Ansel scrambled back from the road, his heart hammering against his ribs. He was galloping on his own horse towards the guards who were moving steadily— he had to double their speed to catch up.
When he finally reached the front, he went a bit forward, towards the middle of the road. The guards halted in their way— a hollow silence filled the air.
He got down from his horse and looked up at the towering figure who quickly made his way towards Ansel.
A hand, encased in a heavy gauntlet, pointed towards him. He seemed like a guard.
"Out of the way, you!" the guard boomed, his voice laced with urgency. "You're in our way," the guard growled. "Move along."
Ansel stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "I-I apologise. I'm just a traveller. On my way to Veralt."
The guard's gaze softened slightly. "If that's the case, then just go there." He glanced behind, turning his head to look at the city's direction. "We guard the city. Just go on and the guards on the gate will let you in."
"Thanks, but I have a question for you," he asked, the guard cocking his head in curiosity. A part of him told him to not bother them, but he wanted to know. "What's going on?" he blurted. "Where are you all headed?"
The guard hesitated, then leaned. "We're heading to the mines. Lord Arzan himself is leading the charge." He puffed out his chest and looked behind. "You should get off of our way. We don't have much time, so just be on your way."
Ansel nodded, yet continued to talk. "I apologise for another question but are you… are you heading to deal with the bandits?"
The guard's eyes narrowed. "Bandits?" he echoed, suspicion creeping into his voice. "How did you know about that?"
Ansel flushed. "I just overheard a merchant group talking. Apparently, it's a famous topic to discuss among them," he said, trying to act casual.
The guard's gaze remained fixed on him for a long, tense moment. Just as Ansel was about to turn and bolt before he could run out of patience, the guard relaxed slightly. "It sure is something those gossip-loving bastards would love to discuss." He muttered.
Seeing an opening, Ansel pressed his luck. "Yes, I was travelling with them and they talked about all sorts of stuff like bored housewives. So… are you heading there? To the bandits, I mean?" He gestured vaguely towards the horses. "If so, can you let me come with you?"
Ansel requested.
A hand, adorned with a simple silver ring, suddenly descended upon the guard's shoulder.
The guard straightened, surprise flickering across his face as he turned to address the newcomer. The imposing figure Ansel had seen in the middle of the guards dismounted from his horse, his armour already giving him hints about his standing.
He was a man of impressive stature. The guard immediately bowed to his presence. Ansel frowned.
"What seems to be the problem here?" the newcomer inquired, his voice surprisingly gentle despite his imposing presence.
The guard, his posture still stiff with respect, explained the situation. "Lord Arzan," he began, inclining his head slightly. "We found this traveller on the road. He seems to be aware of our mission and expressed a desire to… accompany us. I didn't say that it's possible, but it's certainly up to you, my Lord."
The guard took a step back, letting Lord Arzan handle it.
So, that is… Lord Arzan. He looked better than what I heard about him previously.
Ansel, suddenly aware of the man's importance, managed to speak out, "I wouldn't want to be a bother, my lord. Just a simple traveller, heading to Veralt. I heard about the… situation with the bandits, and I, well, I wouldn't mind observing from a safe distance."
Lord Arzan's gaze swept over Ansel, taking in his dusty clothes and worn satchel. Something flickered in his eyes. "Observe, you say?" he rumbled. "This is no sightseeing expedition. These bandits are ruthless men, and this is no place for the faint of heart."
Ansel's mouth moved to counter it as he was certainly no "faint of heart" and could hold off against a few bandits, but Lord Arzan cut him off with a decisive shake of his head.
"No," he declared, his voice firm. "For your own safety, you cannot accompany us. I believe you can find your way to Veralt. The city is good and warm to travellers. Go and do whatever business you have there."
He turned towards the guards, his expression hardening. "We need to move out. If anyone else disturbs the road, let them know the same."
The guards acknowledged the order with a sharp nod, their gazes lingering on Ansel for a moment.
He felt a pang of disappointment as seeing the guards in action would have been a nice sight. It certainly interested him more than seeing the city and finding an inn to stay.
As the riders turned their mounts and thundered away, a cloud of dust swirled to the sky as the horses galloped in a flash.
He watched them go, a strange mix of emotions churning within him. Then, he smiled, pulling out his horse and taking off.
***
The relentless coldness beat down on Kai and his companions as they travelled the vast expanse of grasslands.
Hours had bled into one another since they had left the city gates, the rhythmic pounding of hooves a constant thrumming in their ears.
Sweat beaded on their brows, soaking their armour.
Despite the heat and fatigue, a tense focus hung in the air. Kai, at the head of the formation, scanned the horizon with a practised eye.
Gone were the lush forests and winding roads of the outskirts; here, the land stretched out before them in a sea of tall grasses, rippling gently in the breeze.
Killian rode beside him, his face etched with grim determination. "Any sign of them yet, Lord Arzan?" he rumbled, his voice hoarse from the chill air.
Kai knew he pointed his question at him due to him using [Hawk Eyes] to keep an eye on where they were headed.
He shook his head, his lips pursed in concentration. "Not yet," he replied, his voice low. "But according to the map, the settlement shouldn't be far. I should be able to see it-" He gestured towards a faint smudge on the horizon, barely seeing it due to the distance. "See that? That could be the dust plume from their mining operations. Get down!"
Killian made a noise that halted all the guards in their positions.
If the settlements were close by, it wasn't the most ideal or smart to go to them on horses.
In a swift moment, they were all on their feet while the guards took control of the horses.
Killian looked back and whistled.
The guards bent down slightly after tying them to the trees and started moving in a herd.
"Slowly," Killian said aloud for only the front line to hear, but the rest of the guards took alert.
The anticipation crackled in the air, thick and suffocating. They were nearing their target, and the unknown dangers that lurked within the mines gnawed at their nerves.
Soon, they saw the first sign of the settlement with the towers built like a fortress to not let any monsters close. From the distance, Kai could already spot a few bandits on top of them.
Killian straightened."Are we sure about this plan, Lord Arzan?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Hitting them head-on seems… risky."
A flicker of a smile touched Kai's lips. "Risky, yes," he admitted. "But a surprise is our greatest advantage. If we can overwhelm them quickly, before they have time to react, we can minimise casualties."
Killian pressed close to Kai, his voice a tense whisper. "How do we handle this? Those towers… they'll spot us the second we break cover." His eyes flicked to the rough-hewn settlement, a knot of concern appearing on his face.
Kai knew he had a point. The bandits could easily see from the security post that they were nearing the land they occupied. But he already had a plan to deal with it.
"Don't worry, I know what to do."
They continued to slowly move forward, attempting not to make any big noises in the process. Their training seemed to be very useful as they hid behind trees and made sure there wasn't anything suspicious moving around.
A few minutes passed in silence. The only noise Kai heard was his own heart beating against his ears.
Finally, they reached a clearing, a bowl of open land rimmed by skeletal trees. It was far enough that the bandits couldn't see them.
"I need your best archers. Right now."
Killian nodded and signalled, and a handful of figures melted from the shadows– archers with their bows strung tautly.
They had already discussed the guards' skills they should bring along, and archers were among them. The archers barely took a second to stand in front of Kai.
Perfect, he thought to himself as he saw how ready the five archers were. Their bows were gracefully held in their hands, and they were prepared to release to shoot at an order.
"See them?" Kai asked, pointing at the tower.
Killian squinted, finally making out the dark shapes huddled atop the towers, barely more than smudges against the fading daylight.
"Can you hit them?" Kai asked, his voice low, the question hanging in the air.
A chorus of negatives followed. "Too far, Lord Arzan," one archer muttered, squinting towards the distant towers. "Can't even make out the details, let alone a target that small."
Another chimed in, his voice laced with frustration. "The wind is picking up, my Lord. Long-range shots like that are a gamble at best."
Kai listened patiently, his expression unreadable. Then, a slow smile spread across his face, a glint dancing in his eyes.
"What if I told you where to aim?" he asked. "Not just where, but how high to hold your bow, the exact number of degrees to adjust for the wind… all of it."
Silence spread.
The archers exchanged uncertain glances. This was unorthodox. Targeting wasn't a precise science, it relied on experience and a keen eye. But then there was Lord Arzan's image for them. Kai knew that he wasn't known for recklessness recently, and his spells were unmatched in the minds of the guards.
The guards had started to trust him even more— so this should put all of it to the test.
Finally, one of the archers stepped forward. He looked to be a seasoned veteran with his hair in the process of fading to white and a few wrinkles covering his face. "You sure about this, Lord Arzan?" he rumbled, his voice gruff.
Kai met his gaze unflinchingly. "Positive," he declared with certainty. "But it has to be perfect. One shot, one kill."
The veteran archer studied him for a long moment, then a slow nod followed. "Alright, Lord Arzan," he said, a low determination settling in his voice. "Tell us what you see, and we'll do the rest."