THE BANDIT CAMP OUTSIDE GAESOV TOWN
In the heart of a dense forest, hidden amidst towering ancient trees and overgrown foliage, lies a clandestine bandit camp. This secluded haven serves as a base of operations for a notorious group of outlaws, who have chosen this remote location to conduct their illicit activities beyond the reach of the law.
Approaching the camp, the first thing I noticed was its camouflaged appearance. The bandits have skillfully integrated their encampment with the natural surroundings to avoid detection.
The camp is situated in a small clearing, bordered by thick bushes and tall trees, acting as a natural barrier against prying eyes. The entrance to the camp is marked by a narrow, winding path that leads deeper into the heart of the forest.
Wooden stakes, sharpened to a deadly point, are strategically positioned around the perimeter, serving as both a deterrent and a warning to any unwelcome visitors. Ropes strung between trees create a crude alarm system, ready to alert the bandits to the presence of intruders.
Behind the camp there was a hidden path that wasn't obvious unless I looked for it. The path led deeper into the forest and if I had to guess, this was an escape path for the bandits in case the bandit camp was in danger.
There were thick palisades that surrounded the bandit's camp, and the entrance was blocked by huge gates. My estimation was that there should be at least a hundred and fifty bandits inside the bandit den and even the town's soldier might have difficulty breaching into it.
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"There's nothing that I can do for Grammer and the others", I told myself as I scouted around the perimeters of the bandit camp.
Suddenly, my mind was floating with some strange memories and visions of battles and strategies. The memories of my previous life were released to me again and this time they were the knowledge and tactics of combat against fortified armies.
"Thank you, my memories," I told my recovered memories as I went forward again, but not to rescue Grammer in the bandit camp.
Instead, I made my way to the nearest town, the town that I was supposed to visit initially, Gaesov town.
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Before the bandits came to take Grammer from the lodge I took his map, so I followed the map and soon reached Gaesov town by myself. The trip took me just a few days because I traveled lightly and was unburdened by slow-moving wagons.
Gaesov town was much bigger than Slowan village town but upon closer scrutiny, there wasn't much in this town that wasn't available in Slowan, except there were more shops here selling roughly the same stuff.
I quickly made my way to the town's hall, and I immediately made a report about the bandit kidnapping of Grammer and the merchants.
"Boy what are you doing here in the town's hall?" a man, a clerk of the town hall asked me suddenly when I walked into the almost empty place.
There wasn't much business being conducted in this town hall and soon I realized the reason.
"There are bandits outside Gaesov town who kidnapped the merchant caravan who took us here", I told the clerk at the office.
"You should consider yourself fortunate and leave this town soon", the clerk told me without taking my report.
In fact, he wanted me to leave the town hall because I was interrupting his afternoon nap.
"We need to dispatch soldiers to crush the bandit town, I have the location of the camp recorded", I reported to him.
"Yeah, yeah, we are on it", he replied to me.
"What do you mean you are on it? You are not even taking my report", I asked him.
"Can't you see we have the bounty notice posted on the notice board. The bandit camp you mentioned is already on notice and there is a high bounty for their capture", he replied to me grudgingly.
"Did anybody take on the job? I can give them the location to the bandit camp?" I asked him.
"Nope, no takers yet and stop bothering me kid, we are doing official business here", he told me before disappearing back into wherever he came out from.
"Damnit, the town is not taking up against the bandits", I complained to myself.
Then something came to my mind.
"If I were to save Grammer then I had to take matters into my own hands", I replied to myself.
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So, I bought some supplies with the money I took from Grammer before he was kidnapped and prepared to rescue Grammer and the merchants.
"I guess Grammer won't mind if I took his cash since he would be robbed by the bandits anyway", I told myself for stealing Grammer's money.
After some resupplies, I returned to the bandit's camp following the markings and trails that I left in the forest, and I scouted all around the camp before I came up with a rescue plan.
There was a dark and infrequently guarded post along the camp's palisade which was near a tall tree with branches that fell into the camp. The tree allowed me to climb into the camp undetected with the help of casting my magical vines and there were no guards manning this part of the walls.
In this way, I went in and out of the camp several times secretly as I planned my rescue operation.
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Suddenly during the middle of the night, the forest outside the bandit camp was lit up with several dozen fires.
"Wee woo wee woo"
The bandits sounded an alarm as soldiers appeared to have surrounded their camp in the middle of the night.
"Prepare the men to man the walls and fight", the Bandit Boss told his men.
"Sorry sir most of our men couldn't wake up", a bandit replied to his boss.
"What happened? This is not supposed to happen, nobody ever cares about our activities in this region" the Boss demanded an answer as he panicked.
"Could it be guards from Gaesov town or bounty hunters?" the bandit asked the boss.
"The town guards are useless, but bounty hunters are difficult to say", the Boss said to his bandit.