The Land Below our Feet II (Unleashed) COMPLETE

AGGRESSION

Anthos was thankful that he had at least been given a dozen men to carry out this task along with him.

He was not comfortable with the idea of facing the Yahurian warrior by himself at all. Fame preceded the legendary warrior wherever he went, and the tracker was not a stranger to the former Commander’s feats. So, he was honestly and rightfully scared to cross paths with him in any type of circumstances, but at least now he had the backup to do so.

-We need to catch them by surprise if we want to succeed – He reminded the group as they advanced through the quiet forest, nearing Tanmudt´s village – If he gets the slightest whiff of us coming, we won't stand a chance… So, keep it quiet and ready yourselves.

The experienced scouter had made them all silently crawl towards the small town, knowing that this would surely be their last stop before starting their ascent to the Yahurian path.

No one outside Yahur´s Order knew the way to the mysterious citadel. So, if they missed them before they entered the maze-like road, they would most definitely be unable to catch up with them later.

It was now or never. So, there was no room for mistakes. Their commands were strict and clear: Kill them, kill them all!

-The children too? – Anthos had worriedly asked back in Hathengatt, before his rushed departure, cautiously eyeing the moody queen.

-Especially the children! – She had barked at him, enraged – Kill those spawns from hell and bring me their heads!

Naturally, Anthos was not feeling very comfortable with the extermination of innocent lives, yet he had no other choice but to comply.

During the short time Queen Elande had been reigning over Hathengatt´s realm, she had made it more than clear that she was a ruthless ruler, and a force to be reckoned with.

She didn't hesitate to have anyone she deemed as slightly insubordinate promptly decapitated. The heads of her victims displayed at the city’s gates for everyone to witness the demise of those stupid enough to cross her.

Anthos wasn’t planning on getting his head detached from his body anytime soon. So, they needed to deliver, one way or another.

But ambushing a Yahurian was not an easy trick to pull off. They would have to be incredibly patient and especially resourceful if they were to have the tiniest chance of getting close enough to him to murder his family.

He already knew that the warrior was staying in Tanmudt´s only Inn. According to the young errand boy that he had bribed the day before, the white man had arrived earlier that evening along with a woman and two children.

-We should just go in there and do it already – One of the more eager men had uttered, crossing his muscled arms over his broad chest as they all set up their campsite on the city outskirts and waited for the travelers to resume their journey – We have the numbers to win!

-Don't be so sure about it, kid – Anthos had replied – Evidently, you have never watched a Yahun fight before… Right?

-Well, not really – The young bloke admitted, shaking his head – But it's one man against twelve, how hard can it be?

-Very – The consummate scout had assured him –All we can do is step up our game and hope for the best.

It was early morning when they spotted the couple walking down the trail a fair distance below their hideout along with their children.

Driving a cautious finger against his lips, Anthos had instructed them to shut their mouths and not to make a single peep as they began quietly trailing after them with their swords drawn out and the firm intention of surrounding them.

They had been methodically approaching with extreme care for a while, and they were about to reach them when the golden-haired man and the woman disappeared innocently behind a cluster of vegetation which they never reemerged from again.

-No! – Anthos breathed out, realizing what was happening and hurrying to cover the distance between them and the patch of bushes in panic, followed by the rest of his team – Find them! Don’t let them out of your sight!

His hand rapidly pushing the curtain of foliage away and finding a silent and empty clearing behind it.

-Where are they? – A puzzled and clearly stunned member of his squad asked in complete bewilderment as they all slowly paced around the deserted place – How did they do it? We had eyes on them the whole time!

-No, we didn’t. All it takes is the blink of an eye, and you’re done… – Anthos declared in clear defeat, looking nervously around – This doesn´t feel right, where is he now?

-I’m right here – The calm voice of the warrior echoed from above, and they all looked up with startled expressions to find him perched on a tree branch, sitting comfortably on it with a broad grin on his face and his spear aimed at them.

By the time the men reacted and finally snapped from their stupefaction, it was already too late for most of them.

The blue-eyed devil had jumped to the ground and impaled four of them already, before he even bothered to reach for his knife and take down three more without missing a beat.

-W-What the fu – One of the remaining ones had started mumbling in complete astonishment. His words gurgling inside his throat as the sharp blade of a knife wielded by a feminine hand firmly slashed his neck. His sight blurring as he collapsed on the ground and choked on his own blood.

The last image he would see before his dying eyes would be the shocking vision of a woman fiercely striking against another man, whose large muscles and huge sword would be as useful to him at that moment as a sad bag of rocks, because the lady had pounced on him viciously and ended his life before he even had a chance to make a single move.

Three of the four leftover ones had cowardly tried to make a run for it. But their way out was abruptly blocked when the warrior landed before them out of nowhere and titled his head to the side with palpable amusement.

-Why the rush gents? – He playfully asked, teasingly running his finger down his spear – I thought you were looking to have a good time?

He barely paused to smile at them before effortlessly ending their misery. His attention instantly darting towards Souna, who was retrieving her knife from one of her victims´ guts, his eyes narrowing when he spotted the last man standing: An old, hardened fellow who clearly appeared to be in charge, furtively lurking behind her with a bare sword clutched in his hand.

He was about to try and land a blow on her with the piercing object, his arms raising dangerously as he held the heavy weapon and lifted it above his head, summoning all his strength... When he felt the stabbing push of a puncturing edge cutting through the fabric of one of his sleeves, driving cleanly through flesh and bone and yanking him backwards with incredible force, pinning his arm to a tree.

The weapon falling heavily out of his strenghtless grip and onto the dirt. His eyes blinking repeatedly as he was painfully made aware of the golden-haired man slowly pacing towards him with a curious sparkle in his gaze and his arms crossed behind his back.

-Well? – The warrior muttered, clicking his tongue tauntingly at him – Why don't you do yourself a favor and explain to me what on earth could have motivated you and that worthless team of yours to try and carry out this stupid aggression against my family?