FLTL Ch. 157. Reunited

~ Calubo ~

~ Hiding behind a limestone block in the quarry ~

~ A few moments ago ~

Calubo wasn't feeling good to be left out of the fighting. And he really wanted to help in killing those bastards! But Hudan had sent him away just before the attack had begun, saying that the bandits might try to take someone hostage, so there had to be someone to strike from behind the bandits if needed. 

So the guard captain had sent him to circle around the camp and ordered him to stay outside of the fight, so he could intervene if that happened, because the guards still had the numbers on their side even with six against four. Calubo had thought of protesting, before realizing that he was the only one who really knew the terrain of the quarry, so he had the most chances of finding someplace good to hide, instead of just tumbling over into the pit and dying. 

So in the confusion of the start of the battle, when the bandits were disoriented, Calubo had crouched to the side and following the stone walls of the quarry, he had found one of the limestone blocks which had been already cut on the other side of the fire, close to the stonecutters' hut. Since then, he had been crouching there and biding his time, hoping he got a chance to cut down at least one of these bastards. 

He kept looking towards the huts with worry, not knowing if Hyola was okay now. And he really wished he could see her face once more, but it had to wait until after the bandits had been dealt with.

Luckily, he had found a place with a good view of the battle, and he had been watching it with nervous anticipation, hoping the stonecutters stayed inside their huts until it was over. And it shouldn't be long anyway, since the bandit who had been sleeping had barely woken up in surprise before one of the guards had slashed his neck. Now it was six against three, which should be easy enough for Hudan.

Right at that moment, the stonecutters started streaming out of their two huts, probably after being woken up by the sounds of the fight. He gazed there for only a moment, and although the light of the fire was quite faint here, it only took a moment for him to see that surprisingly, the tall woman who came out of their hut after the older woman was Hyola! 

He couldn't describe in words how relieved he was to see her. She looked startled by what was happening, but otherwise she seemed okay, if a little gaunt. She also seemed to have chopped off her long reddish hair to a shorter length now, but to him she looked just as beautiful as earlier. His heart had started beating much faster, and he wasn't sure if it was only because of the fight to the death happening nearby.

Suddenly he saw that one of the bandits had noticed the stonecutters coming out, and he ran directly towards the women, and then put his sword to the neck of Hyola, who screamed in fear. That bastard! Was he going to kill her?

Calubo immediately stood up and was going to run towards them, when he heard the bandit shouting at the guards to move back. He paused for a moment, and realized that the bandit only wanted a hostage for now, instead of killing her immediately, just like the guard captain had anticipated. He thanked the goddess that Hyola's life wasn't going to end right at this moment, but he was still seething inside. How dare this bastard put a sword to her neck! 

He had been crouching on the side of the huts, so he didn't have a very clear view, but he still saw that Hyola had started crying in fear now. He wanted to immediately run towards them, but he knew how risky that was if the bandit noticed him rushing towards them.

He also remembered everything that the guard captain had kept teaching him on the way, including a few simple hand gestures to indicate something when they couldn't speak openly. Hudan had told him that it was the new baron's idea, and he had already taught it to the guards when training them, but since Calubo hadn't been around for it, the guard captain had taught him as well on the journey here. 

Calubo crouched lower and moved in front of that limestone block, trying not to make any sound. Thankfully, Hudan was trying to talk to the bandits in a loud voice to calm down the bandit - who was still shouting at the guards to move back - which helped muffle the sound of his own footsteps. He didn't know if the guard captain was doing it intentionally, but he would take any advantage he got.

He kept moving closer to that bandit, as fast as he could but without making any sound. It also helped that the ground was mostly dry rock, and there were no leaves here for his boots to crunch on. Once he was less than a dozen feet away, he stopped there, ready to spring at that bastard at any moment.

Earlier, he had put his sword back in his scabbard, and had his dagger ready in his left hand. When Hudan had told him to do that while telling him to circle around, he had been confused by how he was supposed to fight the bandits without a sword, but now he understood.

He looked closely as finally, Hudan put up an open hand to gesture to the guards to hold back, who gave nods, and took a few steps back with their swords still ready in their hands. The bastard who had taken Hyola hostage, seemed to get more confident at that, and gloated to the guards, while gesturing to the other bandits to move towards him as well. Probably to take more hostages.

Calubo really didn't want to wait even a single moment more, but he had been looking carefully at Hudan for his signal. And within a few moments, the guard captain spoke something to the other two bandits who had been moving towards that bastard, making them turn around to face the guards. And at the same time, Hudan started clenching and unclenching his left fist again and again. Right! That was the signal they had agreed on!

Immediately, he moved forward with silent steps until he was only a few feet behind the bandit, who was using his right hand to hold his sword around the neck of Hyola.

Calubo took a deep breath, and stood up to his full height. It seemed that being left-handed was going to be helpful to him for once. He then quickly rushed just behind the bandit, and used his right hand to hold the bandit's sword arm and pulled it away from Hyola, who moved a few steps further in surprise. The bandit immediately turned his head to the right to see who had clutched his arm from that side, but right at that moment, Calubo used the dagger in his left hand to slash at the bastard's neck from the left. 

The bandit screamed in pain, and dropped his sword on the ground to start clutching at his neck which was openly spraying blood now, but Calubo did not allow him to move even a little bit. This bastard didn't deserve to live anymore. Right at the moment, he heard Hudan shout something, and from the corner of his eye he saw the guards rushing towards the other bandits. 

The dying bandit in his hands slowly grew limp, and within a few moments his body slumped to the ground, while Hyola who looked white with fear seemed to recognize him suddenly, and jumped in his arms while sobbing loudly. He moved his bloody arm with the dagger away from her, before letting the blade fall down and hugged her back. 

He patted her on the back to console her, but it took a while for her to calm down. As he looked around them towards the fire, he saw the guards were finishing up the last bandit, with the others already dead.

The other stonecutters still seemed to be in a daze about what was happening, but since none of the guards were trying to kill or threaten them, they didn't seem as edgy as they would have been otherwise. And even in the faint pre-dawn light, it wasn't difficult to see that the stonecutters looked even more gaunt than they did when he had lived here. It was obvious that the little food they might have been hunting or gathering here was mainly going to the bastards who were dead now.

Soon, Hyola took a step back and looked at him from up to down with glistening eyes. "How are you here?" She asked, but carried on without waiting for his reply. "I thought the bandits had killed you! And why are you wearing fur coats like them? Did you join another bandit gang? And what happened to Nokozal and the other bandits?"

"Slow down..." Calubo tried to reassure her with a smile. "I didn't join a new bandit group. You know me better than that..."

"Yeah, I do, don't I..." Hyola looked down for a moment in embarrassment before gazing at him again. "Then how?"

"It's a long story, and I'll tell you everything about it after we are done here," Calubo replied, "but for now, just know that the dark days for you and the other stonecutters are over now. Lord Kivamus, the Baron of Tiranat has sent us to liberate you all from these bandits."

Hyola looked confused but before she said anything, Hudan, who had been ordering the guards to check out the rest of the quarry to make sure that there weren't any other bandits or wild beasts left here, called him up. "Calubo, come here and help us! You can talk with her later."

Calubo gave him a quick nod, and looked at Hyola. "I'll be back soon, okay? You don't need to worry about anything now."

Hyola gave an uncertain nod. 

But after he turned around to go towards the guards, she hugged him from the back again and mumbled, "Don't leave me again, Calubo..."

Calubo couldn't help but beam with happiness as he held her frail hands on his chest. "Never again..."

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>>> Next Chapter >>> FLTL Ch. 158. Unexpected Choices