Bandits on The Loose
-Twins side story-
N/A: This is the story of how the calamity siblings and the twin menace met each other years ago.
"I'm getting tired of waiting Juls, when are the loots coming by?" 9-year-old Jethro whined.
He has been sitting perched on a tree branch for as long as he can remember. His butt already feeling sore from all the sitting he did for almost half of the day. After all, that's what the leader of the bandit group tasked them to do, to 'be on the lookout.'
It sounded so easy and the least most dangerous thing when he offered it but when you look at the ground at least 30 feet below and the huge branches making the ground looks eternally dark even in the mornings in this dratted haunted-looking forest, you'd think twice about the dangers of the job.
They have been doing this for many months now. It shouldn't bother them that much anymore. 'Jethro's just being his usual pretentiously righteous self.' Jullian thought in derision.
his ramblings are not helping their situation, and nightfall is about to approach a few hours from now.
"Shh! Stop whining you little rat! Would you rather help that old man Reuger til his farm for the whole day? And it's called shipment not loot, you idiot. Loot sounds so unprofessional." Same-aged Jullian retorted bitingly.
Although they have an uncanny resemblance, if you look at them closely for some time, you wouldn't think of them as twins unless they're in the same place at the same time or if you already spent a considerable amount of time around them. That is because Jullian the eldest one of the duo has platinum silver hair whereas Jethro has midnight black. The opposite--quite ironic, since they're twins.
"As if what we're doing right now is considered professional—more like criminal if you ask me. At least old man Reuger feeds us!" He retorted, salty and sarcastic.
Jullian glared at him. She knew what they were doing is wrong and dangerous but it was a lot better than the treatment they received from the farmer and his family. Yes, they were runaway orphans but they were treated worse than street vagrants. And it doesn't help that the old man kept Jethro tilling the fields until sundown with no breaks that it was becoming a hard pill to swallow.
She had to decide then. One night after the farmer finally let them have their rest, Jullian ran away with Jethro with only a day's worth of food that she siphoned from the farmer's house tucked in her makeshift body bag. Jethro was trying to stop her by telling her how bad of a decision it was but she was determined. It is either that or watching her brother die from sunburn or overworking.
After a few weeks of trying to survive, they met a band of bandits willing to give them a few loose changes in exchange for them to act as the distraction. So far they doing great at what they do.
But Jullian knew Jethro didn't like the dangers of the job they landed in. What choice does a couple of orphans have? They have to do something to survive and for now, an opportunity, albeit the dangers, has presented itself.
Jullian sighed in resignation. "All right, let's do a couple more runs, and then let's run away to the nearest town and start over there. How about that?" Jullian relented, annoyed now.
"Better." the latter responded with a small smile. "But Jullian don't tell me we're going back to nabbing innocent peop-" He stopped when Jullian held a hand before him indicating him to shut up.
"Shhh! I hear noises." She said while creeping up on the branch they were perched on. Jethro copied what his sister did-inching closer.
"They're here! we should alert the leader!" Jethro immediately prepared to take action but Jullian halted him.
"I said quiet!!! I don't hear horses nor a caravan like the usual. Do you hear that? flapping wings!" She whisper-shouted.
Indeed, the flapping of wings could be heard from a distance... but it gradually seems to be closing in on them because the flapping got louder and the gusts of wind were already close to blowing them off of the tree they were hiding in.
"Jullian! We should tell the leader! Now!!!" Jethro insisted, shouting. He could barely hear anything from the loud gushing of the wind now.
Whatever it is that was approaching them is closing in fast.
Jullian immediately grabbed her brother's small lanky arms while jumping to another tree branch, narrowly escaping a loose branch the size of a grown man's arm.
"What in hell?" Jethro exclaimed his eyes wide in shock. They were both staring at the scene before them. To what was just a bunch of trees a while ago, now stood two unsmiling kids. A boy looking like he just went past being a toddler, and a pre-teen girl, obviously a few years older than them. The creature with the big flapping wings was nowhere to be seen.
The strangers both sported a calculating look that is slowly grating on the twin's nerves. They must have been here for a good reason.
"Who are you?" Jullian asked, skeptical.
"What do you think Cyclone?" The girl spoke, throwing a sideglance at the boy beside her.
"They fit the description well, Hurri." The latter answered, still poker-faced.
"Hey! That's rude. You should answer when you're asked assholes!" Jethro barked in annoyance while Jullian just gave them a nasty glare.
The 'assholes' in question just gave a small knowing smile. Instead of clearing the whole misunderstanding, fanned the flames instead. Jethro gritted and glared-he is looking more like a mirror of his sister now.
Since they were young, the twins had this ability to understand what the other think as if they were one and the same. It's like having a conversation telepathically but no one has ever proved it true.
Jullian gave Jethro a look before simultaneously jumping from the branch together straight to the ground 30 feet below then proceeded to run away from the creepy taciturn strangers.
"Who're these people? They don't seem like they bought any valuable objects for us to loot!" Jethro exclaimed, still running alongside his sister. "And why are we running away? they were just kids! We can take them if push comes to shove!" He continued, seemingly running out of breath.
"Don't worry, we're doing just that." The latter just responded with a smirk to which Jethro returned full-time.
After what seemed like a lifetime of running, the twins saw the kids in question by a clearing ahead of them. Waiting, and both looking bored.
Jullian immediately pulled out her dagger from her makeshift body bag and crouched, readying herself to fight if need be.
"What do you need from us?" she asked, wary of the two intruders.
"You're sharp. You must be the smarter twin." The girl responded and gave them a lazy smile. But instead of making her look a little less hostile, the smile she gave just gave them goosebumps. She looks like she's out for the kill.
"Hey!!!" Jethro who noticed the jab reacted.
"We're looking for a twin. Both from the Ru'an tribe. Took us quite a long time to track you down after your little escape plan too." Hurricane answered.
"Well, no thanks. We don't need your help." Jullian.
"Oh, but we're not helping you, sweetie. We're abducting you!!!" Hurricane said before swiftly running towards Jullian a pair of twin daggers materializing in both hands like magic.
Jullian, startled by the sudden action of the unknown teenage girl jerked to action her arm immediately moved to parry the girl's weapon. Maybe because of the difference in height and age, but the girl is too strong and she seems to be trained in fighting.
Still blocking off the other girl's rapid blows, Jullian took a chance to glance at her brother only to see him also engaged in a fight with the little child. If their lives weren't in literal danger right now, they would've laughed this situation off. It seemed too real to be a joke plus the child also looked like he knows what he was doing!
Jethro sent an alarming look at Jullian. The child now brandishing a small cutlass kept on waving the small sword towards her brother in an onslaught of attacks, rendering the weaponless Jethro in a defensive position giving him no chance to retaliate.
The same thing could be said with Jullian. The other girl with her twin dagger kept aiming for her body obviously with intent to injure her.
Cornered and already growing tired, Jullian thought of a plan enough for her and her brother's escape.
While in constant movement, blocking off the girl's advances, Jullian slowly loosened the knot of her makeshift body bag-just enough for the older girl not to notice then slowly edged her way to her brother while still fighting the girl off.
Just when she was finally able to loosen the cloth that was once her body bag, the girl suddenly gave a jab her way which she expertly evaded before jerking her left foot and tripping the enemy. Surprised by the sudden sly attack, Hurricane fell off balance and face planted to the ground.
The sudden sequence of events worked in the twin's favor. Jullian immediately threw the cloth enough to cover Hurricane's face just as Jethro gave a roundhouse kick towards the poor little boy that sent him hurtling towards a nearby tree.
Taking the chance that their two attackers are now temporarily confused and probably hurt, the twins ran for their lives away from them.
Not at all taking a look back and noticing the sly smile the girl and the little boy shared, uncaring of the fact that the bandits they were pursuing were on the loose.
Author's note: Another long-awaited update. I do apologize for my late updates for I can only write them in my free time when I'm not working. But that aside, I dedicate this chapter to @zin_yra for giving me such a sweet message in both IG and here. Thanks a lot! your comments give me all the inspiration to write! sml hoomans!!! - empressnico