The forest air carried a faint chill as twilight descended, casting long shadows across the makeshift campsite. The rhythmic clinking of armor and the quiet murmur of soldiers filled the clearing. Under Kairen's watchful gaze, the men worked with a level of efficiency that even he found surprising, though he said nothing of it.
He stood near the perimeter, arms crossed, as his sharp purple eyes darted from group to group, noting every movement with calculated detachment.
A sudden rustle broke through the din. Elric emerged from the tree line, his towering frame silhouetted against the fading light. In one clawed hand, he dragged the bandit from earlier, the man's body limp but conscious. Bruises mottled his face, and his swollen lips spoke volumes about the "extra attention" Elric had given him during their time alone.
Kairen raised an eyebrow as he watched the beastman approach, his long sword glinting faintly at his side.
The soldiers around them paused briefly in their tasks, their eyes flicking between the bandit and the prince. Sensing the tension, Kairen waved a dismissive hand, signaling them to continue.
Elric stopped a few feet away and bowed his head slightly, his voice firm but calm. "My prince, I am back."
Kairen turned, his expression neutral. "Great," he said, brushing his hands together as if dusting off an invisible task. "So, I'm guessing we're done here, right?"
Elric hesitated, his ears twitching slightly as he straightened.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kairen asked, narrowing his eyes. "He's the leader, isn't he? The one with the strange powers? So we must be done."
Elric remained silent, his tail flicking once behind him. Finally, he said, "My prince, along the way, I had a conversation with this bandit."
"And?" Kairen prompted, tilting his head.
Elric's amber eyes flicked to the ground before meeting Kairen's gaze again. "He confessed that he isn't the leader. He's just the chief of this local group. The true leader is currently hiding behind the border of the Pyro Kingdom."
Kairen let out a long, exaggerated sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Then that's their problem, isn't it?" he said, his tone laced with irritation. "If the leader's in another kingdom, we're off the hook. Job done."
Elric shook his head slowly. "The good news, my prince, is that you're technically correct. The bandit leader is not our responsibility as long as he remains in the Pyro Kingdom. However…" He glanced at the bandit, who flinched under the beastman's gaze. "There is another chief still hiding in this area."
Kairen's brow furrowed. "Another chief? How many layers does this ridiculous gang have?"
Elric ignored the rhetorical question and continued. "From what I could gather, the leader of this operation must have been planning to expand his influence into our kingdom. These men were likely his first wave. Fortunately, with the information we now have, locating the remaining chief should not be difficult."
Kairen stared at Elric for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a faint smirk, he said, "So, we have a loose end to tie up. Wonderful."
Elric nodded. "Indeed, my prince. The longer we wait, the more likely this chief will realize something is wrong and flee."
Kairen sighed again, running a hand through his jagged hair. "Alright. Let's deal with this quickly. Where's the chief hiding?"
The bandit, who had remained silent until now, suddenly let out a shaky breath. "You… you won't find him. He'll see you coming from a mile away," he said, his voice hoarse and trembling. "The chief isn't like us. He's… smarter."
Kairen crouched down in front of the man, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Smarter than you? That's not exactly a high bar to clear."
The bandit flinched, but Kairen pressed on, his tone cold. "Tell me where he is, or I'll let my 'friend' here finish what he started." He gestured casually toward Elric, whose claws flexed in silent agreement.
The bandit hesitated, his eyes darting between Kairen and Elric. Finally, he muttered, "The old ruins… near the river. He's holed up there with a handful of men. But I swear, he'll know you're coming."
Kairen stood, brushing off his uniform as if the conversation had left a stain on it. "The ruins by the river," he repeated, his tone thoughtful. "Alright then. Elric, we will head out at dawn."
Elric bowed his head. "Agreed, my prince."
As the beastman turned to relay the orders, Kairen glanced down at the bandit one last time. "You've been surprisingly helpful," he said, his smirk returning. "I'd say you've earned a bit of mercy. Let's hope your chief is just as accommodating."
The bandit's face paled, but Kairen didn't wait for a response. He turned on his heel, striding toward the center of the camp with purpose signaling Elric to follow him.
The soldiers who had once dismissed him as a coward now watched him with a mixture of wariness and respect, their earlier ridicule tempered by the authority he now exuded was something completely different from the rumors.
The evening air hung heavy with the sounds of the camp settling down for the night. The faint crackle of a distant fire mingled with the murmurs of soldiers, their subdued chatter a far cry from the raucous clamor of earlier.
Kairen sat in his tent, his sharp gaze fixed on the table in front of him as he tapped his fingers absently on the wooden surface. His mind buzzed with fragments of thought, replaying the events of the day like an overplayed reel.
Talking down to the man who had almost killed him wasn't an unfamiliar experience. As a lobbyist, Kairen had faced people far more dangerous than a bandit with a fancy dagger. He'd been threatened, had guns pulled on him, and had even endured veiled threats against his family.
What had started as a survival mechanism—the pretense of confidence despite fear—had evolved into a habit, one that now bordered on arrogance. He couldn't help but sneer at those who tried to harm him, even when the threat was real.
The flap of the tent rustled, and Elric entered, his large frame filling the space. The beastman carried an air of tension, his tail flicking behind him as he glanced around before his gaze settled on Kairen.
"My prince," Elric began, his tone cautious but firm.
Kairen waved a hand dismissively. "Sit, Lion," he said, gesturing to a nearby stool. "I don't bite."
Elric complied, his sword clinking faintly against his side as he sat. Kairen leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand as he studied the beastman.
"Do you have it? The dagger?" Kairen asked, his voice calm but laced with expectation.
Elric nodded, reaching into the enchanted pouch at his waist. He pulled out the dagger, its black blade glinting faintly in the lantern's light, and handed it to Kairen.
The small magical bag looked deceptively plain, but its ability to store far more than its size suggested had proven invaluable.
Even a few soldiers had it, they had pulled all the camping stuff out of literally thin air making him shocked to the point where he had difficulties maintaining his composure.
Kairen turned the weapon over in his hands, his sharp purple eyes narrowing as he examined it. The blade was unassuming at first glance—blackened steel, slightly worn, but still sharp. The hilt, wrapped in dark leather, bore a small gem embedded beneath it, its surface shimmering faintly with an otherworldly glow.
But there was nothing now that he had observed it closely, that would suggest anything special about it that would make his instinct go haywire.
"So, this is it," Kairen muttered, tilting the dagger to catch the light. "The magical doodad that let that lunatic zip around like a deranged hummingbird."
Elric let out a soft chuckle. "That 'lunatic' would have been much harder to handle without your insight, my prince," he said, his tone respectful. "You recognized the dagger's connection to his ability almost instantly. I must admit, I was surprised. How did you sense its power, my prince?"
Kairen arched an eyebrow, smirking faintly. "Curious, aren't you?" he teased, watching as Elric sheepishly scratched his mane.
Elric nodded. "It would have taken me time to discern such a connection, but you figured it out, with a single glance."
Kairen leaned back, his smirk fading into a more contemplative expression. "I'm just as surprised as you," he admitted, his tone uncharacteristically honest. "It wasn't like I knew what I was looking for. It was more… instinctual. Like every fiber of my being was screaming at me to look, to pay attention whenever the blade was thrown."
"What!"