Tales of New World: The Magus

3 The Bandi

Around 50KM from Volya's location, a group of bandits is being chased by a group of knights. But, when Volya arrived near them he didn't find any bandit activity near the knight and all of them are talking with each other. Volya assumes that the bandit is running away from the knights in order to ambush them deep inside the forest in order to trap them.

Volya follows the Knight group from the dark and jumps from one branch to another. And from there, he could see one of the knights has a really magnificent armor. That knight using a helmet with a dragon ornament and a dragon head ornament on the left shoulder of the armor. The knight mounting a stallion and bring a trident and one sword with it

Around that knight, there are four other knights that bring a different weapon with them. From the equipment that they bring in this chase, Volya assumes that the bandit is really dangerous mobs that already attacked several villages around there and they need everything they got to catch them dead or alive.

Volya takes a glance at them and says, "From their movement, I could say that they are really clueless about this area. I am afraid that blood will be spilled inside this forest if they continue to chase them. If that really happens, father definitely will haunt my sleep."

Volya then jumps again to another branch to follow the knight movement and get a good view of them. From there, he could see clearly the insignia of the Knight's kingdom. He stops and mumbles, "That insignia... Isn't that from the kingdom at the north? Why the hell they are chasing the bandit until this forest?!"

Volya really concerned with those knight action, especially when they are chasing the bandit until the neutral area called Azalea, where Wildespring Forest located. That area is prohibited for any military-related activity after the five big kingdoms at Therious Island already agree with that. The kings from those five Kingdoms already signed the decree about Azalea since five years ago.

But, that doesn't mean anyone prohibited to pass through the forest. Merchant, Adventurer, and Villager could use the forest to pass through from one kingdom to another. And those from that affiliated with any kingdom could pass through the area if the reason only for political meeting with another kingdom.

There is a reason for all of those kingdoms prohibited such action. For years, there is a rumor about one library that could read every human future and every knowledge of the world that no one knows. Most of the people called it Library of Knowledge and some says that the location of the library is in the middle of Wildespring Forest according to several scriptures that they found around the world.

But, even after several expeditions from many kingdoms on the forest and none of them find it. Even, there are several small fights between each Kingdom at the forest and it slowly destroying the forest. After several negotiations and with The Church urging them to protect the forest, all of the big Kingdom agree to reconcile and make that decree. And after the decree signed, The Church declare Azalea as a holy site to give Wildespring more protection.

Volya then sighs for a while and continue to stalk all of them from the shadow. The five knights continue to march their steed until one of them stopped and says with a firm voice,

"Your Highness, I believe we shouldn't chase them more than this. I just realize that we already inside Azalea."

"I must agree with you, Sir Albert. Our location is really far from our main unit. If we move further into the depth, they will definitely attack us without hesitation." answer the knight with a very gentle woman voice.

Volya who overheard them really surprised to hear that. He mumbles, "Huh? That a woman voice, right? Then, don't say that Knight is the Queen?! Wait... Maybe there is a possibility that they have a lady knight on their ranks... But, Your Highness? Then she should have a very high stature, right?"

Volya then looks around to make sure no one sees him and continues to observe them for a while as he thinking what the best course of action now to make sure it will not make a bigger mess. The first Knight who called as Albert continues,

"Yes. And with all of us inside the Wildespring Forest, I believe if there are another people from another kingdom see us, they will ask our action regarding this incident at Azalea and our Kingdom will in perils."

"I believe the Wraitus Kingdom will not make any hasty action regarding that as their Knights the one who ask us to help them." answer the one that Volya suspected as the Queen.

Albert nods for a while and observes around him. While the knights looking around their surrounding, Volya cast an illusion spell so none of them could see him and continues to observe them. Albert looks around with worried face after he understands the situation where they are in.

Albert reassesses their situation as they are far inside the forest without knowing the area really well. He couldn't see that far and with a lot tree that really packed, he understands that the bandit could hide under the protection of the tree. He looked at his 'Queen' and says,

"I believe we must retreat now for your safety, Your Highness. I don't want to make our King worried about your condition here."

"I believe that is the best course of action right now. If we made a mess here, it only makes the condition worse for our Kingdom," answer her.

Albert nods and looked at the knights around him. He then orders the other knights that come with him,

"Sir Clement, Sir Romain. Protect our back as we retreat from this area. Please stay cautious as they will attack your back while we moving back."

"Sir, yes Sir!" answer the two knights.

"Then Sir Aubert, could help me protect the front? We will the one who responsible to find the enemy," ask Albert to the last knight.

"Of course I will help you, Sir Albert. Every order given by the High Knight of Haegia is something that I will follow on the battlefield."

All of them start to move towards the exit with cautious. The formation is Albert and Aubert lead the formation, the 'Queen' at the middle, and Clement and Romain at the back. They move will observing their surrounding for the possibility of an attack.

Volya smiles at them as they start to retreat from the area. He says, "I will score that old man judgment almost 100. He is right to not pursue their target anymore inside the area that they are not familiar with. And I believe he also think the consequence if they break a fight here and other kingdoms hear this commotion. What do you think about it you pesky hawk?"

The hawk looks at Volya and tells him some of its thought. Volya nods and says, "I think I must agree with you to keep an eye on them. But with all of them retreating now, I could say that we don't need to worry about any incident here."

The hawk shakes its head and that makes Volya surprised. He then looks around him and could feel a presence near him. He then jumps at the other branch until he sees several people gathering near one tree.

He looked below him and could see around five men waiting at the bottom of the tree. Volya focused his mind and start to think of his next action depending on their next action. One of the men looked at the knight and says,

"We could lure them there where we put the trap. Is that alright, Big Bro?"

"Yes... Yes... I believe they will not break a fight here. And I believe that the knight on the middle is their queen, right? If we killed her, of course, we could get a lot of treasure."

"Hehehehehe... I agree."

"Then, what about the other? Are they ready to start our attack?"

"Of course. Ten of our men with an ax will stop them soon, ten of our men with a spear will stop their back. Meanwhile, the last ten men with a bow will attack them without any mercy."

"Good... Good..."

Volya looked at them with blank eyes and says, "So, they are the one who will spill blood on this land. Really... They smell like those people when I am young. Then I will do this to them."

Volya then moves his finger a little bit and cast a small magic on one of them. After that, he moves to another place to ambush one of them. Meanwhile, one of the bandits suddenly pats the other and says,

"But... All of you could go there first."

"Heh? What are you going to do?"

"I have several matters to do. Just go."

"Alright. Just don't miss anything because this attack will be really interesting."

The man smiles and starts to move to another place for a while to wash his face. When he arrives at the spring, he washes his face and then says, "Hehehehehe... I will be rich now... Huh?"

Suddenly, he feels something just fall from the tree and hit his head. When he checked on the ground near him, he finds an apple there. He looked really puzzled as the tree near him isn't an apple tree.

So, he looked above and really surprised. There he sees a man that stands upside down at the branch and smile at him. He could feel the menacing aura from him as he continues to smile at him. That man who stands on the tree is Volya.

The moment Volya opens his eyes, the man knows that Volya will not leave him no matter what, especially with that blank stare. The moment before the man could say anything, Volya says with a creepy smile,

"I have a lot of question... So, follow me... And I will spare your life."