"How do you make it turn...?"
"I just tuck it by the leash; if we need to head left, I just pull this strap to the left... if we need to halt, I simply pull the leash back to me. I just have to do it soon enough so the Fahin notices where to head in time."
"That should be the last left we have to take... It's quiet—are you sure we took the right path...?"
Javelin raised his brows sharply at the simple lines drawn onto the paper he held in his hand, letting Uteli glance down onto the opened paper as she turned away from Midas, her axe held tightly in her hand—not used to its heavy weight. Midas managed to control the beast despite only having one hand to guide it with, pulling the strap to his left - he was met with a path that was sharply cut off, as if the ground in front of them had fallen off.
Midas widened his eyes at the cliff they headed towards, tucking the strap back with clenched teeth, making the Fahin stop as it stood on its back hooves—groaning as it rose up on its front hooves in distress before calming down again. Seeing the horned beast stop, Midas turned back - noticing the both of them being thrown into the back of the ride, muttering their displeasure.
"Why did you stop...?"
"Look... this must be the end of the Cascrender Plateau... and the forest ahead of us seems to open up in this direction as well. Wait, I can see people down there...! This must be Brutpierda."
Midas took some steps forward, his hand briefly resting on the neck of the halted Fahin as he cautiously came closer to the steep cliff in front of him. Rubble and scattered rock tumbled down and piled up beneath them, the height too steep to risk jumping down. The atlas Midas had used must have been outdated—this section of the path seemingly broke off from the edge of the plateau a long time ago.
Javelin and Uteli joined him, staying at Midas's sight as their eyes scanned over the camp of reinforced tents—similar to Entrepasto, the large campsite that was set up in between the high stone cliffs of the Shama Rift. The roofs of these tents were more pointed, most likely due to the frequent rain that passed through the woods. The cloth that spanned around the wooden beams to form the tent's walls and roof was additionally secured by high fences, acting as protection against predators like the hounds he saw shortly after entering the Luvious forest.
"Look, there's a new path that winds around the back of these trees—probably heading down to this side of the camp... I have to say, though, this is quite a sketchy-looking outpost..."
Midas followed the finger of Javelin as he trailed it down a sloping path of rubble that led down the side of the cliff, heading right into the camp built at the side of the elevated land they found themselves stuck on. Dirt and rubble was piled up to the side of the cliff to make sure it was passable with a carriage - forming a wide enough slope for their ride.
"It might be, perhaps we were lied to by one of these plant kingdom elite brats... I'm honestly fine with being driven around by thieves if I have to—I honestly just want this to be over as fast as possible."
"I can agree to that... The sooner we get that herb, the higher the chance of me being able to see my sister in good condition again."
The youth sat himself down again, this time heading right instead of left at the crossing—steering the carriage down a slope before the woods sharply cut off, revealing the side of a rocky cliffside on which the Fahin somehow managed not to lose its footing. Lightly shook by the rubble beneath the wheels of the ride, Midas clenched the leather strap in his hand tightly, sterning his brows at the parallel he made between Javelin and Graf, as they both ventured out without much hesitation to see someone close to them again.
Having made their uneasy way down the makeshift slope of piled-up rubble, they found themselves at the foot of the cliff they stood atop just a moment ago - heading towards the fenced-in group of reinforced tents that were set up in the clearing. Coming closer, the Fahin buckered wildly at the sight of two armed knights in front of them, making Midas stand up in slight panic as he made haste inside.
"Why didn't I think of this - whoever awaits these children that were taken away from the orphanage is waiting for this exact carriage here... We just rode right into their hands...!"
"You make me want to deliver you out to them on my own..."
Crouching down to each other, they whispered back to each other briefly—as Midas felt the two guards slowly approaching the forcibly halted carriage in front of them. Seeing that they already draw their swords - Midas knew that they most likely saw him onto the driver's seat, making a fight unavoidable as their carriage was stolen from them. Utelis's face sunk slowly as she glanced down at the heavy metal head of her axe, brushing over it with her thumb, before slowly stepping towards the front of the carriage.
Javelin's face flinched in panic at the sight of Uteli heading out, turning to Midas as he watched the long-haired girl climb cautiously onto the driver's seat to peek out from the front—eventually getting up from her knees as she rested the axe on her shoulder, grasping it with both of her hands as she readied herself to confront one of the knights.
"Do something...!"
"Stop worrying... I got this..."
The two boys hissed dimly back and forth to each other before Midas drew his rusted sickle from his leather belt—hidden under his dried blue hood that was now stained with dark spots from not only his blood but also the blood of the other knights that confronted them back in the orphanage as well. Grasping their old weapons, Midas peeked out from the back of the ride as Uteli watched his right hand rise up to her from across the inside of the carriage—immediately jumping out of the ride once his hand sunk again.
Midas waited for the knight outside to his back to show himself, not jumping out of the ride right away as he heard Utelis charging scream—directly followed by loudly clunking metal, the distress ending after a painful groan toned from the right of the opening Midas waited in front of. The second knight made haste to step to the back to wind around the carriage, making haste to aid his partner, not noticing Midas waiting for him as he turned his head to charge up the slash that the youth prepared for him.
Seeing him widen his eyes through the opened visor of his helmet as he turned his head to glance to his right, Midas clenched up his arm muscles, finding enough mana in his body to let his sickle slash through the arm of the knight, as he didn't have enough time to react to his attack. Almost dropping his blade in shock at his torn-up forearm protection—blood running out of the plate and chainmail that covered it—the knight barely reacted in time to clash his blade with the one Midas wielded.
Practically having run over the knight on the other side, Uteli didn't waste any time to meet the second one as she tackled the armored man with her shoulder, bumping into him with a wide grin on her face as she dragged the heavy axe along in her hands. Stepping back from the fight, Midas watched with wide eyes as the armored man fell onto the ground—his sword he put in front of him to shield the axe's blow, was broken in half as she swung it right against his chestplate.
Javelin and Midas watched with dim worry as her heavy blows made the chest piece of the knight bend into itself, notwithstanding the force she put up as her motions resembled someone splitting up firewood. The youth eventually blinked, and the hand that held onto the broken blade fell down to the ground, letting the split weapon go from its fingers. Utelis's smile eventually faded as she gasped for air dryly, dragging the axe head off of the broken chestplate.
"Let's just dispose of the bodies before anyone sees us..."
Javelin mumbled as he stepped out of the carriage, beginning to drag one of the fallen knights somewhat deep into the surrounding trees that encircled the camp with Midas's help. Flinching at the sight, as he turned back to Uteli, her lip somewhat curved up in a pleased manner, her smile barely visible from the many strands of hair that fell onto her face as she dragged the other knight away from the path.
Mustering Uteli briefly as her loose leather clothing was stained by the same dark spots that were stuck onto Midas's blue poncho, the youth began to worry about the existence of the carriage service, as their whole plan was based on it being run at this camp. Once they headed out of the trees, binding up the Fahin to a pole on the edge of the fenced-in group of tents, they watched as a young man with somewhat long hair approached them, having it bound together as his fingers glided down his jaw, meeting at his shaved chin.
"What a neat pack of heroes you are..."
"Someone saw us..."
His slightly teasing tone made Midas's brows turn up slightly; Javelin's hushed words supported the worry he felt at the man almost twice his size approaching him. Clothed in a simple, light wool shirt and dusted leather trousers—a tiny blade strapped to his exposed belt—he looked down at the pack of children around the stolen carriage.
"Your friend is right, I did... but, unlike these nobles, I don't really have an interest in selling off children. You see, I'm somewhat thankful even for what you did... if you have that carriage here, then you at least must've put four of these armored douches to rest. And with them out of the picture, Brutpierda can return to its normal schedule again."
Midas was slightly put off by his excited tone, almost sounding like he would give them a tour through the campsite if they paid him enough. Reluctantly stepping forward, Midas glanced up at him with a stern expression, unsure whether he truly was just a man living here or some kind of bandit that would rob them easily without having to think twice. Able to feel Javelin's concerned glance in his neck as he mustered the foreign man in front of them.
"Forgive me if this might sound out of context, but - do you perhaps know of a carriage service that is set to go towards the plant kingdom capital city...?"
"Oh, you're here for that... yes, the carriage that takes you there stops here. I know—because I will replace the current driver that is on his way back to the camp... The fee for all of you would be around... let's see, maybe eight copper coins...? I will lower the price for you, since you freed us from these corrupt sword wielders that call themselves knights..."
"Is it alright if we make a trade...? You can have this carriage and the Fahin, if you'd like..."
Midas watched the dim grin on the young man's face widen at his words, seeing his eyes widen as he couldn't believe the deal this youngling in front of him was proposing. Crouching down to him with an excited expression as he extended his hand out at him.
"I mean, if you really want to..."
"Alright, one trip for each of us... to and back from the plant kingdom capital—plus, three silver coins."
"...two silver coins."
"Deal."
Midas gave a firm handshake to the young man, making him smile approvingly at the deal he just made—intrigued by these tiny figures in front of him as he got up again. The youth managed to squeeze an extra sum of money out of him; two silver coins translate into twenty copper coins—enough for basic accommodation and some plain rations, probably enough for at least the first day that they would spend in the capital city.