Tough Times In Wales

The group had made it to what one might considered the main road, in time to meet a man and his son on a partly filled wagon which was being led by a horse. The wagon's wheel made a grinding sound as it moved indicating that the wheels needed greasing.

They looked at the group of five individuals with the help of a lantern, with a puzzled look as Mr. Benjamin began flagging them down.

Are you guys and ladies lost, the man asked tipping his hat to the ladies?

I believe we are answered Mr. Benjamin in a non threating voice. We got separated from our caravan.

Ohhh, circus performers...

Yes, the ladies responded smiling.

Well that explains the way you guys are dressed uttered the son.

Be nice, interjected his father. Well you picked a bad time to get lost in Wales, continued the father.

King Henry has defeated King Richard about two days ago. He will be taking a census of these lands pretty soon and claiming what is his. Those who were loyal to King Henry, have been given two weeks notice to leave everything and flee from these lands.

Currently there are disputes between the Duke of Stanley who is loyal to King Henry and the Duke of James who is still loyal to King Richard.

With all the conflict that is going on, bandits have been taking advantage of the situation and are pillaging all that they can to strengthen their forces and their resources.

Lord Jamie who owns most of this area has direct ties to the Duke of James and is currently also strengthening his forces but is receiving resistance from forces who have ties with Duke of Stanley.

Right now travelers, anywhere in England is better than here, he stated. If you follow this road for about an hour, it will lead you to a town however if you take the first left up this same stretch you will end up by a quiet and quite friendly village.

So you better get stepping he stated as he whipped the horse too ushered his wagon to move along.

"There is a storm coming!"

The group watched as the lantern on the wagon disappeared into the darkness. Suddenly the sound of thunder clashed overhead as rain began its descent upon the earth.

Maybe, I should of brought an umbrella, Melinda said as the group had taken the left part to head to the village. You would definitely stand out then, Luke joked at her as the downpour of showers began to soak the group.

It was also very clear to everyone that the conversation was really between those two individuals and no one else in the group as they walked though the night.

As they continued walking, orange bright lights up ahead cast shadows through the tree.

The group paused for a bit and when they looked up at the sky, they watched as a large cloud of black smoke and fire rise into the air from the village which could be seen from a distance. Before they had a chance to think about the current circumstances, a loud noise echoed in their ears.

The loud sound that rang out was a loud scream which startled the group as they stood looking at the village through the trees. This immediately caused Greg to run off in that direction with Fiora quickly following.

"Guys we need to be…. but Luke's words were unable to reach them as they had already gone out of hearing distance.

Greg arrived at the village area first, just in time as a man stood over an old man, ready to plunge a sword into his chest.

"Hey, Greg shouted however that did not stop the man as he turned his face back at the man on the ground and began to descend the sword. Even though Greg began to slow down time, it was not enough to save the old man because the sword had already penetrated his chest. The man receive a right fist from Greg that carted him backwards making his face skate across the stony road.

Fiora walked up to Greg and looked down at the old man who was on his last breath. With slow movements, he pointed to a small house close by.

There was a lot of noise coming from inside the house so Fiora quickly took off into the house that was next to another which was on fire.

The man who had taken the right hand from Greg, spat out some blood as he began to rise to his feet. Looking at Greg, he said loudly over the downpour I'll make you wish that you had not done that.

Fiora ran into the house to find out what the dead, old guy was trying to tell her.

Inside two guys were approaching an old woman who had her arms around a young girl. One of the guys had a silver Venetian sword in his hand as he approached the old woman.

It took them a while to realize that Fiora had 'magically' entered into the room.

"Where'd you come from," the unarmed bandit asked?

They both turned to now focus on Fiora.

I'll take care of her, said the unarmed bandit who lunged forward to grab Fiora with his right hand.

The moment he was in range, Fiora grabbed his hand, brought it all the way to the right and then quickly reversed its movements causing his hand to dislocate from the socket and his body to fall to the floor screaming in pain.

"You bitch," he screamed with saliva building up in his mouth.

With a sigh, his friend said, 'I always have to do everything, don't I.' Extending the sword forward, he moved closer to Fiora. The sound of his heavy breathing was barely audible due to the loud sound of the rain hitting the roof.

She moved with him as he approached her from her right side. Suddenly he swung at her chest in a horizontal motion but to her, he could have been using a Wiffle Bat because it moved slowly due to her speeding herself up. She was able to quickly disarm him by kicking it away with her right boot in a spinning motion and then positioning herself back in a kicking stance.

The bandit turned to see that the sword had flew into the corner. He was about to move for it when he realize that she was already in a kicking stance. Before he could protect himself, she attacked him with her right foot.

It was so fast that he was unable to block it as it hit his right ribs. Then another came, then another, then another all in quick succession from her right foot. As he moved backwards due to the force of the impact, she moved forward in perfect synchronous movements until he had received over 10 consecutive blows all over his body sending him flying backwards unconscious.

The bandit on the ground was so shocked by what he had just seen that all his pain seemed to had temporarily vanish.

Shaking off her right foot, she walked up to him and brought her left foot down on him, also knocking this bandit unconscious.

Greg stood still as his attacker got back up to his feet, brandishing his knife in front of him. Unfazed Greg asked him, who are you guys?

Not telling you anything you 'twat', he shouted as he ran forward and tried a jab with the knife. With an open palm across his face, the sound echoed though the village as the bandit fell to his right knee.

"Are you going to talk now," asked Greg as he looked down at the bandit.

Greg, are you ok, Luke shouted as he finally arrived on the scene with the others in tow.

At the same time, Fiora came out of the house with the old woman and the young girl. When they were clear of the heat from the other burning house, the old woman said that there were more bandits and that they were in the church were the other villagers were. She then turned and pointed to a church that rested at the end of the main street.

We have to rescue them then, stated Luke.

Thinking that everyone's attention was on the old woman, the bandit made a valiant attempt to attack Greg who had not forgotten about him but before he could react and slow down time, the entire area became frozen in time.

Without looking at Luke, Greg said "I could of handled it!"

"I figured that I saw him move before you did," responded Luke.

Can we go, chipped in Fiora as she moved away from the old woman and the girl.

Not too far added Mr. Benjamin. We don't want them to suspect something magic was at play here.

Greg looked at the bandit whose face was frozen with the knife in his hand as he had began rising from his kneeling position. Closing his left fist, Greg swung for his cheek with a forceful blow then he said loudly, Luke, if you please.....

Luke released the 'time stop' causing everything to continue moving. The bandit slouched down, unaware of what had just happened and the knife fell from his hand unto the floor.

Greg picked up the knife and then began walking towards the church. Luke also started moving and then the others followed as the rain continued falling upon them.