The group of armed men was getting ready to make a move on the nearby village when a young man appeared before them.
Alexander stepped onto the path alone and stopped several dozen paces away. His broadsword remained strapped across his back, while his hands rested calmly at his sides.
The bandit-like group stopped what they were doing and looked at Alexander curiously.
One of the men near the front laughed. "Are you lost, boy?"
Alexander ignored the remark and looked past him toward the commander. "I came here to speak with your leader."
The surrounding laughter gradually faded. Although Alexander had yet to touch the broadsword on his back, there was something about his calm expression that made several of the soldiers uneasy.
The commander then walked to the front and spoke. "What is it you want, boy?"
"I want you and your men to leave your weapons behind and return across the eastern border. If you surrender peacefully, no one here needs to die," Alexander answered.
