Kapitel 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.