Tracking Outlaws

The four rode on horseback through the desert. Leading them was Brick who was now dawned in an old uniform that was maroon and red. He had a sword that looked well crafted upon his belt. Upon the back of the uniform was a Boars head sigil. "So why did you get kicked out of the military?" Red asked bluntly. "Simple. Spoke out of turn. The king started rounding up warriors to fight in the arena. He forced them into slavery to fight for the masses. But more to slaughter innocent people who were thrown into the ring. These warriors were only there because they opposed the King's rule. He became more thirsty for chaos" Red Demon became puzzled by a question. "Then how is it you are not in the arena now? Seems you were a threat like them? I can tell you a high rank in cultivation?" Brick shrugged. "Let's just say I didn't let them take me. I killed some of the men to escape when they came for me. Got my daughter out of the capital and landed in the desert. The town we left is called the Oasis. Been there ever since and lived a life of peace till today" they could see the rock formation that looked like an anvil silhouetted by the sun overhead.

"That's where the hideout should be," Brick pointed to the rock formation. They pulled to hide their position and the horses once they were close. Brick pulled out an eyeglass and extended it out. He looked through scanning the bottom of the rock formation. He landed on a cave entrance.

Two men were stationed outside it. "Damn rumors were true. A cave in the formation seems like we are in the right place. So how do you want to proceed, Slayer?" Brick collapsed the eye glass placing it back on his belt. "Sun what do you think we should do?" Sun Demon looked taken aback. "Why are you asking me?" She was confused at this. But honestly Red Demon merely wanted her opinion. "No motive, just wanted input" Smiling waved his hands. "Why didn't you ask me?" Red Demon shrugged. "I don't know. Do you have a plan?" Smiling looked at the direction of the cave. "Nightfall. We then bulldozed in" Red Demon paused taking it in. He then had had epiphany. "Actually your idea works. I could use the element of Terra to create a tunnel inside and we ambush them" made gestures with his hands as he explained. "Why not just collapses the tunnel trapping them inside?" Brick's plan sounded logical. But Red needed answers and the only way was to capture the leader alive. "I need one of them alive" Brick stared at him confused. "I need information on the king and his inner workings. Only way to get that is live henchmen. Particularly their leader" Brick seemed to understand but also asked a vital question. "What makes you think these men are privy to the War King's workings?" The Slayer meets Brick's eyes.

"Simple. You said that the king does nothing of these bandits. I'm seeing two possibilities with this arrangement being the Murder Train pays tribute and keeps them off the King's bad side. Or two the King just doesn't give a shit" Brick rolled his eyes, "believe both seem to be right. The King wouldn't care about us and of course if he could make money he would" his hand went on his hilt and squeezed it with his anger. 'Damn that king. The realm has only gotten worse since I left' Brick then took a seat upon a blanket and began pulling our dried cactus from a pouch. "So we wait till nightfall I can do that" the demons then also took a seat and waited for the sun to go down. "There another reason we're waiting and not just going in?" Smiling asked. "It's possible some of the men could of left the base already. We have a better chance getting all in one go if we wait till dark when they return with spoils, or to sleep" Sun Demon answered his question. 'Very good. She just lacks confidence at the moment. Her whole psyche is shaken from her ordeal' Red stared at her as she pulled out a canteen and began drinking the water pulling down her second mask. He found himself staring at her beautiful face too long and immediately turned his head back to the rock formation. 'Huh…well I didn't mean to linger' he thought. 'You sure?' The voice of All Seeing echoed in his mind. 'Your really going to give me grief?' He answered back. 'Why not?' She giggled. 'So you have never been with a girl? Or even been in a relationship?' She asked. 'No my life prior to this was nothing must struggle as you know. Didn't leave room for fun and love' All Seeing was quiet. 'True. Well maybe fate has thrown you a bone now' she giggled at this. Red Demon's eyebrows arched at this. 'Maybe' he then perched up on a rock and watched the cave.

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The Murder Machine henchman stationed by the entrance of the cave sat on chairs and looked bored as they threw rocks at a lizard crawling by. "When is the Captain supposed to return?" One asked with a moan. He had been on duty for ten hours and sitting here was getting boring. Most times nothing ever happened and no one was stupid enough to try if they did. But alas day and day out he sat here waiting for the inevitable to one day happen. And today was more boring after a few of the guys went out and pillaged while the Captain was away. Problem lied in the fact that they hadn't been seen since. So half their number was left in the cave. The second who went with Captain was not here to keep the men in line.

Since their gang was thinking of abandoning the king and going north. Many of the men were against this. And wanted to keep things as is with the freedom of chaos as long as they hunted any enemy incursion groups venturing into the War Realm they were free to do whatever they wanted. And they made good on this arrangement. They had grown rich in so many ways. So when the Captain came to them about how the King was a maniacal man tended not to heed this.

"Said three days?" The other said hunching forward. He fidgeted in his seat before standing, "I knew the third left in charge here would be spineless, but he sure took the cake letting them bully his ass into letting them leave. Now we're all going to pay for this" he said, yelling angrily. "Calm down! The Captain will see reason mate!" The man looked at him with a dumbfounded look. The Captain was no ordinary man. He was a Rank Five cultivator who could bend the wind with a thought. Along with his eye ability he was a force to be reckoned with. "He has never been lenient to any of our transgressions with his laws in this company. We may be soldiers that are disgraced but here this army follows orders! And they didn't, when they do wrong the entire company suffers! That's our law!" He shouted. The other held up hands in surrender. They were then interrupted when an explosion erupted inside the cave. They heard screaming and yelling. They could hear the singing of blades and the yelling of agony.

One gripped his sword and dagger with a resolute mindset he walked into the cave walking down the tunnel. His comrade with a mace heaved on his shoulder did the same. They said nothing and traveled down the hall before running. As they travelled through the maze of tunnels they would see flashes of light and shadows dancing about in small spurts. That's when they came upon their first bodies. One man was crawling a few inches towards them before dying on the spot. He was cut in half and had no chance. Down one tunnel they saw a comrade throwing fireballs and plumes of flames at something unseen. The tunnel then was engulfed in darkness and all that was heard was the ring of a blade. The shadows disappeared and his body was standing. Then it fell and from the shadows stepped out a man with glowing red eyes. Horns upon his forehead, a half demon mask covering most of his face. He wore a red and white outfit that looked like light armor. His hair was white and he was armed with multiple swords. But he only held one an odachi dark as pitch. The men froze seeing him. He moved quickly and the two men were engulfed in darkness. They saw nothing as they were cut down with a quick slash.