Death, ambush, or perilous roads?

 

As if he was even here, Newman was no traveler or warrior, not even a morning jogger for crying out loud, why was he stuck on this God forsaken trek to save a land that wasn’t even his own. He’d heard of the times of the Second World War, in his own world of course, where lawyers and teachers and such were drafted as soldiers to fight for freedom and independence by saving their country.

Sent from a desk job, armed with pens and permits, defended by contracts and large glass buildings and unions to a gun job, armed with a gun and the only defense was kill or be killed, in simpler terms, sent to their most certain deaths.

Now here he was, drafted from being a just graduated and going to become a physician to getting attacked by a giant ant, finding himself in a world of magic in a city of beauty that happens to get attacked while he’s there. And now he was on a quest to save it, when he should have been looking for a way to get back to his own world.

Fortunately they’d placed him in the middle of the group, for better protection, not that it made him feel any better. Looking past the large warrior in front of him he spotted Kotani, walking calmly with one hand on the hilt of his sword, scouting ahead.

Running to catch up with him, having many questions needing to be answered, but for that instance he would settle with the more pressing matter, what the hell was he thinking choosing him over a more competent Sunarite warrior.

Tapping him gently on the shoulder Kotani did not even slow his pace or turn to face him,“ Newman, your wondering what the blundering schmartles am I doing bringing ya along, not even from this world with no physical skills and no knowledge of magic and yet I choose ya, right?”

Not even waiting for his answer Kotani suddenly turned his head sharply, looking tenfold more alert than he had a second ago. Inspecting the bordering pre-forest bushes on their side he turned to the other warriors, “Jet, Korina, Gabe, be wary for we are nearing the forest of temptation but there is danger even before we are there, I sense an attack is imminent.”

Unsheathing his long sword he did an intricate hand signal, all warriors unsheathing their own weapons now, Newman could not be helped but to be distracted by the intricate marvel and diversity between each of the warriors’ weapons.

Jetslam, the warrior known as Jet for sure that had stood in front of him had was armed with what he knew to be a chaos blade from his experience with the video game god of war, it was almost like an exact replica of the deadly blades that had been chained to Kratos’ hands.

Behind him was Gabe, taller and slimmer than the others he had a weapon that suited his personality and physique a little more, a long very deadly Viking sword to fit with his Viking looking face, simple but effective none the less.

Then there was the last warrior, Korina, Kotani’s sister armed with a demon chaser sword, it was a broad sword with skulls on the hilt, giving the whole sword a demonic aura altogether. All three warriors advancing in a defensive formation, weapons at the ready they were surprised when instead of an attack came only one assassin, the very same assassin that had taken down their entire solar defense.

A few days had passed since the devastating attack, and for a while Newman had been convinced they had seen the last of that deadly assassin, but alas here he was again, the lunarite assassin with the silver hair and the moon mask, right smack in the middle of day, weapons still in their scabbards in a relaxed posture.

The memory of the assassin tackling Kotani into a building and making their city vulnerable to attack still fresh in their minds, Kotani growled in anger, feeling his primal rage boil up to a near uncontrollable state.

Looking over the group he tilted his head into an angle, much like an owl does, “Now, now Kotani. I know your slightly angered by the fact that I caused your people’s demise and all, but I thought we were over this. I think we can all be polite here and possibly not resort to violence?”

There was no sincerity to his voice, the coyness of his voice and arrogant attitude could lead the situation into any direction now. There was enough hostility to start a full pledged war, Newman had seen fights initiated on much less even. But he hoped the display of power the assassin had demonstrated might quench said need for revenge.

Almost as though the assassin had the advantage and not themselves, he stepped forward with an arrogant bounce to his steps. Kotani’s hold on his sword tightening dangerously, battle imminent, Newman had to interfere, “Hello assassin, we know your power and we don’t want to…”

Waving one finger in a swinging motion he interrupted, “Wrongo Newman, firstly it wouldn’t even matter what you wanted because you’re only a nerd with an 87 average, and secondly, your buddies very much want to fight me, possibly kill me.”

“I’m actually here on a mission of peace, and slight deception against my leader. I’m here to offer you all an easier route, dare I say it, a shortcut. Trust me, you want my way because your city does not have the time and cannot afford you all dying.”

Newman had no idea how difficult the quest was going to be, but apparently from all the talk this forest of deception was a real bummer, most people that went in never came out, classic Bermuda triangle syndrome, Newman thought it was a bunch of bull.

Sheathing their weapons, still ready to draw them in less than a beat of a hummingbird’s wing the assassin continued, “ Not completely stupid I see, rather than crossing the forest like you so boldly planned I can bring you to a ferry, avoid the forest altogether.”

This was so absurd; did he think they were born yesterday? Even Newman, at school all his life could see an ambush when it was displayed so flamboyantly in his face like this assassin was doing right now.

He would obviously have more assassins waiting, hoping that the offer for an easier route to save their people would be enough to entice them to be stupid and take the deal, Newman couldn’t help but wonder what was going through Kotani’s head.

***

This ruse seemed very familiar; Kotani was certain he had seen something similar done before when he was but a child. The strikers, equivalent of elites in his clan were ordered to eliminate a troupe of enemy monks coming to offer apples to their orchard god.

He didn’t want any super powers on their sides, so the strikers instead of going with a full out massacre, fearing they might be protected by shaman magic offered them sanctuary in another land they had taken over, claiming to want peace.

This had made no sense to Kotani, they were ordered to kill them. The monks seen this as an ambush as well and refused the deal, they were never seen again but Kotani could not be certain what had happened to them.

Placing his emotions aside he took charge of the situation, “You think us incompetent assassin? Ya be ever so wrong there, but there’s something more to this isn’t there?”

Not losing any of his confident posture, the assassin walked right up to Kotani’s face, whispering loudly in his ear in the most sinister voice he’d ever heard, “ Yes, there’s a third option. I can kill you and your friends in your sleep like street dogs, slit your throats and watch you squiggle in your own blood. There are your three options, your three only options.”

What kind of choices were those, murder which was certain death and certainly in his power. Ambush that was most certain death and the forest which was possible death, he supposed the lesser demon was the victor, “You hold no power over us, its day and we outnumber you, leave us or die.”

Tilting his head at this the assassin did a back flip, landing over fifty meters away he began laughing cynically, “That be a matter of perspective I suppose, but its day so enjoy your trek through the forest.”

Leaving them, a new sense of pressure was now over him. He had passed down a possible shortcut that could save them, now if anything occurred the blood was on his hands. This quest was proving more difficult than predicted; his training had not prepared him for this.

Unsheathing his sword he turned to the others, “ Be alert, we must hasten our pace for the lunarites know of our mission, we have a deadly assassin toying with us and possibly an army to deal with so we must be that much more wary. Lets take confidence that we avoided the ambush.”

***

The plan had gone off without a hitch, exactly as Charlie had predicted. Obviously he didn’t want to give them an easier route and help them, he wanted them to fail. But there was no ambush at the ferry, like he had hinted in his coy voice; his plan went much deeper than most mundane minds could dream of.

He had made them see what he wanted them to see, and now that they had dodged one ambush their alert status would be dangerously low. He knew they would refuse, he’d hoped they would refuse, to enter the biggest trap ever set by the lunarites.

They would never see it coming, the demise of the people of Sunarite was going to be so much fun, and Charlie was even more happy at the thought that he would lead this ambush, the ambush to bring them to their knees where Lunarite himself would come and decapitate them.