Elleon's Journal: Day 7

Elleon has wrapped up his journal entries for Day 7 and we've posted them below. Be sure to follow @Elleon_TERA on Twitter to continue the adventure!
Day 7:

Morning dawns clear and bright. We should reach the coast by nightfall. I can see the coastal foothills on the horizon. Did the road surveyors follow a cow as it wandered through these hills? We make good time along the road, but are we getting anywhere?

A dozen silhouetted travelers on the ridge above us. They're the first people we've seen since we started winding through the foothills. The other group doesn't answer our hails. They must be on the other side of the ridge. Sure looked like they were heading toward us, though.

Arrows! Those "travelers" were bandits! The guards yell at us to dismount and huddle near the wagons. Then they charge up through the brush. I draw my sword when I reach the wagon, trying to ignore how awkward it feels in my hand. Enithus starts shooting fireballs into the bushes. Lots of shouts uphill. I look around and see my people. No bandits, no guards. The laborers start passing out pickaxes. Then we wait. The guards come back, and it's over. Guess we're more trouble than we're worth. Enithus puts out the brushfires he started, then we're off.

A decade ago, bandits inside our borders would be unthinkable. Now it's so commonplace that the guards just shrug when I ask if we're safe. The guards tell me that the bandits ran off as soon as the swords came out. With the army at the front, there's no one to chase them. We travel only a little further, then set up camp early. Everyone's nervous. Enithus apologizes for the fires--in a non-apology sort of way.