The Bandit King's raid!

The forest whispered as the wind blew gently through its trees and whistled among leaves and branches. Just the normal sounds that a forest made, however, deep within the forest other sounds could be heard. The bandit King Verm and his band of outlaws were waiting for their next target in anticipation, their eyes on the twisting path in front of them. Then once in a while, a few caravans passed through the forest road. One could instantly become rich, as these caravans could possess great riches. However, they had gotten some intel, that a caravan would pass through this place any time today. Vibrating at its steady pulse in Verm's chest the convoy neared. Their armor dulled in the fractured sunlight that filtered through the forest, their guards marched alongside…

It was the caravan of Xarcain, from the alliance of ASG. Verm had gotten intel about that Xarcain was transporting things worth a lot. Therefore, it was a perfect target for his greed for wealth. This was the sort of ambush that had built his reputation—swift, violent, and lethal. Guerrilla fighters that struck from the shadows and were gone before their foes could mount a proper defense. The blade of Verm's spear was something to be feared in the region, a weapon so sharp that it could cut anything. But even as he observed the caravan slip amongst the trees, that thought grew like a seed in his heart. Something felt off. The caravan’s protection were less that he had expected. There might have been fewer guards around, but they seemed ready for something. Their wagons seemed to be sturdy, but did not seem burdened with the sort of wealth that Verm had expected. Nevertheless, the decision was taken. What had been done was now done.

Verm signaled silently, ordering them to charge. Those outlaws of his moved like shadows, darting between the trees to encircle the caravan before any guard could get a sense of what was amiss. With no more warning than that, the first arrows came whistling out of the trees and in an instant several of the guards wilted. The forest became a place known for chaos! Verm leaped from the brush, his snake spear snaking forward as he lunged toward the closest guard. The man hardly got his sword up in time and Verm hit him with the spear through his chest and he felt lifeless beside him. A second came at him, and Verm sidestepped the slowish attack easily. The bandits acted with a sharpness rarely seen, dispatching of Xarcain's guards with highly expertise. They were not subdued, but trained guards simply could not withstand an ambush of such speed and ferocity, especially when the aggressors had surprise on their side. The battle lasted only moments. Guards littered the ground, lifeless and bleeding into the dirt…

Verm pulled two of his men and ripped the Xarcain himself off his wagon. Though he fought, he was feeble in resistance. He surveyed the scene with Verm approaching him and still mopping up the blood of its tip. The caravan was theirs- Verm's men were sifting through the wagons, handfuls of goods in their dirty hands, and as Verm took his share from this cart, he quickly noticed that there was no valuable stuff. Only Grain barrels, bundled cloth, and the necessities. There were no treasures, no sign of gold or precious riches. Verm was furious. This wasn't the wealth they were promised. One of the bandits yelled for Verm as he opened the last wagon, as he had found something unexpected. A NoS crest was on one of the chests. Verm’s heart quickened, as he now knew Xarcain was not traveling alone on the road. As this crest was from the merchant of Pioterr from the Nos Alliance, that had accompanied Xarcai. There were loads of swords, axes, spears but why were they carrying this and for who? 

Without another thought, the bandits quickly loaded the weapons on their horses and were more than ready to get out of there before anyone else showed up. And for a brief moment Verm allowed himself to be satisfied. This haul would last him and his band for months. Only, it turned out that satisfaction was brief. The first rumble emanating from far away in the bush, barely audible at first but wielding itself up to a deafening sound as each second passed. Verm’s ears pricked up. He recognized that sound, the inescapable roar of galloping hooves. His heart sank, a massive column of dust rising from the tree line. He saw them through the slits in the branches, a cavalry corps, armor glinting as they rode out and down upon the caravan. 

It was Arco Markus. The head of the WAO alliance, famous for his fast and furious reaction to bandit attacks and Pioterr main forces! Verm had heard of Arco Markus, but he didn't think he would arrive so soon. Terror shot through the bandits and they started to panic. Verm's mind raced, as they had no hope of holding off a full armed cavalry in open combat, as they were known for their infantry prowness on horses. The rumbling grew louder. Verm yelled some quick orders and his men sprang forward, grabbing at what they could carry then running back into the forest. Now they're out of time and their only chance is to disappear into the forest their secret location with its forbidding under growth might save them from Markus' men. They were almost on top of us, the very earth shivering under their hooves as they bore down upon us.

Verm mounted his horse at the same moment the vanguard of Pioterr’s riders erupted from the trees. Horsemen crossed swords with bandits, and the sounds of steel on steel rang out through the night along with groans and dying shouts. Death rode his horse bare through the three men who began unsaddled before they had achieved to mount their own steeds, their lifeless form fell deep with clatter underfoot those given leave to charge. Verm carved a path through the chaos, his spear a blur as he dispatched two riders who made the mistake of coming too near him. He was fast and precise, but even he knew they were outnumbered. The bandits were in full retreat back into the woods, but Markus and Pioterr’s men did not stop.

Many bandits lost their life, but there was no time to mourn. Verm signaled to the few men that were still operating and told them to follow him in further into the woods where hiding amongst the large trees, coupled with rocky uneven ground, might provide some protection. His heart thundered in his ears as he scrambled through the trees, with its pursuers right on top of him. Arco Markus's men could hardly continue in this dense forest, as it was starting to entangle them. When Verm and his surviving band of outlaws finally came out of hiding and into a narrow forest clearing, the thundering of hoofbeats had long since ended. They remained free, but at great cost. The weapons they had killed so many to steal, were no longer there and many of the bandits lay dead. Verm fell to his knees, his body screaming from the effort. Today, he had lost comrades, but the Bandit King still remains. Now the hunt for revenge begins.