The forest path was narrow, lined with dense undergrowth and twisted trees whose gnarled branches reached out like skeletal fingers. The sun, barely breaking through the thick canopy, cast an eerie light that made everything seem more ominous. Kael rode at the front of the group, his eyes scanning the trail ahead, every sense alert to the dangers lurking in the shadows.
Behind him, the rest of the party followed in tense silence. Lyra rode beside him, her face grim as she clutched her staff tightly. Borin, always a hulking presence, was at the rear, his heavy axe slung across his back. Seraphina and Thorian rode in the middle, their eyes flicking nervously between the trees. Despite their victory in securing the Eternal Flame, something didn't feel right. The air was thick with tension, and the uneasy alliance between the factions only added to the growing sense of dread.
"I don't like this," Lyra muttered, her voice low. "It feels too quiet."
Kael nodded in agreement, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. "Stay sharp. We're not far from the meeting point, but we can't trust anyone right now."
Their mission was supposed to be a simple one—meet with a group of soldiers from Redcliffe, one of their remaining allies, and escort them back to the main camp. But Kael had learned to trust his instincts, and right now, everything was telling him that they were walking into a trap.
Seraphina urged her horse forward until she was riding alongside Kael. "The scouts haven't reported anything unusual, but that doesn't mean we're safe."
Kael nodded, his jaw clenched. "Keep your eyes open. If anything happens—"
Before he could finish his sentence, the world around them erupted into chaos.
A volley of arrows shot from the trees, whistling through the air before slamming into their ranks. Kael reacted instantly, drawing his sword and shouting for the others to take cover. Lyra raised her staff, casting a shimmering barrier around them just in time to deflect a second wave of arrows.
"Ambush!" Borin roared, his voice thundering through the forest as he unslung his axe and charged toward the trees, ready to meet their attackers head-on.
Kael's heart raced as he scanned the forest, trying to pinpoint where the ambushers were hiding. From the corner of his eye, he saw movement—a flash of armor, the glint of a blade in the shadows. Their enemies were well-hidden, using the dense undergrowth to their advantage.
"We need to find cover!" Kael shouted, urging his horse forward as he parried another arrow aimed at his chest. "Seraphina, Thorian—fall back and regroup!"
Seraphina quickly dismounted, drawing her twin blades as she moved to flank the attackers. Thorian followed suit, his hammer at the ready, his stout dwarven form moving with surprising speed for someone of his size.
Lyra, still holding the barrier, gritted her teeth as the force of another wave of arrows hit the magical shield. "I can't hold this much longer!" she yelled, her face pale from the effort.
Kael knew they were outnumbered and outmaneuvered. They needed to turn the tide, fast. "Borin!" he called, spotting the dwarf hacking through the trees in search of their enemies. "We need to break their lines. Find their leader!"
Borin gave a fierce grin, his axe swinging in a deadly arc as he charged deeper into the forest. "I'm on it!"
Kael spurred his horse toward a nearby cluster of boulders, motioning for Lyra to follow. "Get behind those rocks! You'll be safer there."
As they reached the boulders, Lyra dropped the barrier, her strength nearly spent. "There's too many of them," she panted. "We need to get out of here."
Kael shook his head. "We're not running. Not yet. We need to figure out who's behind this."
A sudden crash from the trees drew Kael's attention. Borin had found one of their attackers, a heavily armored soldier wielding a sword. The two clashed with brutal force, Borin's axe smashing against the man's shield as they fought.
Kael moved to help, but before he could reach them, more soldiers appeared, emerging from the trees with swords drawn. They wore no insignia, no mark of allegiance, which only confirmed Kael's suspicion—this wasn't an ordinary ambush. These men were mercenaries, hired by someone who wanted the alliance weakened or destroyed.
"Mercenaries," Seraphina hissed as she joined Kael, her blades flashing as she cut down one of the attackers. "Whoever hired them knew we'd be here."
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Which means we've been betrayed."
The word hung heavy in the air as the battle raged around them. Someone from within their own ranks had given away their position, orchestrating this ambush to weaken the alliance further. But who? And why?
As Kael fought his way through the attackers, cutting down anyone who came near, he couldn't shake the gnawing feeling in his gut. The betrayal they had feared was no longer a distant possibility—it was happening right in front of them.
"Fall back!" Kael shouted over the din of battle. "We need to regroup and get out of here!"
Lyra, Seraphina, and Thorian began to pull back, their movements swift and calculated as they fought their way toward the boulders. Borin, still locked in combat with the mercenary leader, showed no sign of retreat.
"Borin, fall back!" Kael shouted again, but the dwarf only grunted in response, too focused on his opponent to hear him.
Kael cursed under his breath and charged toward Borin, slashing at the mercenaries that stood in his way. He wasn't about to leave his friend behind.
With one final swing of his axe, Borin knocked the leader to the ground, his chest heaving as he turned to face Kael. "I had him!"
Kael shook his head, motioning toward the mercenaries still advancing. "This isn't the time. We need to go, now."
Reluctantly, Borin followed, his axe dripping with blood as they made their way back to the others. As they reached the boulders, Kael glanced over his shoulder, expecting more arrows to rain down on them—but the forest had gone eerily quiet.
"They're pulling back," Lyra said, her voice tense.
Kael frowned. "Why?"
"They've done enough damage," Seraphina muttered. "They didn't need to kill us all—just weaken us."
Kael's eyes scanned the trees, but their attackers were gone, disappearing as quickly as they had appeared. Whoever had hired them didn't want to wipe out the alliance—just shatter it.
And it was working.
"We need to get back to camp," Kael said, sheathing his sword. "This ambush was just the beginning. The real betrayal is still to come."