Garrek The Butcher

After enjoying a hearty breakfast with Umbra at the inn, I returned to my room, poring over the reports I'd gathered on Garrek the Butcher. The more I read, the more I realized what a character he truly was.

Garrek had a history—one that painted him as both a victim of circumstance and an architect of his own downfall.

Fifteen years ago, he had been a senior commander in the High Republic's military, leading a battalion of 1,000 troops. Back then, he was a bright man with great potential, a promising future ahead of him. But everything came crashing down when he made the fatal mistake of having an affair with the wife of a powerful Rank 3 Transcendent.

The fallout was catastrophic. The Transcendent, in a fit of rage, unleashed his wrath upon Garrek's family, slaughtering every living relative, including his parents and siblings. Their corpses were hung from the town walls as a warning to all who would dare defy the powerful. Flying beasts picked at their remains, and Garrek could do nothing but watch, powerless in the face of the Transcendent's strength.

This world was one where the strong ruled, and Garrek's actions had been a grievous sin. Adultery with the spouse of a powerful figure was considered a grave offense, and Garrek had paid the price.

For five years, the Transcendent hunted him relentlessly. It was during this period of tribulation that Garrek ascended to Rank 3, but by then, it was too late. His family was dead, his reputation in ruins, and he was branded a criminal.

Since then, Garrek had been living as a fugitive, carving out a new life as a bandit leader. He had gathered outcasts and criminals under his banner, creating the Iron Fang Syndicate. While his story was tragic, I felt no sympathy. His actions had set this chain of events in motion, and his current deeds were just as reprehensible.

With the reports read and the investigation complete, I set out to find Garrek and his syndicate. My objective was simple: kill the Butcher. The Iron Fang Syndicate would crumble without its leader. As the saying went, a snake was nothing without its head.

The Hunt Begins

Umbra and I spent hours scouring the forests, hills, and caves near Deraka. The Syndicate was elusive, their movements carefully hidden. But I had something they didn't—Umbra's unparalleled tracking abilities.

The bond I shared with him wasn't just emotional; it was practical. As a dragon, Umbra's senses were beyond anything a human could hope to achieve. His ability to track mana signatures was especially valuable.

"Hm? What's that, buddy? You can track his mana signature now?" I asked, crouching beside him as he sniffed the air and growled softly.

Umbra turned his sharp, glowing eyes toward me and gave a curt nod.

"Good. Lead me to it, boy, and I'll be sure to reward you," I coaxed, ruffling the fur-like mane on his neck.

His ears perked up, and with an eager expression that all but screamed, reward me later, he bounded forward. I followed close behind, weaving through the dense forest as Umbra led the way.

The Camp in the Forest

The forest grew denser as we moved deeper, the trees towering overhead like silent sentinels. Eventually, we came to a seemingly ordinary patch of woodland, but my Omni Vision told a different story.

Through the illusion of normalcy, I could see the faint outlines of a massive, hidden camp. Densely packed and bustling with activity, it likely housed a few thousand individuals.

To the untrained eye, it would appear as just another part of the forest, but with my heightened senses, the layers of concealment were as clear as day.

I crouched low, scanning the camp. Most of the individuals within were Rank 1, with a few at Low Rank 2. Some didn't even have auras, likely ordinary people forced into servitude or working as informants.

The heart of the camp was where the real danger lay. My Omni Vision picked up two Rank 3 auras, radiating power like beacons, surrounded by at least 60 to 70 Mid Rank 2 individuals.

"Hm, this won't be easy," I murmured, stroking my chin as I considered my options.

The sheer number of enemies was staggering. Even with my current strength, taking on an entire camp of this size was a daunting task. But I wasn't one to back down from a challenge.

I turned to Umbra, who was crouched beside me, his body coiled and ready for action.

"This is going to take some planning, buddy," I said with a smirk. "But I think I've got an idea."

Planning the Assault

The key to this operation was precision. I couldn't afford to go in guns blazing—not yet. The goal was to destabilize the camp, sow chaos, and take out their leadership before they could rally their forces.

The first step was reconnaissance. I needed to know the layout of the camp, identify weak points, and determine the best approach. With Umbra's help, I began mapping the area, noting the locations of watchtowers, patrol routes, and supply depots.

The camp was well-organized, with layers of defenses designed to deter any would-be attackers. But it wasn't impenetrable. There were gaps in their patrols, blind spots in their watchtowers, and vulnerabilities in their supply lines.

Once I had a clear picture of the camp's layout, I formulated a plan.

Step one: Create a distraction. Something big enough to draw attention away from the leadership and sow confusion among the ranks.

Step two: Infiltrate the camp during the chaos, using the distraction as cover to move undetected.

Step three: Eliminate the leadership. Garrek was the primary target, but if I had the opportunity to take out the other Rank 3, I wouldn't hesitate.

Step four: Withdraw before the camp could regroup and retaliate.

It wasn't the most elegant plan, but it didn't need to be. All that mattered was taking out Garrek and crippling the Syndicate.

Setting the Stage

As the sun began to set, casting the forest in hues of gold and crimson, I prepared to put my plan into motion. Umbra and I retreated to a safe distance, where I began crafting a series of Glyphs for the distraction.

The first was a simple Ignis Glyph that i was able to use thanks to my Rune Forgelith Gloves, designed to ignite a controlled blaze in the eastern part of the forest. The fire would serve as a beacon, drawing the camp's attention away from the western side where I planned to infiltrate.

Next, I prepared a series of Vinculum Glyphs, which would create binding traps to slow down any pursuers.

Finally, I inscribed a Somnus Glyph, a rare Emotion-Based Glyph that i designed to induce sleep. If deployed strategically, it could neutralize a significant portion of the camp's forces without bloodshed.

By the time the preparations were complete, the forest was shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the distant glow of the campfires.

I turned to Umbra, who was watching me intently, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Ready, buddy?" I asked, rising to my feet and stretching my limbs.

Umbra growled softly, his tail flicking in excitement.

"Good. Let's show them what happens when they mess with the wrong mage."

With a final glance at the camp, I activated the first Glyph, setting the plan into motion. The eastern forest erupted in flames, the crackling fire illuminating the night and sending plumes of smoke into the sky.

The camp reacted immediately, with shouts and alarms echoing through the trees as the bandits scrambled to contain the blaze.

I smirked, stepping into the shadows as the chaos unfolded. The hunt had begun.

To be continued...