Ranger Vs Bandit

The battle between the guards and the bandits continued with unrelenting ferocity. The bandits found themselves at a significant disadvantage, having lost many of their numbers due to the surprise attack. Hekal's squad, on the other hand, had not suffered a single casualty.

"There's no way to run," Hekal declared, his voice filled with resolve.

The last remaining bandit, clearly their commander, found himself cornered. Without a plan for escape, he produced a tiny vial containing a purple serum. The guards watched with a mix of curiosity and dread.

"What is that?" one of the guards asked, sensing the potent energy emanating from the vial.

Before anyone could react, the bandit downed the serum. Within moments, his body grew stronger, muscles bulging and eyes glowing with newfound power.

"Shoot him! Take him down now!" Hekal ordered.

The guards with crossbows fired simultaneously, but the bandit moved with incredible speed, dodging and deflecting the arrows with ease.

"Hahaha, weak!" he taunted, charging at the guards.

"INCOMING—" The guard's warning was cut short as the bandit's sword impaled him. The remaining guards, filled with rage, charged at the bandit.

"Tedrick!!!" they screamed, their grief fueling their attack.

The bandit chuckled darkly, "This is going to be fun."

One by one, the guards fell, leaving Hekal and a few injured men standing. The bandit approached Hekal, his eyes gleaming with malice.

"What's the matter, boy? Scared?"

Hekal's legs trembled, but the sight of his fallen comrades steeled his resolve. With a burst of speed enhanced by his arts, he charged at the bandit.

The two clashed in a whirlwind of steel, their movements almost too fast to follow. Despite his best efforts, Hekal began to tire, while the bandit seemed inexhaustible.

Amidst the chaos, one of the injured guards regained consciousness. He grabbed a crossbow and aimed at the bandit.

"Hekal, get down!" he shouted.

[SHRRUK]

The bolt struck true, and the bandit stumbled, bleeding heavily.

"Why won't the bleeding stop? Damn it!" the bandit cursed, realizing he had no time to heal.

Desperate not to abandon the treasure he had stolen, the bandit fought on. The guard fired again, but the bandit deflected the arrow and charged towards him. Hekal, exhausted, couldn't move fast enough to intercept.

"Argh!" The guard was impaled, the bandit's sword pinning him to a tree.

"Any last words?" the bandit sneered.

"Yes," the guard whispered, drawing a hidden pistol and channeling all his mana into it. "Rot in hell."

[BANG]

The gun exploded, taking the bandit's head with it. The force of the blast also injured the guard, who collapsed in a heap. Hekal, barely able to stand, crawled towards him.

"Why? You could have stayed back and let me die! Why did you risk your life for me?" Hekal cried, tears streaming down his face.

The guard, bleeding profusely, managed a weak smile. "It's not your fault. I'm grateful I could do something for the people I care about."

With those words, the guard, Tedric Nagumo, passed away. Hekal wept, unable to save him. Seven guards had survived the battle, all of them injured. One of them spoke softly.

"His name was Tedric Nagumo. He lived in a town not far from here. There's a letter in his bag. It's his will."

Hekal found the letter, written for the people of Tedric's town. He knew he had to deliver it.

"We should help the others who are still alive," the guard said, offering Hekal his hand.

"Yes, sir," Hekal replied, taking the hand and standing up.

Together, they helped the injured and buried their fallen comrades with honor. Hekal, still shaken, spoke to the guard who had offered him help.

"How do you stay calm after seeing your friends die?" he asked.

"It's not that I don't care," the guard replied. "If it were me who died, I wouldn't want my comrades to cry at my burial. At least, I hope they can find peace."

"Yeah, you're right," Hekal agreed, a bit of calm returning to him.

"Alright, we need to report back to headquarters," the guard said.

Hekal nodded, mounting his horse. Along with the other surviving rangers, they rode back, leaving the battlefield behind but carrying the weight of their loss with them