Chapter 96 - The Enemy's Base
Sifu and I had been on horseback for some time, having passed through a village a day ago where we left my mother and a troop of soldiers to protect the area. The village was two days' ride from the castle, and we had been following tracks while ascending a mountainous region, trying to predict the route the bandits had taken.
Before leaving, I had to convince an irritated phoenix that I was heading out on another mission. Cylla didn't like the idea at all, grumbling and trying to force me to stay, but I eventually managed to persuade her.
At some point, the bandits seemed to have split into two groups, each taking a different direction. We had to choose one of the paths, fearing that the gang might have already moved elsewhere. However, moving fifty horses wasn't easy, and it left considerable tracks.
Thankfully, I could reinforce my body with thunder or wind mana since I'm a Transmitter, allowing me to jump a bit higher. I'd hate to need help mounting a horse just because I'm still a kid.
"Why do you think they attacked the village?" I asked Sifu. "In our territory, we punish those kinds of crimes severely."
We were standing, hidden near the entrance of a trail leading into a forest. There were hoofprints indicating that the ones we were tracking had entered there. Not wanting to take any risks by entering without knowing the area, we decided to check the trail on foot to ensure it was safe.
"It's rare, but it happens," Sifu replied. "Usually, a gang will take the risk every now and then. Because we have zero tolerance for crime, we've created a situation where the locals don't have to deal with violence often. That's a good thing… but it also makes the area fertile ground for bandits who want to cause trouble. It's easier to rob a village in a peaceful place than in one where everyone is used to dealing with such things. Cowards think that way."
Sifu was a bit ahead, unarmed, as his hands were his weapons.
I envy that Aura user…
I held my sword as we moved through the forest, staying off the trail and moving through the underbrush.
"This is a vast forest that would take days to cross, and it's near a protected wilderness area. Few would risk going there and facing the monsters that inhabit the region," he said.
"So there could be a camp nearby?" I asked.
Sifu crouched and whispered, "Or an entire base."
"An entire base?"
"Did you forget that they have fire mages? If there are earth mages among them, they could construct a stone structure to serve as a base in a matter of hours."
I absorbed his words, trying to lock them in my mind. The strategies of war in this world were entirely different from my former home, mainly because of magic. In another reality, a warrior might die of thirst, but here, a mage could create water. The same applied to bases; with an earth mage skilled in engineering, they could build houses or even larger bases in no time.
Magic truly is incredible.
Sifu and I continued to walk, ever vigilant for any movement. I kept my sword in hand at all times, never stowing it away. Relying solely on mana is dangerous, and in a battle against multiple enemies, every drop of mana could be the difference between life and death—especially if we had to face many mages.
Every so often, Sifu would approach the trail to check if there were still tracks, while I kept watch, scanning the area around us.
"They continued deeper into the forest," the monk confirmed, indicating we were still on the right trail.
We walked for a long while until we finally reached the place where the tracks led.
"A base," I murmured, observing the structure ahead.
There was a large stone building that resembled a small fort. We stayed hidden within the forest, circling the area and searching for any signs of life.
"There's no one here…" I commented, finding the silence odd.
"This is strange," Sifu agreed, scanning the surroundings. "There should be at least a few guards patrolling the forest, and there should be some stationed outside."
It was indeed peculiar.
"There were more horse tracks before we entered the forest, which means the groups merged before arriving here. This could be a temporary base, and they might have already left…" Sifu speculated.
We moved closer, still concealed by the trees, continuing to circle the base. There were no lit fires or sounds; the place was completely deserted. As we were about to complete our circle around the base, something even stranger caught our attention.
"A horse…" I said, spotting the lone animal.
"There's just one horse here, but there are tracks from others," Sifu noted.
We exchanged glances and decided to approach cautiously. The only sign of life was that horse, tethered alone.
As we drew closer, we noticed something on the ground.
"Someone cut the ropes that tied the horses, which explains the tracks. Someone freed them," Sifu said, picking up a piece of rope near a stake.
"Could the person who did this still be here, or did they just leave this horse behind?" I asked, keeping my voice low.
Sifu gestured for us to head toward the entrance. We moved silently, with him leading. The place seemed organized, with wooden doors, suggesting it was intended as a semi-permanent base.
We carefully opened one of the doors, and what we saw inside shocked us.
"Blood?" I whispered, staring at the stained walls.
Sifu and I exchanged wary looks, heightening our alertness. The area was covered with blood splatters on the walls and even pools on the floor.
We proceeded cautiously and soon found a body.
"It's been burned," Sifu observed, inspecting the corpse.
"A fire mage," I concluded.
Could a patrol have passed through here?
"Maybe we arrived too late, and a patrol did this," I suggested.
"Or maybe someone wanted to erase evidence," Sifu countered.
I nodded, and we continued to explore the place. What we found was not a sight for the faint of heart. The place was littered with bodies, some missing limbs. Arms were strewn across the floor, and other bodies were charred.
"A squad of fire mages and warriors," Sifu said, examining the carnage.
Someone was very, very angry...