The group of travelers made their way through the densest parts of the forest toward the canyon where the mercenaries had established their base. Leading them was the mistress of these lands, clad in her weather-beaten armor as always.
"Doesn't she ever feel cold?" Grain burrowed deeper into his fur cloak at the sight.
"Well, Hel is quite resistant to the cold; it's in her blood, you might say," replied Ragni, warming herself occasionally with bursts of flame.
"Still, it seems excessive," Ragni continued, trying to fend off the chill.
"Have you not noticed anything else?" Hilda smirked. "Or perhaps you haven't given much thought to why I call her an 'old woman'?"
"No, she might be older than you, but that's quite rude," Grain pondered, assessing the present girls. Hel indeed looked quite young, with no wrinkles or sagging skin. Her muscular physique owed much to her training, and the scars spoke of numerous fierce battles.
"Well, let's see. I suppose around thirty," Grain ventured.
"Hah!" Hel's sardonic laughter caught the mage off guard.
"Not even close? I don't know, maybe a bit older, but I don't mean to offend," Grain said, taken aback.
"Mmm, what a sweet boy," Hel said, approaching the mage closely, her bosom almost in his face. "You seem like an intelligent lad, so don't boast about your achievements when you don't know what others are capable of. I've seen hundreds like you, and sadly, they often meet their end at a young age. Remember, great victories are not achieved by you alone but by all your comrades. They are more valuable than empty pride."
Hel quickened her pace to distance herself slightly from the group.
"She suddenly turned quite serious," Grain noted.
"Well, she's not young, that's for sure. She's over five centuries old, all thanks to her grandfather, who was a white dragon," Ragni revealed.
"What? I must have looked foolish trying to guess her age. She likes spirited young men, but she also knows they often meet a bad end. My father told me that she, like other Thanes, used to lead a band, patrolling the lands and fighting wild beasts and bandits. But after losing so many people in senseless clashes, she decided to isolate herself and avoid getting attached to mortals. Since then, she trained herself to protect her lands alone and have as little contact with other people as possible."
"It must be very sad to live in such solitude for so long," Grain sighed, lowering his head.
"Sometimes, for long-lived beings, loneliness becomes a better companion than any mortal friend," Ragni mused, her own words bringing a touch of melancholy.
"Quiet, we've arrived," Hel announced as she led the group to the edge of the canyon.
Below, a camp was set up, not very substantial, but its inhabitants were unlikely to leave anytime soon.
"Hmm, there are noticeably fewer of them. Maybe around two thousand, whereas half a year ago, there were more," someone observed.
"Probably after the defeat in the Kamiyar lands, not everyone decided to follow Krig further," another voice chimed in.
"But that also means only the most loyal ones remain."
"And how are we going to deal with such a crowd?" Grain scanned the enemy's camp. "I could trigger a landslide, but then we might not have anyone to interrogate."
"No, asking those who stayed is futile; we need to find the one not affected by the curse," Hilda said thoughtfully, stroking her chin. "Lady Hel, do you think Krig might have known about such runes?"
"Well, he was a Thane, a hereditary one at that, so it's quite possible. We just need to somehow separate him from the rest of the squad."
"I wonder what might attract him," Hilda glanced at those present and paused at the triplets. "Do you remember why he was stripped of his title?"
"Yeah, they say he foolishly tried to seduce a dragoness without realizing who she was, and he paid for it with scars all over his face. He attacked her, and his status didn't help him then."
"Heh, last time we saw him, he had a very unfavorable reaction to the appearance of three dragons. Do you think he might harbor certain feelings for them?"
"Perhaps. Fear and hatred might not leave him in peace. I see where you're going, but I doubt he'll just attack a dragon."
"Not a regular one, but what about a couple of small, young ones, alone and defenseless, lost in the forest? That might entice him."
"I won't allow them to be used as bait!" Ragni protected the little ones from the cunningly smiling princess.
"Don't worry; you'll be there to protect them," Hilda bent down to little Asarine. "You'll play the role of a very tired dragon, flying over the camp and then crashing in the forest, but not too close to the camp."
"Mama?" the little one looked fearfully at Ragni.
"Mmm, I don't want to put her in danger. Maybe I should lure him myself?"
"Well, a small white dragon or even a fully grown black one – do you really think he'll dare to attack you?"
"Tsk."
"Don't worry; my comrades and I will take care of Krig's warriors. The main thing is to lead them away from the camp, and the rest you'll have to deal with yourselves."
"Then let's get started."
"Boss, we screwed up this job, didn't we?"
"I know," the barbarian tapped his fingers angrily on his wine cup.
"Half the people have already left, and if we don't find some decent work soon, the rest will go too."
"Yes, damn it, but now we have even bigger problems. Our 'clients' will try to cover their tracks. We just need to wait a little; if a war starts, the demand for mercenaries will skyrocket."
"But what if nothing comes up?"
"It will, don't worry. Once these politicians start fighting each other, it'll be our time to shine."
"And what about the clients? They won't leave any witnesses, will they?"
"We won't do anything for now, and they won't stick their necks out. But if a serious mess starts, accidents will become commonplace," the barbarian grinned and drank from the cup.
"Scraaa!" a roar echoed over the valley.
"A dragon, at this time of the year?" The leader of the thugs quickly climbed up the lookout tower in the camp. "They're supposed to be hibernating."
"Commander, there it is," a scout pointed to the edge of the cliff, a white silhouette unsteadily moving on the rocky slope.
"So tiny, it's quite amusing."
The little dragon noticed the commotion of people and took flight from the cliff, heading into the forest. However, it couldn't fly too far and began to skim the treetops at the canyon's exit.
"He fell about two kilometers to the south, seems weak or sick. What do you suggest?" The mercenaries were perplexed.
"Hmm, the little one wouldn't have come up here for no reason... We should capture it," the leader declared.
"But it's still a dragon," the comrades exchanged wary glances. "Maybe it's not the best idea?"
"Nonsense, it's just a little thing, separated from its parents. It won't be difficult to catch. Don't tell me you're afraid of the law?"
"But, commander... what if its parents come?"
"Then we'll deal with them. They care a lot for their offspring, so we can make them follow our terms with a little intimidation. And even if no one comes for the little one, we can always sell it for a good price," the cruel smile spread across the scarred face. "I'll pay a bonus to whoever brings it back alive."
"You heard the commander!" The crowd roared in unison and headed towards the forest exit.
"We should follow them," a few of the soldiers closest to Krig wanted to join the others.
"No need. Dragons don't just appear out of thin air. I don't like this sudden stroke of luck. Stay in the camp," the barbarian ordered.
"Heh, Asarin did a great job playing the weakened dragon; she must have a talent," Hilda smiled contently as she watched the mercenaries splitting into groups and venturing deeper into the forest.
"Maybe she has some talent, but it's certainly not acting. She's probably already asleep there and dozing peacefully at the edge of the woods," Ragni silently spread her black wings. "I'll take care of the hunters. You all stay ready."
"There are still quite a few of them left," Hilda counted Krig's guards. "Around ten fighters, and they seem formidable. What should we do?"
"Mercenaries don't like it when their leader shows weakness. If you challenge Krig to a duel, he'll have to accept your conditions," Hel rose up and brushed off the snow from her shoulders. "I'll help detain his mercenaries. Hopefully, you can handle it without me."
The Thane swiftly took off and dashed down the rocky slope towards the forest. Her agile jumps on the stones and fur-lined boots prevented her from slipping. In the pre-dawn haze, she could be mistaken for a large predator pursuing its prey.
The dragoness took off after her, and soon her black silhouette vanished into the sky. The little dragons smiled and followed, hoping to protect their sister.
"Now it's our turn," Grain gathered the remaining girls around him and stomped the ground. With his earth magic, the stones began to crack and roll down the slope, creating a passage that separated the camp from the forest. "Hold on to me."
The mage focused on a large boulder and skillfully started guiding it down the landslide.
"He must be close now; get ready with the net," the mercenaries quietly approached the slumbering dragon. "Looks like he fell asleep. If we're lucky, it will be a piece of cake."
The first group of ten fighters reached the forest edge within half an hour, but they heard the rumble of falling rocks from behind. "Is that from the camp?"
A dust cloud made the mercenaries pause.
"To hell with the dragon, let's go back," one of them said.
"I don't think so," a powerful strike knocked out the first fighter. A massive figure in fur armor lunged at the enemies.
The mercenaries tried to wound the swift opponent, but she skillfully evaded their attacks and fought them barehanded. It took her just a couple of minutes to scatter the group.
"Phew... it's good they split up. You don't have to kill them, just delay them as long as possible," the thane's words were only heeded by the glinting eyes of wild animals lurking in the bushes. "It's time to start the hunt."
Following Hel, a pack of giant wolves rushed through the forest, the true owners of this territory.
"Hmm, I was wondering why such luck suddenly fell on my head," Krig casually looked at the children who had come to his camp. "Princess Hilda, have you come to honor me with your presence?"
"Hmph," Hilda frowned disapprovingly but tried to maintain composure. "I have several very serious questions for you, Krig."
"Hmm, as you wish, but don't forget that I no longer obey your father and don't have to answer to you."
Helen reached for her sword, but the Valkyrie stopped her.
"Not now," Hilda whispered to the girl and continued, "You've been sitting here for quite some time, haven't you? Can you tell me what you recently received a hefty payment for? You wouldn't deny it, would you?"
"Yes, we were fortunate enough to come across a wealthy employer, so we may soon leave this place," Krig replied, taking a sip from his cup and smirking brazenly.
"He's lying," Helen hissed angrily.
"That's true, but he's still alive," Hilda chuckled. "That means the spell doesn't work on him."
"Oh, I didn't even think about that."
"Krig, do you know anything about a rare poison that can only be found in these lands?"
"Well, it's not that rare; you can get it in Verania too."
"Hmm, have you ever been interested in it?"
"Well, yeah, we traded it a bit during hard times."
"I have a feeling you're lying," Hilda slowly drew a battle axe from behind her back. "I'd like you to accompany us to a certain event."
"I'm afraid I'm not interested," following Krig's command, the remaining warriors in the camp began to surround the visitors.
"We'll deal with them, Hilda," Asura unsheathed her sword.
"I must repay him for my mother," Helen drew her sword from behind her back and charged at the enemy.
"Grain, help," Hilda rushed after her, and the leader of the mercenaries disappeared into his tent.
The Earth mage raised a rock and blocked the entrance as soon as the girls rushed inside.
"I hope they can handle it," Hilda said.
"I hope we can handle this too," Reines turned her hands into clawed paws.
The three of them stood against ten of the clan's finest warriors.
"Hmm-hmm, where was the guard looking?" Krig looked disdainfully at the guests who intruded into his tent. "Well, well, Princess, did your daddy suffer a lot? I know this poison isn't pleasant."
"Do you admit your guilt?" Hilda tightened her grip on the axe handle.
"Haha, and why not, if I have the chance to fulfill at least part of the contract," the barbarian picked up his sword from the stand, a long one with a single-edged curved blade, more suitable for tearing apart the enemy's flesh rather than cutting. This was his favorite weapon.
"And apparently, the spell didn't work on you."
"Oh, those scribbles? You see, it's not my habit to take all sorts of rubbish in my hands."
"You... knew about the spell?"
"Of course! Do you think I could've survived as a thane if I were just a dumb clod? Do you think my family came up with these runes?"
"You knew about it, and still gave your people this gold?"
"Why not? It's very convenient. Once, my family received many orders precisely because we knew how to keep our mouths shut in this way. But then those slimes from Leran came up with a way to make it even more foolproof. The spell kills you if you try to tell someone who doesn't know about it about the murder. So, you can report the murder to the client without fearing for your life. But they started secretly leading beggars to meet the killer to silence them forever. I had to abandon that method."
"So, you enchanted the coins yourself? To protect yourself?"
"No, but I'm not the only one who knows about this method."
"We're just wasting time with him," Helen prepared for an attack. "If necessary, we'll take him by force."
"Well, go ahead and try," Krig smirked and stepped out through the back wall of the tent.