Chapter 82: The Bandits

The Sun was scorching hot on this occasion, the sands attaining the heat emitted from above. The dunes flowed freely amidst the warm winds, with the officials of the law standing ahead. They kept watch for any movements beyond their kingdom, watching, waiting for their moment to strike. As Ennio and the others arrived, the children would notice the tense air made between them, as well as the quiet movements they made to ensure maximum hearing for any signs of danger. Ennio approached one of them, tapping on their shoulder, hoping to catch their attention. "They're here yet?" He would ask. The official simply shook his head, showcasing a map for the Cowboy to see. Zazel and Stolas both looked over, noticing the Map in question, supposedly being the direction they're coming from: Straight ahead, with no other signs of visiting other nearby places to prepare them further. "That can't be right....why would they want to do something so blunt?" Ennio asked himself, to which one of the officers caught his words and answered back.

"There has been reports that one of them has a style of magic perfect for dealing with armies. We may need to be cautious on their squad, as well as their strategy." The report given by one of the officials would cause concern towards Ennio, realizing that it may be a bad idea to have them huddled up in such a manner. Zazel and Stolas, on the other hand, were getting excited. Primarily due to their self-made competition, Stolas would tap at Ennio's legs to catch his attention.

"Let me handle that one. Zazel can handle anyone that tries to help him out, while you guys can deal with their grunts!" Stolas would state, to which Ennio would raise an eyebrow.

"You sure about this?" He would ask.

Zazel and Stolas looked at each other, nodding in affirmation, before the bird looked up towards the Cowboy. "Positive." Before the man would answer back, a sound was heard nearby, signaling their arrival. A Whistling sound, one that sounded just as familiar as the beast that Ennio has fought. It even carried the same tune and pitch as the monster, as the dunes would rest itself, letting the people enter into the fray. The uniform for the bandits seemed to be one similar to the likes of Zazel's, Albeit only in color and nothing else. They were seen with armor out of solid bones, cloaks that overlap the armor, bearing the symbol of a skull in its center. Some of the bandits even had masks and headgear reminiscent of that very skull, plastered amidst their mouths, their cheeks, or even their very eyes as if they were goggles. Others, however, possessed an appendage that held such a skeletal part, with one having skeletal hands, the other having a skeletal left arm, markings across the bone in an ancient language, and another with their ribcage stabbing outward, acting as an exoskeleton.

They almost looked like monsters.

One more person seemed to be different than the rest. One that almost had the size of the very buildings themselves, donning a dragon's skeleton across its body, his own cloak being a mixture of red and white, with the dragon itself detailed as if it was mimicking a fossil. The man's arms were like tree trunks, and connected on those arms are that of gauntlets, two chambers made per gauntlet. The supposed person that can handle armies with relative ease. Furthermore, it seems to act as the group's leader, standing over everyone, his shadow coating the group. "So, this is Salvandi's defenses? It's pitiful. Just as weak as your king. It's wiser you back away now and let us through, than have us send you to hell." The man would state, his voice booming, not even moving a single inch as he stared down at his opponents. The ones that held such skeletal appendages seemed to tie themselves close to their leader, acting as their elite warriors, snickering and sneering at the officials. It would be easy to deduce then that the people donning cloaks and such armor act as their own grunts, a smaller, condensed army.

"Well howdy to you as well. Mind giving me a name before we do the same to you?" Ennio would state, being unfazed by the man's height.

"Why should I tell you? You're all going to die anyway. Why bother learning my name?"

"Lemme pose that question with another question: What makes you think you're gonna kill us?"

The man with his absurd build would raise his hands, snapping his fingers. Silence was what daunted the air, and yet the group knew that something was going to go wrong. The man, however, noticed something that shifted his expression a bit.

SHKKK!!

Within that instant, Stolas would somehow react to it, having the stars embedded in the sand to rise up and act as a defense, using said sand and the heat to make it into glass almost instantaneously, penetrating the attack the man made. He would be confused, seeing the child be quick on his feet as he'd see the style of magic made, even through the darkness that was his shadow. He'd give a small smirk as he'd snap his fingers again, this time as orders for his own army to attack the officials, as he himself would deal with the Three, alongside his elites. "Interesting. I was actually proven wrong there. For a moment, I assumed you would've died there...Very well. My name is Meso. Meso Remareno. Throughout these dunes, I am what you call a "Sand Reaper" to many. A Harbinger, if you will. I thought that you would all die within an instant, yet one of you actually managed to stop it." He'd pause himself as he'd get in a stance, his arms open wide and his legs resting, as if he was in a sumo wrestling match.

"Very well then.....I'll entertain this battle. You've captured my interest, people of Salvandi. Do not make me lose it." His words were matched by the elites leaping forward, two handling Zazel, two others handling Ennio, leaving Stolas to be met against Meso himself. He could see the boy have a determined look upon his face. He wasn't afraid in the slightest.

This intrigued the brute more and more.