Chapter 16 – Prey and Predator

Kael moved with measured steps, his body tense but controlled. He had spent the night hunting beasts, but now, as the sun crept over the treetops, he set his sights on something far more dangerous—humans.

He had heard rumors in the underground fights—bandits, exiles, and rogue mercenaries lurked in these forests, preying on travelers and deserters alike. Weak men avoided them. Strong men ignored them. Kael saw them as opportunities.

A true test.

---

Hours passed before he found his first target. A lone sentry, half-asleep against a tree, cradling a rusted spear. His armor was mismatched, scavenged from different sources. A bandit.

Kael watched from the shadows, analyzing the man's posture, his breathing. Sloppy. Undisciplined. His hands were calloused but not from training—he was a scavenger, not a warrior.

Kael moved.

A swift step, a hand over the bandit's mouth, and a dagger sliding beneath the ribs. The man jerked, struggling weakly, but it was already over. Kael lowered the body silently, his expression unreadable.

One down.

---

Further into the woods, Kael discovered their camp. A dozen men, some dozing, others laughing over stolen wine. Their weapons rested within arm's reach, but they weren't prepared for someone like him.

He had options.

A direct assault would be foolish, even with his training. He needed to break them apart, turn the environment against them.

Kael picked up a discarded rock and tossed it toward the opposite end of the clearing. The moment it struck the underbrush, two men snapped to attention, weapons drawn.

"The hell was that?" one muttered.

"Probably a wolf," the other scoffed, but he still went to investigate.

Kael waited.

When the first man turned his back, he struck. A swift blade to the throat, a muffled gasp, and the body crumpled. The second man barely had time to react before Kael buried his knife into his spine.

He dragged the corpses into the bushes, taking a moment to steady his breath. Two down. Ten to go.

---

Kael continued like this—striking from the shadows, isolating his prey, cutting them down before they could scream.

By the time the survivors realized something was wrong, only three remained.

Their leader, a burly man with a scar running down his jaw, barked orders. "Show yourself, coward!"

Kael stepped into the light, his dagger dripping.

"You should've paid attention sooner," he said calmly.

The leader roared and charged, swinging a heavy axe. Kael dodged, narrowly avoiding the blade as it buried itself into the dirt. He countered with a precise strike to the man's leg, severing a tendon. The bandit chief collapsed with a snarl.

The last two hesitated. Kael wasted no time. He lunged, cutting across one man's throat before spinning to meet the last. The bandit swung wildly, fear clouding his movements. Kael parried and drove his dagger into the man's chest.

Silence.

Kael stood amidst the fallen, blood soaking into the earth.

Only results.

---

As he searched the camp for anything useful, he found something unexpected—a map.

It detailed the movements of a mercenary group operating in secret.

Kael's eyes narrowed.

Perhaps it was time to set his sights on an even greater prey.