Quinn and Lilith arrived at the bustling merchant's hub, the sound of clanging pots and haggling merchants filling the air. They had agreed to meet with the merchant guild's representative, a man named Marcellus, who had been plagued by a series of coach robberies on the Silverbrook Route. As they dismounted their horses, Marcellus, a stout man with a bushy beard, greeted them warmly.
"Thank the gods you've arrived. We've been having some... issues with bandits on the road." Marcellus said, scratching his bushy beard but Quinn wasn't really interested in listening to the story. What he wanted at the moment was a chance to test out his prowess.
Quinn nodded sympathetically. "We've heard. Can you tell us more about what's been happening?"
Marcellus rubbed his temples, his expression frazzled. "It's been going on for weeks. Our coaches have been ambushed, goods stolen, and some of our drivers have even gone missing. We've tried to increase security, but these bandits seem to always be one step ahead."
Lilith's eyes narrowed. "Do you have any idea who's behind these attacks?"
Marcellus shook his head. "No, but we suspect it's a group of bandits that's been terrorizing the countryside. They're well-organized and well-armed. We've tried to negotiate with them, but they just laugh and demand more gold."
If no one knew about them, it was an advantage for Quinn. This meant they could go all out, without holding anything back. A few ideas raced into his mind, but he needed more information before he could run into any conclusion. "Can you tell me more about the route where these attacks have been happening? Are there any patterns or weaknesses in the security that we could exploit?"
Marcellus nodded, pulling out a map of the route. "Let me show you where the attacks have been happening. Maybe you can spot something we've missed."
As Marcellus began to explain the details of the route, Quinn's eyes lit up with a plan. He leaned in, his voice taking on a thoughtful tone. "I think I might have an idea how to catch these bandits..."
"An idea?" Lilith asked, her eyebrow raised just about enough. She couldn't easily believe whatever Quinn would have in his mind, not that he had shown her anything to hold onto.
"Yes." Quinn admitted. "But I might have to borrow a coach and go with it."
"Don't you mean, us?" Lilith asked again.
Quinn sighed. "Yes. We're going together, princess."
"Princess." Lilith cocked both her eyebrows, her cheeks painting slightly. "I'm not a princess."
"I know..." Quinn cleared his throat.
Marcellus, still looking frazzled yet eager, quickly interrupted, "If it's a coach you need, I'll be glad to lend you one! In fact, this is exactly why we need your help while you're here. We're more than willing to lend some extra gold pieces if you can escort some of our wagons safely to Silverbrook."
Quinn smirked, feeling a rush of excitement. "Sure... we're more than willing." He glanced at Lilith, who was now looking more engaged in the conversation.
"Excellent!" Marcellus exclaimed, relief washing over his features. "Let me lead you straight to the coaches." He waved for them to follow as he made his way through the bustling market square, past merchants hawking their wares and children chasing each other among the colorful stalls.
As they approached the staging area for the coaches, Quinn's eyes widened at the sight of several sturdy wagons lined up, their wooden frames gleaming in the sunlight. One particular wagon caught his attention; it was loaded with an assortment of vibrant fruits.
Quinn hopped onto the wagon, taking a seat beside the driver, a burly man with a jovial face. "What's your name?" Quinn asked, eager to establish a rapport.
"Name's Harlan," the man replied, grinning. "These fruits were destined for Silverbrook's market. We'll be making good time if we stay clear of trouble."
Lilith, observing from a distance, crossed her arms. "So, what's the plan, Quinn?" she called out.
Quinn turned to her, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Why don't you ride in a different wagon? It'll give us a better chance to spot any trouble."
Lilith growled softly, "You just want to be the hero, don't you?"
"Not just the hero," Quinn replied with a wink. "But it'll make it easier for both of us. Just think of it as an opportunity to show off your skills from a distance."
After a moment of consideration, Lilith sighed, the corners of her lips twitching upwards. "Fine. I'll take the other wagon. Just make sure you don't get yourself into too much trouble. I don't want to be the one responsible for your life at the end of the day."
*
The wagons rolled out of the merchant's hub, their wooden wheels creaking as they made their way onto the dusty road. Quinn sat atop the wagon loaded with vibrant fruits, his eyes scanning the surroundings as they entered the dense woods. The raw scent of decaying leaves, and twigs painted the air. Beams of light filtered through the branches from the sky.
As they moved deeper into the woods, an odd silence fell over the group. The only sounds were the creaking of the wagons and the soft rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. Quinn felt a sense of unease growing inside him, his senses on high alert. He glanced over at Lilith, who was riding in a separate wagon, her eyes fixed intently on the road ahead. The woods were a mix of towering trees and dense bushes, the branches tangled together like skeletal fingers.
As they rode, Quinn's gaze wandered to the bushes for any sign of movement. He thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye, a flash of brown or green, but when he turned to look, there was nothing.
Quinn's instincts were screaming at him to be cautious, but he couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping the surroundings once more.
And then, without warning, the wagons came to a sudden stop. Quinn looked forward, and he saw that the track was blocked by a wall of flames, dancing and twisting in the air as if they were winged. He shouted, "Stop!" but it was too late.
A whistling sound pierced the air, and Quinn's head jerked to the side as an arrow hurtled towards him, its tip glinting in the sunlight.
But Quinn was faster. He raised a single hand, and with lightning quick speed, he caught the arrow mere inches from his face.
Harlan gasped, his eyes wide with shock. "Gods above!" He exclaimed, his voice trembling. "How did you...?"
But Quinn didn't have time to answer. More arrows began shooting from the same direction, their whistling sounds fulling the air as they aimed for the wagons. Quinn gritted his teeth, knowing very well that he wasn't going to be able to protect everyone and fight at the same time. He had to make a choice and to do it fast.
"Take cover!" Quinn shouted, his voice carrying across the clearing.