Kayl stood at the edge of the camp, surveying the recently completed wooden palisade and guard tower. The simple wooden walls surrounded the clearing like a protective embrace, and the guard tower loomed over it all, offering a clear vantage point of the surrounding forest. The camp was growing, slowly but surely, but there was always a lingering unease in Kayl's gut.
The quiet of the past few days felt unnatural. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen.
He opened the system interface, staring at the dwindling amount of copper in his balance. He had spent much of his earnings on the Militia, the wooden palisade, and the guard tower, leaving him with just enough copper to consider one final purchase.
What else do I need? Kayl thought, scrolling through the system's available purchases.
"Remaining balance: 15 copper."
He needed to be smart about this. The Militia were useful, but they were few in number and poorly equipped. The guard tower gave them vision, but it wasn't enough to handle a full-scale attack. Kayl had to assume the worst—that at some point, they would face an attack far greater than anything they had prepared for.
As he scrolled through the system's list, his eyes landed on a new upgrade that had recently appeared, likely unlocked after constructing the guard tower.
"Trap Blueprints: 10 Copper"
"Construct basic traps to slow or injure enemies. Available types: Pitfall traps, spike traps."
Kayl's heart raced as the idea clicked in his mind. Traps. They didn't require additional manpower, and they could easily turn the tide of a battle if used correctly. He quickly selected the Trap Blueprints, spending the last of his currency.
"Trap Blueprints acquired. Available traps: Pitfall (5 wood), Spike Trap (10 wood, 2 stone)."
The system provided a basic tutorial on how to place the traps, and Kayl got to work. He mapped out key locations where the traps would be most effective—narrow paths in the forest, choke points along the palisade, and just outside the gate, where any attackers would be forced to funnel through.
"Duran," Kayl called as he reviewed the blueprint. "Get the Militia to help me set up traps around the perimeter. If anything happens, I want these in place before we're caught off guard."
Duran approached, frowning. "Traps, huh? Smart. But are we expecting trouble?"
Kayl didn't want to admit how anxious he'd been feeling, but his gut told him that something was coming. "Better safe than sorry."
Duran gave a nod, then headed off to gather the Militia. Together, they began placing the traps—deep pits camouflaged with branches and dirt, sharpened spikes hidden in the underbrush—anything that could give them an edge.
The Bandits' Attack
As the sun began to set, a strange stillness settled over the camp. Kayl stood at the guard tower, his eyes scanning the tree line. The traps were in place, the Militia was on high alert, and the palisade gave them some measure of security.
Then, from the edge of the forest, movement caught his eye.
At first, it was just a few figures—dark shapes slipping between the trees. But as they came closer, Kayl's blood ran cold. Dozens of them. Men and women, ragged and armed, their faces twisted with greed and malice.
Bandits.
Kayl's heart pounded as he saw their numbers. There had to be at least thirty of them—far more than the small handful of Militia he had at his command. The leader of the bandits stepped forward, a tall man with a wicked scar running down the side of his face, holding a curved blade that glinted in the fading light.
"You there!" the bandit leader called out, his voice echoing across the clearing. "This camp belongs to us now. Surrender, and we might let you live."
Kayl's hands gripped the wooden rail of the guard tower. He knew there was no reasoning with them. They outnumbered his forces almost five to one, and with their crude weapons and overwhelming numbers, they could overrun the camp if they managed to breach the walls.
But Kayl wasn't about to let that happen.
"We're not surrendering," Kayl called back, his voice steady. "If you come any closer, we'll defend this camp."
The bandit leader laughed, a low, ugly sound. "You really think your little wooden fence is going to stop us? You're outnumbered, boy."
Kayl said nothing in response, but his mind raced as he planned his next move. I have to fight smart. We don't have the numbers to win outright, but I've set traps. We can use the palisade to our advantage.
He climbed down from the tower and called the Militia to the front gate, where they braced themselves for the coming assault. Duran and Rael took up positions near the guard tower, ready to give orders to the Militia.
"Tessa," Kayl said, turning to her. "We need archers. Can you find anything we can use as makeshift bows?"
Tessa nodded and hurried off, gathering the few bows and arrows they had scavenged from the forest. They weren't much, but it was better than nothing.
The bandit leader waved his hand, and the raiders began to advance.
"Hold the line!" Kayl shouted, his voice steady despite the fear pounding in his chest. "Don't let them through the gates!"
The bandits charged forward, and as they neared the palisade, the first trap was sprung. A group of five raiders ran straight into a pitfall trap, the ground collapsing beneath them. They fell into the deep pit, screaming as they landed hard on the spikes below.
"Good!" Duran shouted from the guard tower. "That'll slow them down!"
But the rest of the bandits pressed on, reaching the wooden palisade. They pounded on the walls with axes and hammers, trying to break through. The Militia fought back fiercely, stabbing through the gaps in the palisade with their swords.
The sound of battle rang through the camp, the clash of steel and the cries of the wounded. Kayl's heart raced as he directed the Militia, keeping a close eye on the bandits' movements.
"They're coming from the north side!" Rael shouted from his post, pointing to a group of bandits that had split off and were trying to breach the wall from another angle.
Kayl cursed under his breath. The bandits were overwhelming them, hitting the palisade from multiple sides. They wouldn't be able to hold the line forever.
Then, an idea struck him.
"The traps!" he yelled. "We need to lure them into the traps!"
Kayl quickly gave orders for the Militia to fall back, allowing the bandits to push further into the camp. The raiders, seeing the retreat, charged in, eager for an easy victory.
But as they passed through the narrow opening in the palisade, they triggered the spike traps. The sharp wooden stakes sprang up from the ground, impaling several bandits as they tried to breach the gate.
Cries of pain echoed through the clearing as the bandits stumbled back, their numbers dwindling.
"Now!" Kayl shouted. "Push them back!"
The Militia surged forward, taking advantage of the bandits' disarray. With renewed energy, they struck at the raiders, cutting them down as they tried to retreat.
Duran led a small group of Militia to flank the remaining bandits, driving them into another set of traps hidden in the underbrush. The bandits, confused and disorganized, fell victim to the carefully laid spikes and pits.
The tide of the battle had shifted. Where the bandits had once seemed overwhelming, they were now scattered and panicked. One by one, they fell, cut down by Militia blades or impaled by the traps that littered the clearing.
Finally, the bandit leader, scar-faced and furious, found himself surrounded. He looked around, realizing too late that he had been outsmarted. Kayl stepped forward, his stone axe in hand.
"This is your last chance," Kayl said, his voice cold. "Leave now, and never come back."
The bandit leader snarled, but he knew when he was beaten. Without another word, he turned and fled into the forest, disappearing into the shadows.
The Aftermath
The camp was eerily quiet in the wake of the battle. The ground was littered with the bodies of the fallen bandits, and the scent of blood hung heavy in the air. Kayl stood at the center of the camp, his heart still racing from the adrenaline of the fight.
"We did it," Rael said, his voice full of disbelief. "We actually won."
Kayl nodded, though his face remained grim. "We won today, but this won't be the last time we're attacked. We need to prepare for more."Kayl stood at the edge of the camp, surveying the recently completed wooden palisade and guard tower. The simple wooden walls surrounded the clearing like a protective embrace, and the guard tower loomed over it all, offering a clear vantage point of the surrounding forest. The camp was growing, slowly but surely, but there was always a lingering unease in Kayl's gut.
The quiet of the past few days felt unnatural. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to happen.
He opened the system interface, staring at the dwindling amount of copper in his balance. He had spent much of his earnings on the Militia, the wooden palisade, and the guard tower, leaving him with just enough copper to consider one final purchase.
What else do I need? Kayl thought, scrolling through the system's available purchases.
"Remaining balance: 15 copper."
He needed to be smart about this. The Militia were useful, but they were few in number and poorly equipped. The guard tower gave them vision, but it wasn't enough to handle a full-scale attack. Kayl had to assume the worst—that at some point, they would face an attack far greater than anything they had prepared for.
As he scrolled through the system's list, his eyes landed on a new upgrade that had recently appeared, likely unlocked after constructing the guard tower.
"Trap Blueprints: 10 Copper"
"Construct basic traps to slow or injure enemies. Available types: Pitfall traps, spike traps."
Kayl's heart raced as the idea clicked in his mind. Traps. They didn't require additional manpower, and they could easily turn the tide of a battle if used correctly. He quickly selected the Trap Blueprints, spending the last of his currency.
"Trap Blueprints acquired. Available traps: Pitfall (5 wood), Spike Trap (10 wood, 2 stone)."
The system provided a basic tutorial on how to place the traps, and Kayl got to work. He mapped out key locations where the traps would be most effective—narrow paths in the forest, choke points along the palisade, and just outside the gate, where any attackers would be forced to funnel through.
"Duran," Kayl called as he reviewed the blueprint. "Get the Militia to help me set up traps around the perimeter. If anything happens, I want these in place before we're caught off guard."
Duran approached, frowning. "Traps, huh? Smart. But are we expecting trouble?"
Kayl didn't want to admit how anxious he'd been feeling, but his gut told him that something was coming. "Better safe than sorry."
Duran gave a nod, then headed off to gather the Militia. Together, they began placing the traps—deep pits camouflaged with branches and dirt, sharpened spikes hidden in the underbrush—anything that could give them an edge.
The Bandits' Attack
As the sun began to set, a strange stillness settled over the camp. Kayl stood at the guard tower, his eyes scanning the tree line. The traps were in place, the Militia was on high alert, and the palisade gave them some measure of security.
Then, from the edge of the forest, movement caught his eye.
At first, it was just a few figures—dark shapes slipping between the trees. But as they came closer, Kayl's blood ran cold. Dozens of them. Men and women, ragged and armed, their faces twisted with greed and malice.
Bandits.
Kayl's heart pounded as he saw their numbers. There had to be at least thirty of them—far more than the small handful of Militia he had at his command. The leader of the bandits stepped forward, a tall man with a wicked scar running down the side of his face, holding a curved blade that glinted in the fading light.
"You there!" the bandit leader called out, his voice echoing across the clearing. "This camp belongs to us now. Surrender, and we might let you live."
Kayl's hands gripped the wooden rail of the guard tower. He knew there was no reasoning with them. They outnumbered his forces almost five to one, and with their crude weapons and overwhelming numbers, they could overrun the camp if they managed to breach the walls.
But Kayl wasn't about to let that happen.
"We're not surrendering," Kayl called back, his voice steady. "If you come any closer, we'll defend this camp."
The bandit leader laughed, a low, ugly sound. "You really think your little wooden fence is going to stop us? You're outnumbered, boy."
Kayl said nothing in response, but his mind raced as he planned his next move. I have to fight smart. We don't have the numbers to win outright, but I've set traps. We can use the palisade to our advantage.
He climbed down from the tower and called the Militia to the front gate, where they braced themselves for the coming assault. Duran and Rael took up positions near the guard tower, ready to give orders to the Militia.
"Tessa," Kayl said, turning to her. "We need archers. Can you find anything we can use as makeshift bows?"
Tessa nodded and hurried off, gathering the few bows and arrows they had scavenged from the forest. They weren't much, but it was better than nothing.
The bandit leader waved his hand, and the raiders began to advance.
"Hold the line!" Kayl shouted, his voice steady despite the fear pounding in his chest. "Don't let them through the gates!"
The bandits charged forward, and as they neared the palisade, the first trap was sprung. A group of five raiders ran straight into a pitfall trap, the ground collapsing beneath them. They fell into the deep pit, screaming as they landed hard on the spikes below.
"Good!" Duran shouted from the guard tower. "That'll slow them down!"
But the rest of the bandits pressed on, reaching the wooden palisade. They pounded on the walls with axes and hammers, trying to break through. The Militia fought back fiercely, stabbing through the gaps in the palisade with their swords.
The sound of battle rang through the camp, the clash of steel and the cries of the wounded. Kayl's heart raced as he directed the Militia, keeping a close eye on the bandits' movements.
"They're coming from the north side!" Rael shouted from his post, pointing to a group of bandits that had split off and were trying to breach the wall from another angle.
Kayl cursed under his breath. The bandits were overwhelming them, hitting the palisade from multiple sides. They wouldn't be able to hold the line forever.
Then, an idea struck him.
"The traps!" he yelled. "We need to lure them into the traps!"
Kayl quickly gave orders for the Militia to fall back, allowing the bandits to push further into the camp. The raiders, seeing the retreat, charged in, eager for an easy victory.
But as they passed through the narrow opening in the palisade, they triggered the spike traps. The sharp wooden stakes sprang up from the ground, impaling several bandits as they tried to breach the gate.
Cries of pain echoed through the clearing as the bandits stumbled back, their numbers dwindling.
"Now!" Kayl shouted. "Push them back!"
The Militia surged forward, taking advantage of the bandits' disarray. With renewed energy, they struck at the raiders, cutting them down as they tried to retreat.
Duran led a small group of Militia to flank the remaining bandits, driving them into another set of traps hidden in the underbrush. The bandits, confused and disorganized, fell victim to the carefully laid spikes and pits.
The tide of the battle had shifted. Where the bandits had once seemed overwhelming, they were now scattered and panicked. One by one, they fell, cut down by Militia blades or impaled by the traps that littered the clearing.
Finally, the bandit leader, scar-faced and furious, found himself surrounded. He looked around, realizing too late that he had been outsmarted. Kayl stepped forward, his stone axe in hand.
"This is your last chance," Kayl said, his voice cold. "Leave now, and never come back."
The bandit leader snarled, but he knew when he was beaten. Without another word, he turned and fled into the forest, disappearing into the shadows.
The Aftermath
The camp was eerily quiet in the wake of the battle. The ground was littered with the bodies of the fallen bandits, and the scent of blood hung heavy in the air. Kayl stood at the center of the camp, his heart still racing from the adrenaline of the fight.
"We did it," Rael said, his voice full of disbelief. "We actually won."
Kayl nodded, though his face remained grim. "We won today, but this won't be the last time we're attacked. We need to prepare for more."