One would have thought they would have reached the cry of the Half-Orc sooner or later. It would have been best that way. Danger was around the corner, maybe even closer. A side quest popped into his book. Nug would soon regret not reading it.
The first thing that happened was that Daku was captured. The blood from his nose, accompanied by the -2 drop in Hp, was the sign of a rough escape. If he had known that there was a sub-quest. Well, he was looking at his book.
Bandits of the Forest Quest
He could see them clearly now as they occupied themselves restraining Daku. He could smell the fresh earth open as their feet kicked up the dirt and leaves. Sweat soured the air as they wrestled with him. This gave him time to position in think.
Nug's arrow trembled in his hand, the tip steady and pointed at the group of men. Rangers had an Archery sub-class that was not as good as Archers. The unsteadiness was a sign of that. If this were Stephen, they would be dead already.
These people looked dangerous. Their faces were contorted with fear, their weapons lowered but ready, eyes darting between him and Daku, who continued struggling to escape from their clutches.
In his mind, Nug battled himself, a fierce inner conflict rising like a storm. Should I fire? The thought flickered. Would that save Daku, or condemn more innocent lives? These men were scared and desperate, but they weren't monsters; they were victims of Gabbas, he discerned it through the talk they had with Daku. They knew him and were looking to make even to some level. However, would that make them truly villains? Or just trembling men, their minds overwhelmed with fear, and righteous anger?
His gaze sharpened, and he sought the truth, scanning their bodies in his mind. From their attributes, Attack, Defense, Stamina, and Move, he could tell that they weren't killers. They were farmers, traders, men with ragged hopes, not bloodthirsty fighters. Their Attribute scores confirmed it: low Attack and Defense, weak resistances, and very little capacity to cause harm to anyone more capable than they were.
Could I really take their lives? Nug's grip tightened on his bow, then loosened, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. Daku's voice shattered through the chaos, pleading softly, "Please… I don't want to hurt anyone."
Nug's mind flashed to an old memory. It was Avcoor, when he once spared a group of bandits who had killed Half-Orcs. Nug had been furious, ready to strike himself. But Avcoor had simply nodded, saying, "They're just desperate. Killin' 'em won't help. It'll only make matters worse." For a moment, Nug had resented him, but the lesson lingered: mercy held power, and in some cases more than violence.
I can't kill them all, Nug thought. But I can't let them get Daku either. His fingers tared on the bowstring, heart pounding.
With a sudden, decisive breath, Nug relaxed. His arrow lowered slightly, then was set aside. Stepping forward, voice calm but resolute, he called out, "You men, leave this forest now. Go back home, and don't come back. If I see you here again, I won't be so kind."
The men hesitated, eyes flickering in fear and anger. One, driven by desperation, lunged at Nug with a rough axe. Nug sidestepped, instinct taking over. His strike was swift, too swift, and the man's attempt to attack turned fatal when Nug's blade swung in a defensive blow, killing him instantly. The other men stumbled back, one cut deep by a stray blow from Nug's weapon.
Daku, seizing the chaos, managed to slip away, disappearing into the trees, leaving Nug alone with the now-hostile men. They howled, furious and bewildered, and their bluster turned into violence.
Nug's voice boomed as he faced them, voice heavy with authority. "Calm down! This isn't your fight. You're just scared, like everyone else here. I'm the last person you want to fight right now." His tone was steady despite the rising tension.
One man clutched his side, blood dripping from a wound. "You're good with your sword, but you ain't good enough to kill us all!"
Nug narrowed his eyes, but his voice stayed firm. "Listen. I don't want to hurt anyone. Just leave, and I won't stop you. If you come back, I'll make sure you regret it."
Slowly, the men backed away, their weapons lowered in surrender, some too injured to fight further. Nug sighed, a wave of relief mixed with the weight of what he'd just done. This wasn't a victory. It was just survival.
Bandits Quest Complete
It awarded him some Exp and much-needed gold. What was interesting was that three treasure chests appeared, which was weird. Daku took a look, almost confused. He took a look and spoke.
"My book says we can only open one. It should be you."
The Ranger shook his head. "That's not how this works. You have only been in a party with your father. You never quested with someone else. The leader doesn't take the spoils. His companions do."
His eyes were lighted. Nug shook his head. He had never been in a relationship outside of his father, where he could trust someone. Most of their kind were like that. He heard a snap of a latch.
Daku Receives Rusty Beast Spear
"By the Blue Sky even the stuff I get sucks."
Nug used Appraised. The rusty spear trimmed in beast fur flashed. He already knew by the term "Rusty" what type of weapon it was. He just had to play the part and let him know it.
"It's a weapon that levels up." He stopped in thought, stroking his chin. "Probably the best kind, honestly. Great Weapons. S + Weapons are so powerful that they can't stay in their current form for too long. They regress to rusty weapons and must be leveled up again."
He smiled. "Wow. Then this is a legendary weapon."
"Yeah, but you must level it up. It takes a while, but if you are patient. It will be worth it. Some side quest…." He looked at him. "Let's find that voice."
Then, with heavy steps but hardened resolve, they turned and disappeared into the forest, determined to find the Half Orc and face whatever darkness awaited him next.