Chapter 28 — The Braided Silver Hair kitsune & Blond Rabbit Demi-Human

The kitsune girl's silver hair gleams in the dim light of the forest clearing, tied up in a braided style that frames her sharp features. Her eyes flash with determination as she grips her sword with an air of confidence. Her kimono, in a deep black hue, is accented with subtle fox patterns in a rich silver hue that matches her braids. The fabric drapes around her, its loose sleeves tied up close to her arms to grant greater ease of movement. She twirls the sword effortlessly as she surveys the four bandits.
"Ace!" A strange girl calls out, sensing a disturbance behind her as one of the bandits attempts to sneak up on her. With quick reflexes, she swings her staff, activating her fire elemental magic. 
Taking advantage of her elemental magic, she speaks, her voice firm and commanding, "By the Auroral Energy of the fire elemental plane, I call upon its flames to ignite!"
As she speaks, flames begin to dance at the tip of her staff, building in intensity as they draw from the surrounding magical energy. Finally, with a swift movement, she thrusts the staff forward, releasing a powerful fire blast towards the bandits.
The fire blast erupts from her staff, scorching the air with its intense heat. The bandits are taken aback by the force of the fire attack, their eyes widening in surprise as they scramble to avoid the inferno. Some of the bandits can dodge the blast, but others aren't so lucky, their clothing catching fire and causing them to yell in pain as they try to extinguish the flames.
Ace, the kitsune looks over her shoulder before smiling faintly as she nods her head. "You're a lifesaver, Maya."Maya's rabbit ears twitch alertly. "You're welcome, sis!" she chirps, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she deftly twirls her staff with a flourish.
Ace moves like a silver shadow, her braided hair flicking as she pivots between bandits. Her sword hums with precision, each strike calculated, each kill silent.
"Pathetic." She flicks blood from her blade after the first bandit collapses. "You thought numbers would save you?" 
Ace sidesteps the second attacker’s wild swing and buries her sword in his ribs without breaking stride. 
"Foolish. Dhaangøs really are the most atrocious creatures.
By the time Maya finishes roasting one mid-air with a fire blast, Ace is already standing over the last bandit — her blade at his throat before he can blink.
The last bandit stumbles back, his knees hitting the dirt as Ace's blade flashes. The forest falls eerily silent save for ragged breaths and the metallic drip of blood from steel.
"W-Wait—!" The bandit scrambles backward on all fours, voice cracking like dry twigs. "I-I surrender! I’ll talk! Just don’t kill me!"
Ace steps forward, her silver braid swaying as she tilts her head slightly—not out of mercy, but calculation. Her sword rests lightly against her shoulder now; its edge is still hungry despite being clean for now. 
"...Talk fast," she says flatly. "And pray it’s worth my time.
Ace’s blade lowers an inch—just enough to let the bandit speak. Her pink eyes narrow, unblinking. "Names," she commands, voice colder than winter steel. "Who paid you? What were you ordered to take? Furthermore... is it us you're after?!"
The bandit opens his mouth—then chokes. A thin stream of saliva drips from his lips as he clutches at his throat, face turning purple with terror before he collapses in a twitching heap. His pupils are blown wide; death struck him faster than her sword ever could. 
A beat of silence passes as Ace stares down at the corpse... then scoffs softly and wipes her sword clean on its cloak without breaking eye contact with Maya who’s watching nearby. She speaks again when she straightens up.
"...Poison." A flicker crosses her expression—not surprise but something sharper: frustration. "Someone didn't want this information getting out.
With a sigh, Maya walks closer, her ears drooping the tiniest bit as she surveys the scene. "These bandits... I think they might be connected to the knights you mentioned earlier, Ace," she says.
There's a touch of nervousness in her voice. Though she's bright and well spoken, Maya is also a bit of a softie who wears her heart on her sleeve.  "We should be on our guard. If they have allies, this could get messy."
Ace arches an eyebrow at Maya's words, the corner of her mouth tugging up into a hint of a smile. There's a glimmer of amusement in her eyes, though it's hard to tell if it's directed at Maya's nervousness or the situation at hand.
"That's true," she says. "But if they're working together... maybe it'll make hunting them down easier. I prefer a target that isn't hiding in the shadows."
Ace turns to look back at the bandit corpses, her pink eyes glittering with grim approval. The edge of her smile sharpens as she sheaths her sword.
"This was good work, Maya," she says, her voice brisk but not unkind. "You handled yourself well. But next time, try not to be so eager to charge into danger."
Maya flusters a little, her cheeks turning pink as she fidgets with her staff. She mumbles under her breath, but it's clear from the way she glances up at Ace that there's something else on her mind.
"Y-You're right... I-I'll be more careful next time..." Her voice trails off slightly before adding, "...But you always jump in first too..."
Ace barks out a laugh at that, the sound sharp and amused. "That's different."
She turns to face Maya with a playful gleam in her golden eyes. "I'm trained for battle. You're a bookworm with a magic stick."
Maya bristles at that, her cheeks flushing darker as she puffs out her chest defensively. "I am not a bookworm! I just... prefer knowledge over violence, is all. And this magic stick has saved your backside more than once!"
Ace glances up at the evening sky, the setting sun casting long shadows through the trees. She raises an eyebrow and chuckles wryly.
"You know, it's getting late. Your village chief is probably worried that you're staying out past curfew."  
She shrugs. "Might as well burn these bodies before we head back.
Maya nods in agreement, though there's a hint of a pout on her face at the mention of the village chief. She doesn't like being reminded of her curfew, but she knows Ace is right.
"Yeah, you've got a point. Let's get this done quickly."