Chapter 36: The Inexperience

Colt's arduous journey took him through rugged terrain and across vast stretches of land, spanning three long days of tireless travel. Finally, he was escorted by the brown bandits to their closely guarded lair, nestled on the crest of a hill within the dense and sprawling woods. As he gazed around, the atmosphere was alive with the bandits' fervent activities. They were diligently engaged in the preparation of a roasted wild game feast, while others honed their combat skills through meticulously crafted exercises. Despite the impressive display of prowess, Colt keenly observed that the bandits were not being instructed by seasoned professionals. Instead, they were intensively practicing techniques and tactics passed down from defected soldiers, further adding to the intrigue of their clandestine operations.

"This is our home, Vault," said the leader of the bandits, showing him around. "From now on, this place is your home as well."

Colt nodded in acknowledgment as he cautiously surveyed his surroundings, acutely aware of the hostile glares directed his way. The tension in the air was palpable, emanating from the rebellious group that clearly harbored deep-seated mistrust towards any outsiders. Their unwelcoming demeanor reflected their staunch aversion to the presence of any unfamiliar individuals, driven by a fear of potential espionage and betrayal. 

"I forgot to introduce myself," the leader said, coming to a stop and turning to Colt. He removed his face covering and revealed himself. "I am Virgil."

Colt attentively scrutinized the middle-aged man with a slightly overweight build and an unremarkable height. The man's broad face, prominent hooked nose, small beady eyes, unevenly grown beard, and a disproportionately large mouth with thin lips painted a vivid picture. Colt was astounded by the swiftness with which they had placed their trust in him. He couldn't help but entertain suspicions about whether they were engaging in some sort of game or if there were no set criteria for joining their ranks.

"Nice to meet you," he offered a swift response before redirecting his attention to the others, "It is nice meeting you all. I hope we get along well and continue our fight against the evildoers."

"We are certainly going to do that, but before we proceed," Virgil stated as he unsheathed his sword and gently pressed it against Colt's neck, "we must first take care of any potential threats."

"Huh?" 

Colt rightly felt a surge of doubt clawing at him as he pondered the lack of any credible reason for them to believe him. His lack of experience in the world of espionage had unwittingly led him into a treacherous trap. Questions raced through his mind like stampeding stallions. What should he do now? What was the correct course of action to ensure his survival? As panic threatened to engulf him, he desperately sifted through his mind for potential actions that could help him stay alive. With a sense of urgency, he scanned his surroundings, searching for any glimmer of hope or opportunity to secure his escape. 'There are about three-hundred of them. No matter how skilled I am at combat, I would not make it alive if I chose to resist. I will have to buy as much time as I can and find a way to escape.' His heart sank as he had a sudden, gut-wrenching realization that his mission might have had ended in failure. 'My failure would greatly damage our resistance against Hammer. I can not let that happen.'

Virgil's face broke into a mischievous grin. "What happened, Vault? Tongue-tied? Do not you want to say your last words?"

***

Preparations for the upcoming battle were in full swing at the bordering castle. The atmosphere was charged with urgency as every member of the castle community worked tirelessly to set up intricate traps and formidable blockades in anticipation of the impending storm of enemy forces. With unwavering determination, they fortified their defenses, ensuring that they would be well-prepared before the enemy advanced to their doorstep.

Tyler and Dyna huddled together, deep in discussion as they strategized their next move against the heavily armed enemy. They stood facing each other, with a detailed map of the fortress laid out between them, pondering every nook and cranny for potential attack and defense strategies.

"We should station more archers on the walls," suggested Tyler.

"What about the gates? How should we fortify them?" asked Dyna. 

"I'm afraid there is not a lot of action we can take in this situation. Have you heard anything about whether your friend intends to bring his forces along?"

"He had helped us earlier. There is no reason to believe he would not do it again. He is a trustworthy ally."

"You seem a bit tensed whenever you talk about that man," Tyler pointed out. "Is there a history between you too?"

"That does not matter. We should be focusing on the issue at hand."

"So I was right."

Dyna seemed a bit flustered. "Should we focus on planning for battle?"

Tyler let out a heavy sigh, "There is no way we could win," he declared. "Let us hope we last long enough for the princes to return. Otherwise, the consequences would be dire."

Dyna nodded somberly, fully grasping the gravity of the situation.

Suddenly, a messenger arrived. "Sir, there is another news sent through a pigeon."

"It must be Logan. There could be some important information in it," reacted Tyler. "Give it to me."

The messenger handed him the small rolled-up piece of paper and then left.

Tyler opened the message and was surprised and puzzled by its contents, drawing a curious look from Dyna.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Hammer decided to take his army back. He would not lay siege to the castle."

"What? But why?" Dyna too acted surprised. 

"I do not know. There might be some critical issues raised in the capital. Still, I feel…" Tyler went into deep thought. "Why do I feel there is something wrong? Logan has sent this message. I could identify the handwriting, but I feel there is something wrong with this."

"I also find it strange that he would decide to take his army back when he is at an advantage," responded Dyna. "But if your spy has sent this message, it must be true. There could be a bigger problem at hand."

Tyler, with a look of anxiety on his face, slowly nodded. "It must be the case."

***

"You are a genius, my king," complimented Varius, as he stood in front of Hammer in the royal tent.

Hammer was comfortably settled in his opulent golden seat, adorned in imposing armor. His face bore a villainous grin, hinting at the malevolent machinations unfolding in his mind. "I know, Varius. They will let their guard down now. Good job catching that spy."

"Now that you have sent a message to the castle, what would be the next step?"

"Hammer leaned in. "It is simple. We will head back to our capital."

Having spent an extensive amount of time alongside Hammer on the battlefield, Varius effortlessly grasped the intricate plan devised by his master. He smirked. "Understood, my king. I will take my leave now." Before he exited he asked about the fate of the spy, "What should I do with the bandit?"

"Show him hell."

"Understood." Varius's malevolent grin twisted his features as he departed from the tent, leaving behind an atmosphere tinged with sinister undertones. 

In the middle of the camp, there was a wooden cross, and the person tied bare-bodied in a crucifying position was none other than Logan. He had been flogged so hard it had led him to lose his consciousness. Soldiers surrounded him and threw different stuff at him. Stones to sand - everything flew his way. 

"Death to spies!" shouted a soldier.

At that moment, Varius arrived. 

"Silence! Commander Varius is here!" Someone announced, making all of them go silent. 

Varius walked through a group of soldiers and approached Logan, observing his tortured body and anguished face. "Splash some water on him!" he ordered his soldiers. 

A soldier brought a bucket of water and poured it over Logan. Logan woke up abruptly.

Varius walked closer to him. "Did you think I would not find you out? Did you think I would not know who ambushed me that night? It was you, was it not? Were you not aware of what I could do to a person?"

Logan sensed an ominous aura from him; he knew he was about to experience hell. "I… have al… ready sent the me… ssage y-you wanted. What e-else do y-you w… ant?"

"Oh, do you think that would be enough to pay for your crimes?" reacted Varius, turning to his soldiers. He scoffed. "He thinks we would let him go."

The soldiers laughed at this. 

"What an idiot!"

"Hahaha, we would torture you to death."

"Never saw such a lousy spy in my life, hahaha!"

Varius raised his hand to make them silent. "Now, you people decide what punishment should we give him. The one who proposes the craziest idea would get a pouch of gold coins from me."

"Woah, now you are talking."

"Awesome."

The soldiers were motivated by the gold, so they devised unique torture methods.

"We should cut his tongue and stuff it into his an*s," one man suggested.

"We should flog him with barbed wires."

"We should cut out his gut open and stuff horse waste in it," another one suggested.

To this, another soldier reacted, "Idiot, share the method to torture, not kill."

Logan listened to their crazy ideas. "You… inhuman savages…"

"Says a bandit," Varius retorted amidst his stammers. "You view us as savages, yet you are no different from us. You've plundered countless individuals and crushed their aspirations. Surely, you've taken lives as well?"

At that moment, Logan's mind wandered to his past, where the echoes of tortured souls' screams reverberated. The memory of the terror in their eyes, as they begged for mercy, was etched vividly in his mind.

"Tell me, bandit, have you not killed anyone in your life to reach where you were?" asked Varius. 

***

Colt could not find a way out of his crisis. He attempted to reason with Virgil. "What are you talking about?" He acted innocent. "I am sure there is a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding, you say?" reacted Virgil. "Are you telling me I am wrong?" He raised a brow. 

Colt stayed silent, as he had nothing to say. 

"Alright," Vrigil continued. "I will trust you, only if… you beat me in a duel."

"Huh?" Colt was once again perplexed. Was there another scheme this man was plotting? Why would someone propose such a preposterous idea? "I am sure this is not the correct idea to…" He tried to reason, but before he could, he was abruptly assaulted.

With a bloodcurdling scream, Virgil swung his sword at him. "Here I come!"