‘I hate mages!’ I cursed as the water sphere enveloped me. They are always hard to deal with.

It is all because of that bastard Itles; he ran away. He will be one of the first people I will kill when I get out of here.

I calmed my anger and looked around. I could see the four of them had already started preparing to attack me. I couldn’t stay here. A few seconds more and my chances of survival will disappear.

Dividing Cut

I activated the only skill that could bring me out of here.

My scimitar moved through the water fast, cutting through the water as it passed through it. The cut water, which should merge naturally by laws of nature, stayed separated till my scimitar formed the full circle.

BLAP!

The water sphere broke through, sending the four surrounding me a couple of steps back, while I took a deep breath and looked around the battlefield.

The more I looked. The worse my expression becomes, but this time, the blood-red anger did not rise, instead cold reality seeped into my heart.

I have lost. There is no way I could win it. I have to escape but is harder with the gates closed.

I do not have skills that will let me jump through the walls. There is a hidden exit in the keep, but it will not work. It is narrow that only a single person passes through it; not to mention I had blocked it to stop from anyone escaping.

That only leaves the gate.

They will not open the gates unless they are forced to.

I looked around before my gaze stopped at the mage, and immediately, I shook my head internally.

She is not important enough to open the gates. She is just a retainer.

As I had thought that my eyes turned to a young human. Remus Silver. Adviser to Lancel Wilstein of House Ravenheart and scion of the mercantile House of Silver.

The most important person here. For whom, they will open the door.

Mist Mobile

I activated my fastest movement skill and moved toward the Remus Silver. I could see the alarm appearing on the faces of the people surrounding me.

They moved to stop me, but they are slow. Even Rogue couldn't catch me with his speed.

The mage attacked me with the water arrows, but I defended against them, with Whirlwind Slashes, before finally appearing behind Silver and using my left hand to take his neck in a chokehold, while he watched with helplessness.

…

I felt the Orc's thick arm around my neck; they are so powerful that it will take him an instant to crush my neck.

He also seemed to have used some skill, which numbed my body. The only part I could control is my head.

“Release Adviser Silver, bandit,” said Captain Julian as he and others moved closer, but maintained distance. In fear of bandits doing anything.

“That will not be a problem; just open the gates and give me my horse, and I will release him,” said the bandit leader.

“Don’t,” I said and immediately the pressure on my neck increased. “You should stay quiet, adviser,” warned the bandit leader, with threat dripping from his voice.

I want to live and wouldn’t have objected to his request. If not for knowing his record. I am not the first person he had taken hostage and half of them he had killed.

Generally, he released the hostage he takes. After they give him demanded ransom, but this time, I don’t think, there will be a call for ransom.

He had chewed more than he liked, and his purpose was to get away. The moment he did. He will kill me; I have no doubt about it in my heart.

“You have a minute to decide. If you didn’t, I will kill him and take my chances with you all.” “I am sure, with some losses and injuries, I will be able to get away from this place,” the bandit leader warned.

For a couple of seconds. There was no reply. They looked at each other before turning back to the bandit leader.

“Bring his horse,” ordered Captain Julian. “And horses for my men,” added the bandit leader.

“You can forget about that,” replied Captain Julian, and it was clear by his voice, he will not agree to it. Which is wise. More men will increase the chances of his escape.

We cannot let him have that.

“Fine,” said the bandit leader. He surprised me, I didn’t think the bandit leader would agree such easily.

A few seconds passed in silence before, finally, the guard brought his horse.

“Now, opened the gates,” said the bandit leader, and Captain Julian turned to the bloodied Captain Hiren, who was guarding the gate with guards.

“Open the gates,” he said finally.

Captain Hiren nodded at the guards. Who released the bolts and pushed open the enormous gate, while the bandit leader moved toward the red horse, taking me with him.

I can not go with him. If I did, it will be game over for me, but there is nothing I could do.

He is at least twenty levels higher than me. His raw strength is more than enough to crush my bones. While I have the protective measure, I couldn’t depend on it.

I have seen it working and seen it not working. I wouldn’t bet my life on it.

Aside from it, I have nothing.

Wait? I have something. I have nearly forgotten about it in my battle. It is in my pocket. In my numbed hands. When I saw the bandit leader coming at me, I unconsciously put my hand left hand in pock and gripped the charm.

Now what? Caena’s letter had said it was a protection charm, and she had given me an activation world, but there was no instruction on how to use it.

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Not that I could do anything other than speak activation words. It had numbed my whole body with skill.

I don’t know whether or not it will work; maybe it is a joke from Caena or maybe it would harm me if I activated it in my pocket, but I don’t have any choice.

The gate opened, and we are closer to the horse. I wanted to activate it immediately, but I waited. If I am going to use it, I want to use it right time.

Soon, we reached the horse, and it was beautiful. With a radiant red coat and luxurious mane. If I am right, this horse is a descendant of ilahasa; the flame horse monster; a very fast and dangerous monster.

“Sit,”

The bandit leader commanded, and the horse immediately sat up smoothly.

The bandit leader did not sit and instead looked at the surrounding people. “I don’t want anyone to follow me,” he said. “You release Adviser Silver, and I will give you my word. That will not follow you,” said Captain Julian, who also had a horse beside him.

So, have Zela and Stone and others; they are intended to follow the bandit leader.

“Not going to happen,” said the bandit leader. “Then we will follow you.” Replied Captain Julian.

“I could kill him right now, you know,” said the bandit leader, with a clear warning in his voice.

“You could, but then we will use every skill and spell we have to kill you,” said Captain Julian, with leveled voice.

“Fine, fine. You can follow me,” said the bandit leader and turned to his horse and moved his leg toward it; while keeping me with him.

‘It is time. I hope it works,’ I thought and gripped the charm tightly and opened my mouth to speak the world.

“Almaroz,” I spoke in a barely audible voice, as it is the loudest I could speak, with bandit leaders holding on to my neck.

It stopped the bandit leader while I waited with bated breath, but nothing happened.

“What di,” the bandit leader spoke, when suddenly the charm in hand turns to dust, and a moment later, dense purple lighting covered my whole body.

It shocked me, but what shocked me the most, was that it did not harm me. I could feel the power of the lightning and know it could kill me in seconds.

The purple lighting stayed on me for a fraction of a second before it moved to the bandit. Covering his whole body in an instant.

“Ahhhh…”

He screamed loudly, and it felt especially loud in my ear. As the lightning covered him.

Puch!

It surprised me, but I did not let the surprise stop me from acting. I am free from his skill and I took advantage of that.

I moved my sword back with the power of Swift Blade and Weighted the strike. It pierced through his stomach.

The bandit leader moved back, wanting to get away from me, but appeared directly in front of Jon, who appeared behind it and attacked the bandit leader, without caring for the lightning covering him.

The bandit leader is powerful; despite the lighting covering him. Which is burning him; he moved fast enough to defend against the attack.

Albeit barely.

The moment he defended, the others arrived, along with Zela’s spell. Which brought a water binding that spread around his body, like a snake, restricting his movements.

The next attack came from Captain Azealia, and it directly pierced through his chest.

Jon’s dagger came next and entered his head. Captain Julian attacked the other heart for some reason and Stone finally attacked with his sword and decapitated him in a single attack.

The bandit who terrorized the Nakar baronies had been finally dead.

I am having a hard believing it and what’s harder to believe is Zela is responsible for it. Not only in killing the bandit leader, but also in saving my life.

For which I am extremely grateful.

“Mister Silver,” said Zela, moving her glowing staff toward my neck. I could see there are questions in her eyes, but she is holding them back.

“I am fine. Heal those who are in danger first and take these,” I said and handed her potion bottles, before turning to Captain Julian and others.

“Secure the keep; search for any rats that are hiding. I want that blood shaman found if he is hiding in the keep,” I said to them; they nodded and walked away, leaving only Stone.

He is standing beside, protectively, without saying anything.

“You should at least drink potion,” I said to him. There are injuries all over his body. While the elder blood in his helps him heal fast, he should take potions to expedite the process.

Some emergencies might appear that might need him to be at his peak.

He nodded and took out the potion from his pocket, while I turned to look at surrendered bandits, who are being bound by the guards.

Zela had gone to Captain Hiren and healed him. He is the most seriously injured and collapsed after the bandit leader died.

A few minutes passed, and all three of them returned with a grave expression on their faces.

“The bandits have killed them all; they hadn’t even spared the children,” informed Captain Azalia. I didn’t have to ask, what she is talking about.

I feared this might have happened, but still wished I was wrong.

“Leave the bodies just as they are and sent scouts out; we don’t want to be caught off guard again,” I said.

They nodded and disappeared.