Sera moved first, disappearing into the darkness with practiced ease. Her movements were silent, years of training making stealth second nature. Mira followed moments later, crackling energy already gathering around her fingertips in faint blue sparks.
Then Kael charged.
He burst from cover in a dead sprint, abandoning all pretense of caution. His boots pounded against the hard-packed earth as he closed the distance to the ridge.
The enemy archers spotted him immediately.
"Shit! He's charging us!"
"Take him down! Now!"
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!
Arrows whistled through the air, dark streaks aimed directly at his center mass.
Kael weaved between the incoming projectiles like flowing water. His enhanced dexterity made his movements almost precognitive, he could read the trajectory of each arrow from the archers' draw and body position.
He twisted, ducked, sidestepped. Each motion brought him closer while the enemy struggled to adjust their aim.
Before they could loose another volley, Mira struck.
Lightning erupted from her position in a brilliant arc of blue-white energy. The bolt forked mid-air, striking two archers simultaneously.
Their bodies convulsed violently before they collapsed, smoke rising from scorched armor.
Sera took her shot next.
'Wind-Guided Arrow.'
Her projectile curved impossibly mid-flight, bending around a boulder the archer had ducked behind. It punched through his throat before he even realized his cover was useless. He gurgled once, hands clutching at the shaft, then fell.
The remaining archers panicked, their disciplined formation crumbling.
Kael was already among them.
His dagger flashed in the moonlight as he closed with the nearest archer. The man fumbled to drop his bow and draw a shortsword, but he was far too slow.
Kael's blade sank between his ribs with surgical precision, angled upward toward the heart. He twisted the weapon viciously before yanking it free. Blood sprayed across the dirt in a dark arc.
The second archer managed to get his sword out, swinging wildly in panic.
Kael ducked under the clumsy slash and swept the man's legs with a low kick. The archer's knee bent backward with a sickening 'crack'. His scream cut through the night before Kael silenced it permanently with a slash across the throat.
The final two tried to flee.
Mira's lightning caught one square in the back. His body jerked like a puppet with cut strings before crumpling to the ground, smoke rising from the entry wound.
Sera's arrow whistled through the darkness, curving with the wind she guided around it. The shaft punched clean through the back of the last archer's skull. He was dead before he hit the ground.
The battlefield fell silent save for the crackling of scattered flames from Mira's spell.
Kael rolled his shoulders, working out the tension. His pulse was steady, breathing controlled despite the exertion.
Mira approached one of the fallen enemies, nudging the corpse with her boot. "Not bad. They were disciplined, maintained formation. But not good enough to handle us."
Sera, however, stood motionless, staring at the bodies scattered across the ridge.
Kael watched her carefully. "You alright?"
Her eyes snapped up to meet his. "Ye-Yes. Just slightly exhausted."
Kael took his time responding. He crouched beside the archer he'd gutted, wiping his dagger clean on the dead man's cloak with slow, deliberate strokes.
Then he spoke, voice calm and matter-of-fact. "You hesitated with the water mage at the city. If she'd escaped, we wouldn't be here right now."
Sera's hands clenched into fists at her sides. "And yet she didn't escape."
Kael met her gaze steadily. "Because I forced you to act."
Sera's jaw tightened, but she held his stare. "I know what needs to be done, Kael. I don't need constant reminders."
Mira groaned, stepping between them. "We don't have time for this philosophical debate." She held up a small folded map she'd retrieved from one of the archers' pouches. "This might actually be useful."
Kael took it from her, unfolding the parchment and studying it by moonlight.
Guard shift rotations, patrol routes, and a marked location of the fortress interior, specifically what looked like a lower level. He committed the key information to memory before tossing the map into the flames of a fallen torch.
"We better get moving now," he stated. "Before their relief shift arrives and finds this mess."
They rode in tense silence. The fortress grew larger with each passing minute, its imposing structure dominating the landscape ahead.
The building was massive. Ancient stone walls studded with iron-reinforced battlements. Torches burned at regular intervals along the ramparts, creating pools of flickering light.
Guard towers flanked the main entrance, and even from this distance, Kael could see armored soldiers patrolling the walls, their movements precise and disciplined.
Getting inside wouldn't be simple.
Mira broke the silence first. "So what's the actual plan here?"
Kael studied the terrain carefully. The main gate was too heavily defended for a frontal assault, suicide for three people, even skilled ones. That left two options: find a side entrance, or scale the walls.
"We split up again," he decided. "Mira, Sera, find elevated positions with sight lines into the fortress. Provide cover fire if things go wrong. I'll find a way inside."
Sera frowned, concern evident in her voice. "You're going in alone?"
Kael's smirk returned. "Don't you trust me by now?"
Mira snorted. "Absolutely not. Not even slightly."
Kael's smirk widened into something almost genuine. "Then stay alert."
With that, they separated.
Sera and Mira melted into the tree line, moving toward higher ground that would give them vantage points over the fortress. Kael stayed low, using the natural terrain to remain in shadow as he approached the eastern wall.
His silver eyes scanned the structure methodically, looking for weaknesses.
He found something not long after. A small drainage tunnel near the eastern corner. It was a narrow passage, less than three feet across, but barely passable for someone his size. And critically, unguarded. Either they thought it too small to be useful, or they'd simply overlooked it.
Kael's smirk returned. "Perfect."
He slipped inside without hesitation.
The tunnel was cramped and damp, water trickling along the bottom. But Kael's enhanced senses made navigating the darkness trivial. He moved quickly until he emerged into a shadowed corridor. Dim torches cast flickering light across stone walls worn smooth by centuries.
Footsteps echoed from around a corner.
Kael pressed himself flat against the wall, melting into the shadows as two guards walked past. They spoke in hushed tones, unaware of his presence.
"Commander says the prisoners are being moved soon."
"Moved where?"
"Lower chambers. Nobles are arriving tomorrow. They don't want any risks before the inspection."
Kael's eyes narrowed as his mind processed the information. 'Nobles arriving... but from which kingdom? And the royals are definitely still alive.'
He waited until the guards' footsteps faded completely before moving forward. Each corridor was monitored, but he was patient, moving like a ghost through the fortress interior. His enhanced stealth from Night Predator made him nearly invisible in the dim lighting.
He then reached a massive iron door reinforced with thick bars. The prison chambers.
Kael pressed his ear against the cold metal. Faint voices drifted from the other side. Multiple people speaking in low, resigned tones.
He stepped back, examining the lock mechanism. It was heavily reinforced, designed to resist forced entry. Too strong for his dagger alone.
But Kael wasn't concerned.
A soft voice came from the small communication stone tucked in his ear. It had been salvaged from one of the dead guards earlier in their journey.
"We're in position," Mira's voice whispered through the magical connection. "What's going on in there? Do you see anything?"
Kael kept his voice low. "Yeah. I think I've found them. There's a prison chamber at the lower level."
Sera's voice cut in. "Then what are we waiting for? Get them out."
"Working on it."