Long before stone cities extended through the lands, before forests bowed to human hands, the world belonged to the gods. They were storms and rivers, mountains and shadows, they were primal, absolute, indifferent. To pray was to speak into the void, and sometimes the void answered.
Temples lie in ruin, their walls etched with murals that whisper of power long lost. Statues crumble beneath moss, carvings fade into dust, remnants of civilizations that honored, but barely understood them.
A war came, forgotten by all but the wind that still howls through the broken halls, its reasons buried, its consequences hidden, it left a world where obedience is survival, and defiance is death.
Yet the gods do not watch with fairness. Their blessings come unevenly, their wrath falls without warning. The land itself remembers them in tremors, in tides, in shadowed corners where mortal feet no longer stands.
And in the quiet spaces between temples and ruins, in forgotten paths and darkened alleys, some whisper secrets the living were not meant to hold. The old powers linger, and the world waits, fragile and unsteady, for hands bold -or foolish- enough to reach for them.
So long has passed, new cities emerged, new civilizations, new races have come and gone from the world, and now, once more, a few enjoy peace, while others, survive a new war, marching again into the battlefields with little hope of coming back home, becoming just a memory in history.
Our story takes us to the central continent, the road leading to Trivale cuts through rolling hills and thick forests, and the late afternoon sun casts long shadows as she walks. There's an air of tension in the region; farmers and traders along the way have been whispering about strange happenings—disappearances and lights seen in the forest at night.
A young traveler can be seen walking with her sword sheathed, the sun shines on her green skin, pointy small elven ears showing through her dark hair, a slim figure covered in a worn but well kept leather armor and boots, her arm is strong enough to wield a two handed sword with ease. The bushes start crackling, which makes her take a defensive posture out of insctinct, just for a small animal to show up.
"You're getting too excited for nothing, Shion" She says to herself almost under her breath, she gains composure again before going back to the road. The job itself wasn't particularly specific on where to search or what to find, but the general area should be close, as she keeps walking she spots a figure slumped by the side of the road, leaning against a tree. At first glance, they appear to be injured, their cloak darkened with what looks like fresh blood.
"Please… help me," he gasps, wincing in pain as he shifts slightly, he clearly flinches a bit after seeing her green skin tone, but he has no choice. "I was ambushed by bandits... They took everything… my coin, my supplies…" He gestures weakly toward a bloodstained bandage wrapped around his arm, clearly in need of assistance. The situation could be risky; he might be a decoy for an ambush. However, his eyes are filled with desperation, and he seems genuinely in need of help.
"Stay still," Shion instructs, reaching into her pack for a cloth and some water. She kneels beside the man, carefully examining his wound. It's a deep cut on his forearm, but not life-threatening. With her knowledge from mercenary work, she can tell it needs cleaning and bandaging, but he'll likely survive if treated properly. Once the wound is dressed and he looks a bit steadier, Shion stands, scanning the area. She notices a faint trail of blood leading into the nearby woods, likely from where the bandits dragged him.
"Did they go this way?" she asks to the man.
"Yes," he replies, still catching his breath. "They took my supplies into the forest. Please, don't follow them alone… there were at least four of them."
She feels a pull of curiosity and determination. These bandits might be causing more trouble for Trivale, and if she can track them down, it could lead to answers about the disturbances in the region and bolster her reputation as a mercenary. If the bandits are the reason behind the posted job, they probably could get her enough coins for a warm meal and bed for the night.
"You should be fine now, get back to town, alert the guards, tell them a mercenary is already on her way to find them" Shion turns her back on the man and heads toward the blood trail, moving with practiced stealth through the underbrush. The sounds of the forest envelop her, the rustling leaves, distant bird calls, and the crunch of twigs beneath her boots.
With each step, she pays close attention to her surroundings, ensuring she doesn't make any unnecessary noise. The trail of blood leads deeper into the forest, weaving between trees and thick underbrush.
After a short while, she begins to hear voices ahead: gruff laughter and the clinking of metal. As she gets closer, she spots a small clearing up ahead where the bandits seem to have made a temporary camp.
There are three rough-looking figures around a small fire, rummaging through bags and counting coins. The fourth bandit that the man mentioned is nowhere to be seen, probably he counted wrong in the heat of the situation he was in, there is also the chance for an ambush, or he might even not be here at all. Carefully maneuvering around the edge of the clearing, staying low and silent as she scans the camp for more details. The flickering firelight casts dancing shadows across the faces of the bandits as the sunlight starts to fade away, revealing their rough features and ragged clothing.
The bandits have a pile of loot in the center: weapons, a couple of small chests, and various personal belongings from other victims. One of them is burly, corpulent, enough to put on a fight and probably even might be a fight that could be lost if engaged incorrectly, besides, she should not underestimate the other two bandits, despite not looking as physically strong, they could end up turning the fight if not properly dealt with.
She scans the area looking for something to use as a distraction, and notices a small rabbit nibbling on grass not too far from the camp, and nearby, a squirrel scampers up a tree, chattering noisily. Both could serve as effective distractions. Picking up a rock, she throws it near the rabbit, enough to make him run to the bushes.
The sound draws the attention of the burly bandit guard. He perks up, glancing toward the noise, and mutters to the others, "Did you hear that?" As the guard rises and begins to move toward the source of the sound, the other bandits remain oblivious, still chatting among themselves "You are paranoid, no one knows where we are" One replies "Yeah, we're too deep into the forest for travelers to see the smoke" The other one comments.
Shion hides by climbing a tree on the blind side of the bandits, moving slowly through the branches, near the trunk, so the branches don't shake as much or violently, trying to avoid giving away her position. She waits until the bandit is right below her, where the rabbit was. Once the bandit is down there, she calmly unsheathes her sword, and jumps down the tree catching the guard by surprise. The blade connects, piercing the bandit from the back, between the ribs and the spine, the impact from her weight forces the air out of him, allowing only a small grunt of pain before collapsing to the ground, eyes wide with shock.
The other two bandits in the camp turn abruptly, their expressions shifting from confusion to alarm as they spot Shion standing over their fallen comrade.
"What the—?!" one of them shouts, reaching for his weapon.
Seeing the other bandits react in alarm, Shion quickly assesses her situation. Rather than engaging in a potentially risky fight with two armed foes, she decides to take advantage of the chaos she's created and makes a tactical retreat.
She slips back into the underbrush, using the trees for cover as she carefully moves away from the camp. The bandits shout and scramble to recover, but in their confusion, they momentarily lose sight of her.
As she makes her way deeper into the forest, she stays low and quiet, heart racing, listening for any signs of pursuit. The sounds of the camp fade behind her, and she can hear the rustling of leaves and the occasional call of a bird.
"Where is she?" Shion can hear the bandits getting close to her, shouting to one another trying to find her, she uses this as an advantage, and starts walking around the general area where the bandits made their camp. Following their torches finds the first bandit, alone, searching for her. Seeing her chance, Shion leaps from behind him, her sword raised high. The blade swings toward the unsuspecting bandit cutting off his arm. A howl of pain cuts through the forest, alerting the second bandit, Shion knows his backup is on the way, so she deals with him with the hilt of her sword on his head, rendering the bandit unconscious, bleeding from his arm, he might not have much time left. As the second bandit arrives, his eyes wide in shock and fury as he sees his fallen companion right next to Shion's boot.
"Drop your weapon!" she commands, her voice firm and unwavering. Shion takes a step forward, ready for confrontation. Her swords still dripping blood, she keeps looking straight to her target. As the bandit sees her preparing to attack, he surrenders, dropping his own sword into the ground and raising his hands.