The short, dark-hooded figure proffered a forward hand, faced up towards the sky. The gloves that shielded the flesh matched the hood, and I could see a small outline of a smile beneath the dark.

  “Why do I keep getting jumped by random thugs?” I asked. “Is it just me? Do I have a certain look to me? My face?”

  “Oh, it’s you.” one of them replied. “You’re weak—we could tell from a glance. We’ve robbed and killed over one-hundred far stronger than you lot. Now come on, hand over your stuff.”

  Vekrem opened his mouth as if he would speak, but Saise, ever the hothead it seemed, had already readied her weapon. Her chosen weapon was a strange thing, with a hooked head that I swear people used to garden with. Then, remembering an anime I’d seen long ago, I suddenly knew what it was—a sickle. And connected to that sickle was a linked metal chain, which she now lowered to the floor as she turned. As she did, the chain spun, slowly, at first, but with every rotation of her shoulder, the sickle and chain spun faster and faster until I could no longer see either, just a whirling silver color that I knew meant death for any who came into contact.

  Vekrem turned to her with shock on his angular face. “Saise, wait! There’s no need to resort to violence—”

  Too late.

  She released her weapon, and it flew through the air, narrowly missing Vekrem as it curved. Just then, the figure shied back; the hood falling from their face to reveal a human teenager—fourteen at the oldest. Saise flicked her wrist suddenly, and the chain changed direction, the head of the sickle narrow missing the neck of the boy who looked on with horror as he fell on his ass in the mud. Turning, Saise began an intricate form, each step, she stacked the chain on top of itself. Round and round it spun, the chain getting shorter and shorter with each rotation until the sickle landed back into her hands.

  Sighing, she peered at each of us with an annoyed furrow on her brow. “I’ll leave this to you. Children make me… anxious.” Taking a last look at the boy who sat in the mud, staring back at her dumbfounded, she added, “Especially the human kind.”

  The boy stammered as he rocked backwards away from us. “She-she-she… she almost killed me!”

  Asema stepped forward, offering a hand. “Aye, that she did. You’re luckier than you know; she hates humans.”

  Saise scoffed at her comment as she disappeared behind a nearby tree, heading away from the trail.

  “See what I mean?” Asema asked.

  “Stupid chitik bitch,” the other figure, who was still standing, said as he pulled off his own hood now that their initial deception had failed. He had sun-kissed skin that spoke of a life lived outside. He was young—just as young if not younger than his partner still on the ground. His face was dirty, his teeth yellow as he smiled nervously towards Asema.

  “But you miss…” he said, whistling. “Wow!”

  Vekrem coughed into his hands. “Looks like manners are not taught to the country bumpkins nor cutpurses.”

  The would-be thief narrowed his eyes. “And why would a rodrant care? Stupid rat bastards, best to kill every—”

  Vekrem appeared to crack his knuckles, and I stepped in front of him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

  “Easy…” I said. “He’s just a kid.” I turned to face the boy. “A stupid loudmouth kid that best learn when to shut the fuck up.”

  “Pfft.”

  “The child’s attitude reminds me of another,” Dragon mused.

  “You shut up too,” I replied.

  The kid who’d fallen had recovered now, trying to wipe the brown mud from his clothing and failing miserably at it. Turning back towards us, he said, “Don’t think we are done with you lot. The offer still stands. Give us your coin or die. Your choice.”

  I worked hard to stifle a laugh. “Think we’re well past that, don’t you? How’s this: a trade? I’ll tell you our names, you tell us yours. Deal?” The boy opened his mouth to protest, but I went ahead anyway. “I’m Ike, this is Vekrem, and the lovely lady you so generously complimented earlier is Asema. Saise, the red one, also apologizes for being rude earlier. She really should watch her temper.”

  The boy, so similar in build to the first that one had to assume they were brothers, put a hand to his chin as if deciding something.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  “Fine…” he said. “I’m Joppa and this is my brother Loppa.”

  Pointing a finger at each, I said, “Joppa. Loppa. I think I got it… maybe? Now that that’s established, I think we got off on the wrong foot. We are trying to get to a town named Mossguard. Heard of it?”

  “Of course you moron,” Loppa replied… or was it Joppa? “Who hasn’t heard of Mossguard? You slow in the head?”

  Asema, deciding I was doing a poor job at managing our new friends, stepped in for me.

  “Ah yes,” she said. “He is. Slow in the head, I mean. Such a shame, his mother must have dropped him one-to-many times. Slippery hands.”

  She shot me a sly grin, and I noticed Vekrem narrowing his eyes towards me as well.

  I raised my hands in the air casually.

  “Now,” she continued. “If you two young, good-looking men could help us out, I would be very grateful.”

  She bit her lip, turning to the side to exaggerate her body.

  The boys flushed as one replied, “Well, you can stay with us—”

  His brother slapped him on the head. “Loppa! Did you already forget that we’re robbing them?”

  Loppa rubbed the spot where Joppa had struck him with his hand. “I haven’t forgotten, but look at them. They aren’t merchants; just some poor travelers. They’re probably looking for work.”

  I snapped my fingers. “That’s right! Loppa, was it? I knew you were the smart one.”

  Loppa beamed, and Joppa went even redder in the face.

  “We’re just travelers looking for work…” I continued. “Manual labor is our specialty.”

  Loppa, now content in his role as the de-facto leader, replied, “Then Mossguard is the right place. Keep following the path and you’ll be there in about a day. But for tonight we can—”

  Joppa interjected again. “They can’t come with us. He’ll kill them. Maybe us too this time.”

  Vekrem’s interest suddenly peaked. “Who? Who will harm you?”

  The brothers answered at the same time. “Jandard!”

  “And why will this Jandard hurt you?” Asema asked.

  “Well…” Loppa said.

  Joppa continued his thought, adding, “We aren’t very good at robbing people.” He turned to his brother. “Loppa always does this; spares anyone who is even the least bit friendly. Then, when Jandard gets angry, I get punished too. So…” He pulled a small knife from a hidden compartment in his cloak. “Coins. Now! Oh, and your satchels; bet you have some good stuff there.”

  Despite actually liking the two boys, I fingered my dagger all the same.

  Vekrem, likely noticing my itching hand, put his on top of mine and shook his head to ward me off. He turned back towards Joppa, who still held a knife. “I know you are hurting,” he said. “I can feel it. I have been there myself, truth be told. For many years I’ve felt despair. But I can tell this isn’t you—you don’t want to become this. To become what Jandard wants to make you.”

  Vekrem’s words had an impact as Joppa’s hand quivered.

  “You don’t know us,” Joppa replied, but there was no heart in his words. “You don’t—”

  “I do,” Vekrem replied. “I do.”

  Loppa put his hand on Joppa's shoulder. “It’s okay, brother. We’ll lie and say nobody passed on the road today.”

  “No, you won’t.” Vekrem reached into his traveler’s pack, pulling out a small bag. “Here—take this. It’ll buy you some goodwill, and perhaps a bit more.”

  Joppa pocketed the knife as he took the bag with his other hand. Opening it, his mouth dropped in shock.

  “Let me see!” Loppa said, moving to his side to peer into the bag himself.

  Silver gleamed in the brother’s eyes, and slowly, they rose to meet Vekrem’s gaze as he nodded in satisfaction.

  Loppa sounded like he would cry as he asked, “Why—Why would you give this to us?”

  Vekrem crossed his arms. “I already told you; I have been where you are now. Stuck between survival and doing something you don’t want to do. I wish… I wish I could show you a way out. A brighter path—a better future. But alas, I’m still working on that part myself. Still, if your problem is coins, that’s a simple problem to solve. Take it, but give away only small amounts at a time. Keep a bit for yourselves, and if you ever see an opportunity—Run!”

  Joppa and Loppa wiped away small tears that formed at the edges of their eyes.

  Joppa, the true leader of the two, stepped forward, offering a hand as he said, “Thank you.”

  Vekrem reached out and shook it. “Thank me by looking after yourselves. Survive, struggle, and fight for that better life.”

  Pocketing the bag with the coins inside, Joppa flipped his hood back up, Loppa following his brother’s lead.

  Joppa pointed and said, “This road leads to Mossguard, but you won’t make it that far. Jandard has more men and women further down the road, looking for groups too large for us to take ourselves. Your chitik friend had the right idea. Stick to the forest that runs along the path for another few hours and you’ll pass the rest of our group. Then you can return to the main path, which will take you straight to Mossguard.”

  Asema, seemingly bothered by the conclusion of the conversation, interjected, “Why don’t you come with us?”

  “And be slaves like the two of you?” Loppa replied with a sneer. “Jandard is harsh and brutal, at times… but he isn’t a slave master. We aren’t bound in chains, and even if we were… better to be by our own kind. Besides, there are others we can help with this gift.”

  “But I’m not—“ Her words came too late as the brothers spun and walked back up the hill, eventually disappearing over the other side. Asema grinded her teeth, and when I turned to speak to her, she said, “Let’s just keep moving. Where’s that damn chitik woman?”

  I reached out a hand, but she turned from me, walking towards the forest that edged the path.

  Vekrem shrugged his shoulders, and we followed her in silence.