John sneaked out the barracks as almost all the guards where after the kidnappers. And he started going in the direction of the city gate unexpectedly the guards there were left unconscious.
-Luck it's on my side
Then John left the city heading towards the direction of the commotion he was at the north exit there was an another gate in the south but the commotion sounded from east so probably the kidnappers where caught while in the city or they escalated the city walls.
-If they escalated the city walls there would have not been any reason to knock out the guards in the north so probably they alerted the guards mid-city.
John headed to the east city trying to keep a distance from the commotion so that they can't sense him. After a period the commotion started to calm as the kidnappers seems to escape from the guards. John fallowed behind the trails of steps until he heard a some horse galloping ,it were the city guards with Conrad in front they were approaching fast.
-Oh no I need to hide fast they would probably take me back or even worse suspect me as part of the kidnappers.
John looked around and so a big tree with quite high branches and then he quickly climbed. A few moments later the group of guards mounted passed by like wind trying to catch up with the kidnappers. They sped until Conrad gave the signal to stop as they were approaching the bandits territory as expected they were the culprits.
-Retreat we need to report to the Chief.
Dammed bandits count your days we shall eradicate you.
The mounted guards retreated back to city quickly going towards Robert to report the situation. They passed again by John which still in the tree could finally breath out relieved.
He climbed down then headed towards the guards left swiftly , luckily the agitation made by the running kidnappers and the guards galloping made most of the wild animals retreat in the depth of the forest. Even thought the continent is full of mana beast normal wild animals are still present in some corners of the wilds. John got to the point where the guards retreated and continued straight ahead until the trees become sturdier and some faint flames could be seen ahead. After walking another half an hour John could make out the silhouette of some building in a valley surrounded on all sides by hills. He made his way towards and not long after he could see watchtowers fences and armed people patrolling the zone. He observed the situation for around an hour and found out that the patrols were quite lax. They for sure were not expecting anybody coming after them.
-Damn bandits, so you are living leisurely after seeing that no one is coming after you.
John muttered under his breath he then headed to a corner where the number of bandits was pitifully low. Then he sneaked past them into the camp where the bandits seemed to sleep without a care. John explored carefully the camp in search of some cages where his brothers and sisters may be and no long after he could see a entrance trough the hill where two well armed guards were keeping watch.
"There is a high chance that they are kept there" John thought and advanced towards them. But how can he sneak past them it was evident that they were mana practitioner and their keen senses couldn't be fooled that easily. Then only one idea came to his mind "Let's make the things a little chaotic" and with that thought he retreaded and headed towards were a lot of building and materials were kept and using the torches for illumination he started multiple fires then he retread into a secluded corner and observed the situation. No long after that.
-Fire, Fire , the buildings are burning!!
-Fast, bring water!!
-Enemies!!!!
-For sure some insane peasant from the town sneaked here.
-Search everywhere.
As John heard the words he hide himself better in the bushes and planed a route to retreat in case he couldn't approach the entrance. The fire was roaring as he caught some bootless of alcohol and the hay of the horse no long after every bandit was awake fighting the fire. The Bandit chief appeared and roared.
-Bring everybody extinguish this fire fast we can't let months of plundering go to drain.
Next moments twenty bandits left the hill entrance and the guards moved as well
"Now is the moment" John started making his way towards the entrance as most of the bandits were focusing on the fire he got in after some narrow escapes from the bandit's eyes.
An illuminated road was welcoming John and as he advanced he could hear dull pickaxe noises."So that is how it was the bandits were needing people for mining but what are they mining here? Maybe they found a mana vein. If the authority would hear about that they for sure would send a punitive force even some wealthy merchants would send mercenary here. Ha Ha wait and see dregs how I will make your life hell" John advanced nimbly trough the cave and as time passed the pickaxe noises became louder and louder until a great opening could be seen and people in chains could be seen working while bandits where patrolling to make sure that they were working.
John tried to find his siblings but he couldn't see any of them so he advanced again this time more cautiously. As he passed a number a tunnel he could see some cells where people were sleeping and in a corner his little siblings were sleeping. Bruised, dirty and with chains on them it was clear that they were exhausted from overworking. "I need to find the key. Probably the head guard has it or may be stored somewhere" as he was contemplating John heard.
-What are you doing sneaky bastards? How could you escape your chains?
John was caught without a chance of retaliation then chained and beaten badly. After that he was left in a cell almost unconscious. "Damn I almost died, fortunately that bandit confused me for somebody who tried to escape. At least now I can search for the key and find a way to escape with my little siblings. Let me try sleeping for now, a horrendous day is coming."
Back at Town Conrad long reported the situation to Robert which in turn imprisoned Conrad for his insubordination. The happy thing is that they caught two bandits and imprisoned them for interrogation the next morning. Robert's order remained the same and no punitive force was sent after the bandits. The orphanage children woke up and saw that John was nowhere to be seen scared that he may as well been kidnaped they rushed to the nannies. After hearing about John Elisa rushed to Robert.
-Sir Chief please help us, send the guards to save the people we would lose everybody like this.
- Damn child you couldn't wait a little longer , and decided to be a hero
There is nothing I can do sorry to disappoint you but it's your child's fault for doing something outside his power.
-Can you condemn him he couldn't stand losing his family again.
-I'm sorry madam my order remains the same.
Then Robert left leaving a crying Elisa standing without saying another word.
-Sigh, even drinking is hard here what a shitty place I found myself into .