Death's End

Chapter 10 - Cardinal

"We are getting close," Giselle said in a hushed tone.

"Past those trees in the yonder is a cave...the bad men are in there," she continued, her eyes fearful.

The small party had tethered their horses to some trees roughly a mile back and Zenvix had tasked two soldiers to guard them. There wasn't a choice - approaching the bandits' hideout with horses is tantamount to alerting those criminals to their presence.

As they approached the line of trees slowly, Zenvix began to hear voices directly ahead. He halted, looking immediately at Yurisviel and Alvaro.

They nodded.

"Those voices. Proceed from the flank to avoid being discovered. These trees are encircling the mouth of the cave," Zenvix said quietly.

The party followed the line of trees due west, treading lightly while remaining concealed behind vegetation as much as possible. "Here will do. I can see them now," Yurisviel said, proning her body and looking out between a few bushes, her eyes directed eastward.

Zenvix and Alvaro followed suit after the prince commanded his four soldiers to kneel. Giselle crouched down beside them. The voices are loud and angry, resounding from a small clearing outside of a rocky cave.

"You dumb whore-son! What do you mean you can't find her?!" A burly man who looked to be the leader punched his fellow across his left cheek. The smaller bandit fell to the ground quickly, trembling and raising a hand to his face.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry Magnus! I searched everywhere but that girl is nowhere to be found!" The bandit exclaimed, eyes widened in dread at the bigger man.

"Useless piece of filth." The man called Magnus spat. Sporting a bald head and a black unkempt beard, Magnus folded his muscled arms in apparent displeasure. He donned leather armor on his wide torso and from his hips, a broadsword hangs in its scabbard. From the side, a large shield can be seen strapped to his back.

Near Magnus were four other bandits and more strikingly, a woman laid on her side, bound on the grass, her clothes utterly disheveled and torn in certain places. He walked over and kicked her in the stomach. The woman cried out in pain, which dissolved into repeated coughs as she curled up defensively against the sudden assault.

Magnus crouched down and grabbed a fistful of her long hair, holding her head up. "Now see here, woman. I want that gold, and I want it quick. Tell me where your girl ran off to...now." He shook her head roughly.

"Or else I will just have to let me lads here share the fun we had last night, mayhaps after a few rounds with my boys you should be more willing to talk?" Magnus smiled, a shady grin spreading his lips.

Zenvix heard a loud rustling of leaves from his right, and before he knew it, Yurisviel had sprinted ahead.

Damn it. Zenvix nocked an arrow to his bow and in quick succession, laid a shot to a bandit who had just realised the presence of unwelcome visitors. That reckless sense of justice never changes.

The arrow perforated the bandit just as he turned his head towards the charging warrior lady. It struck squarely through his forehead and he fell lifeless to the ground with a quick thud.

"Ambush! Kill these maggots!" Magnus bellowed, as his underlings drew their weapons rapidly. A clash of swords, axes and maces resounded as Zenvix's soldiers rushed forward to engage the bandits. The prince drew his sword and raced to aid his comrades.

"You dare challenge the Black Vipers? Do you know who we are?!" Magnus raised his heater shield just as Yurisviel landed a roundhouse kick intended for the brawny man's hips. The blow's impact was absorbed somewhat by the shield, but was enough to make Magnus jerk slightly to his right.