Will of Iron 8


    Over the next two days, cknail took it easy until it was time of the reunion with Geralhd and the other humans. He kept his minions busy, though. As he intermittently supervised and napped, a lot of work waspleted on restoring the abandoned vige cknails minions had found. The well had been cleaned and cleared of debris. All the shrubs inside the vige grounds had been cut back, and work had been started on fixing up the houses. Of course, they had focused on repairing a house for cknail first, he was the leader after all.


    When the time came for the meet up, cknail led a dozen of his hobgoblins back out onto the road. He left the other hobgoblins and all the goblins behind to continue work on building his new forward base while he was gone.


    After a steady uneventful march, cknail and his minions reached the rendezvous point without any trouble. When they got there, they didnt see any sign of the humans, so they settled down to wait at edge of the forest. There, they could stay out of sight but see anyone approaching. Fortunately, they didnt have to wait long. Less than half an hourter, Geralhd and the others walked into sight. Stretching to work out some kinks, cknail walked out of the forest to greet them.


    I was a little afraid that you wouldnt be here, Geralhd said as he gave cknail a relieved smile. Im not sure why. Events have simply been inconveniently chaotictely, I suppose.


    cknail shrugged. Im d you managed to return without falling into any holes. If you had taken much longer I would have had to go looking for you.


    Khita also said hello, but cknail ignored her and went straight to business. While you were gone, what did you learn about this ce and Werrick?


    It was Beardy that replied first. Well, we were right about where we thought we were. As for the Wolf, we found a town and asked around, but they didnt know all that much about the man himself and what hes been up to, other than rumors.


    We only know what some of his men have been doing locally, but I can guess at his ns based on what Ive heard, Geralhd added. It seems like now that there are no credible threats to his authority, Werrick has been turning the remaining chiefs against each other by backing one side and encouraging them to take out their rivals. He seems intent on whittling down the number of bandits in his territory. Which makes sense to me. There are far too many armed bandits around for anyone to control. They cant just stop robbing and piging, since they arent good for much else.


    Beardy nodded. From what we heard, thats what happened around here recently. One of the local bands was wiped out after their closest rival got some reinforcements and encouragement from Werrick.


    Interesting, cknail mused aloud. The Wolf was a cunning leader. His n seemed like a great way to eliminate unwanted troublemakers and build loyalty among the scattered bandits around the North at minimal cost to himself.


    Suddenly, cknail perked up as an interesting thought urred to him. Did any of those bandits survive? The ones from around here.


    Probably? Beardy remarked uncertainly. I heard that some managed to flee, but surviving out in the wilds is tough for men like that. I doubt most of them will manage to hang on much longer.


    cknail grinned smugly. Perhaps the Wolf had made a mistake. His n only worked wlessly if there was no serious opposition to his rule left in the North.


    What are you thinking? Gehd asked curiously.


    I think we should help out the poor people who have just found themselves in the same situation as we used to be. Right now, they are probably suffering all alone out in the cold. So sad, cknail told him before sighing emphatically. Human emotions were fun to mimic.


    Beardy rolled his eyes scornfully. And how are we supposed to find these poor suffering professional murderers?


    If you know thest ce they were seen, my scouts will do the rest, cknail replied as he shed a toothy grin.


    Geralhd was a little skeptical about the value of trying to recruit some unknown bandits, but he wasntpletely against it. Beardy had long ago learned not to fight cknail about this sort of thing, so he simply shrugged and told him everything he wanted to know. cknail used that information to quicklye up with a n.


    It seems that we will be staying here for a little longer, he told Geralhd.


    The man just shrugged. Thats fine with me, my friend. Ive still got plenty of coin left unspent, and a rather deep thirst for good wine that I suspect will never be quenched. How about we go back to the town and meet you back here the day after tomorrow?


    That would be fine, cknail agreed. Two days was probably plenty of time if he moved fast. However, it would help his mission if he had


    Ill go with cknail, Khita suddenly said. Her unexpected interjection interrupted cknails thoughts and seemed to surprise Hassiol, the young man whod been following her.


    Ive already seen everything interesting that town has to offer, and I feel like more of a real adventure, Khita exined as she suddenly became the center of attention.


    cknail scowled at her. He wanted to tell her to go away, but hed just been about to ask for some humans to help himmunicate with any bandits he found, and to serve as proof that he didnt eat humans. Thus, he couldnt really turn her down and ask someone else to stay.


    Fine, you cane, cknail told her before sighing deeply.


    Soon after that, the humans turned around and headed back to the town theyd juste from. That left cknail alone with his minions, Khita, and the blonde kid that followed her everywhere.


    So, were going to go round us up some new minions! Khita eximed happily.


    cknail sighed again. Yep, thats the n, but we will be going to my secret base to get some more supplies and minions first.


    Sharp! A secret base. I cant wait to see it, Khita replied cheerfully as they began to walk.


    Youre probably going to be disappointed, cknail told her. What exactly was she expecting?


    He was wrong. When Khita got to cknails newest outpost, an impressed look appeared on her face as she looked around. What? She hade from a human settlement much more impressive than this ce, even before it had be an empty decaying ruin.


    Wow, sharp, Khita remarked as she stared down into the well.


    Hassiol nodded. Its sort of neat.


    cknail glowered at them both. Stop being silly. Whats neat about this ce? Its a wreck.


    Lots. Ive never visited an abandoned vige before, Hassiol exined. The way it is all overgrown is spooky.


    Do you think all the people that used to live here were ughtered by bandits or mutants? Khita asked spectively.


    No, there are no bones, cknail told her coldly. And there is nothing special about this ce. There are lots of abandoned human ces everywhere. Youre very messy.


    Khita shrugged. Huh, I guess we are. Wheres my house?


    cknail gave her a nk look. Why would you have a house?


    So, I have somewhere to sleep.


    You can have any house you fix, cknail told he dismissively before going off to find a better use of his time. Talking to Khita was making him dumber. He could feel it.


    Thankfully, cknail had ces to be and things to organize. After deciding to leave half a dozen hobgoblins behind, he mustered up the others and got them marching onto the road. He also brought along the hogs and the two humans. He had thest known location of the bandits he was looking for, so he could probably use that to track them down. First though, he had to get there. It was several hours away, even using the roads, so they would have to move quickly if they wanted to get back before their deadline.


    cknail pushed the pace, and his group eventually closed in on their destination. It was a small semi-permanent campsite built next to the road, and it had been trashed. All the buildings and barricades had been torn down and burnt out. cknail thoughtfully frowned as he studied the remains. It looked like the camp had housed around fifty or so humans. However, judging by all the rotting corpses everywhere, only far less than that could have possibly survived the attack.


    Spread out and find me any human trails that lead out into the Green. I want survivors, he informed his minions, and they quickly jumped to obey.


    There is no chance of running into the raiders that did this, is there? Hassiol asked as he looked back at the road nervously.


    It could happen, cknail replied neutrally. But, they left several days ago, and we can always retreat into the forest if they return. Besides, we would hear theming and human bandits could never track us through the Green.


    Instead of joining the conversation, Khita studied the nearby ruins with an uncharacteristically depressed expression on her face. That was odd. Violence and the destruction it left in its wake usually excited the young redhead.


    This isnt much different than what happened to us, she remarked morosely a momentter. At her words, cknail felt a twinge of loss, which quickly transformed into anger. Werrick


    Not the same. We had a muchrger base and fought much harder than these losers, cknail replied dismissively as he waited for his minions to report back. The bandits here were just prey for the Wolf. If Mahedium hadnt betrayed us, Herad could have beaten him.


    Ya, maybe, Khita responded solemnly.


    For the next few minutes, they waited among the devastation. The silence was awkward, but no one felt like speaking up. cknail just red at everything. Thankfully, one of his scouts soon returned with news.


    I found you a trail, boss. Several humans fled into the Green, that way, the scout exined as he pointed toward the far side of the camp.


    Gather up the others, then. Were moving out, cknail replied as he began walking. He wanted to get out of this ce as soon as possible.


    After giving the hobgoblins time to return and reorganize, the scout led cknail and the others over to an animal trail that led into the forest. They carefully followed the winding path through the trees. cknail led the way. As he walked, he spotted many signs of recent human activity. There were partial footprints in the dirt and broken branches along the way. However, he saw no signs of sentries or watchers.


    Eventually, the trail led them down a hill and to a rocky stream. Leaning out from behind a tree, cknail sniffed the air and studied the forest for any sign of humans. He didnt detect anything recent, so he carefully began to creep down to the stream. Once there, he looked around for more signs, and found some footprints headed upstream.


    I dont get it. Why wouldnt the raiders who took out the camp follow these people. They left a trail even I can see, Hassiol asked quietly once hed walked over to cknail.


    Lots of people get chased into the Green, but very few make it back out again, Khita replied as cknail nodded in agreement. Even for trained scouts, the forest could be deadly, and most humans wereplete idiots.


    After following the stream for a while, the canopy overhead began to open up. Beams of sunlight pierced the leafy roof overhead and hit the ground around the stream, and clusters of tall bushes and young trees grew up toward the illumination. cknail immediately signalled for everyone to stop as he studied the greenery suspiciously. The scent of blood hung heavily in the air here.


    What is it? Khita whispered.


    A mimic. Our targets probably ran into it and then fled. Were going around, cknail exined. He thought one tree in particr was suspicious, but when it came to mimics, it was almost always impossible to sure unless you got dangerously close .


    Cautiously, cknail led the group around the edge of the sunlit area, and he soon found the humans trail. There were drops of blood on the ground now. At least one of them was wounded.


    It didnt take them long after that to find their quarry. The wounded humans hadnt gone far. After escaping the mimic, theyd holed up in a nearby cave. cknail studied it from distance. There was one human keeping watch at its entrance, but he didnt see anyone else.


    So, what do we do now, boss? one of the hobgoblin scouts asked.


    cknail smiled and turned to look at the two humans hed brought. Now we introduce ourselves.


    One brief conversationter, cknail left his hobgoblins behind and began leading his two humans over to the cave. They moved slowly, but out in the open where they would be impossible to miss. Beside him, Khita was vibrating with excitement, while Hassiol looked terrified.


    I cant believe were just going to go talk to them, the young man remarked.


    Amused, Khita just grinned at him. Stop being a baby. What are you afraid of? They have no reason to attack us. It would be stupid.


    They attack everyone. Theyre bandits! Hassiol remarked in outrage.


    So am I! Khitaughed as the blonde young man sputtered in disbelief.


    By now, their approach had been noted. Several more humans appeared at the cave entrance, and they were all looking toward cknails group with obvious tension.


    Hello! cknal yelled as he waved in their direction.


    Who are you and what do you want? one of the survivors yelled back.


    To help you and to have a nice friendly conversation, cknail shouted back.


    The survivors immediately began furiously talking among themselves as cknails group drew closer. cknail wasnt wearing a hood, and it seemed like his inhumanity had been noticed.


    As the two parties met, all the survivors eyed cknail warily. They didnt seem to know what to make of the two young humans with him, but their presence did relieve some of their suspicion, just as cknail had nned.


    All the survivors looked worse for wear. Their already rough clothes were torn, and their entire bodies were sttered with dirt. Dark bags hung under their eyes and their faces were unshaven. cknail was fairly sure he could smell desperation and hopelessness on them. He could definitely smell a faint hint of sickness, although it was just what you would expect from humans with untreated wounds.


    A brown-haired man stepped forward and eyed cknail. Judging by how you''re walking and talking, Im guessing youre the Man-Hunter, the hobgoblin they call cknail. Ive heard of you.


    Yep, thats me. I used to work for Herad the ck Snake, cknail replied as he gave the man a friendly smile. He was famous!


    So then, what have youe here for? the man asked warily. We werent exactly expecting guests.


    You seem to have gotten yourselves into a lot of trouble, so I thought Id help you out. We have the same enemies after all.


    And what would you want in return for this help? the man asked suspiciously.


    cknail kept smiling. I am currently looking for minions.


    What if weve had enough of being on the Wolfs bad side?


    Then, you can stay here. I dont want to force you to do anything, cknail replied as indifferently as possible. Die if you want.


    Are you so sure wed go alone? another survivor asked angrily.


    Chuckling, cknail let out a loud whistle. Instantly, hobgoblins emerged from out of hiding all around the entrance to the cave. Most of them had bows ready.


    Silly human, you dont threaten me, cknailughed. Alone, I have killed many more humans than you have here, and Im far from alone.


    And Im here too, Khita added.


    The leader of the survivors gave the redhead a disgusted look. What are you? His pet?


    There was a loud crunch as Khitas fist impacted the mans face. Blood streamed from his nose as he flipped over backward. Shocked, the other survivors froze and looked on in disbelief. The young woman had moved with startling speed and power.


    Fuming mad, Khita red down at the man shed felled. Im no one you should be disrespecting. Im a warrior and a Slosher, one of cknails fiercest lieutenants.


    Quietly, cknail hummed in disagreement to that statement, but he kept his mouth shut.


    Looking up, Khita focused on the other survivors. Some of you are probably thinking that going up against Werrick is stupid, but that couldnt be further from the truth. cknailmands an ever-growing army, and his scouts dont fear the Green, as shown by how he tracked your sorry asses down. Werrick cant touch him, and if you sign up with us, well get you out of here safely. Then, well fill your bellies and tend to your wounds.


    Well, you have some good points there, especially in the short term, one of the still standing survivors remarked.


    On the ground, the groups leader stared nkly into space for several seconds and then copsed backwards into unconsciousness.


    cknail looked down at him and sighed. Someone is going to have to carry him now.