A room similar to the one awaited them, but this time rather than wood walls, there were iron bars. The rooms were replaced with cells, and groups of injured settlers with their arms bound huddled together in each of them. In the center, a table and chair with a bandit’s helmet resting on it next to an empty blade sheath.

A single torch hanging from the ceiling illuminated everything, revealing piles of empty sacks and unused cuffs scattered around. Some were attached to the bars of the cells, but the prisoners they were meant to shackle were gone.

“At least we found these ones before those slavers scurried off.” Ishmael inspected each cell, breaking the locks on the doors with her hatchet while Kayd inspected the rest. Each one was populated with their own group of captured settlers and soldiers, Kayd hoped that amongst them, Lia was there.

The smell of rot and iron filled his nose, getting ever stronger as he moved toward the end of the path, near the two last cells which were far less illuminated.

One cell was empty while the other only had a handful, quivering and huddling together with injuries adorning different parts of their body along with tears into their clothing and stains of blood on them.

By the looks of it, this looks like a settlement’s worth of people.

“It looks like these were the most recent, paper here says that they were meant to be sent out tonight.” Ishmael read a letter that had been left on the table, hidden by the helmet.

More? Where are they taking these people to? And who’s buying them?

Kayd broke down the door of the empty cell, in the black corner, Kayd could see something. Something concealed in a robe shivering and shaking with a familiar frightful voice.

“Lia?” Taking a step forward, a bandit lunged from the dark with a sword. Although Kayd managed to grab the man, it didn’t stop the bandit from pushing him to the floor.

The two violently wrestled for an upper hand, but Kayd’s weakening hands and body were quickly overwhelmed. With the dwindling strength, he pushed against the knife aimed at his chest, getting ever so closer.

“Kayd-” Running to his aid, another bandit rushed Ishmael, ramming her against the bars and down to the floor, quickly entering a struggle like Kayd.

“Lia!” Kayd yelled through closed teeth but received no response. The knife was mere inches away from his chest, his strength starting to give out. The well-known dread and fear of dying crept up to Kayd, no longer able to think of anything else.

This looks like it huh, they stacked as many things to make sure we actually die…Bleeding out, on the verge of passing out, heavily wounded, and far from any semblance of civilization…

“Lia, if that is you…Help!” A final cry for aid came from his lips. The shivering silhouette stopped moving and seemed to turn to the two silently.

Kayd took one final look at the man before the blade pierced his chest and delivered the final nail to the long overdue coffin of Kayd’s fate…

So….This really is it….Guess our luck really ran out this time…

“No….” A familiar meager voice spoke, unfeeling with a hint of anger in it. A set of chains wrapped around the bandit’s neck and rapidly tightened, his joy now turned to fear as he struggled with whoever was strangling him.

A moment was open, Kayd grabbed his sword next to him just in time for the bandit to smack the assailant away.

Plunging it through the armor gap in his chest, a shade of red began forming from the wound, and the man fell to the side. Lia clutched her bleeding nose, nauseous and on the verge of crying at the sight of it.

Kayd pushed himself up and walked to help Ishmael, but after two steps his legs began to give in. Then his arms, until his body collapsed once again, this time for good. Only his eyes could move, helplessly watching the knife just an inch from Ishmael’s face.

From the corner of his eye, Lia ran past him, and in a second, rammed the man with her body. The two were knocked to the side and Ishmael quickly grabbed her hatchet.

The bandit hastily got up and bashed Lia’s face on the floor, turning his head to Ishmael to end her. But a hatchet slammed into his head before anything else could be done, ceasing the sudden ambush.

Without an order, Lia healed Ishmael, then shortly after Kayd.

Their pain, the cold chills, and inability to move a muscle, were all gone in a matter of seconds.

“Ohh…That feels good.” Kayd stretched his body, getting up from the ground with vigor and a desire to fight once more.

“Finally, we found you before we kicked the bucket.” Ishmael headed for the door, not wasting a minute to celebrate.

“The rest are outside, you’ll have to-”

“Heal them, yes ma’am.” Lia walked towards the ladder with Ishmael, staff and bag at the ready, sparing no breath to talk about anything and instead prepared to aid the team once again. Even with the black eye and bleeding nose, she heeded no mind to it and even shed a tear, putting a hand on the ladder.

—---

The building shook, and loud explosions could be heard from the outside followed by the screams of bandits. And of the rest of the team.

As they got to the door, Ikari barged it down, covered in wounds with arrows covering her body.

“Help…They’re at the gate….” She glanced at Lia who stood beside them, “Feathers…Heal….” She fell to the ground after speaking. Mono and Quellin entered inside as well, injured but still able to walk.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Apologies, our strength has dwindled and is insufficient to handle the reinforcements outside.” Quellin and Mono sat to the side, noticing Lia and waiting to be healed.

“Alright, Kayd come on let’s handle them. I’m sure there's more explosives here.” While she was walking out, Quellin grabbed her arm.

“Don’t, reinforcement-” Just then, an explosion tore through the locked wooden wall, sending bits of it everywhere and a plume of black smoke appeared. A band of bandits rushed in, followed by the horsemen of earlier.

“Ah, looks like they caught wind of the attack.” She closed the door and placed containers in front of it, “Ready to fight another horde?” Ishmael laughed.

“Just like before,”

—

Charging forth, swords immediately clashed against each other and the first streaks of blood flew in the air, a mix of armored and barely armored bandits charged forth with reckless abandon.

They swung a variety of weapons, makeshift, and scavenged like rabid animals. Falling easy prey to Ishmael and Kayd.

More and more bodies piled up, and soon the horsemen joined in the fight.

Cutting down a group in front of him, Kayd barely dodged a charging horseman. But as he turned, an arrow impaled the back of his head.

The door swung open, and the four emerged from it, joining the fight and guarding their flanks.

Bandits and horseriders alike fell, only getting to hit the team a few times. Bodies fell as fast as they vanished, painting the ground crimson. Even with the mounting losses they didn’t stop, hurling themselves at them.

From the rooftops, archers began firing down, hitting them before Ikari turned to fire back and hold them back.

The situation now was stable, but any longer would certainly turn it against them. He looked around, finding no way to escape nor window to fall back to. They were stuck here until the bandits were all gone.

But now they were willing to continue it, fueled by spite, hate, and that same newfound vigor.

Ishmael launched a barrage of different orders and motivational phrases, leading at the center and fighting the spearhead of the enemy.

In the middle of the fight, one of the archers was shot, his body falling off the ledge. But the arrow didn’t come from Ikari, instead…From outside…

In seconds, more arrows struck the archers, soon after hitting the bandits inside.

What is that? Rival bandits?

The bodies grew in number until many started to flee.

“Get out here lads! Leg it now!” And a slew of incomprehensible babble left their mouths as they made way for the exit.

Their retreat was halted, as something was blocking them outside and the clashing of swords erupted again.

“What is it now?” Mono questioned, covered in cuts but fortunately none were deep.

“Judging by the lack of any other faction as of the moment, only one other threat to these bandits exists.” Quellin explained, Kayd started to realize where he was getting at.

“Could it be?” The bandits were pushed back as archers climbed up the walls. Stone Edge’s archers.

The army came into full view as they pushed the bandits further, shredding through their ranks while the team assaulted from behind.

The battle rapidly came to an end when the last bandit fell and his body began to disintegrate.

The soldiers immediately recognized the team. From their formation, a familiar face stepped out.

“I see you made staggering progress, this is either a coincidence or we both planned to attack this important place.” Princess Evelin laughed, her gauntlets and sword covered in crimson.

“I’m surprised to see you this far out.” Ishmael shook her hand, two leaders of their respective units smirking at one another for an assault well executed.

“Here for the settlers?”

“Well that was one, we were here to get someone else.” She glanced at Lia.

The two made their way inside the warehouse, seeing the horrid sight once more.

—--

Soldiers escorted the settlers out, destroying their chains. Others began ransacking the place, taking stolen gear and any useful information they could find.

“Well, it’s good to see you all managed to make great strides in helping the cause. Many slaver camps were destroyed and our reinforcement units began retaking nearby lost lands.” Evelin looked on with pride, crossing her arms while ordering her soldiers around.

Ishmael and the others stood with her, sharing the moment of victory against a terrible enemy.

A wind chime rang out while they watched as the soldiers escorted the bandits to wagons, guarded by heavily armored soldiers.

DESTROY THE CAMP [✔]

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

REWARD: Chainbreaker title, 750 gold

Once again, a new title to pin to their chests, and extra money to spend in the kingdom.

“Well I guess this is where we part ways, rest assured these people will be returned safely to the camps. We couldn’t help more, we’re focused on our reclamation efforts.” Evelin explained, a hint of sadness in her eyes.

“That’s fine Princess, we’re making good progress by ourselves anyway.” A shout from a tent caught their attention. A guard kicked a bandit in decorated and well-maintained armor from there, taking out his sword.

“It looks like he has useful intelligence. Want to help get it?” Evelin asked, turning her head to Ishmael.

“Didn’t have to ask.”

The interrogation was swift, but painful, letting the team unleash their pent-up anger at the bandits while also getting closer to achieving the needed information. A series of angered commands to talk and bloodied fists and weapons managed to crack the bandit enough to spill everything he knew.

After some time had passed, they emerged from the tent while a pair of guards escorted the bandit to one of the wagons, stripped of his armor.

“A purple light at midnight. What a weird thing to say.” Ishmael remarked, wiping her gauntlets.

“Weird indeed, you sure it’s legit? He may have started losing his mind in there.” Ikari questioned.

“Never heard of such a thing before, but if that’s how we find the leader, so be it. Keep your eyes peeled for any different colored flames in the distance,” She glanced at Lia, “While we do, there’s another matter we will discuss about.”