After getting their rank, neither brother knew what to do. They had the key to their freedom, but at that moment, they were lost for what to do next. Both looked at each other, hoping the other would have an idea, but neither seemed to have the answer. Instead, it was Aelizabeth who walked up, handing Leonce a request from the board. A simple hunting quest to cull a pack of wolves in the outskirts of town.

“Here. I figured you’d be unsure what to do next, so I took the liberty of finding you both a job that would give you something,” She said with a small chuckle.

Leonce blushed and opened his mouth to speak, but Loup spoke first in his usual aloof way, “Thanks. This would help us actually.”

Nodding in agreement, Leonce finally spoke up, “Y- *cough* indeed! With something to focus our minds, we’ll surely come up with a proper plan of action!”

Aelizabeth chuckled, “Of that, I have no doubt. Just… try to be more careful out there – both of you.”

“We will, and thanks again for what you said to me back in the cave, I guess –”

“It’s fine. But, in the meantime, it seems my boss wants to head out. With our rewards split, we’re off to go complete another task before moving on to the next town over. If you ever find yourself in Kiron, feel free to look me up. Normally I stay at the inn there,” She said with a smile, before gesturing towards the two pieces of silver on the table for the brothers.

Leonce grabbed both coins, passing one over to Loup before turning to Aelizabeth, “Well… hopefully we’ll be able to work with you again soon,” He said with a smile.

She returned it with the same warmth before nodding, only for the leader of the Iron Shield to call out to her, “Come on! We’ll leave you behind if you don’t hurry your ass up! Move it!” He barked, prompting Aelizabeth to jump, a little surprised by how loud he was.

“Coming, boss!” She called out before looking back at Leonce and Loup one final time, before offering them a nod, “Take care, you two; I do hope we’ll see each other again in the future. Until then, keep working on your skills!” She said, running out after the rest of her team.

Leonce stood in silence, waving goodbye as the door closed behind her. Meanwhile, Loup was busy looking over the request that had been passed to them. It seemed like an easy job – far more straightforward than the goblin purge. He bit his bottom lip in thought, trying to come up with something.

It was then the blond brother patted Loup on the shoulder, “Well, no point wasting any more time here, eh~” He said, flashing his cheeky grin.

Loup just sighed, nodding in agreement, “Mhm. If we kill enough of the pack before dawn, we’ll be able to secure enough coin to book a trip out of Oakenhart.”

Leonce liked the sound of that and was already beginning to brim with excitement, “Dear brother, sometimes I forget which of us is the educated one!”

A rare chuckle from Loup prompted them to move on before giving Vanessa a small wave goodbye themselves while the Clerk watched with some hope that they might do alright out there. Given the skills they displayed on their quest to take out the goblins, gathering the herbs, and coming back well before the expected time – well, there was little doubt in her mind anymore. So, giving the two boys a wave, she shot them both a smile.

“I’ll see you both in a few hours then!” She called out as they made their exit.

Meanwhile, outside, both brothers paused a moment, with Loup pulling out a map he had tucked away earlier within his inner coat pocket. Unfolding it on a nearby bench, he and Leonce quickly examined the pack's location relative to where they were and how long it’d take to get there.

“Hmm… seems it’ll be an hour-long walk once outside the town,” Observed Leonce, his finger drawing an invisible line from where they were to the wolves.

Loup nodded in agreement, “Mhm. And oddly enough, it leads us down the same road Iron Shield is taking.”

Leonce raised a brow, “Oh? I thought they’d take the east exit?”

Shaking his head, “Too long. This would only add unnecessary time to their travel. The path south is quicker but more dangerous, but given who they are, I don’t see that as a problem.”

“Huh. Well, I guess we’re seeing them earlier than we thought then?”

“Likely.”

Leonce frowned, “What’s wrong? You’re making that face again.”

“What face?”

“You know – the face! The one that screams trouble.”

Loup straightened and turned back towards the north, recalling the strangers who had been tailing them before melting back into the woods, “Worried more like.”

“About what?”

“Remember earlier on when I said we were being followed?” Loup asked, his attention focused on his brother.

“Yes?”

“I think they’re likely to make another pass at us, so I’m just being pessimistic,” He explained.

Leonce shrugged, “Well if it comes to that, we run. There are enough trees and bushes around where we’re going that we can easily outrun any attackers, and with all the cover, we’re not likely to be shot by a musket unless it's one of those fancy-ass rifles the merchants keep talking about.”

“True. Still, better to be overprepared than under…”

Nodding, Leonce folded the map and stuffed it into his younger brother’s inner coat pocket, “You worry too much. Let me be the one to do it from time to time. Besides~ I get to see Aelizabeth again; how can I not be a little excited to take the southern road?”

Loup cracked a smile and shook his head, “Fair,” he said before adding, “I’ll take point then.”

With that, they were off, quickly making for the southern road, hoping the wolf hunting would be just as smooth as the last two.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Minutes soon passed into half an hour as they left the safety of Oakenhart and into the monster infested woods of the south. Neither brother was worried however, and instead, they seemed almost giddy in a way. Not that Loup would show his excitement the same way his older brother would, but one could tell in the way he walked. He was surer footed, and radiated with a type of confidence that only served to motivate Leonce. When the wolf was happy, so was he. It was when Loup was on edge, that was when it was time to worry. As it was, they were thus far close to their objective, and close to seeing Iron Shield once again. The thought of seeing Aelizabeth was something that excited Leonce more, which when one considered his age, made plenty of sense. A young eighteen-year-old man, with no real romantic experience, seeing such a beautiful woman for the first time in their life? It was bound to happen.

Though, the further in they went the more Loup’s mood began to sour. Something was wrong, and the youngest could feel it. The forest was still. Like a dangerous predator was on the prowl.

“You hear that?” Loup asked.

Leonce looked confused and shook his head, “Nothing,” He replied, noting he heard literally nothing beyond their footsteps and voices.

“Mhm… exactly. Somethings off about this place. No birds, no bugs, only us.”

“So? Could it be the wolves?”

Loup shook his head, “Unlikely. I’ve hunted wolves before; the woods never went quiet like this. Its almost as if they were spooked by something.”

“Or someone,” Leonce suggested.

Both brothers nodded in agreement, each carefully arming themselves. Leonce drew free the rapier, while Loup unslung his musket and began to load it. It was a muzzle-loaded weapon, so it was slow going, but it was made all the more painfully slow by the fact he was trying to be as silent as possible as they both treaded further into the woods. Neither bothered to look at the other. Instead, they watched their fields of view but kept close enough together that they wouldn’t lose the other. They wanted a complete defence and a way to avoid getting caught off guard by whoever or whatever spooked the wildlife.

Moving further in, they suddenly began to hear something. The sounds of metal clashing against metal.

“Fighting?” Leonce thought aloud.

Loup frowned but nodded, “Likely. If they’re focused on each other, they’re likely not prepared for two more. Keep low and follow me,” Loup instructed.

Both brothers melted into the woods, ducking into the thicket, taking care not to step on a branch to give themselves away as they began to check who was fighting. They both had a feeling who was being attacked, but neither wanted to voice such.

Drawing in closer to the sounds of combat, they came to see their initial theory was correct. Before them was Iron Shield facing off against a small token force of men dressed in uniforms neither brother had seen before. Crimson Red coats, with crème coloured pants, and black tricorn hats. They looked rather odd to both, but it seemed they were skilled enough to have killed two of the Iron Shield members, whose bodies lay strewn about the floor with three of the red coated attackers. The leader, meanwhile, was desperately blocking, parrying, and roaring with fury as he swung his axe out towards the closest foe, only for them to quickly backstep and make an attempt at the giant of a man. Aelizabeth meanwhile continued to do her best, but it seemed she was bested, as two men grabbed her from behind, with one stuffing a cloth into her mouth, another blindfolding her before they dragged her away. They knew why. If she couldn’t speak the words of power, or see where she’d fire them, she was effectively robbed of her combat potential. Once she was dragged away, they made swift work of trussing her up, tying her up in a tight hogtie. She lay there thrashing helplessly against her bonds, while the rest of her team struggled to fight off their attackers.

Leonce feels a rise in anger at the sight of Aelizabeth being treated in such a way, but Loup shakes his head, knowing the numbers there could easily overpower them. Yet, still, Leonce felt himself burning with rage, his pride thrashed about, spurring him to tighten his grip around the hilt of his blade. Loup could practically feel the change in his brother's aura; he seemed different. Something told him it would be better to let the lion loose as it were. He didn’t want to act on this feeling, though, as he saw the leader of the Iron Shield go down with an anguished cry of outrage; he’d only managed to kill three of the men who killed him.

But, it was that final cry that snapped Leonce’s ability to maintain his rationality. Standing up, he emerged from the woods, his blade flashed as the tip plunged through the closest man’s throat. The man grasped at the blade in breathless panic before Leonce thrust the blade in further to the hilt and with a cruel rip, cleaved the man’s head free from his shoulders. He stood there, his eyes darkened with murderous intent that caused all to freeze in a moment of surprise and terror at the brutal sight that just unfolded before them all. The ten remaining men stood in silence for a moment, before their officer spoke up.

“W-what are you doing?! Kill him!” He barked.

Quickly shaking the fear from their minds, the first raised his musket to fire, only for his head to crack back as a shot rang out from behind Leonce. Loup stood, his musket smoking. He didn’t care much for Iron Shield; he didn’t know them, but Leonce was his brother and his brother's enemies were Loup’s as well.

The others quickly began to cock and load, but Leonce lunged forward, bloodied blade thrusting forward with surprising speed that the nineth man could barely respond in time to deflect the blade as it stabbed through his chest, heart, and out the back. But one of the others used his death to try and get a shot off at Leonce before Loup could reload, only for Leonce to pull the dying man close and use him as a meatshield. Two rounds slammed into his back, but, as the blond had prepared for the blowback, he was able to take the shock before letting the weight of the bodies fall, sliding the blade free. As one man began to panic and reload the man next to him tried to charge Leonce with bayonet fixed.

Blue eyes seemed to flash in the moment as he saw the threat before him, he side stepped the bayonet, slapping it aside with his left hand, before he thrust upwards the basket of the rapier up and into the man’s nose, breaking it. The man fell backwards, but as he did the other had nearly completed his reload only for his head to explode as Loup stepped out from the woods now. The enemy moved quickly to try and kill Loup whom they thought the weakest, while the officer, tried to rush to the cart to drive away in that moment, only for the Iron Shield leader to use the last breath of life he had left to swing his blade up, slashing the man’s back. Those seconds were all the brothers needed…

As the men charged Loup, they did the one thing they shouldn’t have – turned their back to a Lion. Leonce lashed out with his rapier, the tip coming to slash the first two’s Achilles tendons, causing them both to fall forward in cries of shock and pain, while the third saw his bayonet batted aside by Loup who reached out with his hands and grabbed the man’s throat and squeezed with a force of a wolf’s bite, crushing his throat with gory results. The body crumpled before Leonce spun around in time to roll to the side, narrowly avoiding a shot to his head. Leonce buried his left foot into the ground to stop his slide before digging his right in and breaking out into a headlong sprint towards the remaining men. They began to break and run at the sight of the duo who had so brutally murdered their fellows, but they didn’t get far before Loup lifted one of the dead men’s loaded muskets and with a loud crack two men fell. One was killed by the bullet, the other maimed by the shrapnel sprayed out by the bullet as it passed through the man’s skull and out into a tree, causing a shower of shards to cause the second to fall in a fit of pain. The other saw his open mouth speared into by Leonce. He was barely alive before Leonce snapped the man's neck with a wrench of his blade, killing him instantly.

All that slaughter had happened so quickly that the officer, as he turned to finish the leader of the Iron Shield off with his sabre, gasped at the absurdity. Now two extremely dangerous men stood before him, their eyes focused.

“D- demons!” He screamed out in a fit of panic, legs giving out as he scrambled away.

Through his eyes, he saw four eyes that looked like demonic beings. Golden-blue iris’ shined from Leonce, while icy white-grey came from Loup. One stood like a Lion, ready to pounce on its next kill, while the other appeared like the Alpha Wolf, ready to bite down on the neck of its prey. The officer knew he was dead in that moment, as both brothers walked up, and silently plunged the tip of their blades through the officer, killing him with a coldness one might expect from veteran soldiers.

The wounded men of the outfit cried and tried to crawl away, but they didn’t last long as Loup silently dispatched them with a thrust of the bayonet. All red coated men were dead, not one survived. The Iron Shield had been avenged…