The secrets of her past revealed in the words of two Knights of Lycia.
Now, to meet her grandfather, Lyn heads west, to Lycia, and to her destiny.
A mountain range separates the Sacae Plains from Bern. There are many bandits lurking here, the cruelest of which are the Taliver. They create havoc on both Sacae and Bern, and their savagery knows no bounds.
On her tenth day away from the plains, Lyn witnesses their atrocities herself.
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The group proceeded cautiously along the path leading to the nearby village, their senses heightened by the eerie stillness that enveloped the surroundings.
Not a single sound broke the stillness, and not a soul could be seen in the vicinity. As they advanced, the weight of anticipation pressed upon them, prompting each member to remain on high alert.
As they drew closer, their eyes caught sight of faint structures looming in the distance. A silent understanding passed between them, their determined gazes interlocking, steeling themselves for whatever awaited them within the fortress-like village.
"This place... It's…" Lyn gasped in shock, her hand instinctively covering her mouth as her eyes took in the scene before her.
The village lay in ruins, its once vibrant buildings reduced to charred remnants and piles of smoldering ashes. Buildings stood as charred remnants, their skeletal frames etched against the backdrop of ashes and burnt wood.
Astrid's eyes narrowed in a display of controlled anger, muttered through clenched teeth. "Despicable..."
The freshness of the destruction was evident, and they had arrived too late. The acrid scent of smoke mingled with the air, a grim reminder of the flames that had consumed everything.
And then, a more sinister odor reached their nostrils—the unmistakable stench of blood. It permeated the surroundings, an overwhelming presence that bore witness to the bandits' merciless rampage. The bandits had reveled in their wickedness, prolonging the suffering of their victims until they succumbed to the ultimate loss of life.
Sain, trying to make sense of the devastation, furrowed his brow in confusion. "The entire area is in ruins. Why doesn't their marquess do anything to help?"
Lyn took a deep breath, her gaze focused as she tried to explain the dire situation they faced. "Taliver Mountain is home to a gang of vicious, ruthless bandits. No marquess holds power here."
The group's attention gravitated towards Lyn as she continued to paint a vivid picture of the grim reality they faced. "My village was near here, on the other side of the mountain."
"My people were..." Her voice trembled as she recalled the fateful night, the memories threatening to overwhelm her. "The Taliver bandits came at night. It took only one night."
"The survivors numbered less than ten, including me. They're soulless beasts." Her voice trembled with a mix of sorrow and anger as she recounted the horrors.
The weight of her emotions overwhelmed her, causing her to pause briefly. Regaining her composure, she spoke again, her tone laced with fury.
"I will never forgive them. Never."
"Lyndis…" Sain's voice softened as he reached out to her
"…" The air grew heavy as Astrid and Kent remained silent, absorbing the weight of Lyn's words, each lost in their own thoughts.
Breaking the silence, Lyn's voice took on a newfound strength, her determination resolute. "I am not running away." She declared, her voice resolute and unwavering.
"I will be back...someday. I'll be stronger... I will break their swords beneath me like twigs beneath a stallion's hooves. I will avenge my people. I'll do everything in my power."
The abruptness of her declaration hung in the air for a moment, but it was quickly met with unwavering support from her comrades.
Sain's unwavering support was evident as he declared. "When the time comes, bring me with you."
A genuine warmth touched Lyn's eyes at his words. "Sain..."
Kent, usually the stoic one, couldn't contain his emotions any longer. "Don't forget me, either." He declared, his voice filled with determination.
"Kent...Oh!" Lyn's heart swelled with emotion, touched by the unwavering loyalty of her comrades.
Astrid, though a bitter taste lingered in his mouth at the intensity of Lyn's thirst for revenge, recognized the importance of supporting her in that moment. He made a mental note to have a private conversation with her later, but for now, he extended a hand and placed it gently on her shoulder, offering silent solace and reassurance.
"You have my support as well, Lyn. We're all in this together." He affirmed with confidence.
A mixture of emotions washed over Lyn, her heart swelling with gratitude for the camaraderie displayed by her companions. She was at a loss for words, deeply moved by their collective support.
"You, too, Astrid? I... You're..."
Overwhelmed by the show of support, Lyn's heart swelled with gratitude. Moved beyond words, she could only manage a heartfelt response.
"Thank you."
With their resolve strengthened, the group proceeded through the remnants of the village, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Soon, they found themselves entering a small forest, where distant voices reached their ears, muffled by the dense foliage.
As they moved through the dense foliage, the distant sound of voices engaged in a heated argument reached their ears, drawing their attention.
Astrid's group moved with a quiet determination, their senses honed, as they followed the sound of the voices. Their eyes widened as they caught sight of a young girl astride a majestic Pegasus, desperately fleeing from two menacing brigands.
The girl's face was a portrait of fear and vulnerability as she found herself cornered, her escape route blocked by one of the rugged men. Stammering and uncertain, she struggled to find the right words, her lavender hair tumbling around her face like a veil of hesitation.
The rugged brigands, their faces etched with cruelty and malice, circled her like wolves closing in on their prey. One of them, a sinister glint in his eyes, taunted her with a voice dripping with malice.
"Wait right there, little lady! What are you going to do to apologize? Huh?" His words were laced with a sickening mixture of amusement and cruelty.
The shy girl, her was voice trembling, as she struggled to find the right words amidst the chaos of her emotions. Stammering and uncertain, she cast her gaze upon the ground, desperately seeking an escape from this nightmarish encounter.
"Uh...I...That is, I…" Her voice trailed off, lost in the tangled thicket of her thoughts.
Just as despair began to tighten its grip around her trembling heart, another one of the brigands arrived, his eyes gleaming with a twisted hunger.
"Hey, she's quite a catch, eh, buddy? I bet the boss'd give us a pretty penny for her." He suggested with a leering grin.
The first brigand, his voice carrying a grating note of entitlement, nodded in agreement. "Yeah. She roughed me up a bit, so I figure fair's fair. It's no more'n she deserves." He sneered, relishing in the perceived justice of their vile intentions.
The girl's anxiety intensified, her mind racing with thoughts of escape.
"I... I…" She stammered, her voice trembling like a fragile leaf caught in a gust of wind. She desperately grasped for words, her fear threatening to drown her resolve.
Observing the girl's desperate grip on the Pegasus's leash, the brigand's friend's gaze narrowed, his eyes glinting with a sinister curiosity.
"What are we gonna do with her flying mule?" He mused aloud, his voice laced with a twisted sense of amusement.
The girl's eyes blazed with sudden determination, her voice filled with a rare fierceness.
"Don't you dare touch her!" She hissed, her words slicing through the air like a sharpened blade. Her protective instincts kicked in, overpowering her fear as she fiercely guarded her loyal companion.
The man, taken aback by her unexpected burst of courage, widened his eyes in disbelief. His insulted pride painted his face with an indignant scowl as he retorted. "What? You just watch your mouth, girlie!"
Desperation filled the girl's voice as she pleaded with the brigands, her voice tinged with a hint of resignation. "Do what you will with me, just... Let her go. Please, I beg of you." She implored, her words carrying the weight of a thousand unspoken fears.
The brigand's laughter echoed through the forest, a chilling sound that made the girl's heart sink.
"Ha ha ha! Silly twit!" He jeered, his voice tainted with disdain for her compromise, believing he held all the power.
He could already taste the riches that awaited him, the unimaginable wealth that would accompany the sale of such a rare and prized creature.
"Pegasi can only be found in Ilia. They're rare beasts, worth far more than you by far! We can sell it for a mountain of gold." The brigand proclaimed, his voice tinged with a greedy, dreamy longing. His eyes glazed over as he envisioned the extravagant life he would lead with the newfound wealth.
"Let it go? HA!" He scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain.
The girl's voice began to waver, her plea losing strength as hope threatened to slip through her fingers like grains of sand. "No, you can't…"
Unfazed by her plea, the man turned to his companion, a malicious glint in his eyes.
"C'mon! Let's move!" He commanded, his greed fueling his desire to possess the magnificent creature and claim the wealth he believed was rightfully his.
But fate had other plans in store. In the midst of their nefarious retreat, the silence of the forest was shattered by the thundering cacophony of approaching footsteps. The sounds grew louder and more urgent until Astrid's group burst onto the scene, their determination shining like a guiding light amidst the darkness.
With their resolve strengthened, they had followed the echoes of the girl's distress, their steps echoing through the remnants of the village, marking their unwavering presence.