The Ranger and the Rat

Caravanserai

Even if by carriage, the journey is long. The route brings the caravan around the mountains that cut into the centre of Estalia, and it takes many hours just to reach the point where the biomes shift. The fields and forests give way for the Blighted Marsh, gods only knew what they would encounter in this wasteland.

Seeing as this is where the caravans tend to disappear, Felix exits the carriage to ensure that he can spot any potential threats before they get the drop on them.

The caravan slows down to a crawl, the terrain becoming unfavourable and the guards becoming more wary. It's difficult to see far in these marshes, anything could be out there.

The caravan continues for another hour, beginning to pass what seem to be remnants of previous caravans. Carts that seem to have been abandoned and partially salvaged, accompanied by the corpses of fellow men.

Soon after, the caravan is brought to a halt. The road is blocked, and not coincidentally. They are faced with a built up barricade, made from the pieces of previous caravans.

"Everyone form up! It's an ambush!"

Just as Felix shouts out, a flaming arrow comes from the trees, hitting one of the cart drivers. The guards quickly move into position on either side, forming a schiltron as bandits pour out from the marshlands that surround them.

With the added warning, the initial charge is thwarted, many of the banditry skewering themselves on the spears wielded by the guards. Although it wouldn't be enough, as the bandits outnumbered them heavily.

With their sheer numbers, the bandits manage to break parts of the formation, slipping through and running for the carts, simply disregarding the guards once they get past.

As more and more arrive, the guards are overwhelmed, and break formation to end up in a disorganised brawl. The bandits appear to be using an unorthodox tactic, attempting to damage and topple the carts over, so that they can retreat and regroup to attack again.

Then they push over the carriage, with Zol still inside...

Zol is thrown about as the carriage topples, becoming disoriented when he hits the glass, which shatters on impact. He slowly starts to regain his bearings and pushes open the door which was now above him, climbing out and dropping off the side which seems safer...

...Of course, there is no safety to be had.

Before he can truly reorient himself, a bandit jumps around the corner, immediately swinging a sword down at him. Luckily, instinct saves him, swiftly dodging and only getting grazed on the arm. But the bandit doesn't relent, and tries again...

This is it...

This is the first time Zol's life has ever been in immediate danger. As far as he knows, at least.

If he does nothing, he will surely die.

As the blade comes down, Zol quickly grabs the dagger from his belt, and swings it up at a slant to push the sword off-course.

Barely thinking, and acting purely out of instinct and intuition, he stabs the bandit in the thigh, causing him to reactively keel down, giving Zol leverage to pull the bandit by the neck, down to the ground, where he quickly gets on top and drives his dagger into the bandit's back.

Seeing the bandit still struggling, he stabs again, and again. Over and over and over, before finally plunging the dagger one final time, into the bandit's neck with enough force to cut through the spine.

As the bandit stops moving, Zol begins to calm down, able to think clearly once more... Until the clarity of the situation hits him.

Zol had never taken a life before, much less been in a fight. He becomes shaky, and his mind clouds up again with feelings he could barely comprehend. Guilt? Shame? Remorse? He could not understand what he feels.

"Zol!"

His ears rings, and the sound of Felix calling his name is faint, barely recognisable. Soon, the ringing is all that he can hear, and his vision begins to fog as well, before it all fades away into nothing.

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Zol's eyes shoot open and he quickly sits upright, gasping for breath. He folds his legs, bringing his knees to his chest, shaking uncontrollably.

That wasn't just some vivid nightmare. He knows it wasn't. It was too real, even more real than the nightmares he typically endured.

He looks down at the fire he was set beside, seeing Felix sitting across from it. The look on his face confirmed Zol's fears. Zol looks back into the fire.

"...How do you do it...?"

Felix looks up at Zol, his face softening to try and be a bit more comforting.

"How is it so easy for you...?"

Felix huffs quietly, looking back into the fire as well.

"It isn't. It's not easy the first time, and it doesn't get any easier."

Felix slides some water and provisions over to Zol, who hesitantly takes them.

"...Then how..."

Felix rests his head on his palm, pondering how to answer this properly. It's a difficult question for sure.

"Well... It helps to understand that this is what they signed up for. They weren't coming to raid the caravan expecting to not get killed. They knew the risks, and they followed through with it anyway."

Zol stays quiet. As reasonable as that assessment may be, he can't stop ruminating on what happened. The man he killed may have been a bandit, but even so. He crossed a line that cannot be uncrossed. In the midst of his train of thought, he remembers something important.

"Wait- The caravan..."

"It's safe, don't worry. They'll make it the rest of the way on their own." Felix stokes the fire with a nearby stick. "I've opted that we should return to Bilbali. You went into shock after what happened, so I carried you as far as I could. We can keep moving later."

Zol nods solemnly, looking back at the ground beneath him. Its still a lot to process, clearly. Felix scoots around the fire, sitting closer and gently pulling Zol close.

"C'mere..."

Zol's demeanour doesn't change, but Felix can tell that it helps him feel a little better...

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"I received word just this morning that the caravan has arrived safely in Miragliano. I'm glad that you could handle the situation."

"It wasn't easy. And it definitely wasn't without... Losses." Felix crosses his arms and huffs. "But you shouldn't have any more trouble with banditry, for now."

"That's excellent news. Now the coin can flow freely again. Here." The merchant procures a large sum of coin in a satchel, handing it to Felix. "Your reward."

"Uh... This much? You sure?" It may not seem like much, but this sum could last months, perhaps even a year.

"I am positive, you singlehandedly saved my entire business, after all."

"Well... I'll trust your judgement on that. My pleasure to help, but there's some matters that i need to attend to. Farewell."

The two part ways, and Felix returns to the Inn, where he left Zol for the time being.

Entering through the front door instead of the concealed backway, Felix is beckoned over to the bar by Falko, who bore bad tidings.

"While you were gone, someone came by, asking for you. A Witch Hunter." He whispers, just in case someone may be listening. "Theyre blockading the passes to Bretonnia and Tilea, soon they'll be swarming all over Estalia looking for you. I'm sorry, but I don't think the hideout is going to keep you hidden for long."

Felix's face contorts into one of major irritation, bringing his hand up to his forehead and huffing loudly.

"No choice then." Felix stands straight, his face not changing. He wouldn't show his concern. "Thank you for being hospitable Falko. We'll be leaving."

"To where? Even the ports have been blockaded. I hate to admit it... But i don't think there's any way out."

Felix turns and walks over to the hideout.

"I'll think of something. There has to be some way out of this."

"There has to be..."