The Boss of Bandits

In the days to come, the tractor proved its worth helping the village prepare the fields for planting. Much of the back-breaking labor of trying to plow the fields was gone, giving them a much-needed reprieve.

Life had settled into something resembling a routine. Or at least as much of one as one could have living with a witch and an elvish princess. Kyle would work the fields as he normally did, with Abagail tutoring him on magic and Kari preparing meals with whatever meager ingredients she could find.

Even Blooby was helpful, occasionally creating a small shower of rain overhead to cool him down.

The only stressful part of the arrangement for Kyle was when Abagail and Kari argued. Which happened more often than not. They would argue over the pettiest things, from who went to give Kyle beer while he worked the field to who would sleep in the bed.

Kyle had offered to sleep on the floor and let them each have a spot. Neither approved of the idea. What confused him was that there was plenty enough room for all three if they would cooperate.

Neither seemed to think of the option.

----

In the depths of the forest, Benny curled and uncurled the fingers in his hand. While he hadn’t lost any fingers from having his arm frozen by that witch, the magical nature of the freezing had left his arm with a blue discoloration that showed no signs of fading.

He was barely paying attention to what one of the people they’d sent to look for the escaped elf had said. But when he finally stopped worrying about his arm, what he heard confused him. “A moving metal box on wheels?! Are you for real, York?”

“Aye.” York was the only dwarf in the group. Not to be confused with a human who happened to be a ‘little person’; his unruly orange beard reached down to his waist. “They had a man sitting on it, commanding the thing. It made nary a noise clearing their fields. Never seen the like of it out here in the boonies.”

Benny gave that some thought. “Anywhere you have seen something like it?”

“Some of the bigger cities, they’ll have these mages sell enchanted contraptions that’ll do a man’s work. Not the same as golem, more specialized. They always fetch a pretty penny.”

The peasants have something worth stealing, Benny realized. “I’ll talk to the boss. Tell the boys we might still have that big payday coming.”

The largest tent in the bandit’s camp was easily twelve feet high. Bands of bandits were bound by convenience and a shared disdain for the law. But even they had certain ‘guidelines and rules to follow. And while they had disagreements over the finer details, there was one rule everyone at the camp abided by without question. Do not enter the boss’s tent without permission. It would be the last mistake you made.

Next to the tent’s entrance was a wooden block they were to knock to get the boss’s attention, which Benny did. “Boss, York’s out here claiming one of the locals has something worth going after.”

The sound of scraping and footsteps echoed from inside. After a full minute an armored figure nine feet tall emerged; every inch of their body was covered in metal plating. On their head rested a knight’s helm, two thin slits where the eyes should be staring down at Benny.

The figure’s voice was deep, impossibly so. No one at the camp had ever seen their leader outside of that armor or heard their real voice.

“Speak.”

-----

Kyle had been having an argument with himself for several days running.

In the moments where he was alone with his own thoughts, he considered the ramifications of introducing tractors to this world.

“We’re holding back,” said Peasant Kyle. “We’ve gotta know a bunch of other stuff that could make our lives easier.”

“Have you ever seen the world outside this village?” asked Real Kyle. He was planting seeds into the fields freshly plowed by the tractor.

Peasant Kyle shook his head. “No. Going in to town for our birthday was the first time.”

Real Kyle planted another seed and shuffled to where the next seed should be. “We don’t know how technologically advanced this world is.”

Office Kyle was pacing up and down the field, throwing up his hands. “It doesn’t matter! We’re isekai’d! The whole point is to exploit the knowledge we’ve got!”

That was the argument he’d been having over and over. Kyle admitted that it would’ve been easy to invent a car and drive Kari to the castle. But his life as a peasant had prepared him so little for this that he couldn’t know if this world’s technology was steampunk or something else. What if he’d stumbled into a world of techno-feudalism, where the rich hoarded all the wealth and all of the technology? Maybe he’d get a better idea once he helped the princess.

He was thankful he could sort this out on his own, at least. Abagail and Kari had gone into Turnsit to buy a few things like better quality salt and more comfortable clothes for Kyle.

His self-reflection was interrupted by a cacophony of screaming. Smoke was rising from the village and Kyle could see flames roaring from one of the homes.

Was the Prince already acting on his plans?

Kyle took two steps towards the fire before a blue fist nearly punched him in the nose. He ducked out of the way at the last moment.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the peasant with the ring.” It was the bandit that had stabbed him. His arm had a blue tone to it now. “Name’s Benny. Didn’t think I’d run into you again.” Benny pulled out a familiar-looking knife. “Any last words?”

“Wait your turn.” Kyle pointed his ring at Benny and jerked his hand around, sending him flying off into the distance. Was Benny supposed to be the rival character? He wasn’t even the one who beat Benny before!

Rushing into town, Kyle saw an armored figure way taller than everyone in the village hefting a metal hammer that must’ve weighed a ton. With a single swing, another building was knocked down.

“Bring me the one who created your machine working the fields,” the figure’s voice echoed. “I will take the machine and him. Tell me and I’ll spare your lives.”