The forest was dark and quiet.
Only a thin crescent moon hung above the trees, and far away the bandit hideout glowed with small orange lights from their fires.
I was alone.
Hidden inside a bush.
Waiting.
I had been waiting for a long time. Maybe an hour. Maybe more. Time felt strange when nothing moved.
Waiting always made my chest feel tight.
But this time I forced myself to stay still.
I was waiting for the smoke.
Just like we planned.
I slowed my breathing the way Spiro taught us. Slow in. Slow out.
Then I opened my Avenir Eyes.
The world changed.
Soft blue lights appeared across the hideout.
Mana. Life. Movement.
On my side there was a watchtower.
Two archers.
They were talking to each other. One leaned against the wooden railing while the other scratched his head with the tip of an arrow.
Farther away were two guard posts.
Three guards in each.
Six.
Two archers.
…Eight.
Eight enemies on this side.
I counted again to be sure.
Eight.
My fingers touched the dirt slowly, tracing the shape of the wall in my mind.
Before we split up, I had watched the hideout carefully from the tree.
A wooden wall surrounded it. About four meters high.
Too high to climb without help.
The front had a large gate and two watchtowers. The sides had one tower each. Another stood at the back.
Not just a hideout.
A small fortress.
Inside the walls, there were many huts.
Nine small ones around a large building in the center.
In most huts, the blue lights were close together.
Sleeping.
Five or six in each.
But the big building in the middle was different.
When I looked at it with my Avenir Eyes, the light there was thick.
Heavy.
Two people.
Very strong.
Even from far away, my body felt strange when I looked at them.
They must be the bandit fortress leaders.
My fingers tightened around the grass.
I looked away.
I was not supposed to fight them…yet.
That was Spiro team's job to take their attention first.
I quietly checked my equipment.
The long sword rested on my back.
A hook and rope hung at my waist.
Ten throwing knives were hidden under my coat.
My hand touched one of them.
Cold metal.
At first, Spiro tried to make me use a bow.
I said no.
The word came out too fast.
Too loud.
He looked at me for a long time after that.
In the end, we chose throwing knives.
They were harder.
But they felt better.
I pushed the thought away.
Then…
Smoke.
Three buildings near the front suddenly burst into flames.
Fire climbed into the night sky, and thick black smoke rolled upward.
Shouting exploded inside the hideout.
"Fire!"
"Wake up!"
"Ambush!"
The blue lights began to move everywhere.
Running.
Turning.
Breaking apart.
The attack had begun.
I closed my eyes for a moment and focused harder.
The archers in the watchtower turned toward the fire.
The guards near me looked confused.
Some started running.
Some shouted.
No one was watching the wall anymore.
This was the moment.
My chest felt tight.
But my hands were steady.
I moved.
***
I ran.
Straight to the wall.
No hesitation.
The hook spun once in the air.
Clank.
It caught the top.
I looked up.
The two archers were still arguing.
One pointed at the fire.
The other shouted something back.
Idiots.
The guards farther away were running toward the front.
Good.
I climbed.
Fast.
Quiet.
Over the wall.
My boots touched the ground softly.
Then I moved again.
Toward the watchtower.
One hundred meters.
My best range.
I drew two knives.
Their metal flashed once in the moonlight.
Then I threw them.
Both archers were still talking.
Neither looked down.
The knives flew silently.
Two soft sounds.
Thuck.
Both bodies jerked.
Both fell.
No scream.
No alarm.
Just silence.
Bandits were careless.
They didn't know how to stay calm.
Then a voice shouted.
"AMBUSH! LEFT SIDE!"
Three men ran toward me.
Two with swords.
One with a spear.
Behind them, more voices.
More footsteps.
Two spears.
One axis.
Six.
Too many if they reached me together.
So I ran forward.
Toward the first three.
They slowed when they saw me.
The spearman stepped ahead.
I threw a knife.
It hit his forehead.
He dropped before he understood.
The two swords split apart.
One left.
One right.
Good.
I threw another knife to the right.
The man tried to dodge.
Too slow.
The knife was buried in his shoulder.
He screamed and fell.
I rushed the one on the left.
His sword blocked my first strike.
Clang.
Second strike.
He blocked again.
Third strike.
He still blocked my attack.
He was not bad.
But he was scared.
I stepped closer.
Fourth strike.
My Greatsword cut his shoulder.
His arm opened.
Blood spilled down his sleeve.
Fifth strike.
I successfully stabbed his stomach.
He gasped.
I stabbed again.
Now I stab his chest.
His eyes went wide.
Then I cut his neck.
Behind me, the wounded one charged.
He tried to stab me.
I stepped aside.
He froze.
Just a moment.
But that moment was enough.
My sword flashed.
His head fell.
I felt more coming.
Running.
Shouting.
I picked up two knives from the bodies.
Then I ran again.
Toward the next group.
At first, there were three.
But two more joined them.
Now there are five of them. Two spears and three axes.
They thought they had me. I have not drawn my sword yet. I take my throwing knife from my belt.
First knife throw.
The knife successfully hit the closest spearman who approached me.
The blade slid into his throat.
He dropped.
Second knife throw.
Straight through the eye.
The second spearman collapsed backward.
Now only three axemen. They were big and strong, but they were slow
I pulled my greatsword from my back.
The metal whispered as it left the sheath.
They spread out.
Trying to surround me.
It was a bad idea.
The first axemen running charge at me.
His axe came down hard but it was too wide and slow
I stepped into his arms.
My blade moved once.
His arm fell first, then his head.
The second rushed from the side.
I ducked.
His axe passed over me.
My sword went into his stomach.
Then I stab again through his chest.
He coughed up blood.
The third one stopped.
He watched me carefully.
Smarter than the others.
But he was afraid.
I saw it in his eyes.
He waited.
Maybe hoping someone else would come.
I didn't wait.
I stepped forward.
One step.
Two steps.
My sword flashed.
His neck opened.
He fell into the dirt.
Then everything became quiet again.
Five bodies.
The smell of blood.
Fire crackling somewhere in the distance.
Smoke rising into the dark sky.
For a moment, I stood there.
Breathing slowly.
Watching.
Waiting.
My hands were not shaking.
That was strange.
A long time ago, when I first held a sword, my hands always shook.
Now they didn't.
I looked toward the burning buildings.
The flames reminded me of another night.
Another fire.
For a moment, I heard screaming again.
My chest tightened.
I gripped my sword harder.
Then the sound faded.
Only the forest remained.
Only smoke.
And the fight was not over yet.