Chapter 9: Chapter Nine: The Gathering Storm
The tension in Riverend had shifted. No longer was the village merely preparing for another attack—they were bracing for war. The Blackfangs were methodical, and even though they had yet to retaliate, everyone knew it was only a matter of time.
The waiting was the worst part.
Alex had always thought battle would be the hardest thing he'd ever face, but now he was realizing that the slow, creeping dread of an inevitable fight was worse. Each passing day without an attack only heightened the unease that clung to the village like a thick fog.
And so, he continued to train.
His body had adjusted to the constant strain, but he was still far from what he wanted to be. His movements were quicker, his strikes more fluid, and Mira had even let him start practicing with a second weapon—a dagger to complement his short sword. Dual-wielding felt strange at first, but the more he practiced, the more he realized it suited him.
"You're getting there," Mira said one evening after they finished sparring. She twirled her own dagger idly in her hand. "Not fast enough, but better than before."
Alex wiped sweat from his brow, sheathing his weapons. "If only I had a few more months, right?"
Mira smirked. "You don't have that kind of luxury. Neither do we."
She was right. There was no time.
The Blackfangs weren't sitting idle either.
Days after the attack on Greystone, word spread that the roads between villages had become dangerous. Travelers went missing, supply wagons never returned, and even trained mercenaries hired by merchants were found dead along the forest paths.
It was a strategy of slow suffocation.
Mira and the village council had gathered in the meeting hall to discuss their options. Alex stood to the side, listening closely.
"This isn't just banditry anymore," Roderic, the retired knight, said grimly. "They're making sure no help can reach us. If we don't do something soon, we'll be completely cut off."
"Then we hit them first," Mira said, arms crossed.
Tomas, one of the younger guards, scoffed. "Are you serious? We barely survived the last raid."
Mira's eyes narrowed. "Which is exactly why we don't wait for them to come knocking again. The Blackfangs aren't going to stop. They're applying pressure because they want us to fold before they even step foot here. If we don't push back now, they'll have complete control over this region before we can do anything about it."
Roderic nodded in agreement. "She's right. A defensive war only works if you have the numbers to sustain it. We don't. We need to disrupt them before they get too comfortable."
Alex frowned. "But how? We don't have the numbers for a direct fight."
Mira glanced at him. "That's where you come in."
Alex's stomach tightened. "What?"
Mira turned to the rest of the room. "A large force would be spotted immediately, but a small team? One that can move fast, strike hard, and disappear? That's something we can use."
Tomas shook his head. "So what, we become assassins now?"
"Not assassins," Mira said. "But we are thieves now. We steal their advantage. Their supplies, their weapons, their ability to move freely. If we start targeting their camps and cutting off their own resources, we can turn the tables."
Alex exchanged glances with the others. A month ago, he would have never imagined being part of something like this. But now?
Now, it made sense.
The rogue's path wasn't just about fighting—it was about controlling the battlefield before the battle even started.
The mission was simple—find one of the Blackfang's hidden supply caches and destroy it.
Under the cover of night, Alex, Mira, and three other villagers crept through the dense forest. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, the only sound coming from the distant chirping of insects.
The intel from a passing trader suggested that the Blackfangs had set up a temporary outpost near a fork in the road, using it to store stolen goods and supplies. It wasn't a heavily fortified camp, just a stopgap measure meant to sustain their growing forces.
That made it the perfect target.
Mira motioned for them to stop as they reached a ridge overlooking a small clearing. Below them, half a dozen tents surrounded a large pile of crates and barrels. A handful of bandits sat around a fire, their weapons close but their posture relaxed.
"They don't look like they're expecting trouble," Alex whispered.
Mira smirked. "That's because they think they own these roads. Let's show them otherwise."
She turned to the group. "Tomas, Corin, you two circle around and take out the lookout. Alex, you're with me—we go for the supplies."
Alex exhaled slowly, gripping his weapons. He had trained for this, but training and execution were two different things.
Mira gave a sharp nod. "Move."
The attack was swift.
Tomas and Corin took out the lookout without a sound, and before the bandits around the fire even realized something was wrong, Mira and Alex were already moving.
Alex slipped between the tents, his heart pounding as he reached the supply cache. He grabbed a torch, igniting the first crate of supplies with a quick thrust of the flame. The fire spread instantly, consuming the dry wood and spilling over onto the other barrels.
Shouts erupted as the bandits finally noticed the flames.
One turned toward Alex, eyes wide with rage. "You—"
Alex didn't hesitate.
His dagger flashed, slicing across the man's leg before he could fully react. As the bandit stumbled, Mira appeared behind him, her blade finishing the job with brutal efficiency.
Chaos erupted.
The remaining bandits scrambled for their weapons, but by then, it was too late. The flames were too high, the supply cache already lost.
"Time to go!" Mira called.
Alex barely had time to react before they were sprinting into the forest, the shouts of the bandits echoing behind them.
They didn't stop running until they were sure no one had followed.
When they finally collapsed behind the safety of the trees, Mira turned to Alex with a grin. "Not bad for your first raid."
Alex, still catching his breath, let out a shaky laugh. "I didn't die. That's a win in my book."
Morning came with news that spread through the village like wildfire—another village had been attacked.
This time, the Blackfangs hadn't left survivors.
Alex stood at the village center, listening as the messenger relayed the grim details. An entire settlement wiped out overnight, the bodies left out as a message.
Mira's face was unreadable, but her fists were clenched at her sides.
"This is retaliation," Roderic said grimly. "They're sending a message."
Mira exhaled slowly. "Then we send one back."
Alex swallowed hard. He had wanted to get stronger, to be able to fight for himself. But now, he was realizing just how high the stakes were.
There was no turning back.
The Blackfangs were making their move.
And Riverend had just declared war.