The night air by the Iron River felt damp and heavy, carrying the scent of mud and old iron. The ancient stone bridge stretched like a dark jaw over the rushing water.
Hidden behind large rocks and bushes along the riverbank, the small group lay in wait. The tense silence was broken only by the roar of the river and hushed breaths.
Jaxon's body felt stiff in the darkness, his knuckles white as he gripped his sword.
This is insane. Ambushing a Veridian soldier convoy with only farmers and weak nobles?
Doubt gnawed at him, but when his eyes landed on the figure standing calmly a few steps ahead, near the bridge's edge, his hesitation vanished.
Remus, or whoever he was, exuded a powerful presence. Jaxon felt his entire being respond to the aura he projected, his reluctance melting into a blind readiness.
What Jaxon felt, the others also experienced. They sensed something inhuman within the young man.
"Lights," Kairos suddenly whispered, his voice low, startling them all. All eyes immediately turned east, where the winding road from the Veridian command center emerged from behind the hill.
Two small points of light, slowly drawing closer. The convoy had arrived. Their hearts pounded.
"Positions," Kairos commanded flatly. Jaxon immediately signaled his men, who were hiding closer to the bridge entrance.
Finnan crawled to his spot, where the lever for Mira's trap was located. Ronan, breathing slightly raggedly, drew his short sword, trying to mimic Jaxon's composure.
Mira was ready above, hidden behind a bush, her hands gripping the rope holding the sandbags.
The convoy drew nearer. It wasn't a large force, but enough to make them tremble.
A large cargo cart pulled by two horses, escorted by six Veridian soldiers. Four walked on either side of the cart, and two in front.
Their armor clanged softly, their swords and spears gleaming under the moonlight. Their faces were alert, though not fully on guard.
These soldiers believed no one would dare attack the new Emperor's supplies in their own territory.
Kairos remained motionless, waiting with the patience of a predator stalking its prey.
And as the cart reached the middle of the bridge, directly over the point where the river current was strongest below, he raised his right hand.
CRACK!
Mira cut the rope of the sandbag trap. The human-sized bags plummeted, their contents spilling out, landing at the back of the cart, blocking their retreat.
The horses instantly shied, neighing in fear. The soldiers immediately busied themselves calming the horses or finding the cause of the loud noise.
"Now, Finnan!" Jaxon yelled, leaping from his hiding spot with his sword drawn, then charging at the soldiers with a war cry.
Finnan immediately pulled the nearby lever with all his might. The net placed at the end of the bridge released, ensnaring the two soldiers at the front.
They both fell, screaming and struggling in vain to free themselves.
The other four soldiers tried to draw their swords and stood with their backs to the cart, sword tips pointed into the darkness.
Jaxon and two of his companions, also former soldiers, rained down successive attacks. They fought on the narrow bridge span.
One of the Veridian soldiers, large and agile, managed to overwhelm one of Jaxon's friends, sending him sprawling with a shield bash.
He immediately attacked Jaxon, who was fighting two opponents at once. The soldier raised his spear, ready to stab Jaxon from the side.
Seeing this, without thinking, Finnan immediately charged the soldier with his makeshift pickaxe handle. He swung it like a madman.
The pickaxe struck the soldier's armor with a horrible sound. The spikes, though failing to penetrate the armor, made the soldier stagger, and the spear that was meant for Jaxon missed.
Realizing what happened, Jaxon immediately spun his body and thrust his sword into the gaps of the spearmen's armor. The soldier's eyes widened in disbelief before he finally collapsed.
Count Ronan watched it all, suppressing his nausea. Then a young soldier, perhaps only a few years older than his son, staggered towards him, separated from the others.
Ronan saw his face filled with horror, and then looked at the short sword in his hand. Could he bring himself to kill someone his son's age?
But the young soldier, seeing the short sword in Ronan's hand, snarled and raised his own sword, then swung it to cut Ronan's neck.
Unconsciously, Ronan's body moved on its own. He did not slash or parry the young soldier's attack, but thrust quickly.
The short sword entered directly below the young soldier's ribs, making his eyes widen before his body thumped to the ground.
Ronan stood frozen, staring at the blood on his hands. His nausea returned manifold, but his eyes then searched for Kairos.
When he had stabbed his sword earlier, he had forgotten his nausea. It was replaced by an urge he couldn't explain—an urge to kill.
His eyes found the young man, standing alone at the edge of the bridge, observing the chaos. Only his face was visible, illuminated by the moonlight.
For a moment, his eyes met Ronan's gaze, and he saw the young man's eyes glow a golden-blue, like a reptile's. Ronan felt his blood run cold, his mind filled with fear at what he had seen for that brief moment.
The fight ended as quickly as it began. Two Veridian soldiers were dead, including the one Ronan had stabbed.
Three others were gravely wounded and captured after their escape attempt was thwarted by the trap and Jaxon's and his comrades' attacks. The sixth was still struggling to free himself from the net.
Jaxon, breathing heavily and his face smeared with blood that wasn't his own, approached the cart. He then forced the lock open with a swing of his sword and opened the door.
Inside were sturdy wooden chests sealed with Emperor Therion of Veridian's crest. Their contents were not just ordinary grain or weapons.
"Shit. This... this is a big shipment," Jaxon hissed after opening one of the chests. Moonlight illuminated stacks of gleaming new sword blades, spears, and armor of the finest quality.
Finnan, who approached trembling with Mira, gazed at the weapons in awe.
"We... we did it?" His voice was filled with disbelief.
"More than just succeeding, Finnan," Kairos's voice, suddenly beside them, startled everyone.
"We will strengthen ourselves from this outcome," he said with a smirk, lifting a sword from the chest, examining it under the moonlight.
"What... what will we do with the prisoners... and these bodies?" Jaxon asked, pointing to the still-ensnared and wounded soldiers.
Kairos turned his face from the sword he was inspecting and looked at each of his allies. Their expressions varied.
Then Kairos said coldly. "We don't carry trash. Those who are gravely wounded... we can give them mercy."
He looked at the still-ensnared soldier, who gazed back in terror. "Those who can still walk, take them to the cliff. The Iron River will erase their traces."
All his allies suddenly fell silent; even Jaxon looked shocked. Killing in battle and execution as ordered by Kairos were two different things.
"But..." Finnan protested, his voice hoarse.
Kairos turned his head. "They have seen our faces. If they tell who did this, all of Veridian will hunt us all, including your family."
Finnan fell silent, lowering his head to stare at the ground beneath his feet, and protested no more.
"Jaxon," Kairos commanded flatly. "Do it."