Chapter 68: The Calm Before the Storm

The ride to the bandit camp was grueling. They moved in near silence, the only sounds the occasional creak of saddles and the soft clink of weapons. The night air was cold, biting at their skin, but no one complained. The weight of what was to come pressed down on them, each member of the strike team steeling themselves for the battle ahead.

Aiden led the way, his eyes scanning the terrain as they moved through the darkened forest. The group rode in a tight formation, their faces set in grim determination. Gabriella rode beside him, her hand never straying far from the hilt of her sword. Behind them were Andrew, Robert, Jarek, and the other fighters from the community. Each one of them was ready for war, but the tension was palpable.

Robert remained silent for most of the ride. His focus was razor-sharp, his mind filled with images of the bandits, their cruel leader, and the horrors they had inflicted on Lily. His grip on the reins was tight, his knuckles white. He had made a promise to Aiden to follow orders, but as they drew closer to the camp, the rage inside him began to boil.

Aiden glanced back at Robert occasionally, noting the tension in his friend’s posture. He knew Robert was barely holding himself together, and that worried him. They couldn’t afford any mistakes, not when so much was at stake.

As they approached a ridge overlooking the bandit camp, Aiden signaled for the group to stop. The horses slowed to a halt, and everyone dismounted, tying their reins to nearby trees. From here, they would continue on foot.

Gabriella moved up to stand beside Aiden, her eyes scanning the dark landscape below. “There it is,” she whispered, nodding toward the camp. The bandits had set up in a natural hollow between two hills, the glow of fires visible through the trees. The camp itself was sprawling, with makeshift tents and wooden structures scattered across the clearing.

“It’s bigger than I expected,” Andrew muttered, joining them. “How many do you think are down there?”

“Too many,” Aiden replied grimly. “But we’ve got the element of surprise. That’s our advantage.”

Gabriella crouched down, pulling the map from her pack and spreading it out on the ground. She pointed to the northwest side of the camp, where the underbrush was thickest. “This is where we’ll enter. Jarek, you and your group will come in from here,” she said, pointing to the opposite side of the camp. “Create as much noise and chaos as you can. Draw their attention while we slip in and free the captives.”

Jarek grunted in agreement. “We’ll give you plenty of distractions. Just make sure you get those people out.”

Aiden nodded, his eyes hard. “We will. Once the captives are out, we’ll regroup here.” He pointed to a small clearing just beyond the camp. “From there, we’ll decide whether we can finish this fight or if we need to pull back.”

Gabriella looked up at the group. “This isn’t going to be easy. We’ll be outnumbered, and the bandits won’t hesitate to kill us if they get the chance. Stick to the plan, stay together, and we can win this.”

Robert, who had been silent up until now, finally spoke. “And the leader?”

Aiden turned to face him, meeting his eyes. “We take him out if we get the chance. But the priority is the captives. Don’t lose focus.”

Robert nodded, though his jaw clenched tightly. He didn’t need to say it, but they all knew that for Robert, the bandit leader was personal. He wouldn’t leave without making sure that man paid for what he had done.

“Let’s move,” Aiden said, standing up and signaling to the group. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover before dawn.”

The team split into two groups as planned, moving silently through the underbrush. Aiden led his group—Robert, Gabriella, and a few of the community’s best fighters—toward the northwest side of the camp. Jarek and his team circled around to the east, preparing to create the diversion that would give them the cover they needed.

The closer they got to the camp, the more Aiden’s senses sharpened. The crackle of the campfires, the low murmur of voices, the occasional shout or laugh from a bandit—all of it set his nerves on edge. He could feel the tension radiating from Robert beside him. The man was barely keeping himself from charging in.

“Stay focused,” Aiden whispered to him as they crouched behind a thick bush, watching the camp. “We’re almost there.”

Robert’s eyes were locked on one of the tents near the center of the camp. A large figure—clearly the leader—was pacing in front of it, barking orders at his men. The sight of the man made Robert’s blood boil, but he forced himself to stay still.

Gabriella, crouched beside them, gestured toward a group of captives huddled near the edge of the camp. “There,” she whispered. “That’s where they’re keeping them.”

Aiden nodded, his mind already calculating their next move. “We wait for Jarek’s signal. Once the chaos starts, we move in and free them.”

The minutes stretched out, each second feeling like an eternity. Then, suddenly, a loud crash echoed from the eastern side of the camp. Shouts and screams followed, and the bandits scrambled to investigate the noise. Jarek’s team had made their move.

“Now!” Aiden hissed, and the group surged forward.

They moved swiftly, staying low as they navigated through the shadows. The bandits, distracted by the commotion on the other side of the camp, didn’t notice them slipping past. Aiden led them straight to the captives, who were bound and huddled together near a makeshift cage.

Gabriella and another fighter immediately went to work on the locks, using small tools to pry them open. Aiden kept watch, his sword ready in case any of the bandits spotted them.

Robert, however, had his eyes fixed on the leader. The man had turned toward the noise, barking orders to his remaining men, unaware that his captives were being freed behind his back. Every fiber of Robert’s being screamed at him to charge forward, to take his revenge right then and there.

“Robert,” Aiden warned, sensing his friend’s growing impatience. “Stick to the plan.”

But Robert wasn’t listening. His body tensed, his fists clenching as his eyes burned with fury.

Gabriella had just freed the last of the captives when Robert made his move. Without warning, he broke from the group and charged toward the leader, sword drawn.

“Robert! No!” Aiden shouted, but it was too late.

Robert’s roar echoed through the camp as he stormed toward the leader, slashing down two bandits who tried to intercept him. The leader, a hulking man with a cruel face, turned just in time to see Robert bearing down on him.

The camp erupted into chaos as the bandits realized they were under attack from both sides. Aiden cursed under his breath and motioned for the rest of the team to focus on getting the captives out. “Gabriella, get them to safety! I’ll handle Robert!”

Gabriella nodded, quickly ushering the freed captives into the woods while the remaining fighters provided cover.

Aiden sprinted toward Robert, who had already engaged the leader in a vicious fight. The two men clashed with brutal force, their swords ringing out as they struck blow after blow. Robert fought with pure rage, his attacks wild and unrelenting, but the leader was strong and experienced, matching him blow for blow.

Aiden could see it happening in slow motion—Robert’s anger was clouding his judgment, leaving him open to mistakes. The leader saw it too, and with a well-timed strike, he knocked Robert’s sword from his hand, sending it flying across the dirt.

“Robert!” Aiden yelled, rushing forward to intervene.

The leader grinned wickedly, raising his sword for a killing blow. But just before he could strike, Aiden leaped between them, blocking the attack with his own blade. The force of the blow sent a shock through Aiden’s arms, but he held firm, glaring at the bandit leader.

“This ends now,” Aiden growled, pushing back against the leader’s sword.

The leader sneered, his eyes narrowing. “You think you can stop me, boy?”

Aiden didn’t answer. Instead, he surged forward, launching a series of quick, precise strikes. The leader was strong, but Aiden was faster, and with a final thrust, he drove his sword through the man’s chest.

The leader gasped, blood bubbling from his lips as he staggered back. His eyes widened in disbelief before he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

For a moment, there was silence.

Robert, still on his knees where the leader had disarmed him, looked up at Aiden, his face a mixture of anger and relief.

Aiden extended a hand, helping Robert to his feet. “I told you to stick to the plan,” he said, his voice hard but not unkind.

Robert took a deep breath, his gaze falling to the dead leader. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t just stand by,” he muttered.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Aiden replied, his eyes scanning the camp. “Right now, we need to get out of here.”

The bandits, realizing their leader was dead, began to flee into the woods, the chaos of the fight breaking their resolve. Aiden sheathed his sword and motioned for Robert to follow.

They rejoined Gabriella and the others at the edge of the camp, the captives huddled together but safe.

“We did it,” Gabriella said, her voice filled with a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

Aiden nodded, though his mind was already racing ahead. The battle was won, but the war was far from over.

This was only the beginning.