“How many soldiers remain?”
Billy asked.
“Eleven.”
It was not Greenwood but Joffrey, who had become the sergeant, that responded. Occasionally, under the guise of training from Billy, they would have sword duels amongst themselves, and Joffrey was the most skilled of the bunch. However, he was overly timid. Seemingly having been caught thieving about thirty times and repeating the cycle of capture and escape, his timidity was less than that of a fly on a puppy’s tail.
Though his personality was somewhat irksome, in this case, the outspoken Greenwood would have been preferable. Joffrey’s style of conveying only objective situations intensified the sense of loss and dampened the group’s morale.
Billy scratched his head.
“Anyone got tobacco? And a pipe?”
He posed the question to Suvel while keeping Joffrey in front of him.
“I quit about 5 years ago. Haven’t seen you smoke either, have I?”
“Quit about a year ago. Now I’m desperately craving something to bite on. Anyone got some?”
One of his subordinates approached lazily and handed him a lit pipe. Billy took a long drag and let out a sigh.
“Luckily, we’ve recovered the wagon, so we don’t have to worry about Black’s slow pace. But we must abandon this path now. If we stay on the main roads to the Gold Gate, we’ll be sitting ducks for the pursuing army.”
“If we encounter them, are we necessarily at a disadvantage?”
Suvel spoke in a not-so-confident tone.
“You suggesting we start a war? That was never my intention.”
“Considering we’ve toppled a gate, it’s fair to say we’re already in a war.”
“With a force of fewer than twenty men? Forget it. From now on, we should avoid any trouble other than reaching Gold Gate. Joffrey, tie up Kassel.”
Billy ordered Joffrey while taking another puff from his pipe.
Kassel’s face bore burn marks and was stained with blood everyone recognized. Even though Joffrey was clearly one of those who looked down upon Kassel, he couldn’t approach him casually anymore.
Billy knew the nature of these ruffians all too well. Surprisingly, they were quite aware of the crimes they had committed against society. Those who had committed crimes unknowingly were rare.
They knew the atrocities they committed, yet they did them anyway. And when punished or chased, they believed they were rejected by society. Hence, they easily accepted fellow criminals as comrades. The crucial difference between criminals who killed for pleasure or profit and hunters who killed for a cause was precisely this.
For this reason, they valued loyalty. At the drop of a hat, they’d declare their willingness to die for their comrades, even outdoing knights in this regard. Still, when faced with immediate gain, they’d crumble just like anyone else.
Considering all this, the situation was surprising. None sought revenge against Kassel. Were they scared they’d face similar vengeance? Such thoughts seemed uncharacteristic for men who prided themselves on tough lives.
Billy felt no loyalty to the men present. Whether Kassel killed Greenwood by gutting him or slashing his throat, it was none of his concern. In fact, knowing that Greenwood boasted about assaulting women, Billy felt more like praising Kassel for his actions.
Billy knew well that reforming such men wasn’t easy. Appointing Greenwood as sergeant without considering this was entirely his fault, but Kassel had resolved the situation.
Technically, it should be Kassel’s turn to face revenge. Those who once followed Greenwood as a sergeant should be torturing Kassel or attempting to kill him secretly. Yet, no one did. Even Joffrey hesitated to tie up a completely unresisting Kassel.
“We’ve treated you fairly until now, but given the circumstances, there’s no other choice. So, you’ll have to follow orders. If need be, we’ll even muzzle you.”
Billy tried to sound as threatening as possible. Yet, Kassel neither responded nor showed any fear.
‘At this point, is he secretly a master swordsman?’
Claiming to endure through sheer bluffs and lies seemed almost too candid. Billy had believed a moment would arise when Kassel would unveil his true nature. Even when Greenwood tormented Kassel, he had simply turned a blind eye. But he was wrong.
In the midst of chaos, the way Kassel wielded his sword resembled nothing more than a novice freshly trained in swordsmanship, clumsily striking at a wooden pillar. It was more earnest than when he first sparred with Billy, but too amateurish to suggest he was unveiling any hidden prowess.
The claim that he was inept with a sword held truth.
‘How can he be overflowing with such confidence? He doesn’t seem to be naturally like this.’
During the time it took Billy to smoke a pipe, he pondered and came to a realization.
‘He’s putting on an act. He’s mimicking someone he knows well.’
Billy grew curious about what Kassel’s genuine persona might be.
“We’re moving.”
The main road leading to the Gold Gate was indeed so well-maintained that it justified the tolls and fees. The drainage was impeccable and the stone paving ensured little to no disruption even during torrential rain. Billy regretted not taking that route.
‘On such a road, we could reach Gold Gate in just two days.’
Despite half of his men gone and potential pursuit by guards, Billy was undeterred. After momentarily holding off and lighting his tobacco, his concerns seemed to dissipate with the smoke.
“It seems I’m going to have to depend on myself for a while.”
Billy mumbled to himself.
In such moments, having Suvel around was indeed a comfort. Even if his actions seemed erratic, his presence was reassuring. Although there was still a distance between them, not yet friends, there was no pressing need to bridge that gap, which was oddly comforting.
Kassel was no longer permitted to ride in the wagon. He walked with both hands bound by ropes. He didn’t complain, but how long this would last remained to be seen.
‘I should torment him more.’
If he becomes weary enough, he will drop this counterfeit persona. Once his true nature emerges, one would know if all this time he was bluffing out of weakness or genuinely brimming with confidence.
To the south, an imposing range of mountains lined the horizon, blocking view like a massive folding screen. Despite it being summer, their peaks were crowned with white snow, indicating these weren’t just regular mountains. Although distant and not entirely clear, behind them, the faint silhouette of even higher mountains could be seen. Those were the Sky Mountains, known only through paintings and tales. Their grandeur was palpable even from this distance.
‘No wonder they call it the mountain that denies human passage.’
Billy admired the view, then instinctively glanced at Kassel. Looking at the southern mountains, Kassel’s eyes were misted with tears.
‘Why is he crying? Has he been here before, and is he shedding tears out of nostalgia?’
Their march halted only when the sun set. Billy did not relent on the pace, pushing them hard. At dinner, Suvel spoke up for the utterly exhausted men.
“Sure, I’m comfortable riding in the wagon, but aren’t we hurrying too much? Why rush like we’re being chased? We’ve left the main road; it’s unlikely trackers will catch up.”
“We prioritized safety. We’ll slow down from tomorrow. Bear with it just for today.”
“Tell that not to me, but to those lads.”
Suvel pointed at the men, sprawled on the ground, catching their breaths.
“They’ll manage.”
Billy took another drag from his pipe and glanced at Kassel. They hadn’t rested at all, so fatigue was expected. He often inspected the ropes binding him, suggesting they pained him.
As they prepared dinner and lit fires, there was a brief bustle. Everyone was so famished that they started tearing dry meat and sharing bread even before the food was ready. If this had been an army, such behavior would not have been tolerated, but today, discipline wasn’t enforced.
‘When managing these guys, knowing when to loosen the reins is even more crucial than severity.’
During his time as a training instructor in Excelon, Billy had turned both diligent and lazy lads into commendable knights. Based on that experience, he established two rules for himself: For the lazy ones, set specific training times. For the diligent, ensure they have designated rest periods. Leave the rest to them.
The incident at Red Gate had served as a turning point. Until then, Billy had only reined in the men tightly. Now, they had fought against an army and found themselves on the run. They would discipline themselves.
From now on, all he had to do was designate rest times and let them relax.
Billy looked back the way they had come. No signs of pursuing flags or dust raised by an army were visible from the darkening east. As Suvel had said, there seemed to be no imminent danger.
It was a boring place, devoid of excitement. Apart from admiring the grandeur of the southern mountain range, it was always just plains. And nearly all the plains were intersected by rivers or small streams, with crops awaiting autumn harvest flourishing around them. It was astonishing that for a thousand years, no other nation had coveted such fertile land. Or perhaps, they couldn’t.
He had heard that, ten years prior, even Lontamon had no plans to invade Aranthia. Their intended march was to end at Carnelock. However, the emperor of Lontamon suddenly redirected the immense might of his nation towards conquering Aranthia and ultimately failed.
The emperor and nobles of Lontamon refused to acknowledge it as a war defeat and instead called it the curse of Aranthia or the queen’s curse. Thanks to Lontamon’s failure, no nation would likely attack Aranthia for decades, if not centuries.
In the middle of a rushed dinner, Joffrey, who was doing a formal headcount, shouted.
“Hey, Duko! Duko, where are you? Has anyone seen him?”
Everyone began looking around. They were short one man out of what should have been eleven.
“I think he went over there to gather firewood.”
One of the men said.
“Alone? When did he go?”
A timid Joffrey anxiously inquired.
“It’s been quite a while.”
Joffrey sighed, then selected two men.
“Leave your meals. We need to search for him.”
Drawing his sword, he headed in the direction Duko was last seen, joined by two others.
They returned about an hour later. Suvel, still with his portion of soup and bread, asked,
“Couldn’t find him?”
“We searched quite extensively, but no sign. It’s too dark now to see much…”
“I’ll go now.”
“It’s likely he’s just lost. Nothing to be overly concerned about.”
“It’s okay. I’ve been sitting all day. It’ll be a good stretch and a walk.”
Suvel untied a horse from the wagon and mounted. Billy, puffing on his pipe, spoke,
“You’ll search after the sun rises?”
“No, I’ll go now. If that dumb lad is hurt somewhere, we need to find him sooner.”
Just as Suvel was about to spur his horse, Black suddenly blocked his way. Suvel’s horse reared up in alarm.
“What’s the matter, Black?”
Suvel quickly calmed his horse. Though the horse had gotten used to Black over time, it still feared him.
Black asked,
“Do you have your sword?”
Suvel, with a face like a child explaining himself to his parents, showed him the blade.
“And the horse?”
Black nodded.
“Be careful.”
“Is this one of your prophecies?”
Black looked to the east, then south, and back east again. Though he didn’t seem to be retracing their path, he seemed to be determining a direction based on his feelings.
“It seems something bad might happen.”
“You always say that, based on ‘feelings’ and ‘might’…”
Suvel chuckled.
“Thanks to you, my simple night stroll has turned into an adventure. I’ll be back.”
Black stepped aside, and Suvel disappeared into the darkness swiftly. Billy, releasing a plume of tobacco smoke, watched him go. He then quietly gave an order to everyone.
“Prepare to rest, but stay on high alert.”
Eyes that were heavy with sleep now widened in alertness. Kassel, too, unfolded his legs that he had tucked in to rest. Billy continued to watch him, but he exhibited no suspicious behavior.
Observing the scene, Kassel was alone, with no one beside him. Given his condition, it was unlikely he could’ve fled far, and he hadn’t tried to escape thus far, so it made sense for the guard to be lax. Billy had assumed someone would naturally stay close to Kassel, but no one was there.
‘So that’s it.’
Billy had finally realized the secret behind the fear-inducing presence of Kassel. It wasn’t just his expression, nor the overwhelming aura he emitted.
Had Kassel killed Greenwood solely for revenge, by now he might’ve been tortured or worse. At the very least, he wouldn’t have the respect of the men. Yet, that wasn’t the case.
From the beginning, Kassel had engaged in conversations as an equal with both Billy and Suvel. Astonishingly, he even yelled and showed anger to Black, a person no one approached easily. Right before the incident at the Red Gate, Kassel was alone with Black.
Later, Kassel had killed Greenwood. As he emerged from the smoky Red Gate, his hands were stained with blood. While many were bloodied from the fight, the blood on Kassel seemed peculiarly chilling.
Though it probably wasn’t intentional, the sight of Kassel, having killed just one, was nearly identical to Black, who had slain dozens.
‘If it were wartime and you were the enemy, I would’ve slashed you without a second thought,’ Billy internally addressed Kassel.
‘Conversely, if you were an ally, I would’ve directly placed you under my command.’
Chuckling at the thought, Billy realized that Kassel might even become his superior in no time.
Suvel returned around the time the crescent moon hung west in the sky. Everyone gathered around him. Jumping off his horse, Suvel reached for the corpse he’d been carrying. Without needing to look, it was evident it was Duko’s body.
“He was hidden in the bushes. Had the moonlight not been bright, it would’ve been tough to find any traces,” Suvel explained.
With help from a few men, Billy pulled Duko’s corpse down from the horse. Observing the deep cut on the back of his neck, those who helped turned away, grimacing.
“He was slashed from behind,” Billy noted.
“It seems he was choked and silenced before getting his throat slit.”
“Was he choked first and then his throat was slashed?”
“No, it’s the other way around. The technique is eerily familiar.”
“Where did you find him?”
“Where I found him had sparse trees, but he was moved. From the blood trail, the murder spot wasn’t far from here. What’s strange is that it was in the middle of an open meadow with no hiding spots. Weird, isn’t it?”
Listening to Suvel, only Billy truly grasped the implications. For the others, Suvel added, “Get it? It’s a place with nowhere to hide, yet someone approached from behind and killed him. Duko wasn’t the kind to just stand dumbly and get attacked.”
Lowering his voice, Suvel continued, “Whoever killed Duko is highly skilled. All of you survived today’s intense battle. So, hear me out: stay alert. Someone targeted us and took out Duko. Whether it’s one person or a team, I don’t know.”
After tying his horse back to the wagon, Suvel left. Billy instructed Joffrey to set up a night watch rotation.
Kassel sat quietly where he was before. Viewing the corpse hadn’t stirred any visible emotion in him.
‘Is this related to you? Huh? Tell me with your face. Is someone here to save you? Or is this just a coincidence?’
Billy briefly glared at Kassel, but couldn’t glean anything.
From the moment he was captured, Kassel had planned to settle matters at the White Gate. Or perhaps he tried to resolve things by his strength at the Red Gate. That didn’t seem like the behavior of someone waiting for a rescue.
“It seems someone is targeting us. Who do you think it might be?”
Billy led Suvel to a quiet spot to discuss further.
“If it was a band of bandits targeting us, it wouldn’t make sense to kill just one person. If it were an army, they would’ve faced us head-on, but they attacked from behind. No need to think otherwise. Someone’s after him.”
Suvel said, glancing back at Kassel who was tied up and looking at the sky.
“How did they follow us after we left the main road? Did Kassel leave some trace?”
Billy also looked at Kassel as he spoke.
“I’ve been watching Kassel closely since you tied him up. It seemed like he had given up on everything.”
“I also kept a keen eye on him when we took the detour. He showed no suspicious behavior. He doesn’t seem like the type to simply answer if asked. Thinking of what Greenwood said, I almost want to torture him to get him to talk.”
“He probably acts this way because he knows you won’t. If you were that kind of person, he would’ve responded differently.”
Imagining this, Suvel chuckled.
Billy asked, “Why are you laughing?”
“I don’t know, just a gut feeling, but somehow I feel that guy might really be the captain of the Wolf Knights.”
Billy didn’t voice out his agreement. Suvel’s words weren’t said lightly.
“For now, it’s getting late; we should sleep. If nothing works, we could always threaten Kassel’s life, ‘Come out if you attacked us or this guy’s dead!'”
Suvel exaggerated the gesture as if Kassel was right in front of him.
“That’s a good plan. Suvel, you should definitely do it.”
Billy walked back to where the group was gathered.
“By the way, I noticed you haven’t been sleeping with your rabbit doll. Did you lose it or decide to give up that habit?”
Suvel waved his hands dismissively, “Stay out of my personal life.”
Billy chuckled. Suvel was indeed a character you couldn’t help but love.
Billy extinguished the remnants of his earlier-lit pipe. The moonlight reflecting off the smoke illuminated his face. Even as a few started drifting to sleep, Billy remained alert.
It seemed the group had decided to set watches in groups of three.
‘Three, a perfect number, under normal circumstances. Either Suvel or I should stay awake at all times.’
Billy thought of telling this to Suvel, but he had already fallen asleep.
‘I’ll wake him up later.’
The fact that only one of them had been killed and they had been kept up all night… whoever was behind it had excellent tactics. The tension he felt now was greater than when he had challenged the High Lord caravan and sparred with Captain Wolf. Since he started traveling with Black, this had been the longest night.
As always, Black remained awake, staring southward. Not too far away, a flash of blue filled the sky. At first, he thought it was lightning, but there was no accompanying thunder.
The next morning, as Billy’s men were waking, one let out a scream. Everyone, startled, grabbed their weapons and gathered around the man who screamed. Beside him lay a body still wrapped in a blanket, soaked in sticky dried blood.
Joffrey unveiled the blanket. It was a man with a slashed throat and wide-open eyes staring into nothingness. His name was Brock, a man who, while silent, looked out for everyone like an older brother. He was also the best cook among them. Now, they would no longer taste Brock’s morning soups.
“What were the guards doing? Not on watch?” Suvel barked in anger.
“We, we were on watch! Three people per hour… Brock had switched at dawn. He was alive then… wasn’t he?”
Joffrey defended. The man who first found the body and screamed also chimed in.
“When I went to sleep, he was still breathing. He even snored.”
“So when was he killed? Moreover, how could you not notice someone dying right beside you?”
Billy held the agitated Suvel by the shoulder, “Stop it. It’s not their fault.”
“How could someone attack in such an open space? If they were awake, this wouldn’t have happened.”
“I was awake.”
Billy spoke words he didn’t want to say in front of everyone. The agitated Suvel fell silent.
Billy rubbed his temples, “No, it might have been during your watch. I felt no signs of an attack. It’s not their fault.”
Suvel was mumbling that he was certain it didn’t happen during his watch. Billy paused in thought for a moment and then waved his hand dismissively. He felt sleep trying to claim him once again.
Billy spoke loudly on purpose, “Move Brock’s body elsewhere. We prepare to move out. And if anyone notices any strange signals, immediately alert everyone and report to me. Assume that the moment you overlook and ignore something, it could cost you your life. The one chasing us is that kind of person.”
There was a murmur among the group. It made sense. Losing one member at a time was felt more deeply than if they had all been killed at once.
Billy felt the same.
‘He’s meticulous.’
If the attacker could get this close, he could have killed more. But he killed only one. To be cautious? No. To make the hunt easier, tightening the noose.
‘From tonight, no one will sleep easily. Including me.’
Black sat on a wagon. Exhausted more mentally than physically, Billy slumped next to Black. The wagon creaked and swayed as Suvel also came to sit, tying his horse nearby.
“It’s the work of a hunter.”
Billy said.
“A hunter?”
Suvel tilted his head.
“It has that scent.”
Billy took a sip of water and continued the tale.
“There was a famous hunter in Lontamon. Rumor has it that he earned more than two thousand gold coins in bounties. Then, one day, audaciously, he attacked the Excelon Knights as they were moving to the royal capital.”
“Why would bounty hunters attack the knights? Did they receive a special commission?”
“If a hunter does that, they’re not a hunter, but an assassin. Regardless, his attack was reckless, but bold. He killed two knights before he was captured. When asked why he did it, he simply said, ‘Just because.'”
“Just because of what?”
“Just because he did. The prey was in front of him, he didn’t have time to calculate the bounty.”
“That’s a bold move. Still, thinking of hunting an entire knight squadron.”
Billy laughed as he remembered.
“Of course, he was sentenced to death after killing two. But we were curious about his skills. So, we offered him a deal: if he could defeat one of us in a fair fight, we would spare his life. We thought his hunter-honed skills would rank him midway among the Excelon Knights. If he chose wisely, he could kill his third Excelon Knight and survive. But that unlucky guy chose me.”
“Obviously, if he’s skilled in ambush, he’d lack in direct combat.”
“I spared him twice. Thought if trained properly, he’d become a knight of considerable skill. Felt bad to kill him.”
“So, if you’re not a ghost now, that means the hunter lost?”
“He never backed down from a fight with me, showing his strong pride. I decided to respect that.”
“Without pain?”
“Without pain.”
“Hmm, interesting story. But why bring it up now?”
Billy stroked his chin. His unshaven beard had grown considerably.
“I’m suggesting this based on the assumption that the hunter attacking us now is no ordinary person. It seems deliberate. If he wanted to kill, a bow would be more efficient. So, why use a knife?”
“Now that you mention it, it does seem that way.”
“Look at those guys. They once had the guts to attack the gate guards, and even when nearly half of their comrades died, they didn’t waver… But with just two dying overnight, they’re completely paralyzed with fear. If they had died by an arrow, they’d probably be up in arms wanting revenge. This kind of demoralization will eventually get to both of us.”
“I wasn’t scared!”
Suvel protested like a child.
“That’s it, Suvel. Our attacker’s target is the two of us. The hunter who had attacked the Excelon said so. If he could gradually kill the weakest ones first, even the strongest would be paralyzed with fear. He believed that he could then take down someone even stronger than him. The one attacking us now is doing the same, killing our subordinates like this, hoping to instill ‘our’ fear.”
Billy tapped his chest as he continued,
“Do you know why I spoke of the past? In the worst-case scenario, if it’s just the two of us left, the hunter’s final target will be a one-on-one duel. In that situation, if either you or I lose our composure, it will be just as he desires.”
“Why not just catch him first?”
“Of course, that’s the plan. But let’s consider the worst-case scenario.”
As Billy finished his point, Suvel burst into laughter.
“Billy, you’re right.”
Black, who had been silent, spoke, silencing Suvel’s laughter.
“Yes, Black. You’re always vigilant, always alert. Didn’t you notice when Brock was killed last night? Why did you just sit still?”
“It was too fast.”
“How fast?”
“The moment I sensed something and got up, he was gone. And Brock was already dead.”
“Damn it, you should’ve told us.”
“I didn’t hear him approach. If I did, I would’ve woken Suvel or warned you, Billy. I only heard him leave. I wanted both of you to rest deeply. The battle is bound to be long.”
Black warned,
“Be careful, Billy. And you too, Suvel. This hunter might even be a tough match for me.”
Both Suvel and Billy fell silent. It wasn’t so much that Black hadn’t heard the hunter’s approach, but that Black was on alert that scared them. Billy couldn’t deny that he was already starting to feel the fear creeping in.
☆ ☆ ☆
After the rain, it had been cool for a while, but now the summer sun baked their heads. Drenched in sweat, their clothes clung to them, and everyone’s steps began to drag. It was only around noon when Billy finally halted the wagons. A few, led by Joffrey, took up watch, while the rest hurriedly prepared food. The vivacity they had shown the previous night was now replaced with exhaustion.
“Tired?”
Suvel handed Kassel a water pouch as he sat with his head bowed low. Kassel, taking a sip, spoke for the first time in almost a day.
“I’m not the only one.”
Billy’s voice, attentive to every detail of the meal preparations, reached their ears.
“Don’t stray too far. If there’s any suspicious movement nearby, report it immediately.”
Suvel climbed to a slightly elevated spot, scanning the surroundings briefly. Confident that they were alone, he sat back down next to Kassel.
“Want to wash up?”
Billy’s subordinates were washing dishes and cleaning potatoes near a stream when Suvel pointed towards them and asked,
“Can I?”
When Kassel replied weakly, Suvel untied the rope from his wrist. The skin under the rope was torn, and blood was oozing. It looked painful just by sight.
“Come here for a moment.”
Suvel took out some herbs from his bag, chewed a bit, and placed them on the wound. Kassel winced briefly from the sting, and Suvel gave a bitter smile.
“I was very angry with you during our encounter at the Red Gate, but that doesn’t mean I intend to torment you. I don’t plan on befriending you either, nor do I wish to consider you an adversary.”
After wrapping a bandage around the wound, Suvel advised,
“Keep it dry. I’ll change the bandage in the evening.”
“Thank you.”
Suvel watched as Kassel went down to the stream to wash his face.
Treating it as if it was sacred water, Kassel cautiously scooped some and splashed it on his face. After washing his hands, he slowly drank some water. Only then did Suvel realize that Kassel hadn’t had a sip of water since morning, and yet he never asked for it.
‘Isn’t this a bit harsh? Leaving him to Billy is one thing, but what’s the point in tormenting him like this? Do they want to see Kassel break and come crawling? If they really want to see that, they should just torture him.’
Suvel didn’t want to see Kassel break. And he found himself increasingly drawn to this foolish guy who couldn’t even wield a sword. At some point, Suvel became convinced that he was Captain Wolf. Therefore, he tried even harder not to show any affection. He was supposed to be the enemy.
Suddenly, a scream echoed. Suvel instantly drew his sword, scanning the surroundings. Kassel, water still dripping from his face, also looked up.
“Get away from the water.”
Suvel quickly commanded, and Kassel ran to his side after taking one last sip.
“Suvel, over here!”
Billy called out. Suvel, with Kassel still untied, hurried over to where Billy was. There lay Joffrey, writhing in pain with one of his legs severed.
“Good heavens!”
Suvel immediately rushed to Joffrey, trying to stem the blood flow from the stump.
“Don’t pass out. Talk to me.”
As Suvel tightened a makeshift tourniquet, Billy also tried to get some information from him.
“Joffrey, stay with us. Who attacked you?”
“I… I didn’t see… Suddenly, from… under the water… Ah!”
Joffrey screamed as Suvel tightened the tourniquet even more. Suvel shouted to another man,
“Get the herbs from my bag. And someone boil some water. Joffrey, keep talking. Then what happened?”
The murmurs of Billy’s subordinates began to grow louder. Some began to throw accusing glances at Kassel, who was wiping his wet face with his dirty sleeve. Despite the sight of a wounded man, his eyes remained cold.
“It looks like the work of the White Wolves.”
One cautiously suggested.
Others chimed in with whispers,
“They appeared to save their captain.”
“I’ve heard the White Wolves never show themselves in battle.”
“From what I’ve heard, they can strike from ten steps away. That’s probably what happened to Joffrey…”
Suvel shouted angrily,
“Enough! If you have a bow, you can strike from a hundred steps away. Don’t be swayed by such rumors.”
Yet, the murmurs didn’t cease.
Kassel, with a slow yet assertive tone, interjected,
“The one attacking you now is wary of Billy, Suvel, and Black. That’s why he’s trying to pick off the weaker ones first. If my friends from the White Wolves were here to save me, they wouldn’t resort to such tactics. They’d face you head-on. So, there’s no need to worry. It’s not the White Wolves.”
His usually gentle smile now instilled fear, resembling that of a killer.
“All you can do is hide behind your words, huh? Bring the ropes.”
Billy personally tied Kassel’s hands again, then ordered,
“Move Joffrey to the wagon.”
In a haste, they applied emergency care by staunching the bleeding, disinfecting the wound with boiling water, then binding it with a cloth soaked with herbs. With the combined strength of a few men, they transferred Joffrey onto a wagon. Every now and then, Joffrey would scream, thinking he was about to die.
The others milled around, unsure of what to do. They held their swords, but a valiant battle, like the one at the Red Gate, seemed out of the question given the current circumstances. The realization that they were being hunted, coupled with Kassel’s words, had dampened their spirits. The gravity of who they held captive dawned on them, and the men, who had previously lived lives scraping the bottom, were notably shaken by this.
Wiping the blood from his face and hands, Suvel commented,
“The enemy is crafty. They deliberately injured someone to slow us down. They could have killed him… Did no one see who attacked Joffrey?”
“I was distracted for a moment, but not long enough for someone to strike and flee. Damn it!”
Billy said, kicking a protruding tree root in frustration.
“What now? At this rate, only you, me, and Black will be left. We might really need to use Kassel as a shield.”
“We’ll keep moving.”
Billy spread out a map, pointing to a particular spot for Suvel,
“There’s a small village about an hour from here. We’ll rest and resupply there.”
“In the village? Is it safe to expose ourselves like that?”
“It’s a small village, secluded from the main road. I doubt the Gate’s soldiers patrol there. And we’re all exhausted.”
“True. But we’ve already committed a crime that’s likely got us wanted throughout all of Aranthia. There are at least fifty who saw our faces back at the Red Gate. We shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger threat just because we’re fixated on what’s in front of us.”
Billy folded the map and responded,
“Right now, I’m more interested in the enemy in front of us.”
☆ ☆ ☆
The grueling journey resumed without rest. Billy encouraged everyone, saying that they were almost at the village. From time to time, Joffrey would scream in pain from the wagon. Suvel, having taken up the role of guarding, left the driving of the wagon to another.
Billy’s face was devoid of its usual calmness. And the moment his composure truly shattered was when they were passing through a thicket close to the village.
As they made their way through the narrow path, just wide enough for the wagon, they had to be cautious. The trail was so overgrown with grass that it was difficult to discern where it ended and the wilderness began.
The nearby hills offered a scenic view, and the cool breeze was a relief. The sight of a village in the not-so-distant horizon brought relief to the weary travelers. There were even cheers from those eager to stretch their legs and rest. Just as Billy was about to caution everyone to be more alert, one of the men at the back of the line tripped over seemingly nothing. He uttered a surprised “Huh?” as he went down.
Someone had fallen earlier too, tripping over a rabbit hole obscured by grass. That time, Billy and Suvel had instantly gone on alert. The fallen man had apologized repeatedly, his face turning red with embarrassment.
Now, as the man fell, Suvel, who had been sitting on the wagon, instantly stood up. Billy quickly turned around, drawing his sword. The others followed suit, drawing their own weapons. Even if the man got up, scratching his head and saying, “Sorry, just tripped over a rock,” Billy would’ve praised him for keeping everyone alert.
“Aaahhh!”
But this time, the fallen man was suddenly dragged to the side of the road and into the dense grass. As he was dragged, the grass toppled in his wake, reminding one of a giant serpent moving through the underbrush. The man’s frightened screams grew fainter until they were abruptly silenced.
“I saw it!”
Suvel jumped off the wagon, charging towards the thicket.
“Be careful!”
Billy shouted.
The abducted man stopped somewhere in the middle of the thicket, the grass around that area crushed flat.
‘The enemy’s position vanished, while Suvel’s is exposed.’
Aware of this, Suvel slashed away at the waist-high grass around him, ensuring his view of the ground was clear. He held his sword high, ready to strike at any moment.
This was an opponent who, unnoticed by anyone, had assassinated three people out in the open. This environment was his ideal hunting ground.
‘God, if he knew we were headed for the village, we’ve walked right into a trap!’
Billy was filled with a sudden dread.
Carefully moving forward, Suvel paused and lowered his sword. Without having to see, Billy knew what had transpired.
The man who was abducted was named Ben. In his younger days, he got into a bar fight, killing two people with a bottle and then serving seven years in prison. On the day he was released, he killed again after drinking and had been on the run ever since. Billy had once warned him, “If you drink in my presence, you’re dead.” Until his death, Ben never touched alcohol.
Concerned, Billy approached Suvel, ever wary of the grass beneath.
Ben was already dead. Blood oozed from a gash on his neck, darkening the earth below. Ropes bound his legs, and in his hand was a clump of grass and dirt, hinting at his desperate struggle.
“I saw him,” Suvel said. “He had reddish-brown hair and wore an earth-colored cloak. Our eyes met and he immediately hid in the grass. And he left Ben like this.”
Billy nodded, “I saw him too. To drag someone tied up in a rope while crawling is pretty impressive.”
Billy traced the small path Ben had made while being dragged. The short footprints were clearly visible. But after killing Ben, no tracks or traces were left, as if the killer had vanished into thin air or teleported.
“It’s true, Suvel. He’s even better than the top hunter I spoke of.”
Billy muttered quietly.
“I know,” replied Suvel, his voice taut with tension.
All of Billy’s men had ventured into the thicket to assist. Raising his hand, Billy ordered, “Return to the wagon. He’s still nearby. If you hear even a slight noise, swing your sword.”
Although Billy’s command came slightly late, not everyone had let their guard down. Black, who was seated on the wagon, pointed towards the grass. Realizing the implication, Billy shouted, “Get out of the grass!”
In that instant, one of the men fell into the thicket with a brief scream. Simultaneously, the man next to him was forced down. As if caught by a massive fish, both men were pulled beneath the grass.
Distorted screams echoed off a nearby hill as spurts of blood sprayed above the grass. Panicked, the others quickly sprinted out of the thicket. Another was caught, his throat slashed before he could even react.
‘The hunter.’
He looked just as Suvel had described. Remarkably, this man had been running through the thicket even faster than an unarmed Billy, all without leaving a trace.
The captured man resisted slightly, but the hunter twisted his neck and slashed. The moves were so fluid and swift, it looked as if he’d simply brushed past him.
Blood spurted from the man’s throat. The hunter, undeterred by the blood mist, sprinted towards his next target.
Those who had thought the open road would ensure safety found themselves retreating, unable to muster the courage to face the opponent. Suvel cursed, rushing forward, but the hunter was already lunging at another victim.
‘We’re going to be annihilated!’
A sinking feeling gripped Billy’s heart.
At that moment, Black, who was on the wagon, hoisted his halberd and hurled it towards the hunter. The hefty weapon spun mid-air, hurtling towards the adversary. The hunter instantly extended his sword, blocking the incoming halberd. However, it seemed he couldn’t withstand the sheer weight of the halberd head-on, as he was sent tumbling back into the thicket.
Suvel and Billy simultaneously rushed to the spot where the hunter had fallen. But there was only a trace of flattened grass where someone had fallen; the hunter had vanished. The two men, panting, exchanged wary glances.
Only four of their men remained alive. If they included the injured Joffrey, it made five. They were all petrified, unable to utter a word.
In less than a day, half of their forces had been hunted down by just one man, whose identity was still unknown. It felt like being drenched from a sudden downpour.
“At least he wasn’t a monster or a sorcerer,” Billy mumbled, breaking the silence.
“No, I’d have preferred if he was,” Suvel murmured in response. He picked up Black’s halberd and lumbered back to the wagon.
“Thank you. If not for you, our journey might’ve ended right here,” he addressed Black, handing him back his weapon.
“That guy exploited the vulnerability in our desperation to hide in the village. Fear was the best trap he set,” Black opined.
His assessment was accurate. Billy had been eager to get to the village quickly, believing it was a shortcut. It was clear the hunter had anticipated this, scouted the terrain in advance, and then lay in wait in the thicket.
Even if they proceeded to the village, there was no guarantee of safety. Still, they needed to leave this place quickly. Billy felt a shameful frustration, being toyed with by an unknown hunter.
As Billy tried to gather his thoughts, a realization struck him. Typically, when something missing goes unnoticed, the initial reaction is an unsettling void.
“Damn bastard!”
Finally, Billy lost his composure and spat out a curse.
Kassel was gone. Where he should have been, there was only a severed rope left behind.
–TL Notes–
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