Chapter 331 The Spoils Of Battle (1/2)
”Commanders!” Captain Kaleesh called out ”Gather up!”
The three commanders joined them moments later, and as they did, Arran saw that only Gar had some small wounds Sassun and Lasha, meanwhile, had somehow escaped the battle unharood,” Lasha said with a glance at Arran's bloodied clothes There was a hint of disapproval in her eyes, as if she thought being wounded by the soldiers was almost shameful
”Just some small scratches, is all,” Arran replied
In truth, the wounds he'd received were already long gone The soldiers' deaths had provided his Blood-ion's Ruin with plenty of power to feast upon, and none of his shalloounds had lasted for more than a moment
But that was a secret he could not share The ht be his allies, but he would not reveal the full extent of his powers even to the that he was a ave hi more, Gar stepped forward, a broad sht without a feounds,” the largeout of the battle”
With a pleased look, he patted the neord at his side — starmetal, like the ones Arran and Captain Kaleesh had taken
”Well done,” the captain said, giving the giant coive that neord of yours to Sassun, if you will”
Gar's satisfied expression faded in an instant, and he stared at the captain in bewilderive up my sword?”
”Correct,” Captain Kaleesh replied ”We're about to hunt down our eneers at their side I need hters well-ar at Arran ”Why not have hier than you,” the captain said ”He will join ers, while Lasha and yourself will handle the others” A frown crossed his face, and he continued, ”Besides, that sword is far too s more suitable in an hour or two”
That, at least, was true The sword Gar had captured was slender and soiant man's hands But even so, Gar parted with it only reluctantly, a dark look in his eyes as he handed the weapon to Sassun
”I expect another before the day is over,” he grumbled
”And you shall have one,” the captain said ”But noe roups to advance on either side of the road When we reach our enemies' ca!” Payam interrupted him loudly The steward had only just arrived, and rather than showing relief at still being alive, his face was filled with outrage
”Oh?” Captain Kaleesh faced the steith a friendly ser
”You…” Paya how easily the htered his men When he continued, there was a fearful treers will be a provocation that cannot go unanswered”
”If I hadn't intervened,” the captain replied, ”they would have butchered your troops to a man and taken my men for themselves” He paused as he looked the steward in the eyes ”You mean to say that Lord Kadun lacks the honor to answer such an insult?”
The steward gave hih? To attack their Rangers, it would be—”
”A reminder,” Captain Kaleesh interrupted him ”A reminder that Lord Kadun will brook no insults A rehtful look crossed his face ”Or do you believe he is?”
Payaan, then stopped mid-sentence A mo But know that facing Rangers is different fro soldiers You may not find these opponents so easy to defeat”
Without further words, he turned around and began to head back to the group of soldiers in the distance
Captain Kaleesh waited until the steas out of earshot, then turned back to his coroups will take the forward flanks Do not let even a single one of our enemies escape As far as the world is concerned, Kadun will be the one responsible for this”
Both Gar and Lasha nodded silently, but Arran frowned at the last words From the sound of it, the captain's plans extended beyondthe spoils of battle
Rather, it sounded like Captain Kaleesh intended to fuel the tensions between Lord Kadun and Lord Rannoc Yet what purpose the captain had for earning their new employer enemies, he could not tell
”Sassun,” the captain continued, ”our eneh to leave us an aather these, and take the back flanks”
As Sassun nodded, Captain Kaleesh turned to Arran ”Your group is to remain on the road behind us Their sole task is to look threatening — enough to keep our ene forward”
Arran nodded He'd been i the battle, but not so ers
”Finally,” the captain said, his eyes on Arran and Sassun, ”the three of us will face the Rangers There should only be two of theers are forive the command to attack, and do not take any foolish risks”
After the four coiven instructions, it barely took the ather their enemies' bows and prepare for the battle ahead
They left a few of their number behind to care for the wounded, but other than that, the e as it had been in the h the earlier battle had been, all but a handful of the bodies that littered the ground belonged to the soldiers
As they made their way back down the road, Arran studied the forroups led the for a few dozen paces on either side of the road Behind them were the captain, Sassun, and Arran hi theroup
Arran knew little of strategy, but he could tell that if their enemies had massed on the road, the si
And yet, he could hardly iine that the Darians would be so foolish By now they certainly would've heard of their forces' defeat If they had any sense at all, they would have long fled the area
But less than an hour's travel fro
In the roup of around a hundred people, many of them dressed in the fine silks of courtiers and ood half of the group were soldiers, even they looked strangely unconcerned
The only ones who showed any tension at all were two men who stood a few dozen paces ahead of the others These, Arran instantly recognized as Rangers Even without the starmetal weapons in their hands, their movements betrayed them as powerful Body Refiners with no small amount of skill in coroupflanked And rather than panic, the roup showed annoyance more than fear at their enemies' approach
Captain Kaleesh waited for his et into position, then finally called out, ”Halt!”
At this, a heavy-set roup of Darians Dressed in ornate robes, he was clearly a noble or er at his side
”What is theof this?” he called out to Captain Kaleesh, in a tone that suggested mild annoyance ”You have your victory, do you not? What need is there to bother us any further?”
Captain Kaleesh ignored the roups of mercenaries on the rear flanks immediately nocked arrows to their bows
A hint of worry flashed across the ornately dressed man's face ”Wait!” he called out ”If you want compensation for your dead and wounded, we can make you a suitable offer There is no need for—”
”Draw!” the captain's voice sounded