Swords and Flowers

Ch.5: Aridorn's Stone

Caelann's return journey down the Valorian Main Road was filled with a lightness he hadn't felt in days. He could practically imagine Elowyn's bright smile when he delivered the news - she'd be overjoyed at the prince's refusal, a soft victory that allowed her to stay by her own choice. A few details still nagged at his mind, like the contents of Elowyn's mysterious note, but he brushed them aside.

All's well that ends well, he thought, leaning into the peaceful rhythm of his horse's steps.

But the calm was short-lived.

From the edge of the road, a sudden twang cut through the air as an arrow struck the ground directly in front of him, startling his horse into a panicked rear. Before he could even process the attack, a group of men emerged from the dense underbrush, their faces masked with rough cloth to conceal their identities.

One of them stepped forward and unfurled a scroll, the runes along its edge flickering to life as he intoned, "Calm."

Instantly, Caelann's horse stopped thrashing, eyes glazing over as it knelt down on the ground, rendering Caelann immobile.

He cursed under his breath. Bandits. They surrounded him with practiced ease as he dismounted, each one tightening the circle with weapons drawn.

"Hand over the stone," one of them demanded, pointing his sword at Caelann's chest.

Caelann's brow furrowed. "What stone?"

The bandit sneered, eyes narrowing. "We know you have it. Hand it over, nice and quick, or we'll put a knife in your throat."

"Oh... that stone?" Caelann reached into his satchel, pulling out the summoning stone. He held it up, hoping for some miraculous reaction - but nothing happened.

Caelann felt a pang of regret; in his rush to leave Creathe, he'd completely forgotten to seek out a court wizard or conjurer who could decode its secrets. Still, he thought it'd work in "times of great need".

One of the bandits extended his hand impatiently. "That's right. Give it here, nice and slowly."

Another bandit edged closer to Caelann's horse, reaching for its reins. "And we'll be taking the horse too... along with everything you're carrying."

Caelann's grip tightened around his sword. Putting the useless stone back into his person, he drew his weapon, stepping back to give himself space.

"Back off," he warned, trying to keep his voice steady.

The bandits shared a look and laughed, the sound harsh and jeering.

"Or what?" sneered one of them. "You're one against ten."

"Maybe." Caelann adjusted his stance, willing himself to sound confident. "But I'll take at least one or two of you with me before you overpower me. Is that worth it to you? Why not just rob someone easier?"

"Insolent brat," another spat, lunging forward with his sword.

Caelann twisted to dodge, barely managing to block another attacker's thrust. Steel clashed as he struggled to hold them at bay, but they were relentless. He fought off their assault for what felt like an eternity, until one of them managed to catch him off-guard from behind, holding his arms back as another bandit delivered a brutal punch to his stomach.

With a strangled gasp, Caelann fell to his knees, pain radiating through him. They didn't stop there, raining down kicks as he tried in vain to shield himself.

"Not so tough now, huh?!" One of them sneered

"Let's see you get up, kid! Get up!"

His vision blurred as the blows kept coming, each one harder than the last. Just when he was teetering on the edge of unconsciousness, a voice called out from the distance.