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Chapter 85: The suicide gang

Outside a cave, located between the Blaises’ and Iredale's’ territory, an informal execution took place. This occasion came to be because a clash happened between the knights from Blaise island and the group of bandits, they had set out to chase. This group they had chased for so long, was apparently just one out of many, that flocked under the banner of the Ravaging Shades.

The surrounding lords in the area did know, that there was more than one group that acted on the Ravaging Shades’ behalf. But what they didn’t know, was that they had a whole system now dedicated to serve one main group, that bred dinosaurs for them and managed the bigger picture... Neither did the lords know, that this system contained over 40 groups of bandits, that could range in membership from 10 to 60 men… And unfortunately, they weren’t done growing yet…

As for their ambitions? Well, these bandits were essentially a flock of men that didn’t want to spend all their life working for others. They had the power to demand food and the necessities, so why should they lower their heads only to lick someone else’s foot?... This kind of blind obedience just didn’t make any sense to their egocentric heads… Especially not to those who had been trampled on before without any mercy...

Still, within such a large group there were bound to be differences. Ones that could be big enough to cause serious discord. Thus, to keep the minds of the bandits as one, they were given a common goal, which was to grow more and in turn, gain more power to roam the lands as god intended it: Free...

With their large numbers and growing thirst for power, these bandits were clearly being underestimated by those they opposed. However, this fact suited them just fine. After all, the less people knew of them, the better it would be for business…

The knights that had been ambushed and captured, consisted of the father and some other fellows who had been given the same mission of hunting the bandits down. They were 6 in total; bound and forced to kneel onto the ground by their captors. Every knight assembled on the spot were ones that lord Blaise viewed as disposable. After all, their mission was ridiculously dangerous. This they were now forced to realize…

The group of bandits that they had managed to follow, were not the same one that had attacked their island some years ago. Nevertheless, the knights still hated them with a similar passion.

Around them, multiple bandits stood in a contorted circle, ready to spectate and cheer for their demise. The bandits’ leader came forth and taunted one of the knights. He said, “Hehe, you there! Yeah, you with the ugly ears! I have a proposition for ya!”. A trembling knight that sat beside the father was called forth and told, “Take this long cleaver and kill the fella beside you… If you do, I might consider letting you go, hehe”.

Normally a knight wouldn’t let himself be swayed by a filthy bandit’s words. But this one considered himself lucky. For if it hadn’t been for this pathetic man that sat beside him, they wouldn’t have been captured so easily. The knight’s hands were still bound but that didn’t stop him from taking the rusty old cleaver. The other knights, who saw their comrade raise the cleaver for a swing, didn’t speak up nor object. Instead, they looked the other way with what dignity they had left as a glint of rust passed by their cheeks.

The cleaver was held high ready for action before the father’s eyes. With quivering lips and stale limbs, he looked on as his death drew close. As he sat there with mixed emotions he found it hard to swallow this upfront betrayal that was happening to him... Especially the glare he was sent by his up-coming executioner. The more he looked the more pissed he got. In the end, he couldn’t take this event with dignity so he screamed with fury, “How dare you threaten to kill me!? Bastard! And you consider yourself a knight? Use that cleaver instead to kill those worthless bandits! Kill them! KILL THEM!!! Not ME!”.

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The father’s display of injustice made the knight grin wryly. To think he once looked up to this man, only to find out the hard way, that he manipulated people without qualms to reach his own twisted ends… What a loser… And what a loser he was for trusting him...

The knight had tears crawl from his eyes in anger and disbelief, “You deserve this more than anybody else! Without your impatience and hunger for success; Godfrey, Otis, Ranulph, and Druettus wouldn’t have died! None of us would be in this predicament if you hadn’t fouled our teamwork and lied about the dangers! Now repent, SCUM!”. A desperate scream managed to flee the father’s mouth, “I DON’T DESERVE THI-!”. *SLOCK*.

The first hack on his neck didn’t go all the way through. But he wasn’t allowed to gurgle in misery for long before the final swing ended the connection and successfully separated the entities in two.

The father’s head rolled onto the ground and settled to rest in a bunch of tall grass. Soon 5 other heads followed suit. Against their will, none were spared...

****

Later that week a scout returned to report something unsettling to his lord. “Good day my lord, I have urgent news! You see, I was out patrolling the borders as it is my duty, when some rugged men came to me... They were guiding an ominous horse that had plump sacks hanging on both sides. I asked them what their business was and they immediately began to threaten me. Saying things like: ‘Take this horse and deliver it to your lord or die!’”. Lord Blaise flinched as his scout chose to yell out the threat he got; reenacting it the best he could.

“I may be a guard but I still feared for my life. So I decided to half-heartedly follow their instructions… I took the horse and dragged it a good distance away, pretending to take it to your lordship. But soon the stench became too much for me”. Lord Blaise raised an eyebrow as he echoed the word: “Stench?”.

The scout nodded vigorously as he continued his report, “Yes, stench! It was overly sweet like the whiff of rotten flesh and filled with the aftertaste of metal. I knew something was fishy, so I opened the sacks and inside them were decapitated heads of those knights you sent away… I’ve heard that you sent away 10 at the time… But there were only 6 on the horse... Whatever that means… Nonetheless, I found their treatment of the dead very disrespectful. So I buried them like any other solvinian would do and now I’m here, reporting it all back to you, my lord!”. Lord Blaise glowered in defeat. Only now did it dawn on him, that he had anticipated more from these so-called knights of his.

The scout was sent away with a reward, while lord Blaise frantically made preparations for a big meeting. His assumptions had come true. Dealing with these bandits alone would be a fruitless endeavor. Thus the lord wrote letters to those he had an alliance with. Whilst writing he stopped his scribbling on a letter meant for the Talcans.

The mention of this clan made him hold up a glass of ale. As his glass was held up high, he decided to hold a speech for the emptiness in front of him, “Sir Castonale, I ought to thank you… Not for bringing two forces together hand in hand. That would be to give you too much credit… But for opening my eyes to what had always been in my grasps... If not for you, I wouldn’t have realized that both I and Vilihame had been ready to forgive and forget, since long ago… So what if they took the spirit stones? It was probably some random entity that ran our friendship into the ground, in the first place! And to bicker and bark about it for so many years?... HA! It makes me want to cry!”. Lord Blaise drank his ale bottoms up.

Then he poured another one and continued, “As for you scoundrels! Yes, I remember all of your miserable names! I hope you died bravely and know this! I made sure to compensate your families plenty. They won’t starve without you… Although you might want them to rejoin you soon, I guess you guys just have to be patient, won’t you? Hahaha! HUZZAH, to you my men! HUZZAH!”. He downed the second glass and started writing again.

After this day and henceforth, nearby lords no longer fought alone. They came together to organize a united force.

This force’s sole mission was to eradicate the bandits that had taken root in the northern lands. It would be a long and almost never-ending battle. But as long as this force existed, common folk could ease up and feel a bit safer henceforth.