Bandits!

Looking over his shoulder, Fred was once again struck by the simple, unassuming villainy of the man who kept watch on them. Master Rift saw Fred's searching gaze and smiled. He rode behind them, keeping a watchful eye on his two "guests". But he also took the time to enjoy the slow, sure ride of the beast beneath him, the warmth of the sun on his cheek and the beauty of the flowering hills and wooded glades that they passed through. Fred waved at his jailer, still unsure of this man who seemed so full of contradictions.

Rift had threatened their lives, coerced them into this journey, kept them in line with the cold promise of a swift death if they did not obey. And yet he had read them poetry at night, and spoken of his family and regaled them with the adventures of his misspent youth and the highlights of his distinguished career. He was proud of who he was and that was what perplexed Fred the most. Rift was keeping them prisoner, holding them against their will. And yet he found no shame in that, indeed he seemed unaware of the gravity of his crime. The man had no honor, but didn't even know it. So, whatever his more civilized qualities might be, in Fred's mind he was still no different than a highwayman or a bandit.

And that was when Fred saw them; six figures riding full speed down the trail behind them. He was about to cry out to Rift when he felt Astra tense in the saddle in front of him and heard her whisper a curse. Tarin suddenly shouted and Fred turned back around to look up the trail ahead of them. Four more horsemen had appeared at the head of the trail. "BANDITS!" Tarin shouted and raised himself in his saddle, a huge battle-axe held in his right hand. "My sword!" Fred yelled at Rift. Fred and Astra's weapons were kept by Rift, secured among his saddlebags. "Give me my sword and I will fight them!" Fred yelled again. Rift seemed confused, unsure of what to do. But then a dangerous gleem filled his eyes and he reached into his tunic and pulled out the pouch that held the four pointed Crystallic.

"What need have we of swords?!" he cried and raised the magical crystal high. "Kill them!" he shouted. But if Rift had expected something to happen, and he certainly had, he was sorely disappointed. For to his horror, the crystal did absolutely nothing. So he shouted again, even louder this time, "KILL THE BANDITS!" But once again, while the echoes of his cry died away and the bandits sped ever closer, he was rewarded with a big fat nothing.

"Uh oh," he gulped. Jerking the reins of his horse, Rift did the only other thing he could think of. He ran away. Shouting for Tarin to follow, Rift spurred his horse up the embankment on the side of the trail. His horse struggled, but was strong. If they made it to the rise they would be able to hide in the shelter of the forest. Unfortunately for Fred and Astra, their warcharger had been magically mellowed and was now no more fierce than a puppy dog was. The horse simply stood there in the middle of the trail as the bandits rode down upon them. And so Fred and Astra dismounted. If they were going to die, they would die on their feet.

1. The bandits attack!

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