The Send Off, Part Ten

The two of them crept through the dark forest. John was able to make out many of the shapes along the way, but so far they found nothing. Alex was used to this kind of work and was easily making his way through the dare forestry. "Nothing yet." Alex nodded, "Keep an eye out, we're nearing their watch line." The trees were steadily growing larger as they moved father in.

The forest was very old, nearly as old as the city itself. The trees were so large just one of these great pines could build three large homes. They say the great magic of the area before the city was founded helped the trees grow tall. He still remembers seeing the giant sawmills farther east on the Juniper River.

As they walked along he could start seeing footprints in the mud, part human, part wolf. He had forgotten about the wolves, but it's probably fine. Before long a light appeared in the distance and the two took refuge behind a tree. John looked around, "Two men holding torches." Alex nodded, "Alright, anyone in the trees?" He looked around with his dimly lit eyes, "One, to the left on the branch." Alex looked around the tree and spotted a bandit on the branch with a bow and a horn. 

Alex crouched around the tree and held up his hand and took aim. In the middle of his palm a long slim glass like arrow formed in his hand. He waited for the two men with the torches to start walking away and released the spell sending the magic arrow through the air with incredible speed. The arrow struck true and pinned the man to the tree. 

He didn't have to worry about the man yelling, the spell had a paralyzing effect. "Good hit. Clear." They continued onward but moved more carefully. They stumbled on two more patrols and nearly half a dozen more posted scouts. The patroles were easy to deal with, snooping around mostly drunk men was easy. He wondered if that was part of John's plan.

The scouts were target practice. One had actually not stuck to the tree and fell right in front of a patrol. Fortunately they were so drunk they thought nothing off the blood and just laughed at him. They both carried on drinking leaving the body laying where it fell. They moved it under some brush and carried on. They arrived at the pond and they could see the camps lights and here the merrymaking of the bandits. "John, do you read me."

Silence. Lance looked over, "Do you think they were spotted?" Alex shook his head, "I doubt it, they know this route for too long." "How long have you known about this?" "A day, but John has been tracking the Bandits for weeks now." He looked down, "And the commander must have known about it longer, why has he done nothing about it." Alex shook his head, "I don't know." 

"Hello Alex." Roswald appeared behind them and they jumped with their weapons in hand, "Roswald, don't do that." They put them away, "Where is John?" He crouched down, "He switched into a bandit and infiltrated the camp. But the magic manipulation messed with the device. He has sent me to inform you. He can't talk but he can hear you." Alex nodded, "I see. John, if you can make your way to the prisoners do it quickly I'm going to find an exit." 

Alex gave the map to Lance, "I'm going alone from here, you two make sure no bandits are between us and the pond. I don't expect we'll have a lot of time until they figure out their hostages are gone so once we get them here we're going to have to run." Lance nodded, "You can count on us." Alex nodded and took off hoping they would make it in time. 

There were no patroles between the pond and the camp so Alex was able to approach the walls with little difficulty. The camp was protected by a tall and sturdy wall and he could hear all the commotion coming from inside. Alex brought out two daggers he had bought from a smith in the city and began climbing one of the large trees on its outskirts. As he climbed he had to be careful to not slip. The branches were far off the ground and a fall would be a broken leg, and he didn't feel like healing it. 

After a long climb he finally came to the lowest branch and climbed on top. The camp was immense, larger than he thought it would have been, it was clear they have been here more than a month. He could make out dozens of tents, wooden buildings, and other structures including towers and the like. At the west side of the camp was a large wooden gate where the road ran to the center of camp.

He could count an untold number of people just meandering around the camp. Many of them were drunk and he could see that the building with the most attraction was an alehouse with dozens of barrels propped up and being used. "John, I have a vantage point near the southside of the camp. I need you to do something so I can spot you."

Alex looked around, "Go to the southern side of the camp, near what looks to be a large line of outhouses." For a while he saw little more than drunken idiots stumble in and out of the wooden sheds. Then one man snuck around and looked up at the trees, "Move your hands up and down." The man flailed his arms, it was John. "I see you, have you found the Hostages?" John nodded, "Go there now." 

All of a sudden the gates opened and a convoy of wagons entered. He followed John as he made his way through the camp, but kept an eye on the convoy as well. Men rushed to the wagons cheering and talking, it wasn't until they started unloading the wagons did they realize what was inside. Weapons started to get pulled out in droves and then shields and armours. 

Alex shook his head there was no way a group f bandit's this large should be allowed to have so many weapons. The fact that they have enough funds to acquire all of them was a different problem. His mission had changed, it was no longer a rescue mission. He looked as John made his way into a building and a voice popped in his head, "Alex, I just changed back. Do you have an exit?" Alex looked at the wall and found a back entrance guarded by two men. 

"There's a back entrance behind some buildings you're in now. How many hostages are there?" "One, a woman. The rest has already been killed." Alex cursed, "Alright, can you move." "Yes, but the woman is unconscious so it will be slow." Alex made sure the coast was clear, "Move." 

He watched as John made his way out the back carrying someone wrapped up in a cloke. He prepared himself as he propelled magic to his feet and lined up his shot with daggers in hand. He was aiming for the next tree. He released it and boosted himself like he had done to John wene they fought. He flew through the air and stabbed the tree with both knives but slid down a foot before stopping. He jumped to the nearest branch and repeated the step until he was over the back entrance. 

"Hunker down." John hid behind a wall as Alex walked down the branch until he was directly over the two Guards. He took a deep breath and finished the spell before stepping off the edge. He barreled towards them and right before hitting the ground released the spell. It propelled him up and softened his fall while taking out both guards. 

John looked at him, "That was way too flashy." Alex grimaced and rubbed his arms, "I know." John walked to him, "Alright let's go." Alex grabbed the woman by the other side but John accidentally stepped on her cloak and revealed her face. Alex stopped dead in his place.

The woman had long flowing black hair and pale skin with sharp features. John looked at him, "Whats wrong?" He backed up as he stared at her with wide eyes, "Rose!?"