Chapter 7:

The Past: Redemption

Runeverse: Dawnstrike Assassins


The full moon illuminates the path towards the Atria kingdom. Far away, supplies transported by horse-drawn carts escorted by ten soldiers crossed a dense forest road that could no longer be tracked by the moon's eye. The wagon, which was initially guarded by five people, was always attacked by hunters or bandits, and the supplies were stolen by The Witching Night Boy. They tread carefully because the red zone in this region has thousands of ways to remove supplies from chained cargo.

The galloping of the horse's footsteps grew closer and louder as if it became a drum of the night war. The Atria soldiers breathed a sigh of relief at not having crossed the Nightville route. Although the distance from the forest road to the border post is further than the village, the most important thing is that it is safer. Even so, this forest seemed suitable as an ambush.

In a few hundred meters they would reach the border gate, where there were already reinforcements that would guide them to the palace. However, before that, the surrounding bushes swayed causing them to gasp, “Stop!” cried one of the soldiers startling the others. The soldier looked intently at the grove.

"What is it?"

“Nothing, just bushes blowing in the wind. Get back on track."

They continued their journey further into the darkness of the forest. On the other side of the forest, there was the shadowy figure of a small child working in silence, jumping from tree to tree. The shadow ran towards the group of children lurking in the thickets. One of the little ones called out in almost a whisper, “Shhh, Fenrius, how many troops are there?”

"Ten. As expected, they increased the number of guards. If we do this, we can still win.”

"Yeah, I'm ready," Dale replied.

They whispered to each other, making secret plans. Kagari and Talinda prepared arrows and bows. Fenrius ordered the two young girls, “Kagari, Talindra, as usual, aim your arrows at the horses,” his gaze turned to his other companions. “For Luca, Dale and Camus, fight with me for Yaevin. The signal after I threw the smoke bomb in my hand. Are you clear?”

“Wait Fenrius, what if the cargo is a trap?” Luca asked probingly.

“This is the zero hours for the attack, Luca. If the worst-case scenario happens, then run to the village...”

“Or fight to the death together,” Camus added, distracting them. "Misery loves company, we are all like family. If we live, then we live together, and if we die, then we die together."

Fenrius patted Camus on the shoulder as he said, “We will definitely win. Let's do it all together. For Yaevin,” Fenrius raised his sword.

“For Yaevin,” followed the others, raising their swords.

Begin the operation they used to do to survive in this world. These boys and girls were trained from an early age, their genius evident in ambushes. For two years they had always found a way to steal the cargo through various routes to the kingdom of Atria, whether asking for help or luck, but as long as they weren't caught, Runeverse was still fair to see those suffering.

Fenrius took over the lead, “I’ll call the shots. Luca, Dale, Camus, follow me.”

Talindra looks at the shivering Kagari. Kagari gulped, then whispered to her only surviving female friend, “Talindra, do you think this will work?”

Talindra put on a brave face, “Don't worry, we've been doing this for a long time. Trust Fenrius,” she replied confidently, making Kagari nod.

In this war, silence is power, and silence is ammunition to win. From their experience, an initial total ambush would turn out to be a complete failure, so it was smarter to avoid as much damage as possible and wait for an opening. When the gap opens, don't attack immediately, wait until it has maximum effect.

If only Atria soldiers had taken the village route maybe these nimble boys had set up traps like holes or iron spikes that made the horses tumble or fall, if the soldiers had guessed it, it meant a new plan like throwing flashbangs that rarely failed. But this time it was different, this forest was not the path of their choice. Plus, it's time for interrogation not stealing, so a total ambush will be necessary at the end of the plan.

*

Through the darkness of the night forest, one of the soldiers shouted again, “Stop!”

When the Atria soldiers stopped, there was a whooshing sound that stirred the bushes. Several iron arrows shot as fast as lightning into the bodies of the two horses. The sudden attack took them by surprise. The horses writhed in pain, their tails wagged uncontrollably until the wagon kicked over, then the horses left the forest.

“We are surrounded! Get in position! Protect our cargo!”

They gathered at the center to guard the cargo. All of their movements were as predicted, suddenly a smoky object was thrown from above. The object exploded giving rise to thick smoke that spread widely. "What's this?! Smoke bomb?!”

The soldiers were blind and coughed from inhaling smoke. Now is the time for Fenrius, Luca, Dale, Camus, ready with their weapons to attack!

"Now! Surround them from all sides!” cried out Fenrius giving a signal.

"You damn brat!"

A soldier recklessly charged forward, the same as Fenrius who rolled forward as if to dodge, then slashed at his enemy's leg. The soldier fell disabled, Luca, Dale, and Camus who were behind him made a combination attack. One soldier was beaten to death by four small children. The other soldiers only heard the sound of their comrades screaming from behind the smoke.

“These kids are really agile!”

"So this is the children’s gang that is often talked about!"

Another soldier ran towards Fenrius. There's no time to dodge. Fenrius resisted the sword attack with his sword, Luca's presence shrouded in smoke, slashed the soldier’s ankle who attacked Fenrius until he collapsed. The soldier felt stupid for not being able to read direct attacks. A sword flew into the soldier's neck from behind. Two soldiers died within seconds in a field that was not in their favor.

"Luca! Thank you!"

“Save that for later, Fenrius!”

The two spearmen stabbed forward at the same time as they wanted to ram into Fenrius. They knew the boy was the leader of these children. From behind the smoke, an arrow pierced one of the soldiers' eyes causing him to ache and stop attacking. Fenrius warded off the other soldier's attack and was accompanied by Luca who again managed to sneak attack on the soldier's feet.

("Go Fenrius! I won't let them attack you!") Talindra thought as she prepared the next arrow.

"Damn it! These kids are already trained!”

Fenrius and his friends seem to have succeeded in executing the strategy well. Now, only five more soldiers remained who had not been crippled. Camus' hoarse scream roused the other children's spirits. They advanced slowly while the five soldiers could only retreat and were further suppressed.

“For Yaevin...!!” Camus desperately lunged forward.

A sword slash almost hit Camus' head, but Fenrius was able to block it, and the soldier's leg fell due to Luca's task of slashing the soldier's tendon. This was Luca's chance to finish him off. However, Fenrius pushed Luca until he fell forward. A strong slash almost hit Luca from behind. A reckless soldier charged into the crowd.

"Let's surround that one soldier!" shouted Fenrius.

They followed the captain's orders as streetlights and charged at the soldier with swords and bats. Kagari put down her bow, took a dagger from her pocket, and charged at her enemy while saying, "For Yaevin...!"

In anger, they slashed and beat the soldier to his death. Three more soldiers left! Fenrius ventured into a one-on-one fight with an Atria soldier, the rest he left to them. This incident reminded him of his time in prison against Lieutenant Jack. He was holding a club, running fast while ducking to avoid being slashed by the sword. He knew that with the heavy armor, their movement would be limited. From behind, he tripped the soldier to the ground.

"Damn it! Why are these brats so fast!”

Fenrius had expected all of this. With such heavy armor, they wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed of trained children. He raised his club with both hands, took a strong stance, "I'm sorry," then slammed it into the soldier's head until he fainted instantly.

"Is everything over?" asked Fenrius looking back.

It seemed his friends had defeated the two soldiers leaving one vulnerable and crippled soldier to interrogate. The limp soldier slid all the way to the front of the fallen wagon, then leaned back, trying to catch his breath. Dale gasped as if he couldn't believe what he and his friends were doing. Unexpectedly Fenrius' plan went perfectly.

“How can little brats like you guys be able to use swords and arrows?!” asked the disbelieving soldier.

“That's because we were born for this,” answered Fenrius who came up to him.

Camus who was still angry, twirled his club as he prepared to hit the soldier. He shouted, “If you still want to live, tell what you have done to Yaevin! Now!"

The soldier retorted harshly, “What do you mean?! Who is Yaevin?!”

"Do not pretend! We did something bad because we had to! Soldiers like you can't possibly understand our suffering all these years! You guys were the first to kill our friend! So we only repay you!”

“You brats who don't know the cruelty of this world! Are you the only ones who do bad things by force?! If you can't stand watching your friends die, you'd better all die! You useless trash!”

There was silence after the soldier snapped. Kagari starts crying with Talindra trying to calm her down. Camus became irritated at hearing the soldier mocking them as useless trash, and shriveled up full of emotion about to strike his club, “You bastard!!”

“Hold on...!” interrupted Fenrius with his hand blocking Camus.

Immediately Camus stopped his swing. Fenrius walked right in front of the soldier and his hand removed Camus' club from the dying soldier. “Don't be like them.”

There was an explosion of a portal above the wagon which surprised Fenrius and the others. The soldier raised his head, stunned. A red, blazing portal. Inside came out a person in a hood and mask, his whole appearance was mysterious, he walked down in the air like descending stairs, coming towards them with a sinister Onyx black aura. “I was the one who killed your friend, Yaevin,” avowed the mysterious sorcerer who sounded heavy.

“Wh-who are you?!” asked Fenrius who was getting ready with his weapon followed by his friend.

“S-Sorcerer from Archon!” the soldier stammered.

"Sorcerer?!" said Fenrius tensely.
DarkZesperia
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