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65.71% Living with an immortal dragon soul / Chapter 22: The serpent’s strike (part 2)

Chapter 22: The serpent’s strike (part 2)

The following day was a quiet one. The forest seemed to calm down in appreciation of the upcoming battle. The bandits were oblivious to what was about to happen. The only thing that disturbed them was the incident that many of their brethren complained about their bellies or that they felt ill. The bandits didn't have any doctors or scholars who could possibly know about the <snake's third eye>.

Therefore they thought they might have eaten an animal that had gone bad in their storage room.

As a result of this they didn't deviate from their usual actions and formed groups of ten that were stationed throughout the forest near the main roads all in a hearing proximity.

Although they were visibly not in a good form there would still be no wanderer who would simply start a fight against them. They would cherish their life too much.

Meanwhile in the provisionally erected campsite the night serpent clan prepared to launch their offensive.

I would personally lead the night serpent's eyes to ambush the groups of bandits that were lurking near the roads. If their numbers were added together we would have a hard time dealing with them but the plan I brought forward consisted of a fast Guerilla warfare built on the foundation of my own and this special unit's camouflage and assassination skills.

The people who weren't part of the Night Serpent's Eyes would therefore remain in the camp for the time being because they would ruin this quality plan.

The warrior unit including Theresa was stationed at the campsite outside of the forest. I instructed them to let nobody enter the forest during the upcoming night to minimize possible collateral damage to passing people.

When the sun started descending behind the horizon the Night Serpent's Eyes and myself and Gabriel and Natalie departed from the camp. The siblings left our group to execute the command I had given to them while my squad of assassins stealthily entered the woods and ventured to the first hiding spot they had marked out on a map they had created during the time they tracked the bandit groups.

While we approached them the Night Serpent's Eyes were quite surprised to hear them way before they were visible.

I smiled while seeing this

‚Oh right. You didn't tell them about your little excursion to the bandits hideout last night'

We could hear them moaning and lamenting how their bellies ached. Even if we didn't block the road leading to the forest there would have barely been any passerby who wouldn't have been able to avoid these lamenting men who were lying in the bushes unless they were absolutely deaf.

'This herb is truly interesting. Now we can witness the different function on all of these humans. Some are seemingly under immense pain while others seem barely inflicted with any pain at all. Furthermore one of the bandits appears to be in some kind of trance.'

When we had completely surrounded them they were still completely unaware of our presence.

At my command we ambushed the ten wailing bandits. Five of them were able to retaliate but we didn't leave them the slightest opportunity to blow their horns and the fight was finished after a few seconds. The one who was in a state of trance was chained up, blindfolded and we put some cloth in his mouth before throwing him in some bushes.

We might have been merciless against our enemies but this guy wouldn't pose any threat. Therefore we decided to take prisoners and bring them to the village where they could receive an appropriate punishment.

Then we continued in the opposite direction of their patrolling plan to stop them from noticing their fallen brothers and calling for reinforcements.

We had a lot of success using this strategy of ambushing the wailing bandits. We took half a dozen of them as captives along the way.

As we continued to approach another group we used the same strategy and took many of them down in an instant. It was the same as during the first fight and they didn't fight on the same level as the Night Serpent's Eyes. Suddenly one of them yelled „Do it!" and jumped at the incoming Night Serpent's Eyes in a suicidal charge. It was unexpected that such scum would choose an honorable death to buy his comrades some time.

He wasn't a good fighter and the trained assassins made short work of him but he bought some time which two guys used to rip the horns from their belts.

While the first guy inhaled, two Night Serpent's Eyes had already closed in on him and his chest was impaled by a shortsword and two daggers.

The second guy was standing two meters behind him in the middle of three of his comrades. The three of them were about to be mowed down in a moment but he had one or two seconds left.

He gripped the horn tightly in his hands and blew it.

*Pppffff* the horn emitted a quiet sound before he stopped. "wha.." his confusion was ended by my twin daggers severing his head from his body.

„What? Didn't I tell you that I played a little with your instruments. Hahaha" My plan B worked perfectly. In case they weren't weakened enough by the <snake's third eye> I had Cham position a little bit of it in their horns to prevent any noises should one of them be able to actually blow their horns although they would be ambushed and mowed down in seconds.

Some of the Night Serpent's Eyes sighed happily after noticing that the horn didn't emit a loud sound but only some barely noticeable noise.

After this fight every further fight went on smoothly. Finally we had killed all of the patrolling bandit groups and only their hideout was left.

They would only notice this when the sun was about to set and none of their people would return. Therefore I had the Night Serpent's Eyes collect all the corpses, the accompanying loot and our captives who now were a dozen in numbers.

We walked back to our camp.

As expected we didn't have any casualties but some of the Night Serpent's Eyes would have a hard time in the upcoming battle in the enemy hideout so I decided to let them recuperate. Shortly after our fights we arrived at the camp to rest for a while.

While I mixed some herbal mixture to tend to their wounds to eliminate possible threats of infection I heard someone sing outside.

This was a voice unbeknownst to me and when I walked outside after giving the medicine to the wounded soldiers I saw a few people who I didn't know.

When Theresa saw me she talked to me happily explaining that they were wandering bards who travelled through the lands. „They raised the spirits of the clansmen with their wonderful music" she told me.

While I walked towards them still clad in my black leather armour my racer lizards joined me and the hundreds of snakes surrounding the camp could feel my content mood which caused them to approach as well.

„Lord of light" one of them exclaimed

„The tale is true" another said

The third hurriedly took a knee and didn't dare to look at me while exclaiming „the tales were all true"

The first and second followed suit after Theresa said „this is the leader of our clan"

I could hear the sad tone she was trying to suppress while saying this. Saying it obviously reminded her of her father.

The fourth one looked at me with a serious expression before taking a few steps forward. When little racer felt he was coming too close he hissed at him.

The man finally stopped before he let his gaze wander around and halted on the captives before he turned back to me again and said. „My lord. We are only a few wandering bards but to thank you for saving us from the bandits please let us compose a short song to your name..." he paused because he didn't know my name.

„you can use the name you know" I said „or rather... the title my legend gave me"

„Alright then" He seemed to be very proud and confident of his skills as a bard. He then called for his comrades to prepare their instruments. He was obviously the lead singer. He also called for the night serpent's clansmen to listen to their song.

Bambi sensed that I wanted to sit down therefore it laid on its side so I could sit comfortably on its stomach.

I had barely sat down when the bards began playing their instruments.

A few seconds later the singer started to compose a song. It was very good for a spontaneous song.

„Oh night, oh night at Hunter's creek,

Of blood and bones these mountains reek.

He killed the hunters, freed the slaves,

Oh what's it the Night Serpent craves?

He appears in darkest night

To cause all evildoers fright

With thousand snakes and beasts alike.

Oh scum, await the night's next strike"

...

There was silence after this ode to my name but then everybody started clapping. This lasted until I raised my voice.

„Theresa. When we return from the enemy hideout I want these bards to join the banquet. Let's celebrate when this is finished. Until then... I want you guys to play some more music for my clan"

I paused for a moment „except for the wounded I want every member of the Night Serpent's Eyes to exterminate the hideout of these scumbags. Their crimes end today." with these words we started ascending the mountain towards the enemy hideout while the bards continued singing and producing wonderful music.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
kesslema kesslema

Do you like the ode to the night serpent?

Chapter 23: The serpent’s strike (part 3)

We walked slowly and steadily with our spirits raised high. The unit of the Night Serpent's Eyes was thirsting for the blood of these bandits who have wounded their brothers. When we were almost there we took a little detour. We walked towards the river that originated in the bandits hideout.

Waiting there we found Gabriel and Natalie sunbathing in the river.

„It seems like the two of you enjoyed your special mission" I sighed while the guys from the Night Serpent's Eyes were suppressing their laughter.

One of them asked whether they wouldn't fear to be discovered sunbathing here, out in the open. They might even be ambushed by the enemy main force.

„Of course not" Natalie felt quite insulted and while saying this she looked in the sky. She pointed at a bird in the sky „I can see everything. We won't be ambushed. All of them are more or less wailing in agony in their camp."

„Perfect" I grinned while reflecting my idea. In the unlikely event that the bandits would have some of their troops join the patrol I gave Gabriel and Natalie the mission to observe their camp and report to me if there would be many enemy reinforcements or simply eliminate them quietly if it was within their abilities. Natalie's hawk may be nearly useless in battle but since she already had it for a very long time they made a very good team.

It was like the images the hawk saw would be live on a television for her.

I was a little bit envious because I had quite the difficulties to achieve similar results. I wasn't the most patient person therefore I was delighted when I succeeded to see the world through Cham's eyes back when he infiltrated the hideout although it wasn't as clear as Natalie's <familiar's perspective> yet. This was probably only the lack of training of this ability. I hoped I could improve my understanding of this ability in the future because it might come handy in battle.

At first I thought it might only be useful to observe things from a third perspective but when I saw Natalie train her fighting skill I was very impressed.

She employed her <familiar's perspective> to be a godly archer.

I could only smile wryly when I saw this for the first time because I would suck completely.

‚You would probably shoot even our own body if you were to be given a bow' Drake chuckled.

Sadly I couldn't refute that as I knew my horrible archery skills.

To stop lamenting I then asked Natalie

„Tell me Nat, is there anything we need to know?"

„You might want to know that there are still a few of them who are able to fight. On the other hand the great majority is either feeling unwell or has decided to rest in order to recuperate faster. Furthermore I didn't find any hints or evidence that the enemies have a wizard in their rows. At the very least we can say that they don't have someone capable of healing."

„Alright then" I was satisfied with the mission's state. There shouldn't be any inconvenience if everybody acted with caution.

„We will depart to ambush the bandits' camp as soon as the sun will have set. I want you all to thoroughly check your equipment one final time. I don't want you to have any unnecessary wounds after the fight. I really don't want to prepare some medicine every time after I join you guys to finish a task."

With these words I sat down for a few hours to rest before the attack would commence. While I was asleep the others prepared to take down the last hostile line.

The last ray of light woke me up when the sun started hiding beyond the horizon.

Liz and Little Racer were already looking forward to the fight. I could feel it.

Everybody was ready. The village would finally be freed from the bandits. We marched forward and when we arrived it was indeed like Natalie had described it. There were only a few dozen guards around the camp. The majority was moaning and wailing in their huts. There were only two archer towers with two archers on top of each of them.

„Alright! The death of these four archers will be the signal for you to rush in. As for Natalie and you, Gabriel, just don't let anyone flee and don't get hurt!" I commanded before I sneaked past the trees that were hiding our small assault unit and quickly slit the throat of one guard and hid him and myself behind a tree at the end of the camp.

Then, I continued sneaking forward. When I got close to the first archer I silently climbed the ladder as soon as the two weren't looking in my direction.

One of the upper ladder parts was a bit older and to avoid making any sounds I simply exerted my superhuman strength to jump to reach the top of the archer tower while unsheathing the sabreteeth.

When I arrived and looked at the shocked faces of the two archers they were only split seconds away from having their throats slit by my daggers.

In that moment Drake took control to move towards one of the archers and an arrow grazed past my cheek.

His instincts saved me. One of the enemy archers standing atop the other archer tower had actually reacted very fast. If I had actually continued to execute my ambush the arrow would have killed me.

While I dodged the archers regained their composure but I still effortlessly severed the first archer's head from its body.

The second one didn't seem to understand the disparity between our abilities. That's why he drew his shortsword and tried to hit me.

He was very slow so I simply held him by the wrists and looked into his eyes.

The Skill <hypnosis> activated.

„Tell him that you killed me"

The bandit was obviously weaker to the hypnotic ability I possessed than the Naga who also possessed the same ability although they had a weaker version. He had no choice but to follow my commands.

The bandit then stood up again and told his comrade what I commanded him to tell them.

Meanwhile I readied myself and prepared some of the throwing knives that I had stored in the ring.

When I looked up Drake was ready to dodge any incoming arrows but as I looked at the other archer tower I was pleasantly surprised by the sight of the the other two archers being shot in the heads by Natalie.

Since this was the sign the Night Serpent's Eyes Follower suit and Little Racer and Liz also joined in to finish anybody off who dared to resist the ambush.

Soon the earth in the bandits' hideout was dyed red with the blood of the bandits.

We took another dozen as captives and looted everything that appeared to be valuable before we departed and walked back to our camp.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
kesslema kesslema

I am sorry if there are some mistakes. I am not feeling very well and I am busy learning for a final. I appreciate it very much that you didn’t drop the novel although I don’t upload very often.

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