We wake up as the camp starts to stir. I would really enjoy sleeping in, but we need to break camp and get some breakfast for us and our mounts. We finish storing our equipment in our inventories and are sitting down when we are attacked during our morning meal. Our attackers are all dressed in black and several either have very high stealth or were invisible as they materialize in the camp striking at the Ride Master and his assistant. Several of the attackers are running at us from the trees as I jump to my feet, draw my sword, and cast a Fire Dart at the bandit stabbing the Ride Master. I channel to double the maximum damage as I send all six darts into the bandits back killing him. I cast Shield on myself as I turn to face the five bandits running toward me. I quickly use inspect on them noting they are all in the low twenties with 300 to 400 health. I see from my combat log I got a 25% bonus as a flanking attack for the bandit I killed, but even so they are squishier than I expected.

Focusing on casting an Ice Storm I center it on the five bandits channeling double the maximum damage, which hits them all for 150 points of damage. I immediately hit them with another spell and one drops dead with the others badly injured as they desperately engage us. I knock one sword aside and take another in the side counting on my Shield to absorb the damage. I charge another bandit, slamming him into the ground while releasing a flurry of fire darts into the two opponents still standing in front of me, killing them both. Nora is fighting defensively as at level ten she is no match for her opponent. I ignore the one on the ground as I turn and stab Nora’s assailant in the back getting a flanking bonus. Turning to face me is a fatal mistake, since Nora takes this opportunity to finish him with another stab to the back.

Nora yells. “Behind you!!!”, just as I feel my Shield spell collapse and a dagger sinks into my back. Luckily my Shield and armor absorb most of the blow as I turn sweeping my blade into the last bandit, which he deflects with a pair of daggers. He uses a skill as he blurs and tries to take me through the heart with his dagger, but I manage to Parry the blow as his eyes widen in shock. I unleash a channeled lightning bolt into his chest which knocks him back ten feet slamming him into a tree. I receive a notification of another kill, which means I can safely turn my back on him this time. I see several riders are down, either dead or badly injured. I summon fire darts to take down an injured bandit about to drive his dagger into a rider.

I repeat the cast two more times taking down two more bandits when a lightning bolt strikes me through a failed Parry attempt. It takes a chunk out of my health as three bandits’ approach. I inspect them seeing one level thirty-three mage, and two level thirty-one warriors. I cast a shield as I stand in front of Nora, which absorbs most of the Fireball that hits me. A Channel doubles the maxim damage of the next set of fire darts I fire at him. His own shield, which is a much more powerful version of mine absorbs 100 points of damage before failing.

The mage curses, “Kill him!”

The two warriors break into a sprint. I use party chat to tell Nora to help the others and she doesn’t hesitate as she sprints to help the ride master deal with his two assailants.

I wait until the Warriors are almost to me when I shadow step three times to put me behind the Mage and cast Concealing Mists, which envelopes us both. Entering Stealth, I use the Conceal on my cloak. The Mage instantly blows the mists away with some type of dispel but doesn’t notice me concealed right behind him as he turns in a circle. He turns back to Warriors as he signals them to return to his side. As he turns away from me I focus another set of darts into his back getting a bonus for attacking from stealth. His shield absorbs another 100 points, but this time he screams as he collapses dead. I can’t help grinning as the two Warrior sprint again. When they get close I cast concealing mists, which envelopes us all.

I quickly attack with bursts of fire darts, which briefly light up the cloud before entering stealth. The same Warrior is hit again and again. They finally give up and start running, but I summon a wall of earth using my Earth Shaping to trip them. I cast two more groups of fire darts into the injured warrior killing him before the other scrambles up off the ground running without looking back. I let him go as my mana is seriously depleted. I walk out of the Mists and find we have 7 dead riders and all the others are injured including Nora who is cradling her arm. I cast minor heal on her and then the others, so no one is in danger of dying. It takes us two hours to gather up all the extra gear of both the bandits and our fallen riders. The riders will respawn in town and the Riders Guild will hold their equipment until they can collect it. The bandits gear will be sold and the money will be split among the riders.

Everyone is very impressed with my skill and I catch several speculative glances as we saddle up after having to calm down the Taraven. They are very excited by all the blood. With just the five riders left the rest of the trip is a pain. Luckily the Master Rider Hank is still with us and can control the Alpha, otherwise I don’t know how we would make it. We stopped at pond fed by a small stream, to water the animals during lunch, but we are all on edge and can’t really relax. We continue riding until about an hour before sunset when we come upon the city suddenly as we round a bend in the road. Everyone visibly relaxes as the city walls come into sight. We ride up to the pens that are setup to the right of the gates for the Taraven. There is a group of handlers already there who go from happy to worried as they take in how few we are.

After talking to the handlers for several minutes Hank and Sam walk over to the other rider Jacob paying him and saying a few words before he nods and heads into the city. Nora and I wait patiently as they make their way to us.

“I have your pay here.” Hank says as he hands me a small bag. “You will be getting a bonus with the sale of the bandit equipment and for doing such a good job fighting off the bandits, but I will need to talk to the local Guild leaders before I can do that. Here is a token for each of you for a one week stay in the Golden Taraven, which is a Tavern the Guild owns. It will cover meals, a room for each of you, and access to the bathhouse.”

“Thanks.” I say.

“No thank you. We would have been killed if not for you being there, which would have meant losing the whole herd. I know you wanted to travel on for the Capital and there is a caravan leaving in three days that I am sure I can get you work on if you are interested. Feel free to ask around to get other options of course.”

“A very generous offer to non-Guild member Master Rider. We will retire to the Tavern and be spending time in town before making any decision.” Nora says bowing. I copy her bow. Apparently, the offer is a bigger deal than I thought.

Hank just nods to us as Nora turns to the gate and I hurry up to follow her. As we approach the gate I ask in party chat.

George: Why was his offer such a big deal?

Nora: Guild members should treat non-Guild member fairly, but no more than that. Our share of the profits and a bonus for the fighting would be typical, but then offering to get us on the caravan would require a recommendation from the Guild, which means they are willing to put their reputation on the line for us. That is very rare, since we are not Guild members.

George: I see, thanks.

Nora: Lets go to the Tavern and get a bath and food. I want to change into some clean clothes, everything I own smells like Taraven.

George: Do you know where the Tavern is?

Nora: We both do, when he gave us the tokens your map updated with its location if you look.

After I finish blushing and Nora wipes the mischievous smile from her face we walk to the Tavern, which is close to the gate and has a large attached stable. The Tavern has a large common room laid out with stout oak tables that seat six to a table. A few groups have joined tables for larger parties and the noise of numerous conversations wash over us when we enter. A man approaches us as we enter.

“Greetings, I am Patrick owner of this fine Tavern. What can I do for you today?”

I gesture for Nora to go ahead as she is much smoother chatting people up. She shows our tokens and says we would like baths, food, and a room with two beds. The last part catches me by surprise, since I thought she would get her own room.

Patrick says. “Of course.” Raising a hand summoning a server to take us to the baths. At the baths we each enter the different doors for the men and women, which is guarded by an Amazon of a women. We drop off our clothes to be laundered and enter the baths. Our party chat still works while we are close, but neither of us is in the mood to talk as we relax in our baths.

After about an hour soaking and nearly falling asleep we, both reluctantly remove ourselves to change into our clean clothes to get some food in the common room. It is still busy, but we get a table near the wall as we are served a platter of a poultry that tasted like chicken that is served with five different sauces. The hottest sauce does one point of damage when I try it, which is crazy. As we eat both of us relax as we checkout out the crowd. There is a mix of people who are in the rider’s guild. They all sport silver pins shaped like a Taraven. Mixed in with them are dwarves, elf, and two lizardmen.

George: We just going to get some sleep after this?

Nora: Yes, that is a good idea. We will want to get up early tomorrow.

George: We doing the dungeon as we discussed?

Nora: We should head there first thing. Before the ambush Hank indicated the dungeon is open to all, but there is a one silver entrance fee.

George: That’s still not bad for what we want to use it for. Since it is an instanced dungeon you said time runs four times faster in there? And we can just use the beginning area to level our skills.

Nora: Yes, the dungeon is only level fifteen and we will get more from it just leveling skills than fighting the monsters within.

I nod and we head up to our room, which is a simple affair. There are two beds, a desk, dresser, mirror, and covered pitcher of water with a basin.

“Why get one room?” I ask.

“It is simple. It shows we are together without being a couple and we trust each other. That will deter trouble.”

“Thanks, makes sense.”

We both get into our beds and I fall into an exhausted sleep right away.