Redeem

In the heart of the dense forest, within the confines of a rustic wooden cabin, Enerida and Shimisu found themselves dressed in new attire, each outfit reflecting their unique styles. Enerida sported a black beanie, his hair peeking out from beneath it, leather gloves adorning his hands. His open black jacket, devoid of zippers, revealed a vibrant yellow underneath, contrasting sharply with the darkness of his attire. Dark blue pants hugged his legs, while sturdy black shoes completed his ensemble, complemented by long black socks. Across the room, Shimisu stood clad in a grey short-sleeved shirt, coral red cargo pants, and white boots, his presence a stark contrast to Enerida's brooding demeanor.

"Why does the next part of our training take place in a forest?" Shimisu queried, his voice tinged with curiosity.

"At this point, this isn't even training," Enerida replied with a hint of resignation. "We're kinda just existing in one location waiting for something to happen so we get stronger."

Before their conversation could continue, the tranquility of their surroundings was shattered by the sudden intrusion of Pyta, shirtless and bloodied, his imposing figure filling the doorway as he brandished a massive blood bag in one hand and his sword in the other.

"And then there's him..." Enerida muttered under his breath, eyeing Pyta warily as he entered the cabin.

"Pyta, before you come in here, is that bag small enough to fit into this room?" Enerida inquired, his tone laced with a mixture of caution and concern.

Pyta's response was straightforward. "No..."

"What did you bring? What is that?" Enerida pressed, his curiosity piqued by Pyta's unexpected arrival.

"I hunted and killed about five giants who were proceeding to Falaikia," Pyta declared proudly, his voice reverberating with a sense of accomplishment.

Enerida raised an eyebrow. "And why are you bringing their corpses here?"

"I take pride in the hunt," Pyta explained, his gaze unwavering. "When I get back to Falaikia, I will show all of my prey to the military."

Shimisu interjected, his voice cutting through the tension. "Pyta, do you know why we are here?"

"You guys were actually sent here because King Midas is dealing with some things at the kingdom," Pyta replied, his expression serious.

"So what are we supposed to do here?" Shimisu pressed, his frustration evident.

"Nothing, but I'm here to fight monsters and get stronger! I can't allow myself to have another fight that close ever again!!!" Pyta declared, his determination unyielding.

Enerida glanced between his companions, a hint of skepticism in his gaze. "So can we... leave?"

"No, after King Midas is done doing his business, you'll be back to working," Pyta stated matter-of-factly.

"That's lame!" Shimisu exclaimed, his disappointment palpable.

Pyta let out a resigned sigh. "How about we go and hunt some monsters?"

Enerida's lips quirked into a wry smile. "That sounds... mundane. Sure!"

With a newfound sense of purpose, the trio ventured into the woods, squatting behind a boulder, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them in the depths of the forest.

In the eerie silence of the forest, Enerida's voice cut through the stillness like a whisper on the wind. "You sure there is something here?" he murmured, his words barely audible.

Pyta, ever vigilant, replied in hushed tones, his voice barely more than a breath. "There is a tree monster camouflaging," he whispered, his gaze scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.

Shimisu, undaunted by the prospect of danger, scoffed at the notion of fear. "It's a monster? I'm not scared of a monster!" he declared boldly, his voice ringing out in defiance.

"But maybe we should stay low—" Enerida began, his caution interrupted by Shimisu's impulsive actions.

Before Enerida could finish his sentence, Shimisu leaped onto the top of the boulder, his challenge echoing through the forest. "Bring it on, tree monster!!!"

Realizing the futility of caution in the face of Shimisu's bravado, Enerida sighed in resignation. "You're right..."

With a resigned shrug, Enerida joined Shimisu atop the boulder, his own defiance mirrored in his stance. "ARE YOU SCARED!?" he called out into the darkness, his voice tinged with exhilaration.

As if in response to their challenge, the surrounding trees began to converge, forming a massive cluster of vegetation. A monstrous creature, towering and menacing, emerged from the shadows, its yellow eyes glowing with malevolence.

"This might be the funnest thing we have done in a while, Shimisu!!!" Enerida exclaimed, his adrenaline surging at the sight of their adversary.

But before the confrontation could escalate further, Pyta sprung into action with a swift and decisive strike. Leaping from behind the two, his sword transformed into a great axe, he cleaved the tree monster in half with a single, powerful blow, bringing an abrupt end to the confrontation.

"Pyta..." Shimisu's voice was tinged with disappointment, his moment of glory stolen by his companion's swift intervention.

"Nevermind..." Enerida's words trailed off, a sense of resignation settling over him as he watched Pyta skillfully slice the fallen creature into logs with precision.

"You RUINED everything!!!" Shimisu's frustration boiled over, his anger directed at Pyta for thwarting his chance at glory.

Undeterred by Shimisu's outburst, Pyta set to work with practiced efficiency, his axe transforming once more, this time into a large net. With a deft flick of his wrist, he cast the net over the pile of logs, securing them tightly before hoisting the bundle onto his back.

"This wood is valuable to the people of Falakia," Pyta explained, his tone matter-of-fact as he prepared to depart. "I will quickly take this all to the kingdom and come back. You guys continue looking for monsters."

Pyta heaved a heavy sigh as he surveyed the hefty pile of wood before him, enough to weigh at least a ton. "This is at least a ton of wood. You two stay out of trouble," he instructed his companions before swiftly darting away, his figure disappearing into the distance.

"And he's already gone... Shimisu," Enerida remarked with a wry grin.

Shimisu nodded in agreement. "Yeah?"

"Let's go hunt some monsters!!!" Enerida exclaimed, his enthusiasm palpable in the crisp air.

Meanwhile, Pyta found himself traversing an open brick path, the anticipation of his destination, Falakia, propelling his steps forward. "This path leads to Falakia! I should be there in no time!!!" he declared, his voice filled with determination.

Suddenly, a sharp snap echoed through the tranquil forest, disrupting the serene atmosphere. Pyta's senses immediately sharpened as he called out into the woods, his voice laced with both caution and defiance. "That's not an animal or a monster! Reveal yourself, whoever is stalking me!"

From the shadows emerged a cloaked figure, draped in a checkered blue and white cloak, with vibrant ruby-red slippers adorning their feet. Pyta's breath caught in his throat as recognition dawned upon him. "It's you guys! Why are you here?" he exclaimed, his grip tightening on the net of logs he carried.

The cloaked individual's presence sent a shiver down Pyta's spine, yet he stood his ground, his resolve unyielding. "Are you guys... After me?" he questioned, his hand instinctively reaching for the hilt of his sword.

A woman's voice emanated from beneath the cloak as she spoke with a chilling calmness. "Why else would we be here?" she replied, her words hanging ominously in the air.

Pyta's laughter bubbled forth, a mixture of disbelief and defiance. "I never expected to be targeted like this! Just know you guys are officially all enemies of the kingdom now. Who sent you?" he demanded, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

The cloaked individual's response sent a shockwave through Pyta's being. "King Midas," she declared, her tone devoid of remorse.

Pyta recoiled in disbelief, his mind struggling to comprehend the betrayal. "Stop lying! King Midas would never target his own subordinate like that," he retorted, his voice tinged with a hint of desperation.

"Perhaps you'll have to die with that thought," the cloaked figure replied, her words dripping with malice as she lunged towards Pyta with deadly intent.

Undeterred, Pyta squared his shoulders, his sword gleaming in the dappled sunlight. "I don't know what kind of trick you're trying to play on me! But it's not going to work!" he declared boldly, meeting his assailant head-on as their blades clashed in a flurry of steel and determination.

Pyta's eyes widened in disbelief as his sword was forcefully ripped from his grasp, sending it clattering to the ground. Before he could react, a swift kick to his stomach propelled him backward, crashing into the rough bark of a nearby tree.

"The strength of her slippers..." Pyta muttered through gritted teeth, his mind racing to comprehend the unexpected ferocity of his assailants.

Just as he struggled to regain his bearings, a second cloaked figure materialized behind him, wielding a gleaming axe with menacing intent.

"There's the second one—" Pyta's thought was abruptly cut short as the axe came crashing down, slicing through flesh and bone as it cleaved into his shoulder with a sickening thud.

"Your flesh is tough. I was trying to at least cut your heart," the silver cloaked figure remarked with a robotic voice, devoid of emotion, as he withdrew his weapon from Pyta's wounded shoulder.

Before Pyta could muster a response, the cloaked woman delivered a swift kick to his side, sending him hurtling through the air until he collided harshly with the sturdy trunk of a nearby tree.

"You guys got me while I don't have my armor on!" Pyta grunted, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to rise to his feet amidst the onslaught of attacks.

A looming figure, shrouded in a crimson cloak, emerged from the darkness, his piercing red eyes glowing ominously from within the depths of his hood. With gloved hands concealing his formidable claws, and crimson shoes completing his intimidating ensemble, he exuded an aura of ruthless determination.

"And there goes the third one," Pyta muttered grimly under his breath, his gaze flickering warily between his assailants.

With a swift and brutal slash across his chest, the red cloaked figure inflicted a grievous wound, causing blood to spill forth in a crimson torrent.

"If I get another clean hit on him, maybe I can rip him in half!" the red cloaked individual growled with a deep, raspy voice, his intentions chillingly clear.

Refusing to succumb to despair, Pyta seized the opportunity to evade his attackers, deftly maneuvering beneath the legs of the red cloaked assailant, only to be met with a fierce blow to the face from a fourth cloaked figure, draped in a dark green cloak.

"Hey, it wouldn't hurt to think a little bit more before acting!" the dark green cloaked individual chided, his glowing blue eyes narrowing in determination.

"And that's the last one," Pyta muttered through clenched teeth, his determination unyielding despite the odds stacked against him.

With a swift burst of speed, Pyta dashed away from his assailants, his mind racing with newfound resolve. "Now that all four of you are here, I can finally fight you guys properly," he declared defiantly, his voice ringing out with unwavering determination.

As the cloaked figures stood together, preparing for the impending clash, Pyta's gaze swept over them with a mixture of disdain and determination. "So, this is what the yellow brick mercenaries look like. I'm not impressed," he remarked coolly, his words laced with a hint of disdain.

With a dramatic flourish, the cloaked figures discarded their disguises, revealing their true identities in a display of defiance.

The woman, her brunette hair cascading in two long braided ponytails, stood clad in a vibrant yellow dress, paired with blue and white checkered stockings and adorned with ruby red slippers.

Beside her, the silver cloaked figure stood revealed as a metallic being, his form gleaming in the dim light, with a hatch on his chest and eyes glowing with a silvery luminescence.

The red cloaked individual, now stripped of his disguise, revealed himself as a humanoid lion, his formidable claws glinting menacingly in the faint light.

And lastly, the dark green cloaked figure, now exposed as a scarecrow adorned in a yellow coat, stood tall and resolute, his glowing blue eyes shimmering with determination in the darkness.

As the tension between them crackled in the air, Pyta braced himself for the battle that lay ahead, his determination unwavering in the face of adversity.

Pyta staggered back, his mind reeling from the onslaught of attackers. "Now I'm a little bit more impressed and a lot more confused..."

As Pyta struggled to fend off his adversaries, his thoughts drifted back to a time long before the existence of the Yellow Brick Mercenaries. Twenty years prior, in the heart of the countryside, lived an 11-year-old girl named Dorothy Gale. Dorothy was but a trainee summoner, living a simple life on a small farm with her family. However, fate had other plans for her.

One fateful day, a tornado of unimaginable power swept through the land, tearing Dorothy and her family from their home and hurling them into the mystical realm of Oz, also known as Ozmania. Amidst the chaos of the storm, Dorothy's barn landed atop a wicked witch, ending her life in a flash of ruby red slippers and unleashing untold consequences.

Tragically, both of Dorothy's parents perished in the crash, leaving her, the eldest of her eleven siblings, stranded and alone in a strange and perilous land. It was then that fate placed the mythical ruby red slippers in Dorothy's path, bestowing upon her powers beyond imagination.

With newfound resolve, Dorothy assumed the role of leader for her siblings, embarking on a treacherous journey along the fabled Yellow Brick Road. Yet, with each passing day, tragedy struck, claiming the lives of her siblings one by one, until Dorothy was left to navigate the dangers of Oz alone.

Amidst her solitary journey, Dorothy encountered allies who would forever change the course of her destiny. The first was a sentient scarecrow, brought to life by a witch's magic to defend the crops from menacing creatures. Moved by the scarecrow's desire for purpose, Dorothy welcomed him into her company, hopeful that together they could find meaning amidst the chaos.

Their travels led them to a village gripped by fear, where a rusted tin man stood as a silent testament to tragedy. Once a creation meant to serve, the tin man had been abandoned by his creator, driven to madness by heartbreak and betrayal. His story, a chilling tale of love turned to despair, resonated with Dorothy, compelling her to offer him solace and companionship in their quest.

And so, their party grew, united by a shared desire for redemption and purpose. Together with the lion, a prince turned ruler of the savage forest, they embarked on a journey fraught with peril and discovery.

Through trials and tribulations, they honed their skills and forged bonds of camaraderie that would withstand the test of time. Yet, their ultimate goal remained elusive—a confrontation with the enigmatic ruler of Oz, the powerful wizard known as Emerald.

Despite their strength and determination, they were no match for the wizard's formidable power. Defeated but not destroyed, they were offered a chance at redemption—to serve as mercenaries under the wizard's command, their destinies forever entwined with the fate of Oz.

And so, the legend of the Yellow Brick Mercenaries was born, their adventures bound by loyalty, duty, and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.

Pyta's lips curled into a daring smirk as he faced his adversaries, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "This should be fun!" he declared with a mixture of bravado and determination.

With a swift and practiced motion, Pyta retrieved a second sword, wielding both blades with deadly precision. The weight of the weapons felt familiar in his hands, a comforting reminder of his prowess in battle.