The final pre-bash briefing for the team took place in a secluded little clearing deep into the woods. Gwendon kneeled upon the earth and scribbled out a rather crude map on the dirt floor. A fine, flickering magical ward drifted through the air above them - hedge against snooping eyes and probing spells. They hadn't actually needed to cast an actual "true" spell for it; the runes and instinctive coordination did most of the work.
Gwendon tapped his finger on the map. "If Ngieri and Rinku can get to this ledge first," he started, pointing to a high vantage overlooking the bandit camp, "they can provide cover and pick off key targets. That should give Larin and me a clear path to handle the rest.".
Ngieri nodded, checking the tension on her Ironwood bow. It hummed faintly as she strung it tighter, the deep sound resonant. "We'll make it work. Rinku and I can hold that ledge as long as you need.".
Rinku inspected her own bow, its Witchvine frame reinforced with layers of seasoned Ironwood. "These bandits won't know what hit them. But let's make sure we're not walking into a trap ourselves."
"Agreed," Gwendon said, handing each of them a pair of potions. "Volatile Nexus and Eclipse Essence. One's for emergencies, and the other." He trailed off, smirking. "Well, you'll see."
Rinku raised an eyebrow. "Cryptic as always, Gwendon. Thanks, though." With that, the party did their final preparations. Rinku upgraded their gear with advanced runes, adding layers of spontaneous magical barriers that merged seamlessly into their environments. These didn't activate unless provoked by an incoming lethal attack, deflecting blows with pinpoint precision.
Larin did one last scan through their communication runes. Glowing slightly in the enchanted stones, it assured them that across distances, even their voices should remain clear and undetectable. "All set," he declared.
"Now let's get moving," said Gwendon.
It was alive with noise when they arrived at the bandit camp. Rhubarb laughter and the clinking of mugs echoed through the clearing as the bandits surrounded a central fire. Behind them, a cave loomed, its entrance glowing faintly with runic light. There was a sharpness to their movements, an edge that said they were experienced.
These aren't amateurs, Ngieri breathed softly, crouched behind a rocky outcrop.
"They're ready," Larin agreed. "Here's hoping our plan pans out.
Ngieri and Rinku drew off the liquid contents of the Eclipse Essence draughts, dropping them on their palms. The liquid shimmered, then disappeared in a moment as it blanketed them in a misty veil of invisibility. They moved quietly up the ridge overlooking the camp, coming to sit along the ledge, which afforded an unobstructed view of the chaos below.
From her vantage, Rinku saw an older man in a red and blue cloak coming out of the cave. The bandits ceased their chatter and turned to look at him, their attention riveted on him as he raised a hand to speak.
"Ready?" Ngieri whispered, nocking an arrow.
Rinku nodded, drawing her bowstring.
The signal was a low hum as Larin and Gwendon cast their combined spell—Thousand Needles. Hail of shimmering projectiles came raining down onto the camp, hitting with pinpoint accuracy. Bandits crumpled where they stood, celebration dissolving into chaos.
"Are those kids playing hero? Teach them a lesson!" bellowed a voice from the camp.
The man in the cloak had scarce time to blink when Ngieri shot her first arrow. She let it whizz through the air, caught him on the shoulder. And before the last beat of her heart, Rinku's went home, cutting into his chest. He stepped backward, spitting blood.
The camp leapt to its feet.
Arrows flew out of the ridge in volleys, fired in rhythm by Ngieri and Rinku. Sharp, relentless, and not at all discriminate, the arrows did some lethal kills while others struck into legs or shoulders, making prisoners immobile but alive. After all, there was a bounty for live prisoners. Information was gold.
Below, Larin and Gwendon cast spells with a surgeon's accuracy. Fire and lightning tore into the chaos, driving the bandits back.
"They're forming up again!" Larin yelled as he sidestepped an incoming spear and batted it away with his wand.
"Not for long," Gwendon retorted, thumping his hammer on the earth. The shockwave ran outward, dropping half a dozen bandits.
It was a fierce battle, but coordination and equipment made the difference for the group. Magic flared, arrows struck, and the bandits fell one by one.
The clearing was quiet when the dust settled. Bodies littered the ground, and the survivors—those who could still move—had either fled or surrendered.
The man in the red and blue cloak lay groaning heavily, wounds that didn't kill him. Ngieri approached him with caution, casting Floral Surge.
That made the man flinch; raising his hand, shaking to block the spell, the glow engulfed him harmlessly. His wounds closed, and his breathing steadied.
"Why. why heal me?" he rasped.
"Because we need answers," Ngieri said simply.
The group bound him up and went inside the cave, their tread careful as they went down into the maze-like tunnels. The air was damp and heavy with mana, the runes glowing to light jagged walls.
"What is this place?" Larin asked, his voice echoing softly.
The man sneered, though his bindings remained in place. "It's ours. We built it."
"For what purpose?"
"To store the women and wealth we've taken," he said, his tone sharp with defiance. "All for the rebellion."
The group stopped in their tracks, exchanging uneasy glances.
"And who guards this rebellion of yours?" Gwendon asked, his grip tightening on his hammer.
The man shrugged. "You've killed them all."
The tunnel opened up into a huge cavern, walls of sandstone. A hidden village lay in the middle, its tiny houses built right into the rock itself. It was cool and dimly lit, with an almost otherworldly feel, for the ambient mana pulsed faintly in the air. Faint whimpers came to their ears, from the direction of the houses.
"What is this?" Ngieri whispered, his spear at the ready.
Larin moved ahead slowly, raising the wand. "Stay close. We have no idea what else might lurk down here."
As they move further ahead, reality struck them; they came there to clear some bandits from the place. But what lay before them now was something which was much bigger and much tougher.