The Caravan of Hope

Chapter 20: Invited

Siur: a very beautiful, bustling city in eastern Wald where one could find anything. And that is where the caravan is now. A couple months have passed since their time in the Barren Waste.

Right before anybody could leave for their jobs or free time, a townsperson came running in, saying "Thieves!" And collided with Jarred (Diego), falling to the ground.

The person was picked up and given a glass of water. With much hassle and promoting, they found out that there were thieves on the outskirts of town. And of course, the Caravan decided to take these bandits out.

They arrived at a small group of about thirty, and devised a plan to take them out.

-----------later---------

Thismus, leader of the bandits of Siur, was satisfied. His group had gotten good loot today. Maybe Fortune was smiling on him today.

One of his group members came to him. "Boss! We've captured two people, and they look rich!"

Yes indeed; Fortune was smiling on him today.

Thismus went to the area where the two people were held, and found them to brew a young couple. The girl had red hair that was tied up in a single ponytail, and the boy had glasses and blue hair. They were both wearing expensive clothes, with the girl also wearing expensive jewelry.

Thismus looked at his men. "Any weapons?"

"No sir. Not anymore. The girl was found to have a sword, but we took it away from her."

Thismus smiled. He knew that they couldn't be wizards because they could defeat his men easily.

"I can't believe they took my sword," mumbled the girl, but she was elbowed by the boy.

Thismus reached for the girl, for she was pretty. But he never could, for his hand slowed down somehow. He didn't notice that the boy was staring at him, angry that he tried to touch his girlfriend.

"Cap'n, is there something the matter?" The man who spoke it noticed the boy coming closer. "Don't come here!" He shot his gun at him.

But the boy just pointed at the bullet and it slowed down. When it reached him, he just pushed it with his finger and it sped up back to its original shooter, hitting him in the chest.

The boy walked over to where the girl's sword was, picked it up, and threw it back to her.

She cuddled it, saying "I have you back now!" Then she looked at Thismus (still in slow mode) and said "You'll pay for taking my sword away!"

With one swift move, she defeated Thismus.

The thieves surrendered to the couple immediately, for their leader was defeated.

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"I just realized how weird your obsession with swords is," Jarred told Bella as he was carrying the bag of money he was carrying to give back to the townsperson.

They were back with the group, and Jarred was talking to Bella separately.

"I think you got me in the habit. Besides," she said, cuddling up next to him. "I think of you as a sword too: strong, powerful, beautiful, and something I like."

"Oi you two, stop your PDA." And while she was saying this, she never once looked up from her book.

Hearthfell was puzzled. "First of all, what's PDA? Second, I haven't heard you say it before until this year; why start now?"

Still reading, she says, "PDA: Public Displays of Affection. That includes hugging, kissing, and even flirting. I must be doing it because there are two couples around me and I'm jealous that I'm not one." Hint hint, Alex. She thought. Oh wait...The note should be around here.

She then stopped and looked down. Prefect timing...I almost stepped on it. She reached down and picked up an envelope.

"What's this you picked up?" Mary took it and turned it over. On the back was writing that said Caravan of Hope.

Mary screamed. Everyone looked at what she saw, and all them gasped except for Daiko.

Mary opened the envelope carefully, and what they all read was this:

Greetings and Salutations,

This note is to Daiko Anrika, Alexander Reginlus, Hearthfell Lostkeeper, Bella Rouge, Mary Delucas, George Delucas, and Jarred Riniv.

You are invited to a party from the two days after you've read this note. Come to the address Alexander and Daiko know.

Please come in costume and mask; it'll be a masquerade party.

We will be expecting you.

Your hosts,

Zaecondis and Xanolemnad

Alex's eyes widened when he read the last line. Zaecondis wrote this? No...Maybe he did it; it can't be fake, since hardly anyone knows about Xanolemnad.

"Maybe we should just ignore it." Hearthfell, Mary, George, and Jarred agreed with Bella.

"NO!" Surprised, everyone looked at Alex, who coughed and then said, "I mean, this is suspicious; maybe we investigate it."

"Oh!" Everyone looked at Bella. "It's been bugging me where I've heard the name Zaecondis before, and now I remember!"

"Ur," Hearthfell said, but Bella shook her head.

Jarred perked his head up. "I remember too! It is from a book we read together from your father's library: The most powerful wizards in history!"

Bella nodded. "And the most powerful and evil wizard was named Zaecondis. He was a young man twenty-five years ago who ruled the neighbouring country to the east, Derolias, and threatened to rule the world with it. If someone is pretending to be him, it could go horribly wrong. Alex is right; we have to investigate this.

Alex looked up to the sky. Uncle...just what are you planning?

Daiko said nothing, but instead looked toward the border of Wald and Derolias, where she knew they were going next.

-------author------------

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