“Do you think that’s where she is?” Ikari eyed the speck of light in the distance, a camp. A bandit camp.

“Lines up with the tracks we followed. Don’t see any nearby camp.” Ishmael replied.

The camp was roughly the same size as before, but more silhouettes were visible standing on the wall, looking out at the blackness of the night.

Just outside, bandits riding horses circled the camp with torches, the same ones that attacked Pip and the team earlier.

Kayd’s stomach ached, the pain hadn’t subsided, the gaping hole left haphazardly patched up with any cloth they could find.

“Our strength is heavily limited here. We need to play it safe but still destroy tue camp and kill all of these bandits.” Ishmael looked on at the guarding bandits, everyone else looked at their wounds then back at the camp.

“I can pick off the horse riders from here. You saw me do it before-”

“And alert them of oir presence with dead patrols? We need to have the advantage of stealth more than ever.” Ishmael groaned, clutching her chest, blood seeped from the gaps in her hand.

“We need to kill as many as possible in a short time, if possible without going near them.”

The wounds are deep, we’re practically leaking barrels right now. If they won’t kill us, the blood loss will.

From his gaping wound, a drop of blood fell to the sand.

“Alright,” Ishmael began, “We’ll move through the patrol, hopefully find a crack in their defense and get in. Once me and Kayd take out the wall guards, the rest of you start running towards us, everything ahs to be fast. And stick together, make sure none of you are far from sight.” Her eyes focused more on Mono while saying the last sentence.

The plan was set, everyone got into position for another raid. But a new fear lingered within Kayd, looking at the series of deep and light wounds adorning his body. A similar worry was apparent on everyone else.

But before they began, a windchime rung out.

What is it this time?

DESTROY THE CAMP [X]

ENSURE ALL CAPTURED SETTLERS SURVIVE AND RETURN THEM HOME [X]

REWARD: Chainbreaker title, 750 gold

More gold and a title, now i wonder if i can even get them before dying from blood loss.

“Let’s move.”

—--

Silence, their boots kicked up the sand, blood periodically dropping down. The two got ever so close to the camp.

Dread slowly went down Kayd’s body, seeing the patrolling horsemen in the distance.

Their numbers are probably very high in that camp, judging by how many attacked us. Regardless just stick to the plan.

A cold shiver crept up his back. His body was leaking more and more blood, soaking up the sparse and thin bandages concealing the damage.

Lia better be here…

Bandits up top and below, they scoured the immediate area around the camp with torches.

“Looks like we got a good haul.” A horseman celebrated.

“And for that we lost a chunk of our own, including Harris. These idiots better be worth it.” Another complained in response.

“Both of you shut it, boss said to pipe down and check the area for any stragglers and strays. At least we get more money this time.” A bandit from above interjected.

The pair scoped out what they could see, far enough from the light. Thick walls with metal sheets covering different parts of it. Helmets of soldiers hung at the top alongside the bandits, damaged and broken.

The armor became a mockery of their previous owners, now decorated with insignias and signs of unknown meaning, guttural and savage in appearance as if made to ward off enemies.

“The horsemen are too close, scaling that wall would be difficult.” She turned to Kayd, eyeing his bloodied but intact robe.

“How fond are you with that robe?”

“What?” Kayd furrowed his brows.

“Just answer.” Ishmael replied, this time more serious.

“Fine, very fond. Why?”

“Do you mind if i borrow it? It’s for the mission of course.” Kayd sighed but agreed, reluctantly handing the robe to her.

Ishmael took out a harpoon from her back and ran off with Kayd’s robe.

Running away, to be honest i would have done the same if it weren’t for the titles….Wait what the?

The vague sillhouette of Ishmael in the distance began sticking the harpoon into the ground and before placed Kayd’s robe on it.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

With both in place, she began waving at the horsemen from behind the robe..

Is she-

“Aye, look over there! You reckon one of the settlers ran off?”

“Huh, the escaping kind fetches a lower price. Just take it back in and beat that desire out of em.” One of the horsemen laughed before moving forth with the others, shouting and spouting insults at the supposed settler.

I guess it worked.

Dark and unguarded, Kayd moved through the dark, his body feeling colder and colder.

I don’t even know if its the missing robe or the blood at this point…No, focus on getting Lia back.

“Great, you’re here too. I managed to rush back here without them seeing me.” Ishmael whispered behind Kayd, he jumped a bit, hearing her voice out of nowhere.

“The plates are nailed tight but should be a good thing to cling onto.” The two started their climb, their strength far less than before but they persisted.

Each pull felt heavy for Kayd, his blood staining the metal and wood as he kept moving up before the horsemen will return.

Keep it together…This isn’t the first time you were bleeding out and still had to fight….

They stopped just at the top of the wall, hearing the crackling of the campfire inside and hoarse laughs of drunken bandits, young and old, men and women talking in a different dialect.

“Quickly take out the wall guards, then we’ll plan what to do with the bastards below.” Ishmael ordered, taking out her hatchet

In synch, they jumped up, Kayd pierced through the gap in the first bandit’s neck while Ishmael began cleaving the other’s skull in. Before the third one could run or scream, both lodged their weapons in the head and chest of the runt, silencing him for good.

“Good start, now for the rest.” With three bandits down, Kayd waved for the rest to start coming in. As the three moved behind the group of bandits, toying with Kayd’s robe and Ishmael’s harpoon, they set their sights on the rest of the wall.

Just take them out fast, fast…

—--

Kayd maneuvered along the top of the wall, entering into small towers and even smaller buildings overseeing the outside and inside of the camp. With each kill, Kayd’s arms struggled to hold onto his blade, forcing him to hit them a few times to just get a response. For each stab and slash at a bandit, a drop of his blood fell. His cost for a kill.

Ten, twelve, thirteen…Damnit, keep yourself together Kayd…

Each corpse vanished, leaving a pouch of gold, but none were collected. Kayd ignored them. At the opposite side, Ishmael cleaved in a bandit’s head in through the weak helmet, using her boot to pull it out the skull. Soon after, the two managed to reunite with the rest of the team.

“Now for the area below.” They approached the ledge, peering down at what lay inside.

Oh my….

Just one glance below surprised Kayd. What resembled a large wooden warehouse surrounded by tents and campfires. Groups of bandits danced and laughed together around each campfire, too busy to care about anything else. Their armor heavier and in better condition. Strewn about the ground were trails of blood, broken chains, discarded armor and weapons, to even a few corpses.

Everyone looked on, failing to see Ishmael walking back to them with a box full of…Something.

“I found these near one of the bandits, should make things easier,” Explosives, the same ones they used against the rats and most likely the same ones the bandits used to hit Pip.

“What about those horse guys outside?” Ikari asked. Ishmael paused for a moment and took a look behind her.

“We can handle them once the bottom is clear, the gate is closed shut anyway. Now,” She took out one of the sticks and held onto the string. “It’s time for payback.”

In an instant, the dead silence of the black night was ripped away by the thundering roar of explosions. Clouds of fire and smoke covered the ground below as bandits ran around in fear, their cries silenced quickly as the team continued throwing more explosives in, making sure to avoid the tents and warehouse.

Adrenaline and joy flowed through Kayd’s mind, seeing the bandits who just attacked them, screaming for mercy before their shouts fell silent.

“Stop!” The smoke cleared, leaving a cratered area, once filled with the putrid joy of criminals, now as silent as the night. Craters littered the area, and some of the tents and sections of the warehouse were damaged in the process, to their dismay.

“Looks safe enough, Kayd you’re with me. Ikari and Quellin both of you deal with the horse riders outside!” Ishmael ordered through labored breaths.

—--

They dropped down, rushing to the warehouse, Kayd’s breathing felt short, and his skin was paler than before, the adrenaline rush clashed with his worries, pushing him to concentrate on finding Lia.

Ishmael hastily kicked down the door, hatchet in hand, wounds and blood covering every part of her body.

Inside, a hall filled doors on both sides, leading somewhere inside this wooden place.

“We need to be quick about this, break down the doors and find her.” As she got through the doorway, she lost balance, hitting the side of the wall before making her way to the door.

The world around Kayd looked hazy and his vision became unsteady, needing a few smacks to his head to fix it.

This better be a quick find

He kicked down the first door, revealing a bloodied chair and scattered sharp tools.

Oh god, well it ain’t this one

Before he thought further on the room, he went to the next door. A row of opened cages greeted him along with hanging ropes and cuffs.

Empty

“Ishmael got anything on your end?” She emerged from one of the rooms, frustration laced across her face.

“Nothing yet, you think they sped off with the settlers again?”

“That better not be the case…” The two resumed to breaking down the doors, only finding crates of different items or half spoiled food and drink.

Soon, the last door remained. With a firm kick, Kayd lost his balance for a bit, catching himself on the door frame just like Ishmael.

But rather than more cages or crates, they found an empty room. At the center, a wooden hatch.

“That better be where she is…” Ishmael limped forward. Kayd tried to walk but his body fell limp. He crashed on the hard floor, control of his limbs died out, his attempts becoming more futile and requiring more strength to move.

“Come on, on your feet.” Ishmael was just as weak as him, her body almost falling down as she knelt to help Kayd up.

“You think the three are handling it well above?” Kayd asked meekly.

“Focus on finding Lia, we’ll see for ourselves when we get healed and head back out.” Her encouraging words forced Kayd to put more strength to moving his weak muscles and limbs, his fingers struggled to even hold onto the sheathe.

Outside, explosions rang out, followed by the shouts of the team and the horse riders, filling the silence of the warehouse, intensifying the closer they got to the hatch before finally getting a grip on it.

“What will we do if she isn’t here?” The question was enough to make Ishmael pause, the grip on his shoulder became tightened and a sigh left Ishmael’s mouth.

“Then we’ll take as much of these bastards down with us. We will get out of here, ripping our way through and searching camp after camp until all our wounds finally end us.”