After reporting what they saw to Lia the caravan doubles its speed on the road. The labourers are disturbed upon reaching the carriage and its contents. Even the lone host who had seen their fair share of horrors are nervous.

Hagen went to inspect the remains of the dead people, the smell of rot carried through him as he returned "They're not merchants chiefs" Hagen said to Lia and Volkhard.

"How can you tell?" Lia asked

"Their clothes aren't as finely as yours, merchants usually dress good. Those people back their tho, they're probably villagers from what they're wearing and besides what kind of merchants bring children" Hagen eyes went to Volkhard, a look of sympathy in them but it quickly vanishes.

"But why would they..."

"The bandits who had done this did so because it pleases them" Volkhard cut her. "It's a twisted joke. I've seen other works like this before but never this grosome"

"Fuck..." Lia said.

"And you people call yourselves civilized" Hagen quips.

Two days more have passed since then and the mood of caravan have doured. The breaks between travel become shorter and they finish their meals quicker determine to keep on moving. The lone host themselves have become more vigilant in their guard. Thilo has cast a ward that warns them of outsiders approaching their vicinity. Rocco and Hagen scout the grounds where they sleep at night while Volkhard had ordered a tight guard shift that leaved them with little sleep, but none complained.

The lone host have gone through hard times before and this one is no different. On the eight day they found another horror in the road. Rows of piquets lined both sides of the road, bodies of people hang in each one. Similar to the ones they found in the carriage, these people are nothing more than villagers. Men, women, young or old, none were spared, the crows have done their job with the bodies and the empty eye-sockets of bloated heads glared down on the caravan as they passed.

"What kind of shit is this..." Arnulf said, sobbing as they passed through the hanged bodies, "I thought Osmela's supposed to be civilized, is this what civilized people do... hanged villagers and cut 'em like pigs?"

Volkhard put a hand in Arnulf's shoulder and give a reassuring squeeze.

"Calm Arf calm, panicking wouldn't do you any good, keep a level head and we will live this through, you're not alone remember" the gesture eases Arnulf's panic a bit and the kid starts to relax.

"Thanks... Chief, 'preciate it" Arnulf said, face drained of all colors "Chief what are we gonna do if they attack us?"

*In truth I don't know but I doubt that's what you needed to hear* "If they attack then we'll fight them and we will make them pay"

It's the twelfth day and the caravan is finally nearing the town of Phanide but they find themselves at the foot of a foresty hill.

The road snakes through and around it, its thick forest and uneven grounds are making visibility difficult even to Arnulf's eyes. In Volkhard's trained eye it's the perfect place for an ambush. He went to Lia, the girl had grown paranoid more so than the rest. And in Volkhard's experience paranoid people are more liable to make mistake

"Hey their chief I was just gonna ask you if my crew could scout the forest first before the rest continue"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Huh?... Why would you do that, we're almost in Phanide"

"I'm just concern ma'am, that hill over their looks like a perfect hiding spot for bandits, they could sneak behinde us and attack before we could even react"

"Then concern yourself elsewhere, for the last few days we didn't suffer any bandit attack so how can you be so sure now we're so near our destination?"

"Not sure chief, just cautious."

"Then don't be, I'm the leader of the caravan mr. Volkhard as you are the leader of your crew so let me handle it while you handle yours"

"Sure chief" Volkhard said reluctantly.

The lone host arranged themselves again around the caravan, readying themselves for the trek through the hill. When they were halfway through the forest Thilo went towards Volkhard, he eye his leader and made a gesture with his hand meaning he sensed people ahead.

"How many?" Volkhard asked.

-Open palm- *Too many to count* Thilo gestured.

"Have you warned the others?"

Thilo nods and gesture *Their ready to fight*

"Then go back and hide, make yourself unseen, we don't want them to know we a have a witch with us"

Thilo nods again and goes back, his image blurring as he changes color.

"Prepare yourself," Volkhard said to Arnulf.

"We'll make 'em pay" the youth said, eyes full of determination and fear.

The caravan continues forward without any sign of threat until they reach a narrow path and waiting for them in there are five armed men. One of them in the middle steps forward, his face covered with ugly pockmarks, "Ho travelers"

There are loud murmurs at the back as other armed men circle around them. Voices of laborers panicking erupts around the caravan, only the lone host remained silent. Volkhard steps forward and draw his sword, his face covered in shadow once more. Arnulf is right behind him, matchlock ready to fire.

"Greetings to you too, stranger" Volkhard said. "Your blocking our way"

Pockmarks giggles "Nice one big guy, but let's cut the chase shall we, you know we're bandits so you should also know you're fuck, we have guys over their aiming their guns at you and your friends" he pointed his sword to a thick patch of trees to their left.

"Shit!" Arnulf hiss, pointing his matchlock at the hiding gunmen.

"I don't advise you pointing your gun at 'em lad lest you want to die first."

"Drop it Arf" Volkhard ordered and the kid resign reluctantly "I'm sorry chief, I didn't see 'em"

Volkhard faced Pockmarks again, calculating his next move *It all depend on you now Thilo, I hope you're preparing a magic to suprise these fuckers, just have to give you time*

"So what's your deal, these kind of stuffs usually do or else we'll be covered with holes moments ago"

Pockmarks smile "Your smart for your size big guy, It's simple really just hand over your goods and we'll spare atleast five of your party and let them go safe and sound"

"Why do that?"

"Well we have to keep a reputation you see and we really can't have that if no one's alive to tell our tale, these sonovabitch I have are bloodthirsty so we made it more easier to everyone's involved" Pockmarks joked and he and his men laughted.

"Then how about my crew, are you also letting them go?"

"We'll that's where we draw the line some laborers we can let go but fighters and merchants we have to kill, again all part of our reputation" there was a cry at the back, no doubt from Lia.

Pockmarks smiles again "Where not cruel tho so we're gonna give you at least a choice, drop your weapons and surrender and we'll make it quick and clean or if your stubborn then we can make it bloody, it's all the same."

"So we either die fighting or we die surrendering, is that it?" Volkhard said in a soft voice.

"Pretty much" Pockmarks replied, still smiling.

Volkhard steps forward his head angled to the side like a hanged man, like the ones in the piquet.

"You going to and try and kill us?" the words that come out of his mouth are cold, almost painful to hear. Pockmarks steps back, his smile now gone, his lackys eye Volkhard nervously, ready to attack him.

"You going to try kill us with your puny blades little man!" Volkhard said pulling his hood down lifting its shadow from his face and showing them his burned flesh all the while smiling a deadman's smile. The bandits gasps and recoiled in horror, "Then come and try!" Volkhard shouts in Agrug.

"Shoot him!" Pockmarks shout to his gunners "Shoot this fucker down!"

Cries of pain echoes beyond the trees where the bandits are. *Fucking finally!* Volkhard thought as he launched toward Pockmarks, sword raised high in both hands, the bandit leader tried to block Volkhard's blade with his but he was too late. With a loud crunch Volkhard split Pockmarks head in two.