The fire crackled ahead, its glow painting jagged silhouettes on the cliff walls. The group approached cautiously, their footsteps muffled by the dirt path. Kaede raised a hand, signaling the others to stop.
“Stay low,” she whispered, her voice barely audible over the wind.
Haruki crouched behind a boulder, his heart pounding in his chest. From their position, he could make out at least five figures gathered around the fire. Their laughter and chatter drifted faintly on the breeze, but the words were lost to distance.
Zain leaned closer to Kaede. “Definitely not merchants. Those weapons scream trouble.”
Kaede’s eyes narrowed. “Ragnor’s men.”
“Think they know we’re here?” Mira asked, her bow already in hand.
Kaede shook her head. “Not yet. But we’re not taking chances. Zain, Mira, take the flanks. Haruki, you’re with me.”
Haruki stiffened. “W-With you?”
“Got a problem with that?” Kaede’s tone left no room for argument.
Haruki quickly shook his head. “Nope. None at all.”
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A SUDDEN ATTACK
Kaede moved like a shadow, her footsteps silent as she led Haruki closer to the camp. The figures around the fire became clearer—mercenaries clad in mismatched armor, their weapons within easy reach.
Haruki’s grip tightened on the dagger Kaede had lent him earlier. It felt unfamiliar in his hand, a poor substitute for the tools he was used to.
Kaede crouched behind a rock, her voice low and steady. “When I give the signal, stay close to me. Don’t try to fight unless you have to.”
Haruki nodded, though his stomach churned with nerves.
Before he could psych himself out any further, Kaede sprang into action. She moved like a whirlwind, her sword slicing through the air with lethal precision. The nearest mercenary didn’t even have time to scream before he fell.
The camp erupted into chaos.
“Ambush!” one of the men shouted, grabbing for his weapon.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Haruki scrambled to follow Kaede as she cut through the mercenaries with ruthless efficiency. His hands trembled as he held his dagger, his eyes darting around for any signs of danger.
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HARUKI’S FIRST KILL
A shout from his left caught Haruki’s attention. One of the mercenaries had spotted him and was charging with a raised axe.
Time seemed to slow as Haruki’s instincts kicked in. He raised his dagger, stepping to the side just as the axe came down. The blade glanced off his shoulder, the pain sharp but shallow.
Panicking, Haruki thrust his dagger forward. The blade found its mark, sinking into the man’s side. The mercenary let out a guttural cry before collapsing.
Haruki stared at the blood on his hands, his chest heaving.
“Shima!” Kaede’s voice snapped him back to reality.
He looked up to see her fending off two attackers at once, her movements a blur of steel. Summoning his courage, Haruki rushed to her side, his hands shaking but steady enough to grip his weapon.
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VICTORY AND REVELATION
The battle ended as quickly as it began. The last mercenary fell to Zain’s blade, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud.
Kaede surveyed the carnage, her chest rising and falling with exertion. “Is everyone okay?”
“Fine,” Mira said, though she was nursing a shallow cut on her arm.
Zain smirked. “Not even a scratch. What about you, Shima?”
Haruki glanced down at the blood on his clothes, his stomach turning. “I... I’m fine.”
Kaede’s gaze lingered on him, her expression unreadable. “You did well,” she said finally.
Haruki blinked in surprise. “I did?”
Kaede nodded. “You stayed alive. That’s more than most people manage their first time.”
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A MYSTERIOUS CLUE
As the group searched the bodies, Zain pulled a piece of parchment from one of the mercenaries’ pockets. “Looks like a map,” he said, holding it up.
Kaede took it, her eyes scanning the crude markings. “This is no ordinary camp. They were waiting for something—or someone.”
Mira frowned. “You think Ragnor sent them?”
“Probably,” Kaede said. “But why here?”
Haruki stepped closer, his curiosity piqued despite his lingering nausea. “What’s that symbol in the corner?”
Kaede’s eyes narrowed as she studied the map. The symbol was faint but unmistakable—a coiled serpent with a dagger in its mouth.
Her expression darkened. “This just got a lot more complicated.”
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A TENSE NIGHT
The group set up camp a safe distance from the battlefield. Though exhaustion weighed on them, none of them could fully relax.
Haruki sat by the fire, his mind replaying the fight over and over. His hands still trembled, though Kaede had assured him he did well.
Kaede sat down beside him, her presence grounding. “You’re overthinking it.”
Haruki glanced at her. “How can you tell?”
“Because I used to do the same thing,” Kaede said. “The first kill is always the hardest. But if you let it get in your head, it’ll only make things worse.”
Haruki hesitated. “Do you ever... get used to it?”
Kaede’s gaze softened slightly. “No. And that’s a good thing. The day it stops bothering you is the day you lose your humanity.”
Haruki nodded, her words giving him some measure of comfort. “Thanks, Kaede.”
She smirked faintly. “Don’t mention it. Just don’t slow me down tomorrow.”
Haruki chuckled. “I’ll try not to.”
As the fire crackled between them, the group settled into an uneasy rest, the coiled serpent’s symbol burned into their thoughts.