Today's #flashfiction The Bandit Wizard

“You can't teach an old dog new tricks”

Ivan Pavlov* #quote

Today I figured I'd read a reed that was red and read before. Anyway onto the flash fiction!

The Bandit Wizard

           The wanted wizard's beard didn't have the white color stereotypical of most spell crafting men. They only managed to grow the long, white beards after many years of training and old age. I chased a man with a only the modest, black beard of a middle-aged man. Though despite the fact he didn't reach the age of an elder caster my target managed to stir up a great deal of trouble. The Unified Wizard's Guild placed a huge bounty on bringing him in, and one I intended to take.

           The papers named him “The Bandit Wizard”. Thousands of criminal wizards stole all across the world, but “The Bandit Wizard”, true name Keith Garreth, managed to create a quick, able-bodied force of bandits. He struck in many places in many lands and avoided staying in one place long. Keith hit targets of opportunity, even if a large target passed, if it had too many guards he didn't strike it. He hid deep in the wilderness where a coordinated search with large parties to find him would be very difficult to organize and maintain. Even with all my years of experience it took me an incredibly long time to find him.

          When I looked at him I could tell though, despite all the strategy and hiding he was an arrogant man who thought he was smarter than everyone else. A truly cautious and humble man wouldn't dress like a wizard, so along with the beard I saw him in expensive, blue, silk robes while waving around a golden wand. His loot must have given him the ability to decorate himself thoroughly, as he also wore expensive, gaudy rings. Keith Garreth announced himself to anyone that could get near enough. Like he challenged the world and expected no one to best him.

          I next took a look at all his troops. Twenty in all. I noticed they wore expensive items too. Seems he spread the wealth quite well to keep a loyal set of minions, though I really doubt that he actually cared for them. Did any of them catch on? Two men with enchantments to increase their ability to see and perceive appeared to be scanning the wilderness. If I possessed lesser magic then I would have been spotted. All of them carried swords with mild durability enchantments attached to them. From this I gathered “The Bandit Wizard” might have very weak magic, but to underestimate my foe could lead to danger.

          “Keith Garreth and his accomplices in all criminal activities! The Unified Wizard's Guild has placed a warrant for your arrest. I, Ranel Teth, have been legally empowered by The Unified Wizard's Guild to bring you in. I have also been legally empowered by The Unified Wizard's Guild to use force to bring you if necessary!” I yelled loudly from my cover. I hated how I had to say that to every criminal. My job would by a lot easier if I didn't have to say that before even touching anyone.

           The Bandit Wizard yelled in response, “Men, ready your weapons and look everywhere! Find the bounty hunters then kill them all!” He made quite the mistake, I operated alone. No one worked with me. I couldn't work with someone if I tried. I decided to show them this with my first attack.

          I jumped at four men who searched the bushes nearby for me and slammed them with my barbed tail. Because my demon species are meant to torture humans our poison doesn't kill, but it does hurt and temporarily paralyze and these poor saps didn't wear armor. Sixteen bandits and one “Bandit Wizard” left. I pulled some smoke bombs from my yellow dragon-skin jacket and threw them in the middle of their camp. Since I moved so quickly all my concealment enchantments wore off.

          “What's going on?” one of the bandits asked in a loud, confused yelp.

          “Is it night already?” another added, more casual and oblivious. He must have been the dumb one in the group.

           The remaining sixteen bandit thugs swung widly at the smoke around them. I heard a yell. One grazed another with their sword. Not lethal damage, but enough to make the whole group paranoid. I quickly hit another four with my tail.

           Wind cut through the whole camp. The harsh gust blew away all my smoke with perfect precision. Garreth held his wand up high in one hand and a spell book in another.

            I first saw a proud face on the man. He enjoyed finding a solution to his smoke problem. But when he looked at me it turned to one of shock, “A demon? You're the bounty hunter?” One of the many reactions I get, I'm used to it. And it's impossible to hide. Along with my barbed tail, my red skin, four horns and multicolor eyes tend to give it away.

           I nodded. “Yes, and I've been legally empowered by The Unified Wizard's Guild to take you in. I've already taken out eight of your men. Please come along peacefully.”

            The Bandit Wizard laughed a smug laugh, like when an adult laughs at a child. “Lucky you. I don't know why a demon is hunting bounties, but you're easy enough to take care of. I'll send you right back to where you came from. Men, stall him, I need to find the right spell, stall him.”

            The remaining bandits rushed me. Their leader must have put some confidence for them to throw themselves at me after I already took out eight of them. I carried no weapons on me. My tail was my greatest weapon and by not having manufactured weapons like swords or daggers I could pass by checkpoints in lands much quicker. I threw another smoke bomb. I swung my tail freely while the bandits hesitated to attack. No wind came to blow away the smoke. I realized my fears. The Bandit Wizard was focusing on finding something in his book to take care of me permanently at the cost of his men being damaged. I fought hard and quickly and managed to take care of all the subordinates of Garreth.

               The Bandit Wizard smiled when I dashed at him. He had his wand on some spell in his book. Whatever he wanted to find in the tome he did. “This is where you leave this world forever! By the names of Xan and Xon I bind thee demon of four horns to the realm where you were born, never to travel to another plane of existence!”

             His wand shot a blast of lighting at me, or at least strange magic in the form of lighting, but nothing happened. It didn't hurt, and I didn't go anywhere. I then charged at him and hit him with my tail.

             The Bandit Wizard yelled, “No! You should be gone! Back to the dark, horrible, place where you were born!”

               I laughed then said to him, “Ah, I understand now. You poor criminal. A demon doesn't have to be born in Hell you know. I'm a mortal plane native, that's why I live a life of catching criminals instead of torture or soul stealing.”

              Soon I bound all the criminals with the magic chains I carried and contacted the Unified Wizard's Guild. I wondered what thugs I'd bring in next. I'd always wanted to be more official police, but they're pretty discriminatory against demons.