"As scholars we must look past our desire to condemn the actions of those who came before us, as though we live through the consequences, they were not privy to the knowledge that is now tacit to our generation." -Studies on Canticlysm, Vol. IV circa 1176 CE
Aiden steadied his battleaxe, it was a newer battleaxe of relatively fine make from Etris, his current home. Celtorians nowadays had no permanent homeland, not after the Great Drowning. "Oi, are you deaf boy. Leave your axe and note pouch and run along now" The grizzly man before him said.
He was tall, he wore an assortment of white rags and what looked like a decrepit leather chest plate. His weapon, a short sword as well, was unimpressive, though still no doubt sharp enough to cut. Behind him, three other bandits loomed, staring at Aiden with dark eyes.
Damn, Aiden thought, he had heard that Erisia, the newest Island to drift in from the Voidsea, was infested with bandits, but he didn't think it would be this bad. Erisia had only just drifted in maybe a month or two ago, how could they have already set up this fast? Greed certainly is a potent motivator for desperate men.
"Come now, boy" The bandit before him said, "No need to get all pale on me boy. Just drop yer things and you can leave"
"I don't know Hobb, I think the boy needs a thrashing or two" Another bandit chimed in, "he's holding that axe like he might do something." He said with a laugh, two other bandits chuckled.
"I can't give you my battleaxe and notes" Aiden said, trying to mask his fear. The weather was supposed to be sunny, as the docksman predicted, though the clouds masked almost the entire sun, turning what was supposed to be a warm and bright sunny day into a gloomy, cold, and murky day. Aiden had recently studied at the Isle of Vigils, granted he didn't pass the trials to become a proper Vigil, but he still had reasonable skills, or so he thought.
The man, Hobb apparently, rubbed his hand along his face, "Now c'mon boy, I don't want to rough up no child now. This don't got to go any farther than you dropping yer shit and getting out my sight."
Aiden planted his feet more securely, remembering the words of his instructor Calan, Dig your heels in young one, settle your weight. One steady and solid strike is worth ten from a shaky hand. Calan always did have a way with words. The man was neither gentle nor harsh, a perfect balance. The Vigils we're scary like that, they seemed so completely in control yet so undeniably deadly.
Balance, Aiden mused, I can do that. Maybe..
Aiden took a deep breath, channeling his Galebreathing. Galebreathing was one of the four, well five, attunements. Shadowcasting is just a wives' tale, he thought. Aiden readied his battleaxe, he entered into the first stance the Vigils taught, Stone stance. Stone stance was the most straight forward of all the stances, you were meant to keep the enemy on the defensive with heavy, wide sweeping strikes. Aiden learned that the overwhelming control you exhibited with this form very easily overwhelmed attackers, making it very useful.
Aiden felt the wind gather his back. He had only learned the very basics of Galebreathing from the Vigils. He dashed forward, the wind at his back propelling him forward. His first strike, a horizontal strike aimed at Hobbs midsection, caught Hobb off guard. Aiden saw his confident expression shift into one of shocked panic at Aiden's speed. The man managed to narrowly block Aiden's attack, but he was left staggered in the process. Aiden shifted his feet, bringing his axe upwards in a somewhat smooth vertical arc before slashing down, hitting Hobbs shoulder. The attack carved through the man's ragged rags and decrepit leather chest plate with a sickening crunch.
Hobb coughed twice, eyes wide, he fell to the floor lifeless after a second or two of disbelief. Aiden stared at the lifeless body in front of him, his chest heaving, his hands still clutched the battleaxe tightly but flexibly, as Calan had taught him. It was his first kill, but strangely Aiden didn't feel disgust, regret, or anything really. I just killed a man. He thought.
Aiden sighed, killing was a natural part of this world afterall. He learned that lesson thoroughly when Celtor was dragged beneath the waves. They all had. If you didn't kill when you needed to, you died. It was as simple as that.
The other two bandits looked at each other in shock, their flamboyant confidence reduced to paralyzing fear. No one usually fought back, they all handed over their things and they only occasionally had to rough some hard-headed adventurers. Commonly Pathfinders, they were an arrogant type.
Hobb was the strongest of them all, he was a natural born fighter and a deserter from the Etrean Army. Now he was laying lifeless on the ground, a deep gash in his shoulder. His eyes stared on lifeless, covered in dust.
One bandit stumbled back, "R-run.. he's a monster!" he sputtered, and turned on his heel quickly to flee the scene. The other bandit followed suit quickly, nearly tripping on his own feet trying to turn around. They quickly disappeared into the dense forest of Erisia.
Aiden exhaled a breath he hadn't known he was holding, he felt both relieved and regretful that the bandits had fled, he didn't want to kill them, but for just three bandits, they were unusually confident and flamboyant. Usually bandits would ambush you, they didn't typically make themselves obvious unless they were confident. They also both ran towards the same place, They must have some sort of camp, with more bandits. Aiden pondered.
Damn! Now he would need to move, and fast, they would be back soon, no doubt with a healthy force of more bandits. He stepped around Hobbs corpse and the bloodied earth beneath it. He couldn't go back towards the beaches, the ship he paid to take him here would have left by now, and the beaches were vast and open, he would stick out like a sore thumb. Besides, he couldn't leave now, Brian was supposed to meet him here.
I'll just have to press forward, Aiden decided, pressing deeper into the forested wilds of Lower Erisia. The Island was unnatural in its formation, while the Lower area was normal, towering spires and jagged cliffs and mountains created an upper area that Pathfinders called Upper Erisia. The information he had purchased off the sailors detailed that Upper Erisia contained the remnants of a lost kingdom, Aiden doubted their claims were true, but he did need the notes, anything to sell would help.
Aiden took a deep breath and pressed onwards deeper into the dense forest, he didn't have time to stew around. He needed to get some distance from where he was and fast, bandits usually stuck together, who else would tolerate them but themselves afterall? So he continued forward, deeper into the wilds.