The trading outpost at Riverfall emerged from the morning mist like a place that had been abandoned mid-breath. Wooden storefronts leaned in silence, their shutters gaping like empty eyes. The air, damp with river fog, carried no signs of breakfast fires or animal pens, only a stale metallic tang that clung at the back of Jace's throat.
"Too quiet," Elliot muttered, his hand brushing the hilts of his daggers. The joking lilt he usually carried was gone, replaced by an edge that prickled the air. "Not even crickets."
Jace's senses had sharpened since his first battle experience. Now, details leapt out: no curling smoke from chimneys, no bleating of penned goats, not even the buzz of flies that should have gathered where people lived. He caught the faint, sour bite of dried blood hidden beneath the smell of wet wood and river moss. His stomach tightened.
"Nia," he called out, scanning doorframes and alley shadows, "does the magic feel off to you?"
She frowned, fingertips grazing the hilt of her blade as though steadying herself. "It's twisted. Like someone scooped the life out of this place and left only a hollow shell. People didn't leave willingly."
They pressed deeper into the main street, steps careful, eyes restless. Overturned carts and dropped baskets marked a rush to escape, chairs toppled from porches, doors yawning open. The scene had all the noise of panic—without a single person left behind to make it.
Elliot broke the silence. "Where is everyone?" His words seemed too loud in the empty street.
The answer came not in words, but in movement.
Windows shattered as demon soldiers burst out, their grotesque bodies slamming against walls and cobbles. Others crawled from beneath docks, dripping with river muck, or shoved wagons aside with unnatural strength. Their armor was mismatched and ugly, but the way they moved was anything but clumsy—every step was drilled precision.
"Ambush!" Jace's shout came as bolts hissed through the space they had just occupied.
His mind raced through options with speed. They were outnumbered at least fifteen to one, caught in an open area with limited cover.
"Elliot! Watchtower! Give us height!" he barked, pointing to the tall structure ahead. "Nia, with me—we'll choke them at the docks."
He flicked open his system with a thought, burning charm points like coin through his fingers.
[Emergency Enhancement: Combat Skills – 300 CP]
[Effect: +10 to combat stats for 10 minutes]
The rush hit instantly. The drag of his body's limits lifted, movements sharpening into clean lines.
"They're pushing to circle us!" Nia's voice cut through as she slammed her blade against a demon's spear before she kicked another back into the river's dark water.
"Let them." Jace's mind locked onto the pattern of their encirclement, reshaping it. "Elliot—left flank, herd them through the warehouses!"
A spell streaked past, pinning a soldier through the eye before it hit the dirt. Elliot's laugh rang faintly from above. "Already on it!"
The flow shifted. Their enemies pressed in, but every step brought them into tighter ground. Elliot's spells punished stragglers; Nia's blade carved through with relentless precision. Jace anchored their line, letting the dock's narrow supports turn three attackers into one manageable threat. Each strike landed with uncanny accuracy, slipping between plates, sliding into joints.
Minutes blurred. Then silence.
"That's the last of them," Elliot called down. From his perch, he scanned rooftops before vaulting to the ground with fluid ease.
Jace leaned against a support beam, catching his breath, sweat running cool down his spine. When he looked up, Elliot was staring.
"I'll admit it," Elliot said, sheathing his daggers, "that was textbook. You read the ground like you've been doing this your whole life. Where'd you pick that up?"
"Necessity," Jace answered, the word heavier than it sounded. Sometimes survival was the only teacher.
Their search of Riverfall led them to the trading post's basement. The air there was thick, sour with unwashed bodies and damp earth. Two dozen militiamen and civilians sat huddled behind wooden bars, skin pale from days without sunlight.
"Thank the gods," the militia captain rasped as Jace forced the lock open. His hand shook as he gripped Jace's arm, bones sharp under thin skin. "We thought we'd been left to rot."
Nia was already helping an old woman to her feet, brushing dust from her shawl. "Easy now. You're safe."
"They didn't kill anyone," the captain continued, voice ragged. "Just locked us in here. Their leader kept saying, 'wait for the heroes."
Elliot's expression tightened. His eyes flicked to Jace.
"Did they ever mention specific heroes?" Elliot asked.
The captain nodded weakly. "Hours ago before the leader left he said the 'golden one' led his people upstream to some old ruins. Even he was confused as to why they hadn't struck."
Jace's gut clenched. He didn't need the name—he could picture Dren's smug face all too easily.He had somehow arranged for his team to receive false intelligence, leaving Jace's smaller group to face the real ambush. It was meant to be a setup—send the inexperienced leader and his "groupies" into a trap that would embarrass them and he would swoop in later to claim the glory.
"Well, well," Nia said with a grin sharp enough to cut. "Guess somebody's plans just unraveled."
Almost on cue, hooves clattered at the edge of town. Dust and fog parted as Dren, Tor, and Kael rode in. They found Jace's team freeing civilians, corpses littering the square, and a battle already won.
"What happened here?" Tor demanded, leaping from his horse to aid the nearest survivor.
"Ambush," Jace replied evenly. "Demon soldiers. We cleared them and rescued the survivors."
Kael's brow furrowed. "But the ruins upstream—our intel said—"
"Funny thing about intel," Nia cut in, her tone light as though commenting on the weather. "Sometimes it takes you on a wild goose chase while the real fight's somewhere else."
Her words hung in the air. Tor and Kael looked confused, but Dren's perfect composure cracked. A flush crept across his face, jaw stiffening as the realization settled: not only had Jace survived, he'd succeeded spectacularly.
"Outstanding work, Wart," Elliot said loudly enough for every ear in the square. "You took command like a seasoned veteran. Absolute masterclass."
Dren's answering smile was stretched thin, eyes burning under the mask. "Congratulations on your… success."
"Thanks," Jace said. "Couldn't have done it without them." He nodded toward Elliot and Nia, letting the credit land where it belonged.
They decided to stay the night and observe the situation and Riverfall's headman offered them shelter for the night.
******
That evening, Jace sat in his room, the muffled sound of crackling fire and soft laughter drifting in from outside. His system window flared into being, cold blue against the dim canvas walls. Notifications scrolled one after another, each one a quiet affirmation.
[Mission Complete: Riverfall Rescue Operation]
[Rewards Earned:]
[Experience: 1500 CP]
[Leadership Bonus: +300 CP for successful command under pressure]
[Combat Efficiency: +250 CP for minimal casualties achieved]
[New Skill Unlocked: Battlefield Command]
[Description: Enhanced ability to coordinate team tactics and boost ally performance during combat]