By Todd Naevestad (Sunlight~Victory~Map)
“You just had to open your mouth, didn’t you boss?” Genevieve asked darkly, eyeing the rather peeved looking elf bandits that the two of them had come across.
“It’s not my fault their leader can’t take a joke,” Logan said, taking a small step closer to Genevieve. “And where’s your respect for authority?”
“You’ll get that when you stop thinking that it’s a good idea to call an elf a slash-eared flower fairy,” Genevieve shot back.
“But I call you that all the time,” Logan pleaded.
“Yeah, but I like you, god knows why….”
“Enough with your chatter,” said the elven leader, a woman with angry red hair and a blue eyed glare that looked like it was trying to pierce Logan’s forehead. She played with her short sword in annoyance, the curved edge reflecting the morning sunlight that leaked through the trees. Gathered behind her were six other elves, men and women, all dressed in green and brown, all staring angrily at the two before them.
“Your insult will not go unpunished,” she growled. She snapped her fingers and her crew unsheathed their weapons. Logan and Genevieve were now staring at an array of daggers, swords, and axes.
“Wait, don’t all elves only use bows?” Logan asked.
“Have you not been racist enough?” Genevieve sighed, exasperated.
“I’m just saying-”
“Enough!” The leader yelled. “Get them.”
Her cohorts stalked forward, weapons ready, and disconcerting smiles across their faces.
“Well now what do we do?” Genevieve muttered, backing away from the advancing threat. “You left our weapons in the inn when you made me come with you after that dwarf who stole your drink. We’re unarmed and facing down seven trained bandits with sharp objects ready to introduce us to our spleens.”
“I still don’t understand how that dwarf lost us in the woods. Or how he outran me. Those stubby legs should have been easy to catch.”
“Focus boss.”
“Oh right, well, we could always…” Logan trailed off. “I got nothing.”
“I hate you so much,” Genevieve said.
Not waiting for Logan, Genevieve jumped up and grabbed a hefty, low hanging tree branch. It snapped off and she brandished it as a make-shift club. Without hesitating, she nimbly leapt forward and caught a young man with a mace a surprise blow to the head. He crumbled to the ground, unconscious. She swept up the mace and threw the stick to Logan.
“Make yourself useful,” She shouted. The other elves ran at them. Logan was facing the two burly men with axes. A third woman with a sword was trying to circle around behind him. Genevieve was facing down two women, one with a short sword, the other with two daggers.
“You keep disrespecting me,” Logan called, ducking under one of the elves axe swings. He drove the branch upwards, catching the elf in the throat. The elf dropped, coughing violently, and a swift kick in the jaw put him down.
“Is this really the time to win about your wounded pride?” Genevieve yelled, slamming her stolen mace into the shin of one of the women. It struck with a sick crack and the woman dropped, howling in pain, blood seeping through her legging.
“I just wish you would respect me as your captain. Is that too much to ask?” Logan side stepped the woman’s sword thrust and caught her wrist. With ease he wrenched the sword out of her hand and threw her into the nearby tree.
“I don’t know why you try to keep that title anyway. We left the navy three years ago.” Genevieve hopped back as the other elf woman slashed at her midsection. The second dagger followed and caught her a light cut on her side. “Damn it, stop distracting me Logan.” Angrily Genevieve swung the mace and smashed it into the woman’s hands. The daggers went spinning into the trees and the woman decided to turn and flee.
“I guess we can discuss this later,” Logan said. He swung his stick at the last elf grunt, but it was neatly chopped in half by a quick swing of the elf’s axe.
“What do you say we call it a draw?” Logan said sheepishly, putting his hands up and backing up a few paces from the burly elf.
“I’m thinking no,” The elf rumbled, grinning darkly. His expression suddenly changed to wide-eyed perplexity before he sank to the ground. Genevieve stood behind the fallen elf, a smug look on her face.
“I could have taken him,” Logan sputtered.
“Sure,” Genevieve said shaking her head.
Behind them they heard another sword unsheathe. The both turned to face the elf leader who had drawn her ornate curved sword and was walking toward them.
“I honestly don’t know why I keep those idiots around,” she said, kicking one of the fallen elves in annoyance. “If two unarmed dogs such as yourselves can best them, then they really are worthless.” She brandished her rapier with grace and pointed it at Logan. “I shall deal with you myself, consider yourself honored.”
“Well Genevieve, I wish you luck in your courageous duel with the bandit leader. I’ll be right here cheering you on.” Logan said, clapping Genevieve on the back encouragingly.
“I think she means you, Captain,” Genevieve said, exaggerating the title and shoving the mace into his hands and backing away.
“Defend yourself,” The woman commanded, lunging forward with her sword. Logan knocked the blade away and jumped back.
“Not even an en garde? I don’t even know your name. In some places it is extremely rude to fight without knowing each other’s names.” Logan said, stalling.
“Very well, my name is Kat La Een, and I am the leader of the Day Leaf bandits. Now, en garde!”
Logan set himself into an awkward fighting stance; he didn’t often use maces and was unused to the weight. Kat La Een came at him again, neatly flicking her sword at him. Logan struggled to dodge or deflect the sword, but he was breathing hard. A few light slashes had cut his jacket and sleeves.
“Some warrior you are,” Kat La Een scoffed, nicking his ear and seeing the blood begin to drip from it.
“I’m working on a plan,” Logan panted. He eyed Genevieve quickly, hoping Kat La Een didn’t notice.
“Of course you are,” Kat La Een sneered, “If you surrender, I might just let you off with your lives, if you give me all your gold.”
“I think I’ll defeat you instead.”
“Cocky human, I’ll show you what you get for¬– Ahh! Damn it!” Kat La Een swore, and shielded her eyes. The sun had shined directly in her eyes.
Logan rushed forward and swung the mace. It knocked Kat La Een’s sword from her hand. Logan then threw her to the ground and stepped on her stomach.
“Looks like I win,” He said trying to act nonchalant. Kat La Een glared at him.
“I should have won, the sun was in my eyes.”
“Yeah, that was kind of the plan,” Genevieve chuckled, walking over to them. She held one of the elves’ swords. “You should commend your troops, their swords are incredibly reflective.”
“That was dirty,” Kat La Een growled, mentally scrambling for some defense.
“Maybe, but the things is,” Logan said taking the sword and slicing into Kat La Een’s side, not enough to kill her, but definitely enough to incapacitate her. “We’re not exactly heroes.”
Genevieve rooted through the pockets of the fallen elves, taking what gold or gems she could find. Logan relieved Kat La Een of her satchel and the two left the grove and walked back toward the town.
“We made a pretty good haul from those elves,” Genevieve observed, counting out the money for a third time. “This should hold us for a few weeks.”
“Yeah, but look what I found,” Logan said, excited. He showed Genevieve the map he had found in the satchel. “Tell me that’s not what I think it is.”
Genevieve let out a low whistle. “This is a map to the elves’ hidden city.”
Logan smiled even wider. “That’s right it is, and with this, we’ll make a fortune.”
“You just had to open your mouth, didn’t you boss?” Genevieve asked darkly, eyeing the rather peeved looking elf bandits that the two of them had come across.
“It’s not my fault their leader can’t take a joke,” Logan said, taking a small step closer to Genevieve. “And where’s your respect for authority?”
“You’ll get that when you stop thinking that it’s a good idea to call an elf a slash-eared flower fairy,” Genevieve shot back.
“But I call you that all the time,” Logan pleaded.
“Yeah, but I like you, god knows why….”
“Enough with your chatter,” said the elven leader, a woman with angry red hair and a blue eyed glare that looked like it was trying to pierce Logan’s forehead. She played with her short sword in annoyance, the curved edge reflecting the morning sunlight that leaked through the trees. Gathered behind her were six other elves, men and women, all dressed in green and brown, all staring angrily at the two before them.
“Your insult will not go unpunished,” she growled. She snapped her fingers and her crew unsheathed their weapons. Logan and Genevieve were now staring at an array of daggers, swords, and axes.
“Wait, don’t all elves only use bows?” Logan asked.
“Have you not been racist enough?” Genevieve sighed, exasperated.
“I’m just saying-”
“Enough!” The leader yelled. “Get them.”
Her cohorts stalked forward, weapons ready, and disconcerting smiles across their faces.
“Well now what do we do?” Genevieve muttered, backing away from the advancing threat. “You left our weapons in the inn when you made me come with you after that dwarf who stole your drink. We’re unarmed and facing down seven trained bandits with sharp objects ready to introduce us to our spleens.”
“I still don’t understand how that dwarf lost us in the woods. Or how he outran me. Those stubby legs should have been easy to catch.”
“Focus boss.”
“Oh right, well, we could always…” Logan trailed off. “I got nothing.”
“I hate you so much,” Genevieve said.
Not waiting for Logan, Genevieve jumped up and grabbed a hefty, low hanging tree branch. It snapped off and she brandished it as a make-shift club. Without hesitating, she nimbly leapt forward and caught a young man with a mace a surprise blow to the head. He crumbled to the ground, unconscious. She swept up the mace and threw the stick to Logan.
“Make yourself useful,” She shouted. The other elves ran at them. Logan was facing the two burly men with axes. A third woman with a sword was trying to circle around behind him. Genevieve was facing down two women, one with a short sword, the other with two daggers.
“You keep disrespecting me,” Logan called, ducking under one of the elves axe swings. He drove the branch upwards, catching the elf in the throat. The elf dropped, coughing violently, and a swift kick in the jaw put him down.
“Is this really the time to win about your wounded pride?” Genevieve yelled, slamming her stolen mace into the shin of one of the women. It struck with a sick crack and the woman dropped, howling in pain, blood seeping through her legging.
“I just wish you would respect me as your captain. Is that too much to ask?” Logan side stepped the woman’s sword thrust and caught her wrist. With ease he wrenched the sword out of her hand and threw her into the nearby tree.
“I don’t know why you try to keep that title anyway. We left the navy three years ago.” Genevieve hopped back as the other elf woman slashed at her midsection. The second dagger followed and caught her a light cut on her side. “Damn it, stop distracting me Logan.” Angrily Genevieve swung the mace and smashed it into the woman’s hands. The daggers went spinning into the trees and the woman decided to turn and flee.
“I guess we can discuss this later,” Logan said. He swung his stick at the last elf grunt, but it was neatly chopped in half by a quick swing of the elf’s axe.
“What do you say we call it a draw?” Logan said sheepishly, putting his hands up and backing up a few paces from the burly elf.
“I’m thinking no,” The elf rumbled, grinning darkly. His expression suddenly changed to wide-eyed perplexity before he sank to the ground. Genevieve stood behind the fallen elf, a smug look on her face.
“I could have taken him,” Logan sputtered.
“Sure,” Genevieve said shaking her head.
Behind them they heard another sword unsheathe. The both turned to face the elf leader who had drawn her ornate curved sword and was walking toward them.
“I honestly don’t know why I keep those idiots around,” she said, kicking one of the fallen elves in annoyance. “If two unarmed dogs such as yourselves can best them, then they really are worthless.” She brandished her rapier with grace and pointed it at Logan. “I shall deal with you myself, consider yourself honored.”
“Well Genevieve, I wish you luck in your courageous duel with the bandit leader. I’ll be right here cheering you on.” Logan said, clapping Genevieve on the back encouragingly.
“I think she means you, Captain,” Genevieve said, exaggerating the title and shoving the mace into his hands and backing away.
“Defend yourself,” The woman commanded, lunging forward with her sword. Logan knocked the blade away and jumped back.
“Not even an en garde? I don’t even know your name. In some places it is extremely rude to fight without knowing each other’s names.” Logan said, stalling.
“Very well, my name is Kat La Een, and I am the leader of the Day Leaf bandits. Now, en garde!”
Logan set himself into an awkward fighting stance; he didn’t often use maces and was unused to the weight. Kat La Een came at him again, neatly flicking her sword at him. Logan struggled to dodge or deflect the sword, but he was breathing hard. A few light slashes had cut his jacket and sleeves.
“Some warrior you are,” Kat La Een scoffed, nicking his ear and seeing the blood begin to drip from it.
“I’m working on a plan,” Logan panted. He eyed Genevieve quickly, hoping Kat La Een didn’t notice.
“Of course you are,” Kat La Een sneered, “If you surrender, I might just let you off with your lives, if you give me all your gold.”
“I think I’ll defeat you instead.”
“Cocky human, I’ll show you what you get for¬– Ahh! Damn it!” Kat La Een swore, and shielded her eyes. The sun had shined directly in her eyes.
Logan rushed forward and swung the mace. It knocked Kat La Een’s sword from her hand. Logan then threw her to the ground and stepped on her stomach.
“Looks like I win,” He said trying to act nonchalant. Kat La Een glared at him.
“I should have won, the sun was in my eyes.”
“Yeah, that was kind of the plan,” Genevieve chuckled, walking over to them. She held one of the elves’ swords. “You should commend your troops, their swords are incredibly reflective.”
“That was dirty,” Kat La Een growled, mentally scrambling for some defense.
“Maybe, but the things is,” Logan said taking the sword and slicing into Kat La Een’s side, not enough to kill her, but definitely enough to incapacitate her. “We’re not exactly heroes.”
Genevieve rooted through the pockets of the fallen elves, taking what gold or gems she could find. Logan relieved Kat La Een of her satchel and the two left the grove and walked back toward the town.
“We made a pretty good haul from those elves,” Genevieve observed, counting out the money for a third time. “This should hold us for a few weeks.”
“Yeah, but look what I found,” Logan said, excited. He showed Genevieve the map he had found in the satchel. “Tell me that’s not what I think it is.”
Genevieve let out a low whistle. “This is a map to the elves’ hidden city.”
Logan smiled even wider. “That’s right it is, and with this, we’ll make a fortune.”