***WARNING! Violence and blood ahead. ***
Luan left the barn with steps that could not be easily detected by people. He made no sounds as he ran towards the dogs sniffing around in the forest. What Arianell thought of as wolves, were in fact the bloodhounds used in search parties due to their strong sense of smell.
Such a breed wasn't commonly used by the masses, but they were one of the most preferred by nobles during hunting seasons.
He easily climbed the tree and looked around. Even in the dark starless night, his enhanced vision worked well. The group of six or seven men with one hunting hound around held lamps and argued about what they should do next.
"I told you this is a waste of time! How could a little girl get so far from the county!" One of the strangers complained. "Let's return to the main group and tell them there was nothing…"
"Haven't you seen young count Randel's expression? If we return empty-handed, we are as good as dead!" Another one chipped in.
They were the knights belonging to the house of Randels, but their order was just for a show. Every able soldier has left for the battlefield with the count, leaving behind a small number to protect the castle. The rest, like them, were just filled in to not make the force look shabby.
But since yesterday, because of one runaway lady, they were sent out to look for her, not able to take a single rest. They were used to the easy life, where even the training was not taken seriously. They wore armour to flirt with unmarried young women in the city, not to fight. Towards the illegitimate daughter, who made them work all night and day, they only felt resentment.
Luan carefully sat on the sturdy branch and watched them with eagle eyes. He could take them out easily but leaving bodies behind also means leaving traces. As long as they decide to leave the area and stop sniffing around, they will be able to live. Otherwise…
"It's not just us! I doubt other parties have any luck, either! He can't possibly get rid of all of us, right?"
The men grew silent and thought for a moment. They were tired and sleepy, they just wanted to return to the comfortable life that comes with employment.
"I think… There is a farmer's house around here… Should we look there before returning?" One of them suggested.
Luan's eyes glowed dangerously. They just had to choose death.
The knights gathered their swords and prepared to move.
"But… Don't you feel a chill?" One of them asked. "This forest is creeping me out…" He was the most sensible out of the group and he couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched by the predator. A shiver ran down his spine, but he couldn't pinpoint the source.
"You are overthinking… This forest might hide some wild animals, but nothing that can harm us… Besides, we have this useless thing with us, it could at least sense some wolf approaching, right?"
"Woof!" The hound barked painfully, as it was kicked by the knight. The dog stopped in a place and started licking its feet as if it tried to comfort itself from the knights' abusive behaviour. Looking at its flattened ears and tucked tail, one could easily tell that the hound was scared.
But its reluctant behaviour only angered the knights.
"You useless thing! Now, you are even whining?!" The knight took out his sword and mercilessly hit the defenceless canine.
"Woof! Woof!"
"Keep it down, will you? We are in the middle of the forest, stop making a ruckus…" One of the men said annoyed. He just wanted to go back and punishing their hound right now would cause another delay.
"But that useless thing…!"
Before he could finish his sentence, the unknown dark knight descended from the sky like an angel of death. Luan jumped down from his hiding spot and with a move barely visible to naked eyes slashed the abuser on the back, warm blood rushing out and splashing the nearby trees.
"What…"
The other knights were frozen with fear, as they couldn't process the ambush right away, while the hound ran away to hide behind the tree. It was much more sensible than humans and could tell from a single glance, who was the strongest one here.
"You bastard!"
The knights finally returned to their senses, as they took out their swords and surrounded him. They were weak, but still outnumbered the assassin. They were confident to take him out somehow.
Luan sighed inwardly. He should take care of this in 30 seconds and return back to the barn, or Arianell Fiore might be worried. He should also be careful to not get any blood on him, as washing out in the winter was a pain.
"Get him!"
The knights charged at him all at once and the chaos ascended to the forest. Soon, several bodies lay on the ground, while Luan stood in the same place as before.
"One is missing," the knight realized. While his comrades were attacking the black intruder, one of them decided to flee instead. Luan patted the hound's head, as the dog was trembling.
"Go. Don't return to people, who can't even appreciate you…"
"Woof!" The hound barked and ran off deeper into the forest.
"Now, where is the last vermin hiding."
Finding the last person wasn't difficult, as the man couldn't run away fast enough. Luan caught up with him in a matter of seconds. Realizing, that he has nowhere to run, the knight turns back to face him. The sword trembled in his hand, as he tried to not be intimidated.
'How futile,' Luan thought as he watched the slow moves of the person charging at him.
But at that precise moment, the girl with brilliant hair flowing like a silver river entered his field of vision, as she shouted out the warning words with widened eyes.
'What are you doing here? I told you to stay in the barn…' Luan was so surprised that he stopped all his movement and just watched the girl running to them.
His lack of action made her misunderstand, that he couldn't protect himself. And with one powerful hit with her newly acquired frying pan, she hit the attacker on the head, saving the knight in distress.