Chapter 76

He thought it would be easy to catch the bandits if he dressed up as a traveller. He never thought the opposition mage would be able to take hostages so easily.

Plus it looked like he didn't care about the men he brought along.

"Why don't you walk away boy? You aren't cut out for this. "

"As I said, a little robbery is going to hurt no one. " He smirked in confidence.

Aaron wasn't going to back out. But he couldnt think of what to do.

How to save the ones besides him and apprehend the mage.

The mission stated it was the best if he could capture the mage. In case he had to kill, the reward would be reduced.

As he stood thinking, he had an Idea.

He called back his daggers. These were normal daggers he had purchased. He only had one dagger with a mage stone. Rest were all ordinary daggers he had purchased for this mission.

"That's a smart decision." The man said.

He then turned around towards his men.

"What are you guys waiting for. Go ahead and take the valuables."

By the time he gloated and issued a command, Aaron was ready with what he was doing.

He didn't do much. He just opened a gate below the bandit leader.

The bandit leader lost his bearing and fell into the gate.

He also made gates below the four people who were caught in the vine. He didnt want them to become hostages again. He took time with their gates and made sure they were taken a little far from the camp.

Best way to break a mage's spell was to break his concentration. With a sudden shift in his position, the bandit's concentration was broken and the vines around Johan's men loosened.

"Everyone get back as far as possible!" Aaron commanded.

He didn't want new hostages.

The bandit mage fell down not many steps away from his original position. He looked totally disoriented and it took him a couple of seconds to find his bearings.

"You morons. What are you waiting for. Fo attack that mage. He is a space mage. Just watch out for the gates, he doesn't have any attacking spells. "

"Go!!" the man commanded his man to attack Aaron.

The people rushed towards Aaron.

Johan who had been standing quietly besides Aaron got pumped all of a sudden. It was like he was waiting for a moment like this.

He too charged at the attackers weilding his sword.

Aaron turned to the mage

"You better give up. "

"You fool. You might have sent the others away. But I still have you here! "

"Do you know why I was able to hide from you when you were on a look out for us?"

"I am not your normal mage. I am a little special. "

"I call myself a Forest mage."

" Do you know what I can control? The very woods you are standing in. Let's see how you can escape today. "

A forest mage? This wasn't something Aaron knew of. Maybe this side had them. But it explained how he was able to hide and control the vines.

The man made a grabbing motion towards Aaron. Two vines creeped out from the ground.

They crept over Aaron binding him tightly.

Restraining Aaron with vines? He must be dreaming.

Aaron used his telekinesis to control his dagger. The one with the mage stone.

He easily cut away the restraints like they were strings?

"A dagger artifact? No wonder you were so confident."

"But I got different moves as well. "

He once again motioned his hands.

This time four sturdy looking vines appeared in front of Aaron. They seemed to be pointed at the ends. They stabbed at Aaron from different directions.

"Let's see how you escape from that. "

Once again, what Aaron did surprised the bandit. Aaron used one of his instant gates upon himself.

Or rather below himself. He easily escaped the vines and appeared a few steps away from his original position.

"Impossible!! Gates can't be used that fast!"

He once again stabbed at Aaron hoping to get him this time.

Aaron escaped once again.

"I can do this all day. Just give up."

"You can escape, but you still can't attack me. I wonder how you are going to capture me."

He was right on the money. How was Aaron supposed to capture him?

Mean while, Johan was being pushed.

The bandits had him surrounded with their superior numbers and Johan already had few cuts on him.

As Aaron took a look at him, he could see a bandit about to stab Johan from the back.

Aaron just did what he was so used to doing in the desolate.

He willed his dagger through a gate. The dagger appeared a little behind the bandits back and stabbed him through.

The bandit fell without making a noise. He was struck clean through his heart.

Everyone stopped seeing the bandit fall.

"Enough!" said Aaron.

"Just because I don't kill, doesn't mean I can't."

He took a deep breath. All eyes were on him. People had forgotten how dangerous a mage could be. Aaron reminded them if that.

The bandits dropped their swords. Even Johan put his sword away and stepped back.

"So when I ask you to surrender, it just means that I am trying to avoid a bloodfest. "

"Not that I am not capable of doing it."

The bandit leader looked at Aaron. Aaron looked like a normal young boy just a minute ago, but now he felt different.

It felt like the boy knew what he was talking about. He could see it in his eyes.

The boy has been through a lot.

But he couldn't give up like that. No matter what. There was no turning back for him.