Skirmish

A large party always needed a buffbot, right?
That was typically Krita's job.
With his staff, he'd always recite some incantation or other to help the rest of the party, most of which included buff, angry men who desperately needed a shower.
The only highlight of being with them was probably the money. People paid good coin for a group of thugs to beat up a group of slightly meaner thugs.
Also, the fact that his longtime friend, Akir, came with him.
Currently, the group of them all marched on some nameless road, heading for the cave of some well-known bandits that had been terrorizing the nearby town of Lacenstre recently. There was nameless groaning and grumbling, of course, but nothing that their leader, Krem, would punish them for. He held them together with the guarantee of food, money, and women.
Krita was only here because it provided some sort of refuge. Besides, they were bringing around justice to lawless parts of the land. And that's always a good thing.

They'd been walking for about a day or so when things got ugly. They were an hour or so out from the cave when the bandits they'd been hunting turned the tables on them and launched an ambush.
Within seconds, someone was stuck through with arrows, shot by a hidden sniper in a vantage point. Another stumbled into a trap, which then promptly impaled him and left him hanging on a tree.
Krita scrambled back, grabbing his staff as he tried to figure out where the attacks were coming from. Akir was right at his side, sword drawn and shield ready. She dashed forward to slash at an oncoming ruffian.
"Stay behind me, I've got this!" Akir yelled, her voice cracking somewhat as she did. She was scared - she knew it, he knew it. No one expected the attack.
Hefting his staff, Krita held it up and uttered an ancient phrase. The head of his staff glowed with a green light, and those of his group fought more vigorously, becoming more energetic. The element of surprise wore off.
Krita had to use the butt end of the staff to fend off a bandit that got past Akir, but otherwise, saw little action. He healed when needed, but there were less injuries than expected. It was more of a skirmish than anything, meant to break the morale of the group.
It didn't work.

Abriatis

NY

YWP Alumni

More by Abriatis

  • i am me.

    it's 12am on nine-eleven-twenty-twenty.
    my name is rowan, and i am eighteen.
    i have struggled. i have cried. i did not think i'd make it this far.
    i did not think i'd do half the things i have.
  • nine-eleven

    to think that i will be a legal adult tomorrow.
    i could vote. i could buy fish at petsmart.
    i could apply to places like aldi's and tractor supply.

    my birthday, for me, has always been tinged with sadness.
  • placidity

    i watch the numbers tick up.
    i read the headlines.
    suny oneonta shuts down for the semester -
    six hundred cases.

    i go outside.
    i see the masks, worn properly or not.
    the spraying of hand sanitizer,