten them, but, at that moment, she was only thinking of embedding the mace in the bodies of those she hated.

She followed the man, squeezing her weapons tightly until she felt pain, a pain that was welcome. Feeling that pain kept her from thinking about anything else.

When they reached the room, the bandits were sleeping. Eldi hesitated. He had killed much more than he would have ever imagined he would be able to, but killing them in cold blood, while they were sleeping, was a line that he hadn't crossed. And, while in doubt, he heard the sound of two strong impacts, one after the other, along with the sound of bones breaking.

When he turned around, there was a bandit with a crushed head, and a mace covered in blood and skull fragments. The woman didn't stop there, quickly approaching one who had half awakened and was beginning to get up, not knowing what was coming.

Eldi was unable to move while, one after the other, the heads were crushed with a couple of powerful blows, sometimes three. The cat-woman didn't recreate in her massacre, but efficiently killed the bandits, one by one. On a couple of times, when more than one of them began to get up, she used her shield to knock them out, with a skill whose name was as original as Shield Strike.

"Are they all?" she asked in a cold and indifferent tone, as if she hadn't just massacred them, as if she were asking if it had stopped raining.

"Yes, I think so," he replied with a chill that ran down his back.

She nodded, crouching down to leave the club on the ground and catch the sword of one of the bandits, who was more suited to what she wanted to do.

"Thank you," she said, before taking the sword to her neck, intending to pierce it. When all the bandits died, the restriction had been destroyed.

"Wait!" Exclaimed Eldi.

But she ignored him, and pushed the sword to end her life. However, she couldn't do it, because a Rock Armor prevented it.

"Let me die!" she demanded, sobbing.

"You can't die! Life is too precious! As hard as it has been, there are always reasons to live," he tried to convince her.

"Then give me one!" she shouted, out of control, with big tears falling from her catlike eyes.

Once again, Eldi hesitated. Since he had proposed that revenge, he had been thinking about what would happen next. His best idea was a dark path full of hate, but he hoped she would find something better as she walked that path. At least, she would still be alive and, perhaps, would have the opportunity to redo her life. It was impossible to know, but he could be sure that, if she died, there would be no more opportunities for her.

"There are prisoners who need to be escorted back to their homes, I'd like you to help me with that."

"Okay," she agreed after thinking about it, assuming she owed him at least that.

He sighed. Now he had to suggest a very difficult proposal to make. To drag her to a road full of blood, and that could easily end the life of the cat-woman. But even so, it was a better option than suicide.

"There're still bandits in the kingdom, and in others. There are those who are suffering as you have suffered, or that will be in the future. Unless someone does something. You won't be able to kill all of them, but you can reduce their numbers and the damage they cause. If you meet three conditions, you can keep the armor and weapons."

She looked at him, biting her lip until it bled. Her face, serious and hard to read, watched him closely, denoting that she was seriously considering his words, and expecting him to continue.

"First of all, promise me you won't try to kill yourself.

Second, that you won't speak to anyone about me, or where the weapons and armor have come from.

And third... What's your name?"

The third one surprised her, and her eyes widened a little. She would have even smiled if her heart wasn't invaded by rage, hatred, bewilderment and deep pain.

She thought for a while, time that was eternal for the high human, until she finally dropped the sword and approached Eldi, offering her hand.

"My name is Meowla."