Contact at dawn

Half a day ride later. The sun has already set, revealing a beautiful star lit sky. An impossible sight to see back in the city. Especially the two moons, shining pink and green. 

Despite being able to see in the dark due to the moon light and the bike headlights, Reiji and Elnyra decided to stop and rest for a few hours. That way they would arrive at Tristan, the nearest settlement in the early morning.

Admiring the night sky Elnyra who was hovering besides Reiji spoke up. 

"It's beautiful isn't it? The two moons compliment the night sky well. There are plenty of otherworldly sights that you can't even begin to imagine Reiji."

Without taking my eyes off the night sky, he nodded. Lying on his back looking up at the stars, it was truly breathtaking.

"Back home the night sky is too polluted to see the stars. When I was younger, the sea of stars filled the night sky. It always made me feel connected to the rest of the universe." 

"That's good. It really does fill you with a sense of wonder."

"Thank you Elnyra, I get to experience this new night sky because of you." 

Elnyra paused slightly hearing Reiji thank her, she drifted away slightly before turning around to smile at him. However, Reiji had already drifted off.

"Good night Reiji."

---

"WAKE UP!" 

Those words screamed in his mind, shattering his peaceful sleep like glass. Startled Reiji leapt up passing through the floating body of Elnyra infront of him. 

"What is it?" 

The question didn't need to be answered. He could hear a voice-no, several voices barking in the distance angrily. The clashing of steels followed shortly after, echoed by pained screams. Pandemonium had come to greet him.

"Looks like morning came early." 

Reiji's heart beated slowly in his chest, like the calm before the storm. Soon adrenaline would kick in, setting his heart into high gear, and finally his instincts will kick in. At this point it was almost a automatic ritual before every fight. 

The shouts continue to grow, edging closer by the second.

Cracking his neck and knuckles, Reiji shook his body awake. Hoping on the bike, he began accelerating towards the chaos. The cold wind of dawn slapping him awake. Elnyra flying ahead of him, helping me navigate.

---

"Fan out. Don't let them escape!"  The captain of the bandits barked angrily at his men. 

He was surrounded by his crew, all horse riding. His left hand holding a whip while his other held a crossbow. There were a dozen of them all moving in a well practiced formation. 

Unlike the captain the rest of them held a mix of different single handed melee weapons or crossbow, with a few torches between them. The jangling of multiple chained collars rattling off each horse.

A short distance ahead of them, fleeting shadows of multiple sizes could be seen slipping through the trees. 

A young Beastkin boy with cat like features staggered forwards, blood seeping through his ragged clothes from the arrow in his shoulder. Besides him, an slightly older Elvish girl gritted her teeth as she propped him up against her shoulder.

"Come on now, just a little further. She whispered. "We can't let them catch us again."

Trailing last behind the two was an Elvish boy, clearly the oldest of the trio. "Don't stop Naoh, just a little further and we'll be in range of the village. Let me help you, Wuelle." Pushing the two infront of him.

The trio broke through the thicket, dashing into a open clearing - only to freeze like a deer caught in headlights.

Infront of them stood three bandits, each one brandishing a sword in one hand and a chained collar in the other. "Nowhere to go pointies." The middle one grinned menacingly. "Should've stayed in the cages." 

Naoh screamed as tears streak down his trembling body. The three bandits stepped closer ready to clasp the collar back on to the escapees. 

Then, a roar loud of a beast shook through the forest - a black monstrous figure burst out from the otherside of the clearing. Before the bandits had time to fully turn around to see the source of the noise, the beast was already upon them.

---

Reiji pushed the bike as fast as it could go, shooting through the forest at a suicidal pace. Bursting through the clearing, he saw 6 figures standing on the other side. Three kids surrounded by three adults clearly up to no good. 

Seeing the collars in their hand, a fire was lit in Reiji's eye. Why are there always trashy adults up to no good, he thought to himself.

With out pause, he blitz straight towards them braking the bike at the last second, whipping the closest two flying with the rear wheel. They spiraled through the air crashing into the nearby tree. 

Spinning the bike around Reiji raised the front wheel, slamming the last one squarely in the chest. He crumpled like wet tissue. All of this happening in a mere few seconds.

"Are you alright?" 

Looking at the three victims, Reiji noticed that these young children were mostly fine, except for the cat boy, who was bleeding quite badly from the arrow in his shoulder.

"Wha- who are you?" The elf boy blurted out. He was the only one that managed to speak. The other two were clearly in shock. 

"Introductions can wait. That boy needs treatment, fast. Do you know first aid?" 

"Ye-Yes, I do," The young elf girl stammerd, before pushing the cat boy forward. 

Opening the inventory of the bike, Reiji brought out the silk cloth from the bike and pocket knife. "Here, use this to stop the bleeding first then we can talk." Cutting the silk cloth he then tossed the knife and the makeshift bandage towards the girl.

Snapping back to reality. The two elves brought the young cat boy called Noah, to a nearby tree. Together they removed the bolt stuck in his shoulder, causing Noah to scream in pain. 

Then, the girl began to chant a few words, quickly and quietly. 

"Sanctum Vitae!" 

A bright green light eminated from between her hands. Pressing it against the gaping shoulder wound, within seconds the muscles,and tendons reknit themselves together. 

I couldn't help but whistle at it. 

"So that's a healing spell. Very cool." 

While the spell was being cast, the other elf kept stealing glances back in my direction wary of me and my strange bike. I nodded at him but it only seemed to put him on edge. 

"You really should smile more. Maybe they would be less scared of you and your bike."  Elnyra chidded me.

"I'll  talk to them again once the situation has been dealt with. My instincts tell me it's not over yet."I replied in my head, not wanting to look crazy talking to myself. 

'Looks like pillaging from your temple was a good call after all.'

"Don't you dare justify your actions like that." Elnyra retorted angrily.

---

As if on queue, the rest of the bandits broke through the clearing, intent on chasing the escaped victims. The bandit leader pulled ahead, only to freeze at the sight before them. 

Three of his men lay scattered around the clearing. Twisted and Broken. One of them was even half buried into a tree, with only his legs sticking out. He wasn't sure if they were dead or alive.

Finally, there was the man. A tall silhouette on top of an otherwordly beast. It's hearbeat echoing throughout the forest, it's glowing eyes shining brightly, snarling as it released heat and smoke from it's two tail. 

Riding it was a tall figure, wearing a uniform that was out of this world. His white hair contrasting the black and red outfit. His body slouching over the beast, oozing bloodlust. His sharp face, grinning with wolf like qualities.

"Yo, this your crew?"