Chapter 15: Eyes in the dark

As Kael recounted his conversation with Orlae, he watched Abel's expression shift.

First, there was surprise-learning that Orlae had mentored Liana, even if only for a year, filled in the missing gap in her past. Then came intrigue-understanding how the fairies had worked tirelessly to keep the soil alive despite the poison. But as Kael continued, Abel's features hardened with concern.

The unknown monster lurking in the forest.The bandit camp hidden just outside the village.

Abel crossed his arms, his sharp gaze flickering toward the treeline as if expecting something to emerge at any moment. "So, to sum it up-we've got fairies trying to counteract the poison, a monster that even Orlae doesn't fully understand, and a camp full of bandits who might be involved?"

Kael nodded. "Pretty much. And we don't have the luxury of waiting around to piece it all together."

Abel exhaled sharply, his stance shifting as he processed the information. "The bandits being near the village makes too much sense. If they're behind the poison, then we've solved the poisoned soil mystery. But the monster... It doesn't fit."

"Yeah," Kael agreed. "Orlae said it's smart. It's been avoiding traps, hiding its tracks, leaving only some. That means it's not just some mindless beast. And it's getting worse by the day."

Abel's fingers tapped against his arm in thought. "And the river?"

Kael's brow furrowed. "It was never poisoned in the first place."

That made Abel pause. "That's weird."

"Right?" Kael said, shaking his head. "So the bandits poisoned the soil but left the river untouched. I've been thinking about it, and I've got two ideas."

"Shoot." Abel gestured for him to continue.

Kael nodded. "First theory-they sneak into the village at night, poison the soil, and then just... take the water for themselves. Simple, practical."

Abel hummed, considering it. "That makes sense. What's the other theory?"

Kael's expression darkened. "It's a game to them. Some twisted form of cruelty."

A heavy silence settled between them. Abel's jaw tightened, his usual sharp gaze turning cold. "Wouldn't be the first time bandits enjoyed watching people suffer." A thought flashed through his head. "To think he could come up with something that sick and sadistic so quickly..."

Kael nodded, his voice steady. "Okay, so we can't attack at night. Any fights or big bursts of magic might attract the monster, and that wouldn't be good for us, so we go in during the day-when it's not wandering around."

Abel crossed his arms, his mind already working through the plan. "A daylight raid, then. Less cover, but fewer unknowns. It's risky, but we don't have much of a choice."

Kael smirked. "Risky is kind of our guild's thing, isn't it?"

Abel sighed, but a small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Unfortunately."

...

The walk back to Mr. Arves's house was quiet. Kael and Abel had gone over their approach-they'd tell him about the soil's progress, the bandit camp, and maybe mention the monster, but that was it. No talk of Orlae, no mention of Liana, and definitely nothing about the fairies.

As they reached the door, Abel glanced at Kael. "You sure you don't want to let me do the talking?"

Kael snorted. "Why, because you think I'll set him on fire?"

"No, because you look like you want to." Abel snickered.

Kael looked away and didn't deny it. Instead, he knocked.

James, the butler answered, his usual composed expression in place. "Ah young masters." He greeted, stepping aside. "May I escort you to Lord Arves's study?"

"That would be very much appreciated." Kael smiled. He felt annoyance in this house, his friend was locked away here for a decade. James's kindness made feel a bit more at ease.

They ventured through the long corridors with the potraits and they saw the family painting once more, before long, they reached the big walnut-colored wooden door of Mr. Arves study.

The butler knocked on the door. "Lord Arves, young master Kael and Young master Abel have returned and wish to speak with you, is that permitted?"

"Oh, yes yes, let them in." Mr. Arves said, clearly not paying attention.

"Abel, is too late to change my mind and let you do the talking?" Kael whispered.

"Yup, good luck little man." Abel whispered.

"Lovely." Kael thought.

Inside the dim lit room, the piles of paper sheets were still scattered everywhere, Mr. Arves was sitting on his desk, reading a book, he didn't look up from it when Kael and Abel entered.

"Well?" Mr. Arves asked. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't have something to say."

Kael got straight to the point. "There's been some progress. The soil isn't as bad as we thought. The poison's still there, but something's slowing it down."

Mr. Arves's gaze darkened. "Slowing down?"

Abel nodded. "It's not spreading as fast anymore. It's possible the land can recover."

Mr. Arves leaned back slightly, his fingers drumming against the table. "And the ones responsible?"

Kael met his gaze. "Bandits. We found their camp west of the village."

The room was silent for a moment. James's expression remained neutral, but his eyes flickered with interest. Mr. Arves, however, exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening.

"That explains a lot," he muttered. "Filthy rats." He then eyed them carefully. "And what do you plan to do about it?"

Kael didn't hesitate. "We'll take care of them. Tomorrow."

Mr. Arves narrowed his eyes. "You expect me to believe you two can handle an entire camp of bandits?"

Abel smirked. "We're not amateurs."

"You're also not an army." Mr. Arves said in a rude tone.

Kael crossed his arms. "We won't need to be."

Mr. Arves studied them for a long moment, then scoffed. "Fine. Do what you want. Just don't get the village caught in whatever mess you're planning."

Kael bit back a sharp remark, but Abel smoothly redirected the conversation. "There's one more thing."

Mr. Arves arched a brow. "Oh?"

Kael exhaled. "The howling in the forest. It's not just wolves."

"We don't know what it is yet," Abel added. "But it's big, strong, and smart enough to avoid traps."

Silence stretched between them.

Then, Mr. Arves leaned forward. "Then deal with it."

Kael frowned. "What?"

"You heard me," Mr. Arves said, his voice cold and firm. "You're already handling the bandits-take care of that creature while you're at it."

Abel's smirk disappeared. "We don't even know what it is yet."

"I don't care," Mr. Arves said. "I won't have some beast lurking in the woods, waiting to rip apart the village the moment your little raid makes things worse." His eyes were sharp, unwavering. "You take care of it. That's an order."

Kael clenched his jaw. An order? Like they were his personal problem solvers?

Abel exhaled through his nose. "You do realize we're not your mercenaries, right?"

Mr. Arves gave a slow, measured look. "You're wizards. You solve problems. I'm giving you one more."

Kael wanted to argue. Wanted to tell this man exactly what he thought of him. But the truth was… he and Abel were already planning to deal with the monster anyway.

So instead, Kael forced himself to smirk. "You're lucky we were already planning on it."

Mr. Arves gave a slow nod. "Then we have an understanding."

They turned to leave, but just as they reached the door, James, the butler spoke quietly.

"Be careful."

Kael glanced back. Unlike Mr. Arves, James wasn't demanding or ordering them. He was thinking of their safety.

Kael gave a small nod before stepping outside, Abel following close behind.

As the door shut behind them, Abel exhaled. "Well, that was fun."

Kael rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. Let's just get this over with."

...

Back in the guest room where Kael and Abel were staying at, the duo was relaxing and killing time until night time by training their mana flow after a small nap.

"Mr. Arves is a giant prick." Kael snarled.

"Tell me about it, best we can do is, get this over with as soon as possible and leave." Abel sighed.

"He acts like we're tools he can freely use." Kael was frustrated.

Abel leaned back against the wall, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah, well, we kinda let him-for now. The faster we deal with this, the faster we're out of here."

Kael rubbed the back of his neck exhaling sharply. "Still pisses me off."

Abel smirked slightly. "No kidding. You've been scowling ever since we left his study."

Kael shot him a look but didn't argue. Instead, he flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. "At least the soil's healing. That's something."

Abel nodded, focusing on his mana control again. "Yeah. Let's just hope we make it through tomorrow without things getting worse."

"Don't jinx it dude." Kael replied, "No wonder Liana ran away from this place, I would have done the same." Kael added.

Abel hummed in agreement. "Can't blame her. The guy's impossible to deal with. And if he treated her even half as badly as he treats us..." He trailed off, shaking his head.

Kael clenched his fists. "It's worse than that. He didn't just treat her badly-he locked her up. Neglected her. Probably would've let her waste away if she hadn't escaped." His jaw tightened. "The fact that this village just let it happen makes me sick."

"Maybe the village doesn't know the whole truth about all of this." Abel corrected Kael.

Kael scoffed. "You really think they didn't suspect anything? The Baron's daughter suddenly disappears at 7 years old after she awakened her magic ability?"

Abel ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, man. Maybe Mr. Arves spun some lie about sending her away to properly study and understand her magic."

Kael's frown deepened. "And they just accepted that? No questions, no suspicions?"

Abel shrugged. "People believe what's convenient. Maybe some of them doubted it, but what were they gonna do? Go knocking on a noble's door demanding answers?"

Kael's jaw tightened. "Cowards."

Abel exhaled. "Perhaps they're cowards. But if Mr. Arves had the power to keep it quiet, I doubt anyone here would've had the guts to push back. Still, hard to believe no one saw through it."

Kael leaned back against the bed, staring at the ceiling. "And even if they did, they looked away. Just let it happen." His voice was laced with quiet anger.

Abel didn't argue. He could see it in Kael's face-this wasn't just about Liana. It was about the kind of world that let people like Mr. Arves get away with things like this.

A long silence stretched between them before Abel spoke again. "Liana's free now. She's got a life of her own. That's what matters, right?"

Kael finally cracked a small, tired grin. "Damn right. She's got us as well."

A smirk tugged at Abel's lips. "Yeah. She does."

Kael shifted, cracking a small grin. "You know, for someone who acts all tough, you care a lot."

Abel shot him a flat look. "Shut up."

Kael chuckled. "Just saying."

Abel rolled his eyes, but a small smirk tugged at his lips. "Whatever. Let's just focus on tonight's stakeout."

"You're right." Kael nodded.

"Let me teach you a small trick about supressing your mana, so it will be harder for others to sense you" Abel said.

Kael sat up, interest sparking in his eyes. "Oh? Didn't know you were holding out on me."

Abel smirked. "It's not that complicated, just something you pick up when sneaking around is part of the job." He shifted his posture, closing his eyes. "It's all about control. Instead of letting your mana flow freely, you pull it inward-keep it close to your core. Try it."

Kael furrowed his brows, focusing on his own mana. He was used to letting it flow naturally through his body, but pulling it inward felt… unnatural, like trying to hold his breath while still breathing. His mana flickered, unstable.

Abel cracked an eye open. "Yeah, that's about what I expected."

Kael shot him a glare. "Give me a second." He tried again, this time imagining his mana condensing, like a flame shrinking down to embers.

"Better." Abel nodded. "Now hold it. Keep your breathing steady-your mana should match that rhythm. If you get it right, you'll feel like you're almost… fading."

Kael concentrated, feeling the shift in his presence. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than before. "Huh." He grinned. "Not bad."

Abel leaned back with a satisfied smirk. "Told you. Keep practicing. You'll need it if we don't wanna get caught tonight."

...

As night descended upon the village, Kael and Abel moved with quiet efficiency, making their final preparations. They planned to wait until midnight, when the village would be cloaked in silence-when even the guards, weary from their uneventful patrols, might doze off. The less attention they attracted, the better.

Kael focused on his breathing, practicing the presence suppression technique Abel had shown him earlier. He hadn't mastered it yet-his mana still pulsed faintly, like a dimly lit ember-but it would have to be enough. Their goal tonight wasn't to fight, just to observe. Still, Kael's mind kept drifting back to Mr. Arves, to the man's arrogant, commanding tone. The thought alone made his jaw tighten, but he forced himself to exhale slowly, pushing the frustration aside.

A soft knock on the window broke the quiet. Kael and Abel both tensed, their eyes flicking toward the sound. It was faint, barely more than a tap, and at first, they ignored it, assuming it was just the wind.

Then it came again-sharper this time, more insistent.

Kael exchanged a glance with Abel before pushing himself up and crossing the room. He reached for the latch, but just as he did, a third knock sounded-this time accompanied by a faint, deep blue glow just beyond the glass.

His brows furrowed as he unlatched the window, a cool breeze slipping inside. The scent of the forest drifted in, fresh and earthy. Hovering just beyond the frame was the source of the glow-a tiny, flickering wisp of light.

Kael leaned in, his eyes narrowing. Not a wisp. A fairy.

The fairy landed on Kael's palms, "Hello, are you with Orlae?" he gently asked the fairy.

The fairy looked at Kael and nodded twice.

Abel leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "Great. So we've got a messenger fairy now."

Kael ignored his sarcasm and focused on the fairy. "Is something wrong?"

The fairy nodded again, more urgently this time. At that instant a large howl bellowed, the fairy instantly quivered in Kael's hands out of fear.

"Seems like Orlae has started with his part." Abel pointed,

"Yeah," Kael agreed, he then looked back the fairy once more, "Are you here to tell us that the bandits have appeared?"

The quivering fairy mustered some courage and nodded.

Kael and Abel exchanged a look. The plan had been to observe, gather information-but with the monster stirring and the bandits already moving, the situation was escalating fast.

Abel exhaled sharply. "Well, so much for a quiet stakeout."

Kael gently lifted his hand, letting the fairy hover freely. "Can you lead us to them?"

The fairy hesitated for a moment before fluttering forward, weaving through the air in quick, urgent movements.

Abel turned to Kael. "We stick to the plan. We don't engage unless absolutely necessary."

Kael smirked. "Don't worry. I'll be on my best behavior."

Abel took a black cloak out of his ring at threw it at Kael.

"What's this for?" Kael asked while putting on the cloak.

"Well clearly so we can be matching." Abel said sarcastically before adding, "So we can blend in the darkness better."

"Oh, just so you know, I'm not returning it later." Kael chuckled.

"All yours." Abel sighed.

Kael instructed the fairy to hide inside the cowl of his cloak.

The fairy hesitated before slipping beneath the fabric, its glow dimming until it was barely noticeable. It nestled against Kael's shoulder, wings occasionally fluttering as it adjusted itself.

Abel adjusted his own cloak, glancing toward the window. "We'll take the back way. Less chance of anyone noticing us slipping out."

Kael nodded and pushed the door open slowly, careful not to make a sound. The village was quiet, save for the distant chirping of crickets and the rustling of leaves in the night breeze. The howl from earlier still lingered in the air, a haunting echo that sent a faint shiver down Kael's spine.

"Let's move," Abel whispered. As he climbed out of the window.

They kept to the shadows, their presence nearly erased thanks to Abel's earlier training. The fairy peeked out from Kael's cowl now and then, guiding them toward the outskirts of the village, where the bandits had been spotted.

Kael's pulse steadied as they moved. This was it. Time to see exactly what they were dealing with.

...

Hughes and two other bandits crept through the outskirts of the village, their movements quiet but unhurried. The night air was still, save for the distant hoot of an owl and the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind. To them, this was just another routine stop-another helpless village too weak to resist.

They emerged from the west side, slipping through the shadows as they made their way to the poisoned plot. Hughes knelt, pressing his hand against the soil with practiced ease. His cocky smirk faltered almost immediately.

"What the hell…?" His brows furrowed as he ran his fingers through the dirt. A large portion of the poison was gone.

"Something wrong?" one of the bandits asked.

Hughes clenched his jaw. "Those damn mages. They've got an earth or plant mage with them." He scowled, his irritation boiling over. "How dare they interfere with our hunt?"

The first bandit clicked his tongue. "First, the soil started fixing itself on its own, and now we've got mages in the mix? We need to hurry-the beast's getting angrier by the night."

The second bandit shifted uneasily, gripping the hilt of his dagger. "We should tell the boss to raid the village tomorrow. We can't keep wasting time on this one. Let's just finish here and move on to the next."

Hughes didn't answer right away. His fingers curled into a fist, crushing a handful of dirt as he thought. If the poison was being removed, they were already at a disadvantage. If they hesitated, the beast that had taken Lenny a few nights ago might come for them next.

Lenny had been a fool. He had wandered off into the forest, convinced he could track down whatever was making those eerie howls at night. The next morning, they found what was left of him-mangled, torn apart like a piece of meat left for scavengers. Hughes still remembered the way the others had paled at the sight, the unease that had spread through the camp like a sickness.

"We don't have time to waste," Hughes finally muttered, voice low and grim. "We finish this now. If the boss wants to raid the village, fine. But first, we make sure the land is too rotten for those bastards to fix again."

He stood, rolling his shoulders, and stretched out a hand over the soil. A dark, sickly-green aura pulsed from his fingertips, seeping into the dirt like ink spreading through water. The earth darkened, veins of toxic energy threading through the ground as an acrid stench filled the air.

The first bandit took a step back, covering his nose. "You sure that will be enough to stop them?"

Hughes smirked, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Oh I'm certain."

"Let's see how long their little mage can keep up."