They turned to look.
A man in his forties stood there. He wore gleaming silver armor. His white cloak was dusty at the hem. A full beard covered his face. A thick scar ran from his left temple, across his right eye, down to his cheek. The scar tissue bulged. It was an old, terrible wound. The man had survived luckily. He held a sword. Even in the dim light, it shone coldly. Its owner was clearly a hardened veteran.
The man scanned the room. He sheathed his sword. He walked to the counter.
"I need to hire men," he said to John. "Thirty swordsmen. Twenty archers. Five sniper-bowmen. Ten light cavalry. Thirty pikemen if you have them. Rank B or higher. Twenty silver each per day. Can you provide them now?"
John sucked in a breath. A big spender. Twenty silver a day was huge money. Two major jobs at once?
"Bad timing, sir," John said. "Everyone's off on the 'Raze' job. All our B-ranks are gone. Wait two days. I can message other branches. Should get your numbers."
The man frowned. "I need them now. Is it a fee issue? I can pay more."
Kael whispered, "Hiring an army."
Jaxson whispered back, "More like funding a getaway."
John shook his head. "It's not the money, sir. There's literally no one."
The man's eyes swept the hall. He saw Kael's group. He noted their Wanderer badges. He dismissed them. He had heard the whispers.
The door opened again.
Two young people entered. A boy and a girl. Both around eighteen.
The boy was dressed as a warrior. He wore a dark, sleek armor. It looked stronger than the older man's silver plate. His black hair flowed over his shoulders. It framed a lean, serious face. His eyes were deep. Too deep for his age.
The girl wore a long purple dress with a matching cloak. She pushed back her hood. A cascade of golden hair fell out. Beneath it was a face of exquisite beauty. Like fine jade. She looked tired from travel, but she smiled softly at the boy beside her.
Kael and Jaxson exchanged a look. Their eyes said the same thing: *A real beauty. Classy.*
Lirael glanced at them. Her eyes held a familiar verdict: *Dogs will be dogs.*
The scarred man hurried over. "My lady," he said quietly. "I asked you to wait outside. This is no place for you. Please, go back out. I'll be done shortly."
The boy beside her spoke. "The wind was cold. I feared for her health. We'll wait here. Is there trouble?"
When the scarred man entered, Kael's group hadn't moved. Even his hiring offer didn't stir them. Lirael heard the B-rank requirement. She said nothing.
But when the girl entered, Kael and Jaxson visibly adjusted their postures. They assumed what they thought were 'dashing' poses. Jaxson even put on that hated noble smile. It looked fake.
Hearing they were hiring, Kael and Jaxson shot up from their seats. They practically sprinted to the girl's side. They ignored their low rank. They ignored the much handsomer boy beside her.
Jaxson bowed. "Most esteemed and breathtakingly beautiful lady! How may I be of service?" He was nearly drooling.
The trio reacted with clear alarm and distaste.
Kael executed a perfect knight's bow. "Lovely angel. Your presence lights up this humble town. I am Kael. Your devoted knight. The most capable mercenary within seventy *li*. If you need protection, I will brave fire and flood for you."
Neither noticed the burning anger in the eyes of the two men with the girl.
Gideon came downstairs with their gear. He saw the scene. He started forward, then thought better of it. He retreated back upstairs.
The girl spoke gently. "Thank you for your kindness, sirs. But…" She seemed reluctant.
The boy cut in. "Our lady is the daughter of a Sillimar merchant. School is out. She returns home to visit her parents. We heard the roads are unsafe. We came to hire guards. But you are not B-rank mercenaries, are you?" His words were polite, but his displeasure was clear. He had good restraint.
Jaxson ignored him. "Your name, my lady? I am Jaxson Tang. The finest protector here. Hire me, you get a two-for-one deal. See that mage sitting there?" He pointed at Lirael. "She's my subordinate. Immensely powerful!" He called out, "Isn't that right, Lieutenant Lirael?"
Lirael was caught off guard. Was he asking if he was the strongest, or if she was his subordinate? Habit took over. "Yes, sir!"
Kael jumped in. "My lady, pay him no mind! Look at me. I'm older. More mature. You saw that giant who came downstairs? He's *my* man." (So that's why Gideon stayed upstairs!). "I am the ideal choice."
The young man finally snapped. His hand moved toward his sword.
Jaxson kept selling. "And my rates are very reasonable! Fifteen thousand gold coins. A steal, right?"
John, behind the counter, almost choked. *After freeloading for days, now he's scamming people? No wonder he asked about contract penalties.*
Strangely, the scarred man gently nudged the boy's foot with his own. The boy checked himself. He fell silent, glaring coldly at the two rascals.
John thought, *Do they really think their lives are worth that much?*
Kael turned to the scarred man. "You, sir. A man of discernment. Tell me, am I not more capable than this weakling here? There's no one like me for seventy *li*!" He puffed out his chest.
The scarred man studied Kael. He blinked. He gritted his teeth. "Fine. You four. Fifteen thousand gold. Get us home safely." He walked outside. He returned with a large, heavy money bag.
He tossed it to Kael. "Custom says I pay ten percent deposit. Fifteen hundred gold. I only have five hundred on me. The rest, double, when we reach our home. Agreed?"
Jaxson grinned slyly. "So, sixteen thousand five hundred gold upon delivery home." He seemed more interested in escorting the girl all the way. The black-haired boy looked disgusted. The purple-clad girl shrank back slightly behind him. She understood the implication.
The scarred man pretended not to hear. "Yes."
Kael said, "Deal." He walked to John. He pulled ten gold coins from the bag. "This covers our debt?"
"More than covers it."
"Keep the change. Thanks for your hospitality." Kael lowered his voice. "And please, keep this quiet until the job's done."
John grinned. "Your luck is something else. Come back anytime!"
Kael was still talking. Jaxson urged him. "Come on, Kael! Grab our stuff, let's go! Oh, and give me the money bag for safekeeping." He called Lirael and headed upstairs. Before going up, he smiled at his new employers. "Gentlemen, milady! A brief moment! We descend post-haste!"
The scarred man said, "We'll wait outside." The trio left.
Outside, alone, the boy asked the scarred man. "Bryce. Why agree? These men are… odd. But they likely just guessed our status. They want to extort money."
Bryce (the scarred man) replied, "Young master, you know my skill."
The boy nodded. "A Golden Knight. Top hundred on the continent."
Bryce said, "When that man Kael looked at me… his smile faded. I felt an urge to turn and run. No bloodlust. Just… pressure. Like I couldn't breathe."
"That terrifying? I felt nothing from him."
"That's what chilled me. I couldn't gauge him at all. If I had drawn my sword, I would be dead."
"Bryce, I trust your judgment. Without you, we'd already be…"
"You are cautious, young master. A leader's trait. I am pleased, not offended."
Upstairs in the guild.
Lirael stood at attention. "Sir! Request permission to speak!"
Jaxson sighed. "Lirael, can you stop with the formalities? Just say it. You'll give me a heart attack."
"Is that an order, sir?"
"Consider it one."
"Yes, sir." She paused. "Director. You neglect our sacred mission for a pretty face. I find this improper."
Jaxson asked, "Do you know who they are?"
"The boy is Duke Ronan Hale. The girl is his fiancée, Princess Elara."
"Right! So we *are* helping them!"
"Sir, this task carries extreme risk. We may be drawn into a power struggle. The attackers won't be mere bandits."
Jaxson waved a hand. "Too simple! Kael, explain."
Kael ducked into a corner, packing. "Ah… simply put, our Director has profound foresight. Right, sir?"
"Exactly! Gideon, back me up!"
Gideon pretended not to hear.
Lirael tried to speak again.
Jaxson cut her off, blushing. "It's an order. Just follow it."
Lirael fell silent. An order was an order.
Jaxson continued. "Tactical command for this protection detail falls to you, Lieutenant."
"Understood."
"Now, distribute the 'supplies.' Finally! My back is killing me."
Kael said, "We said not to bring them. You insisted. 'Better safe than sorry.'"
Jaxson's face reddened further.
Lirael objected. "Sir, we have only one combat load of ammunition. If we use it now, what about future dangers?"
"We'll cross that bridge. You'll protect me. Hand them out! Our employers are waiting!"
The heavy backpack was finally opened. Each got an MP5 with 270 rounds. Four grenades total. (No energy weapons—the power cells could have exploded during transit).
They hid the weapons under their cloaks. You'd have to lift the cloaks to see them.
Gideon asked Kael quietly, "Are we going too far? Getting involved could be serious."
Kael pretended not to hear. He whistled, heading downstairs. On the steps, he murmured to himself, too low for anyone else. "Does fate make the times, or do men make their fate? Can't escape what's coming."
Jaxson added, "Backing out now means being hunted down and chopped into pieces." He followed Kael down.
Gideon shook his head, hefted his great axe, and followed somberly.
Whether by lust or design, they were now caught in the current.
Outside, Bryce was impatient. Seeing them, he was about to complain. Then he saw Gideon's massive axe. He was visibly impressed. The complaint died on his lips. "Let's move."
Bryce's group had indeed been ambushed by Raze's band. They lost all guards and horses. They came to hire men and buy horses. They found neither. The other mercs had bought all the mounts.
So, the party of seven set out on foot.
Bastoni to the Throat Valley was 130 *li* of good road. Safe in daylight. An ambush here would be farcical.
Bryce spoke with them occasionally. The young couple avoided them.
Bryce's questions were probes. The answers left him more confused. He settled on 'unfathomable' and gave up.
Kael and Jaxson tried to chat up the princess. They only made themselves more disliked. Gideon and Lirael took point and rear, speaking little.
Two days passed. They crossed the Throat Valley. They entered Sillimar territory.
At the foot of the Gate of Ice and Snow, the trio conferred. They bypassed the fortress. Jaxson's group pretended not to notice. They understood the need for secrecy.
North of the fortress, they stopped at a hamlet. They resupplied. They luckily bought two horses. The young couple rode. The pace didn't improve much.
At a tavern, travelers said the Duke's bounty increased again. Raze was still free. Traffic between Sillimar and Larfanset had dried up. The once-busy road was now often empty. The news dampened everyone's spirits except Jaxson and Kael.
Four more safe days passed. They reached the most dangerous leg. The air grew cold enough for ice.
Bryce pointed ahead. "Next is about 800 *li*. A 400-*li* forest. Then some rugged hills. Bandit country. Be sharp."
Lirael gathered her team. "Eight hundred *li* at our speed means fifteen days. We're short on horses. If attacked, retreat is hard. We could be wiped out." She looked at Jaxson.
Jaxson said, "You want us hunted and chopped up? You're the expert. You command."
Kael and Gideon nodded. Not in agreement with Jaxson, but in sympathy for Lirael.
Lirael set her jaw. "Very well. Scout formation. I'll take point. Gideon, rear guard. Speed up before the forest. First ambush will be there. If we destroy them fast, we can take their horses. Rush through before they set a second trap."
She redeployed the group. Her team grew visibly more serious.
Lirael took point, ten meters ahead. Bryce followed. The dismounted couple walked behind him, with the horses on their flanks. Kael and Jaxson walked two meters outside the horses. Gideon took the rear, three meters back.
Seeing this, the boy's pent-up anger exploded.
He said to Bryce, "Do they know anything? A mage in front? The warrior in the rear? This is suicide!"
Bryce was also unhappy. He turned to Jaxson. "This formation won't get us through the forest." He'd pegged Jaxson as the leader, idiot or not.
Jaxson grinned. "Trust me! You'll get your money's worth."
Bryce decided then. If trouble came, he'd let these fools die. He'd get his charges on the horses and either charge or retreat. A Golden Knight's confidence was solid.
He explained his plan quietly to the boy. The boy, Ronan, nodded. He said nothing.
Gideon, with sharp hearing, overheard. He smiled to himself.
They traveled all day. A dark, vast forest appeared.
Bryce pointed. "The Mistpine Forest. Four hundred *li* north-south. Nine hundred wide. Snow brings fog. There's a cart path through it. Most famous Sillimar bandit gangs started here." A clear warning.
The lack of attacks so far was unnerving. An ambush in the forest was certain. Everyone felt it.
Lirael glanced at Jaxson. *Proceed?*
Jaxson looked at Bryce. *Proceed?*
Bryce looked at Ronan. Ronan stared into the forest, his gaze fierce and determined.
Bryce nodded firmly to Jaxson.
Jaxson gave Lirael a hand signal. He whispered to Kael, "His father must be fading." Kael nodded.
Inside the forest, Lirael ordered scout pace. The formation held. They slowed.
Tall pines blocked most of the sky. A light snow began in the afternoon. It grew heavier. A thick white fog rose. By dusk, they were thirty *li* deep. Visibility dropped to twenty meters. The nearest forest campsite was still three *li* away.
The snow fell harder. The air felt frozen. Only the crunch of boots on snow broke the silence. Darkness pressed in.
Suddenly, Lirael halted. She crouched, raising a closed fist.
Everyone froze. Even the horses seemed to hold their breath.
Ronan didn't know the signal, but he felt the danger. He drew his sword quietly. Elara pulled a wand from her cloak. She cast a Wind Shield on the group.
Silence. Not even birds.
Ronan watched Kael's team. They crouched, facing outwards. Their hands were under their cloaks, not on sword hilts. Stranger still, Gideon hadn't even unslung his axe.
There was an ambush. The lack of birds confirmed it.
A tense standoff began. The air grew thick with suppressed violence.
The ambushers realized they'd been spotted. They gave up stealth. Rustling sounds moved through the trees, converging. The fog limited their sight too. Otherwise, arrows would already be flying.
The rustling grew closer. Bryce, with sharp eyes, saw shadows moving.
He grew nervous. At least a hundred men. His side had no bows. The enemy was regrouping sixty meters out. In twenty more meters, past the worst fog, they'd have clear shots. They'd be riddled.
Bryce regretted hiring these mercs. The mage Lirael hadn't even begun a chant. It might be too late. Archers would target her first. The numbers were bad. Today looked grim.
He prepared to signal his plan.
The forest men began to move.
Then Lirael shouted, "Fire!"
Flames flashed from under the cloaks of her three teammates. Deafening cracks echoed through the woods. The fog seemed torn by the flashes.
Fifty meters away, men clustered together fell like wheat. The flashes kept coming. The noise was immense. Bryce's group was stunned. So were the attackers. They stood dumbly in the flashing intervals. They didn't think to flee or hide.
It was over too fast.
In under two minutes, only the seven of them and two horses remained standing. The entire fight was a blur. Elara still held a healing glow meant for wounded allies. It wasn't needed.
"Cease fire!" Lirael ordered. "Mutual support, hundred-meter sweep. No survivors. Secure horses."
Her team moved out in a coordinated search pattern. From Bryce's view, their postures never changed. Occasional single cracks sounded in the distance. Twenty minutes later, they returned. No horses.
Bryce tried to see their hands. They held nothing. Part of the sweep was to bury the empty firearms.
No horses was bad. It meant guards were left with mounts further back. They'd have heard the noise.
Gideon approached Bryce. "One hundred twenty men. No survivors here. The rear guard may not know details yet."
Bryce knew they'd heard the thunder. But he appreciated the attempt to reassure.
He walked into the killing zone, needing to see. Bodies lay where they fell, weapons in hand. The trees, ground, and corpses were pocked with small holes.
He saw many archers. At least twenty were crossbowmen. Fury and shock hit him.
"Despicable!" he roared. "No knightly honor! Crossbows!" He clearly knew who these men were. Not random bandits.
Ronan and Elara followed. Seeing the carnage, understanding Lirael's "no survivors" order, Elara turned and retched.
Ronan and Bryce exchanged a look of horror. Each lost in thought, they forgot Elara for a moment.
Bryce's mind raced. *What are these four? No swords drawn. Over a hundred dead. These weren't amateurs. I'd be dead. Three minutes. This power… legendary. Their coordination… military. Don't think further. Not here.*
Ronan's thoughts were grander, simpler. *How do I win their aid? Secure my throne. Unify the continent.*
Gideon and Lirael collected serviceable bows and crossbows from the dead. They had no more bullets.
Elara recovered. "May I have a moment? A purification rite."
Ronan said, "Elara, conserve your strength. The road is long."
"I cannot leave them for the beasts. Even enemies deserve peace in death."
Jaxson and Kael swooped in. "Lady Elara! Your mercy shames us killers! Allow me a private confession for our sins!" They just wanted to get her alone.
Elara ignored them. Ronan swiftly pulled her away.
Lirael moved to stop the rite—it was a huge drain. Gideon gently held her back.
Elara began the chant. White light enveloped the bodies. They dissolved into nothingness.
Bryce helped collect gear. He saw the arrowheads. All gleamed with a sickly green poison.
He saw them gathering crossbows too. "Gideon! We cannot use those. They are dishonorable!"
Lirael looked up. "Our task is to keep you alive." She went back to work.
Ronan stood protectively by Elara, shooting daggers at Kael and Jaxson.
Jaxson was rifling through pockets. "No money, no fun!" he chirped.
Kael searched for wine flasks. "Money isn't everything," he said. Then, quieter, "Especially with women."
Both kept stealing glances at Elara. Ronan didn't dare leave her side.
The purification finished. Elara was pale and drenched in sweat. Ronan wrapped his cloak around her.
Gideon and Lirael loaded the gathered gear onto the horses. Bryce and Ronan refused to touch the crossbows. In the end, only the four of them carried the compact weapons.
Jaxson picked two small hand-crossbows. He held one in each hand, striking poses. "Hey, Giddy! Do I look cool? Like that one guy?"
Kael laughed. "You look like a beggar who won the lottery and lost his mind."
Jaxson looked at the many coin purses on his belt. He sheepishly stopped.
Despite everything, Ronan and Elara chuckled faintly. The grim mood lifted a little.
They pressed on. Two or three *li* later, they reached the forest campsite.
They saw what they most feared to see.