Chapter 6: Chapter 5 – Caught between a Rock anda Hardplace

Ilos: Ticarean Forest: Bandit Outpost

December 14 145 AA

(Sisilica's POV)

It was a dark and cold place. Dozens of bandits returned to their outpost exhausted and glad. They were cheering after a succssesful raid on a town two days away. With them they carried spoils, riches and slaves and put them in their tents. 

"Damn It" Sisilica mumbled as she wondered how this happened to her. She wasn't any ordinary woman but she was a female knight of the U.B.K. She was renowned for her great swordsmanship skills and magical abilities. Being a descented of the Feline tribe she gained high mobility, agility and some features of cat which she used to her advantage. 

Now her hands and feet were tied and stripped most of her armor by the bandits. On her neck was a chain with a black gem in it preventing her from using her magic. She looked helpless and in a pitiful state. Once a noble knight turned to a sex slave for these bandits. She shuddered in fear of that thought.

She and along with other eleven elite soldiers were tasked to investigate strange phenomenas. It was going great they had a lead and an evidence then they were ambushed by bandits. Her team was able to kill a dozen of them but they were outnumbered and most of them were killed.

Around her was eight other female captives crying in fear. Originally there were twenty-six slaves ,three of which were her teamates and others were from the nearby town, but was seperated in different tents. She taught of ways of escaping but all seems hopeless.

Suddenly one of the bandits entered the tent they were in. "So which one of you I'll try first" the man said. All the girls crawled backwards in an attempt to avoid his gaze. He walked around the women inspecting them until his eyes fell on Sisilica. "So your the one female knight we captured." the bandit said putting his mouth to her ears.

As a retaliation Sisilica spat on the man and shouted "F*ck you Pig bastard". "Fiesty, I like a bit of a challenge" the man said. He then proceeds to grab her by the hands, dragged her to an unoccupied tent and started molesting her. Sisilica struggled as she tried to break free from the mans grasp.

Sisilica let out a tear desperately struggling. She suddenly heared a low wet gurggling sound then a thud. She looked down at the ground and saw the same man lying on the floor while his blood is gushing out of his neck. She hurriedly stood up and looked back.

Behind her was another man but this time he doesn't looked like the bandits that captured her. She noticed that the masked man was wearing a weird outfit and a strange device was covering his eyes. In the starger's hands was a bloodied knife and hanging from his body was a strange black metallic stick. With what little light there was, she read on the man's chest was "U.S Army".

Realizing her hands are now free she then covered her body with them and said "Who are you!?".

The man put his fingers on his lips signaling her to be quiet. Then he looked around the tent and took a large cloth which he proceeds to cover her body and said "Don't worry Ma'am I'm from the U.S Army we are here to help you." "We need to hurry. Can you walk?" the man said. She promptly nod and took a couple of steps before collapsing because of her sustained injuries and exhaustion. 

"Ouch" Sisilica exclaimed while holding her scraped knee. The man saw this and so he carried her carefully. 

"I can walk!" Sisilica said angrily. The man stayed silent and continued to carry her deeper in the woods. After reaching a small clearing in the forest. The man let Sisilica down on the grass. She looked to the man now holding a strange box that was attached to his chest.

"This is Marksis 1-1, regroup on me" the man said. Sislica looked in confusion and taught the man was crazy; talking to himself. To her suprise five men appeared from the dark. They were wearing the same outfit and device on their head just like the man who saved her.

The newcomers then stood and knelt behind large rocks or trees nearby. Each men were gripping a metallic sticks that vary in length and size. At first she taught they were odd staff or wands used by high rank mages. Now she realized they were some sort of crossbow because there are triggers in them.

Sisilica was filled with many questions and she wants answers. She gazed at each men not noticing the other was treating her injuries. 

"Maam, Maam, are there any more prisoners in the camp?" One of the men asked her. It took her a minute to give an answer. In a weak voice she said "Yes there are 26 of us but most were housed in different tents." "This complicates things, anyways Peterson and Marcus stay here. Everybody else on me" the leader said.

She watched the four men leave their position to save the other prisoners. She was left with the other two in the darkness. They silently waited what felt like hours. 

Sisilica stayed alert all the time even thou she was weak and tired. She expected that they would harm or rape her like the bandits did but none of that happen. Nonetheless she didn't drop her guard down. 

"Can I ask you a question Maam" Marcus asked Sisilica. "What?!" she said suprised that they were polite to her even they are strangers. "Are those ears and tail real?" he muttered looking at her. Confused to his question Sisilica tilted her head and said "What do you mean?". "Well its our first time seeing your kind. Sorry what do you call yourselves" Marcus ansewerd.

"First yes these are real I mean how can you fake ears and tails. Second we call ourself Beastmen and I'm a descented of the Feline tribe!" Sisilica said.

Suddenly a low gutteral growl was heard from the distance. Sisilica recognized the sound all to well. It was a NightWalker infamous for it being a perfect killer in the dark. 

Out of nowhere the creature lunged from the bushes to Sisilica. It was pale and skinny but fast and she can't do anything to protect herself. She closed her eyes accepting her fate not noticing the men aimed their weapons at the monster.

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Two loud bangs eminated from the weapons. Sisilica slowly opened her eyes and witnessed the monster ,with holes in its body, dead on the ground. Fear rose to her body not because of the monster but to the men that killed it.

Peterson walked to the corpse and shot it again making sure its dead. Sisilica saw this and noticed a a small shiny metal cylinder exited the man's weapon.

Curiously she picked it up and something clicked in her brain. 

She and her team was sent to investigate the loud sounds heard all over between the borders of U.B.K and Eswart Kingdom. There they discovered large amounts of high ranking monster and bandits dead with holes on their corpses. Around the bodies was the same metallic cylinder she just picked up.

Sisilica connected the dots and gasped from the realization. The men that just saved her were the same men that caused these strange occurances. So she deemed them to be very dangerous.

Seconds later the four men returned and with them was the 25 prisoners. "We heard gunshots. What happened?" the leader asked. 

"A monster attacked us and now its filled with lead" Peterson answered pointing at the monster.

Sisilica was looking around the crowd looking for someone. "Sisilica" a tall elf shouted in a happy tone. Sisilica mustered her strength and hugged her friend. "I'm glad you're okay Mathilda. Where is Delia and Cecil" Sisilica asked worried she can't find her other two friends.

Sisilica spotted them being treated by Peterson and the other men. She was about to walk towards them but stopped.

She saw the leader of the men on top of a large rock. "Everybody Please Listen to me" the man said in a gentle tone trying to sound less threatening. 

The man paused checking if everyone is listening then he continued "I know all of you are weak, hungry and tired but currently our location is dangerous. This forest might be infested with monsters and other threats. So we need to move to a safer place to rest. Please bare with us we will help you all the way. We will let you rest for 20 minutes after that we need to leave".

The group rested for a while then they were ready to go. The soldiers gave the Sisilica and other stonger women flashlights but they don't know how to use them or even what they were. The men showed what it is and gave them instruction how to use it. After a minute they marched out of the forest.

"How is this possible. This thing can illuminate a dark path better than torches?!" the bewildered Sisilica asked to Mathilda. Mathilda was a brilliant mage from the Eswart Kingdom so she was always the one who was aksed with questions by her comrades.

"I don't know but it is useful. But my question is how does those men can see in the dark without these?" Mathilda said. Sisilica just realized too that the men does not carry what they called a flashlight.

18 minutes has passed and the group has reached the Barren Dumas Plains. "Why did you take us to the Barren Dumas Plain there is no vegetation here. We will die of starvation and the nearst settlement is five days away assuming it isn't raided by bandits." Sisilica said in anger because of the stupidity of these men.

The people watched silently as the leader of these strange men threw something. It landed atleast three to four meters away from them before spewing out red smoke.

"What are you doing?!" Sisilica said confused on what they were doing. She was losing her patience and worried for the well being of the women they are with. She was about to utter a word when a strong gust of wind crossed them and a loud chopping sounds can be heard.

Sisilica and Mathilda followed by the other women looked up and saw a flying metal beast descending upon them. "I have read every book in the libraries of Eswart but never before I heard of such beast" Mathilda said in pure shock and astonishment. The metal beast had two rotating fans on each side and soon landed. It opened its back and saw two men got out from it. 

"Don't worry its safe. Its our ride back to our base" the leader said to group. Sisilica and Mathilda was hesitant but after thinking it is worth the shot. Its better to go with them than staying and die from hunger or monsters. One by one they entered the beast and its back closed. It then lift them up to the sky far away from the plains.

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