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"We have to help them!" Kana said, and he was instantly off.
Dwyer called for his brother to stay back, but the little swordfighter was already heading off to deal with the enemies. Sighing, he prepared a healing staff and galloped after him.
One of the axe fighters was caught off guard by Kana's kick, followed by the sword swing. The other turned their attention to him and swung an axe, blood coming off of the swing after cutting through some of his armor. Kana yelped, but Dwyer was there with his healing immediately.
"Be careful." Dwyer scolded, and Kana nodded, sword blocking the next axe swing.
"These two— they must be the ones!" The axe fighter who had been attacked said, coughing from the force of Kana's attack still.
"They didn't tell us one of them was useless in battle!" The one who just attacked said. They licked their lips. Kana backed up, sword at the ready. They prepared their axes—
There was suddenly an arrow in their chests. After a brief moment, the arrows broke and splintered, making the two men cry out in pain. After a moment, they collapsed. From their sides was a girl with dark brown hair, holding a yumi. The apothecary pack on her back identified her as the original victim of the axe fighters' assault, for it was beaten up with scratches. There was a serious look on her face.
Then she smiled, grinning widely. She ran up to the two boys. "Heya! Thanks for helping me out!" Dwyer heard the clatter of a lot of vials shuffling around in the pack of hers. "They attacked me on my way back... Said something about not wanting witnesses? Sounded really bad!"
Sounded like they wanted them? Not like Dwyer knew why, they were just two kids with dead parents... "You're not hurt, right?"
"Nope!" Midori stuck out a thumbs up. "Just my pack, but it should hold up until we get to a town..." She blinked. "Wait, where are you guys going, anyway?"
"The archduke!" Kana said, grinning widely. "Our mama has disappeared, so we're going to ask him if he's seen her!"
"Whoaaaa, you can do that?" Midori gasped. "Can I come with?"
"What?" Dwyer clutched his staff a little tighter. "No, we—"
"Of course you can!" Kana laughed, and Dwyer sighed. "You're the medicine girl, of course we'd want you to come with! Right, Dwyer?"
Dwyer sighed. He really hoped that it would just be a quick trip and back... this was one way to properly know one of the neighbors. "Yeah, I guess so..." He looked down to the girl. "What's your name?"
"I'm Midori!" She winked. "Midori the First!" She giggled, pulling up the straps of her apothecary pack.
It was at that moment that more footsteps were heard. Midori instantly had her hands back on her yumi, staring intently in the direction of the footsteps. Kana stepped back into stance again. Dwyer stared ahead.
There were more fighters, and there were mages.
"There they are!"
"We should probably fight through these guys..." Dwyer said. "I'll back you two up."
Midori nodded, and she nocked an arrow. "I'm on your side!"