The moon hung high in the sky, its light brightening up the night as Kael approached the outskirts of the town.
He moved though the forest behind the town and arrived at a lit up cave opening below a hill.
—---
Kael had managed to slip into the bandits' cave unnoticed, but now, thirty agonizing minutes later, every nerve in his body screamed for him to get out.
What he had discovered in the lair wasn't just disturbing—it was a something that could change everything.
Plans, weapons, and evidence of deeds that would destroy the peace of this town and possibly the whole kingdom.
The information he now carried wasn't just important, it was disastrous. These weren't ordinary bandits. They were not bandits at all.
Kael's mind raced. He needed to get this to the guards, and he needed to do it now. One wrong move and his discovery, and life would all be lost.
Sensing something Kael crouched low, his eyes scanning the forest ahead. Neo's voice cut through the silence.
"There's movement up ahead. About five bodies patrolling."
Kael nodded, his gaze locking on faint light from torches in the darkness. He adjusted his grip on his blade and crept forward, his steps silent.
The bandits were spread out in a loose perimeter.
They were sloppy, overconfident in their territory and the fear they had placed in the town. Kael used that arrogance against them, moving like a shadow among the trees.
The first bandit was an easy target. He stood alone, leaning lazily against a tree with his torch resting at his feet.
Kael sneaked behind him, one hand covering the man's mouth while the other delivered a precise strike to the back of his head. The bandit slumped silently to the ground.
"One down," Kael whispered.
He dragged the unconscious man into the bushes, hiding him from sight before moving to his next target.
Neo's voice guided him. "Two more on the left. Close together. If you can get one, the other will follow."
Kael nodded, his heart pounding as he approached the pair. They were deep in conversation, their voices low but careless.
"I'm telling you, we don't need to keep raiding this town," one of them muttered. "We've got enough people."
The other scoffed. "And leave them be? Where's the fun in that? We plan on taking over this town."
Kael's jaw tightened, anger flaring in his chest.
A quick strike to the first bandit's neck sent him rolling on the ground, and before the second could react, Kael was on him, delivering a swift blow to his temple.
Neo's voice broke through his thoughts. "You're making progress, but they'll notice soon. Get out of here quickly."
The remaining bandits in the perimeter were taken out just as efficiently, their bodies hidden in the bushes.
But as Kael approached the exit to the bandit camp, the faint sound of raised voices reached his ears. "Where are the men who're supposed to be patrolling here?"
"They've realized something's wrong," Neo warned.
Kael crouched behind a bush, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene.
When he snuck into the bandit's hideout he had avoided this area due to the amount of bandits that were there.
This part of the bandit camp was larger than he had expected, with roughly twenty men moving around a large fire. Tents lined the clearing, and a cage stood at the far end, holding a group of terrified captives.
His stomach churned at the sight. Women and children huddled together, their faces pale and streaked with dirt.
A young girl clutched the bars of the cage, her eyes wide with fear as she watched the bandits.
Kael's grip tightened on his blade. "We have to free them."
Neo's voice was calm but firm. "Rushing in will get you killed. Think, Kael. Use what you have."
Kael took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. The camp was chaotic, with bandits shouting orders and searching the perimeter.
They knew there was an intruder, but they didn't know where or how many they were.
He glanced at the glowing fragments embedded in their weapons and armor. "So many fragments... they're unstable too, aren't they?"
Neo's voice carried a hint of approval. "Very. Fragments are harmony itself. They get corrupted from being exposed to impure people and therefore turn a darker color."
"I think Its safe to say that all fragments here are corrupted. Corrupted fragments create chain reactions when exposed to enough force. If you hit one in the right spot, it could disrupt the entire camp." She added.
Kael nodded, a plan forming in his mind. He would turn their own power against them.
He moved carefully, circling the camp to stay out of sight. He located a tent near the edge of the clearing, its flap slightly open to reveal a stockpile of fragment-powered weapons inside.
"Neo," Kael whispered, "if I smash one of these, what happens?"
"Chaos," Neo replied. "But you'll need to act fast. The blast will attract attention... And you might get caught in the explosion"
Kael slipped into the tent, his heart racing as he examined the weapons. He selected a small gauntlet with a glowing fragment embedded in the back of its palm.
He struck the fragment with his blade, but nothing happened.
He struck it again, and again, each blow making a loud clinking sound. Then with one final hit, a surge of energy rippled outward.
"Run!" Neo barked.
Kael bolted from the tent, the gauntlet's glow intensifying behind him. Moments later, a deafening explosion rocked the camp, sending shockwaves through the cave.
Bandits shouted in confusion, their attention snapping toward the source of the blast. Kael used the chaos to his advantage, darting toward the cage at the far end of the camp.
The lock was simple, and Kael made quick work of it with his blade. The captives stared at him in stunned silence as the gate swung open.
"Run," Kael said urgently. "Get back to the town."
They hesitated for only a moment before scrambling out of the cage, their fear driving them toward the exit of the cave.
The bandits were disoriented but recovering quickly. Kael ducked behind a stack of crates as a pair of them approached, their weapons drawn.
"Find him!" one of them barked. "He's here somewhere!"
Kael held his breath, his mind racing. He couldn't take on the entire camp head-on, not yet. But he could keep them on a wild goose chase.
He grabbed a lantern from the ground and threw it toward the opposite side of the camp. The shattering glass and sudden burst of light from the burning tents drew the bandits' attention, and they rushed toward the noise.
Kael moved swiftly, taking out separated bandits one by one. Each strike was precise, each movement was aimed to knock them out immediately.
The camp descended further into chaos, the remaining bandits, unable to see their surrounding properly and constantly hearing the grunts and thuds of falling soldiers around them, attacked each other in their confusion.
But then, a new voice cut through the noise—a deep, commanding shout that silenced the camp.
"Enough!"
Kael froze, his eyes narrowing as a intimidating figure stepped into the clearing.
The bandit leader was an imposing man, his armor reinforced with fragments that pulsed with a dark, ominous light, the same type of light shone from a fragment on his nape, most likely corrupted.
'Hey, didn't you they can't merge with fragments?' Kael asked.
"They can by consuming it, but it turns then into corrupted," Neo answered. "He is probably resisting the process."
Kael raised a brow, "consuming?"
"You think you can challenge us?" the leader bellowed, his voice dripping with disdain. "You'll regret stepping into my camp."
He spoke, his eyes piercing through the darkness aimed directly at Kael, it was as if he could see him as thought it was daytime.
Kael's fragment flared in his palm, its energy spreading towards his body. He tightened his grip on his blade.
"Let's finish this," Kael muttered, stepping out from the shadows.
The bandit leader's eyes locked on him, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "So, you're the one causing all this trouble. How foolish little man."
The remaining bandits formed a loose circle around Kael, their weapons raised.
Neo's voice was calm. "This won't be easy. But you've faced odds as bad, if not worse."
Kael took a deep breath, his fragment pulsing heavily as a warning.
As the leader raised his weapon, its dark energy crackling in the air, Kael braced himself for the fight of his life.