The last of the resistance fell with a thud, the leader of the bandits groaning under Garret's boot as the massive warrior stood tall, sword dripping with blood and sweat soaking through his tunic. Around them, the camp was still. The screams had faded, replaced by the low groans of the wounded and the whisper of wind through the smoldering ruins.
City soldiers moved quickly through the wreckage, rounding up the surviving bandits. Their hands were bound tightly, weapons confiscated. Some resisted, others simply slumped in defeat, knowing their time was over. The soldiers led them away to be processed and imprisoned.
Meanwhile, the captives—those who had survived the horrors—were gently escorted out of the makeshift arena. Many collapsed to their knees in relief, overwhelmed by freedom.
Mei wrapped her arms around Vivian, the two sobbing into each other's shoulders.
"It's over," Mei whispered, barely able to believe it. "We're safe."
Vivian nodded, her voice shaky. "I thought we'd never see the sky again..."
A younger woman, once too frightened to speak, approached them. "Thank you. For fighting back. I don't think we'd have made it without you."
Karr limped over, helping a wounded man stand. "We all made it because we held on. Because we didn't give up."
Karr, Mei, and Vivian were carefully helping Eric — bloodied and unconscious — to lie down on a patch of clear ground. Karr supported his upper body, while Mei and Vivian eased his legs down, doing their best to keep him comfortable.
"Easy… watch his head," Mei whispered urgently.
"He's burning up," Karr muttered, worried on his face.
Selis and Rina landed nearby, scanning the scene quickly. The moment they spotted Eric, Selis's expression hardened.
"What happened?" Selis asked as she approached, eyes narrowing. "Is he injured badly?"
"Yes… he took a lot of hits," Vivian said, her voice trembling.
Rina turned toward a nearby patrol. "Soldier! Bring a healer, now!"
The soldier saluted and rushed off without hesitation.
The moment slowed, and then Mei, Karr, and Vivian turned back to Selis and Rina, exhaustion and gratitude evident in their eyes.
"Thank you," Mei said, her voice soft but steady. "All of you… thank you for saving us."
Karr nodded, still kneeling beside Eric. "We owe you our lives."
Vivian bowed her head. "If you hadn't come when you did…"
Other captives nearby began to gather around, murmuring similar words of gratitude. "Thank the goddesses…"
Selis gave a small nod, handing a water flask to one of the older prisoners. "Stay close to the soldiers. They'll get you to safety."
Rina offered a tired smile. "You're safe now. That's what matters."
Near the command tent, Garret and Darius spoke with the city soldiers, now assessing the supplies and stolen goods piled up in crates and wagons.
"We'll catalog what we can and redistribute it to the towns these bastards raided," a soldier said. "Anything unclaimed goes back to Algora."
"Sounds fair," Garret replied, folding his arms. "Let's make sure the families who suffered get the first pick."
Darius surveyed the remains of the bandit base. "Still... this feels off."
Garret turned to him. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"This camp was too organized. Too well-stocked. Those weapons—some were military grade. And the number of captives..." Darius narrowed his eyes. "This wasn't just a group of rogue thugs. Someone helped them. Funded them."
Garret's expression darkened. "You think someone higher up is pulling the strings?"
"I do," Darius said quietly. "We need to report this to Vel. Now."
Garret gave a firm nod. "Let's head back to Algora. Something tells me this is just the beginning."
—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adventurer guild
The morning sun cast warm rays through the tall windows of the Algora Adventurer's Guild. Vel stood with his arms crossed, his sharp blue eyes watching the returning team intently. Beside him, Shin stood with a clipboard.
Before them stood Garret, Darius, and the members of Sharp Fang — Selis, Rina, Lior, and Darven — all visibly tired but standing tall.
Vel broke the silence with a grin. "So… how many bandits got to meet your fists, Garret?"
Garret smirked. "Lost count after ten. Darius vaporized the rest."
Shin didn't look up. "We'll need an accurate number for the report."
Darius sighed. "Twenty-three dead. Fourteen captured. All accounted for."
Rina stepped forward. "We secured the captives. Most were shaken, some injured… but most of them were alive. The city guards escorted them to the infirmary."
Selis added, "There was also a group of adventurers caught up in it. A B-rank team. They fought back but were overpowered. They're being treated too."
Shin looked up sharply. "A B-rank team got captured?"
"They were hit during an escort mission near the valley," Lior explained. "The bandits probably ambushed them in the dead zone between the outposts."
Garret nodded, crossing his arms. "And that's the strange part. These bandits weren't your usual scum. They had an organized structure, command, supply routes, and a ridiculous amount of stolen goods. This was no random group of highwaymen."
Vel's grin faded. "Go on."
Darius stepped forward, his tone low. "They had equipment marked with old military symbols. Not from Algora. Could be from mercenary stock — maybe even leftovers from the last border conflict. Someone was giving them support."
Shin's eyes narrowed. "Any signs of the missing persons from the posters?"
Darven answered this time, voice grim. "No. None. These captives weren't on the list. They were mostly travelers — merchants, farmers, folks from nearby villages heading toward Eldora. Whatever's happening, the missing people might be part of something else."
Vel's expression darkened. "So this wasn't a rescue of our posted missing cases… just another mess tangled into something bigger."
Rina crossed her arms, clearly still angry. "They were forcing captives into sick games — making them fight for fun, torturing them for laughs. This wasn't just about robbery."
Selis added, "One of the bandits mentioned 'orders from above,' before he died. Might be nothing. Might be something."
Shin flipped a page on his clipboard. "We'll run interrogations on the survivors. If there's even a hint of outside influence, I'll bring it up to the city's intelligence division."
Lior spoke next, her voice quieter. "There's something else. In the cage where they kept the captives, we found bodies. Some were long dead. The surviving captives told us others had already been sold — to slavers."
Everyone in the room fell silent.
Shin's hand froze over his parchment. "Slavery… in our region?"
Selis stepped forward, nodding grimly. "Yes. The survivors said this wasn't the first group. The bandits had been selling people into slavery — smuggled out in the dead of night."
Garret growled, "That camp was just one stop. These people were being held before being shipped off. We may be dealing with a network."
Vel exhaled deeply and looked toward the window. "And we need to find out who's really pulling the strings… and why."
He turned to Darius and added, "I need an official report on everything."
Darius gave a slight bow. "I'll have it ready within the hour."
"I need to send it to Lord Halric," Vel said grimly. "This has just gone from bandit trouble to something much bigger."