Chapter 6

Kai and Ryu found themselves embracing the art of surprise, knowing it was their golden ticket to success. Striking at the point where the unicorn was being transported might offer them the chance to liberate the creature before the enemy caught on.

"A wild plan. Be quick on your feet, and your blade sharper than ever to free that unicorn before they hit us with their death magic," Kai advised.

The trio ventured deeper into the forest, far from the trail, navigating fallen logs and thick brush. The priests had it easy on a dirt trail, making the adventurers' journey more like an obstacle course.

As they took their covert positions in the forest, fatigue weighed them down. Kai was the one to initiate the attack with a burst of flame, followed by Ryu springing forth with his sword to cover him as he freed the unicorn. Elena stayed perched in a tree, serving as their eyes from above.

Voices reached their ears as the priests approached. The adventurers hadn't fully comprehended the enemy's numbers earlier. As the bound unicorn drew closer, a knot formed in Kai's stomach. Priests flanked the stretcher, seemingly acting as a shield.

The pivotal moment arrived. Kai was supposed to kick off the attack with a fiery spell, but he hesitated. Ryu looked to him, and Kai shook his head. His eyes revealed a mix of disappointment and shame.

"I cannot... To attack would be suicide!" Kai reasoned inwardly.

After the priests passed, Elena descended to the forest floor.

"You're a coward!" she hissed at him, a label from an NPC merchant's daughter not destined for the highlight reel.

Kai pondered Elena's transformation from a timid merchant's daughter to a bloodthirsty strategist.

"Dear Elena, justice for your father's death and the countless other evil deeds will come in due time. You lack the training in warfare that Ryu and I possess. Even with a successful ambush, their numbers outweigh us," he explained.

"But there are three of us," Elena insisted, extending her palm. "Surely adventurers carry more weapons than they need?"

Ryu shrugged, unbuckled a dagger belt, and handed it to her. "Even if they retreat to a fortress, we'll pursue.

They trailed the priests at a distance, mostly out of sight. Their noisy party made tracking them easy.

After about half an hour, their quarry left the trail for a field. They had to follow more closely to avoid losing them. Finally, the priests stopped on a hill with a large slab of granite at its peak, where they set the unicorn down, surrounding it.

From the treeline, hidden in the bushes, they observed. The sky gradually brightened with the approaching dawn. The priests began chanting in Titan language, though only a few words were audible. It sounded like a prayer, Kai surmised. Something about forgiveness...

"I may not be a Titan priest, but this doesn't bode well for the unicorn," Ryu remarked.

"They intend to sacrifice him," Elena confirmed.

"The unicorn is a 'him'?" Ryu asked.

"Yes, I observed... well, when they carried him past our hiding spot," Elena explained.

"Irrelevant!" Kai snapped in frustration. "Our enemies have the high ground, and they're out in the open. We can't approach unnoticed."

"Allow me to lure them to the forest edge. I'll play the part of the frightened, lost girl. They'll be overjoyed to recapture what they lost. Then you can attack from your hiding places," Elena suggested.

"No, my lady. They may harm you," Ryu objected.

"I will disembowel them!" she declared, brandishing the dagger Ryu had given her.

"I understand your anger for what they did to your father, but do not die a fool," Ryu warned.

"A fool, am I?" Elena challenged. Her face exuded malice, causing both Kai and Ryu to step back.

"Uh... Uh..." Ryu stammered.

"I think we should use stealth?" Kai proposed. "I might turn invisible, creep into their midst, and cut the unicorn free."

"Dude, surely your powers are best spent spewing forth gouts of deadly fire, not sneaking about like a rat. Fire and steel—simple and effective," Ryu insisted.

Kai ultimately decided to use Elena as bait. "Very well, we shall help you get your vengeance," he assured Elena. "If you have any wish to live, do not fight them. Simply lure them into the forest and allow Ryu and myself to do the bloody work."

Kai and Ryu took up ambush positions on each side of an animal trail. When they were ready, Elena walked off toward the hill of the evil priests.

Soon, they heard shouting, and Elena sprinted past their hiding place. Three priests chased her, falling right into their ambush position.

"Nice job, Elena!" Kai thought. They had hoped to lure more than three, considering they counted more than twenty. Killing this trio would do little to thin their numbers. Still, three dead villains was a good start, and they couldn't let these men catch Elena.

Ryu's eyes gleamed with determination as he unsheathed his sword, its blade catching the dim light. He turned to Kai, a confident smirk on his face.

"Kai, leave these three to me. I've been itching to test some new skills," Ryu declared, his excitement obvious on his face.

[System Notification]

[Ding! Ryu's Skill Activated: Cyclone Slash]

Ryu's blade blurred into a cyclone of strikes. Leaves and twigs danced as he swiftly incapacitated the three priests, his movements almost too quick for the eye to follow.

[System Notification]

[Ding! Enemy Priests Defeated]

Ryu's Cyclone Slash proved devastating, leaving Kai and Elena in awe of his skillful maneuvers. The forest fell silent as the last priest crumpled to the ground.

[System Notification]

[Ding! Experience Gained]

Kai, amazed, couldn't help but grin. "Impressive, Ryu. Those new skills of yours are something else."

[System Notification]

[Ding! Ryu's Skill Mastery: Cyclone Slash]

Ryu sheathed his sword with a nod. "Just getting started, Kai."

"Wonderful! We should set their heads upon spikes to decorate our camp."

"Hmm, it's not time to start playing with their parts just yet," Kai said. "They've lost only three out of perhaps two dozen."

"I heard a woman scream. Was it the frightened girl or Bernard?" a voice called from the direction of the hill where the priests were. Laughter followed through the trees.

"We'd better act quickly before the suspicions of our remaining enemies are aroused," Ryu whispered.

"Oh, you caught me!" Elena clapped her hands excitedly. "Put on those cloaks, raise the hoods, and drag me up the hill."

"They're not so foolish as to mistake us for their comrades in broad daylight!" Ryu remarked.

"Well, we can't attack so many without surprise, and we can't simply sneak up on them now. Surely they're watching the woods," Kai reasoned.

"Keep your backs to them as you drag me," Elena instructed.

Ryu shook his head.

"This ambush worked well enough. Perhaps we could call more of them into the woods. Divide them further. Shout to them that we need help searching for the girl."

"Crummage! Bernard! Come now! The ceremony must continue!" one of the Titan priests shouted in the distance.

Kai and Ryu stripped the black cloaks from two of the dead priests and put them on. Ryu dropped his shield, bow, and quiver, doing his best to hide his sword in its sheath beneath his cloak. They all walked to the edge of the forest to begin the ruse. Ryu grasped one of Elena's wrists with both hands. Kai held the other, and they began to pull her up the hill, backs to their enemies. Elena struggled convincingly, perhaps a bit too convincingly. She was starting to tire them out.

"Where is Bernard?" someone called down to them. "He's taking a sh*t!" Kai called back, wheezing. Laughter echoed from the hill above.

"The fool! This is no time to relieve himself! We shall put him on the rock next!" a somewhat familiar voice called down. Lord Conor? Kai wondered.

"Commence!" the voice commanded. A chorus of chanting began in the Infernal language.

"We praise you, ancient one. You are free! Servants! Servants! Slaves to your will! We ask not for mercy. We ask only to serve."

Over and over, they repeated these words. A few long seconds later, they had dragged Elena nearly to the top, and they still hadn't turned around. They couldn't just stand there with their backs to them; it was time for the showdown!