The Battle for Bahoz (8)

Kragan was not a Sharazir, but to many he was the equal of one. Despite his young age, his superior skills and successes on the battlefield made him known throughout the Rhazgord. His fighting skills were not limited to his physical strength, but also his keen intellect and quick judgment, which gave him a special prestige.This natural talent quickly made Kragan's name famous. Moreover, the fact that he was recognized as one of Corvus' closest men only added to his reputation. But Kragan's fame did not stem solely from his successes on the battlefield. The fact that he came from a small and insignificant family attracted the attention of interested tribes. The powerful families and tribes of Rhazgord made him many offers in an effort to recruit a talent like Kragan.Kragan, however, rejected all these offers without hesitation. In his eyes, the status and power offered by these tribes was not as valuable as his own principles. Although he never received a direct offer from the Tiamat family, the years he spent with Corvus shaped his future. Having gained Corvus' trust, Kragan was not yet officially recognized by the Tiamat family. But those around him were sure that one day he would be recognized as a member of the Tiamat family. His position next to Corvus and his closeness to the Tiamats already made him treated as a Tiamat.That is why the Iskat warriors were stunned by the sight before them. Their eyes could hardly believe what they saw. It was not only Kragan lying motionless on the ground, covered in blood, but other elite Tiamat warriors who had gone with him to the enemy headquarters. Every one of them appeared to have been badly wounded or had lost their lives.Behind the view, the enemy headquarters was still burning. The orange light of the flames fell on the bodies lying on the ground, making the scene even more frightening. The black-masked enemies, likewise covered in blood, made it clear how brutal this conflict had been. The smoke rising from the burning headquarters thickened the air, mixing with the pungent smell of dead bodies.The Iskat warriors did not know what to do. Their confusion had caused them to freeze. But the silence and stillness was suddenly broken by Ilyada's sharp voice."Check for survivors," she said in a stern tone. She pointed her finger at Kragan and the two warriors lying on the ground. Her voice galvanized the stunned warriors into action. Ilyada's commands brought the situation somewhat under control.A few warriors rushed to where Ilyada was pointing, while Ilyada led the rest of her warriors towards the enemy headquarters. The headquarters was collapsed and in flames, but there were parts of it still standing. Ilyada's steps were determined, her gaze locked on a target. The warriors accompanied her, matching their leader's courageous demeanor. With each step, as they approached the headquarters, the heat of the burning structures hit them in the face and the smell of blood intensified. Ilyada did not seem unmoved by this terrible scene. For her, it was just a scene of war; danger and violence in its most natural form.Ilyada and his fellow warriors carefully surveyed the surroundings, hoping to find anything that might have escaped the flames and remained in the headquarters. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing left to burn, but strangely, the flames seemed to lose no strength. The fact that the flames were rising more intensely and steadily than in a normal fire made Ilyada feel uneasy.Ilyada paused for a moment as she carefully surveyed her surroundings. She felt an energy coming from the flames. There was a vibration characteristic of the Lightstone, but she could not be sure of its source. Her instincts told her that this fire was out of the ordinary. But no matter how carefully she looked, she couldn't find anything tangible other than this strange feeling of energy.When her search proved fruitless, Ilyada took a deep breath and looked around. It seemed impossible to find a passage through the fire or to make out anything meaningful. Not only was everything already burnt to ashes, but the intensity of the flames would not allow them to continue their search any further. Finally, recognizing the futility of their efforts, they retreated from the headquarters.Meanwhile, the two warriors who were controlling Kragan and the other Rhazgord warriors approached Ilyada, their arms covered in blood.One of them began to speak in a tired voice. "Only three survived," he said, his voice filled with sadness."But if they don't get treatment soon, they will die."Ilyada did not show the slightest emotional reaction to the news. Her eyes shifted to Kragan lying on the ground. With a nonchalant expression, she tilted her head slightly and pointed to the large warrior."Is the big one alive?" she asked, her voice cold and indifferent.The tone of this question might have had a bad effect on the warriors who did not know her, but these warriors knew Ilyada well. Ilyada's indifference was striking in contrast to Kragan's struggle for life. But it was part of her natural warrior demeanor: Focusing on actions rather than emotions. Ilyada's ruthlessness and emotional detachment on the battlefield made her both an impressive and frightening leader.She was about to tell her warriors to take the wounded and retreat when Ilyada sensed something. Her sharp instincts warned her. A pair of eyes, cold and watchful, were watching her; she was sure of it. But she did not show this feeling. His expression was completely indifferent as he moved his eyes around.The owner of the eyes watching her was hiding in the darkness of the street behind her. She didn't know who he was or why he was there, but she felt the danger almost as close as a touch. This awareness brought a frightening smile to Ilyada's face. The excitement of having finally found a real enemy was expressed in this cold expression.The two warriors standing in front of her were briefly surprised by Ilyada's suddenly changed expression. But they knew her well and had learned not to speak unnecessarily. They looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes and waited in silence for Ilyada's next move.After a moment, the smile on Ilyada's face disappeared. It was replaced by her usual cold-blooded expression. She began giving orders as if nothing had happened, her voice resolute and calm."Gather the wounded--"But she interrupted herself and moved quickly. In a single movement she took the axe from the side of the warrior standing next to her. Without wasting any time, she threw the axe with all her might into the darkness where the eyes that had just been watching her were. Her movement was so sudden and decisive that the warriors only had to take a step back before they realized what had happened.The axe swung into the darkness, leaving a rustling sound in the air. At that moment, the mysterious being hiding in the depths of the alley was about to face the desperation of being a target, not knowing what to do in the face of an unexpected attack.Ilyada stood motionless after throwing the axe. Her eyes were focused on the darkness. There was not the slightest sign of hesitation on her face. The warriors around her, unable to shake off their astonishment, waited in silence for the outcome of this sudden move.After a moment of silence, the sound of footsteps coming from the dark street increased the tension in the air. Ilyada's eyes were fixed on the darkness, ready to move at any moment. The echo of the footsteps created vibrations not only in the narrow walls of the alley, but also in the nerves of the warriors.They triggered Ilyada, as they triggered the warriors beside her. The way Ilyada moved like a hunter focused on her prey sent a clear message to those around her: the enemy would be captured. But one thing was clear: the axe had not quite found its mark.As Ilyada dived into the dark alley, the warriors moved behind her. The first thing they saw was the axe lodged in the wall. The wall where the axe had been was covered in blood stains. Traces on the ground showed that the owner of the blood was still on the move and not far away.As they moved a little further, following the blood trail, they realized that their prey was fleeing. The enemy was holding his arm and staggering through the narrow streets. He was wounded, but he kept moving. The sight brought a cold smile to Ilyada's face. She couldn't wait to track down her prey.Ilyada pursued her prey like a wolf. Her steps were determined and swift, each movement bringing her closer to her target. The warriors behind her followed without hesitation. The narrow nature of the streets and the dark atmosphere made the chase difficult. But Ilyada's eyes shone with a focus that would never lose its prey."To the rooftops!"Ilyada's short and clear order quickly reached the warriors around her. As soon as she finished, several warriors wasted no time and climbed the walls to the rooftops. Now the pursuit was going on in two columns: Ilyada and a few warriors on the ground, while the others moved from above, over the rooftops.The warriors on the rooftops moved quickly and carefully to better track the prey from above. Any movement that might have been missed in the chaos of the street was clearly visible from above. Ilyada focused on the bloodstains on the ground, waiting for the moment when she would catch her prey. This was not only a moment of pursuit, but also a moment for the hunter to dominate its prey.She could have already caught the wounded enemy if she wanted to, but Ilyada kept her pace steady and carefully kept her distance. Her aim was not just to catch the enemy; she wanted to know where he would run, what his next move would be. Ilyada's eyes were locked on her prey. In her mind, she was thinking about the moment when she would fight the enemy. These thoughts brought a faint smile to her face. But at that moment, the voice of a female warrior just behind her interrupted her thoughts."Allow me to stay behind to take care of the wounded."Her voice was very different from that of the other fighters. The tone and confidence in her words was a far cry from the usual submissive approach of the others to Ilyada. The way she spoke gave the impression that she was Ilyada's equal. Ilyada did not turn her head. Her eyes were still fixed on her prey. Her voice was cold and hard."If you're going, you're on your own."It was both a confirmation and a warning. The woman warrior was free to make her own decision, but she had to take full responsibility for it. The woman warrior did not say a word when she heard this answer. There was no hesitation or fear on her face. She quickly stopped and started running in the opposite direction. Her determination made the other warriors behind her pause for a brief moment. But Ilyada continued to pursue her prey without a single second's distraction.Ilyada's eyes were still steady as the female warrior moved away. She carefully watched the movements of the fleeing enemy.The wounded man suddenly took a sharp turn and dived into a narrow alley. Ilyada and her warriors entered the same alley a few seconds behind. But the first thing they noticed when they entered was that the enemy had disappeared. The street was completely silent and empty.Ilyada immediately looked at the warriors on the rooftops. She was trying to see if they had seen the enemy. But the situation became even more complicated when the warriors above shook their heads in the negative."Go on!"Ilyada's stern order quickly mobilized the warriors on the rooftops. Wasting no time, they continued to follow the narrow street from above. Ilyada, along with the few remaining warriors, began to examine the street in detail.Surprisingly, there were no traces. The bloodstains had suddenly stopped and there were no traces left on the ground. Moreover, there were no doors or windows in the street. This added to Ilyada's discomfort.The warriors with her tapped on the walls, looking for a secret passage or hatch. They were trying to see if there was a gap behind the walls, carefully examining every stone for a possible secret path. But Ilyada's attention was on something completely different.Ilyada closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was trying to focus on the superhuman senses the Lightstone had given her. She tried to feel every vibration, every movement in the dark alley. For a moment she tuned out all the surrounding sounds, listening only to her instincts and the vibrations of the stone.After a few seconds she opened her bright blue eyes. With a wry smile on her lips, she spoke:"I found you, fucking bastard!"