Horizon before dawn

Today was not about destroying outposts or killing Carja, today was about our people. We needed to save them and recruit them to my army, but to do that, we had to find them first. We set out early, scanning the land for any trail, moving slowly and carefully, leaving no trace behind. We couldn't afford to be found, not yet.

"You think we'll find them today?" she asked, her voice tinged with hope, though the weariness in her eyes betrayed her doubt.

"I'm not sure," I replied, keeping my gaze on the terrain ahead. "The land is vast, and we don't have control. We need to move slow." I paused, offering her a reassuring glance. "But we will find them. Maybe not today, but we will find them."

She nodded, her resolve strengthening. "Yes, we will."

Hours passed, but the land remained silent, save for the occasional rustle of wind and the distant calls of wildlife. No signs, no clues. The only thing we came across was a small group of Carja, likely searching for the same people we were. We watched them for a while, but we didn't engage. It wasn't the time for a fight. Raising alarms would jeopardize everything.

"Let's rest there," I said, pointing toward a nearby cave, its mouth hidden by a cluster of rocks. It looked like a safe spot, at least for a while.

She followed without hesitation, but just as we neared the entrance, we froze. Voices echoed from within, rising to screams, sounds of someone being beaten, the kind of noise that made my blood run cold.

We exchanged a glance, understanding the weight of the situation. This was a chance, a potential lead. We couldn't waste it. Without a word, we moved closer, our footsteps silent against the earth. As we crept toward the cave, the figures inside came into view, five Carja, cruelly beating two prisoners.

Albedo, barely containing her anger, made a move toward them, but I grabbed her arm, halting her.

"Now's not the time to be reckless," I said, my voice low but firm. "A hunter must have patience."

She took a deep breath, calming herself, and nodded. We would wait. This was not a battle to fight with blind fury. The time would come, but not yet. We slipped deeper into the cave, our focus sharp, ready to make our move when the moment was right.

"Savage Nora, for the last time, where is the rest of your people?" The Carja soldier's voice was low, menacing, his fingers tightening around the throat of the man he held captive. His sun browned face was hard, his eyes narrow slits of cruelty, lips pulled into a tight sneer.

The prisoner's face was pale, his skin streaked with dirt and blood, his body trembling in the soldier's grip. He was thin, gaunt from days of hunger and abuse.

"We... are outcasts," he choked out, his voice raspy. "We have no people... please... no more..." His hands clawed at the soldier's arm, desperate for breath.

The second soldier, taller and with a cruel glint in his eye, laughed coldly. "Savages don't make demands. You will be a tribute to the Great Sun King," he said, a twisted grin spreading across his face as he watched his comrade tighten his grip. 

The other prisoner, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead, growled through clenched teeth. His eyes burned with rage, a sharp contrast to the fear in the other man's.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" he spat, his voice shaking but filled with fury. "We did nothing to the Carja!"

The soldiers' expressions soured at his defiance. The one holding the first prisoner pulled his knife from its sheath and, with a brutal twist, slammed it into the ground next to the defiant prisoner's feet.

"You're just savages. You have no rights," he sneered. "You will either be slaves or a tribute for the Sun Arena. You'll fight for our entertainment or die in the sands."

The sound of boots hitting them as they circled the prisoners filled the air, the oppressive silence that followed broken only by the harsh laughter of the soldiers. They took pleasure in the pain they inflicted, and the prisoners, broken and bloodied, were nothing more than objects to them, tools to be discarded or used as sport.

Albedo's pleading eyes met mine, a silent plea that resonated with the same resolve burning within me. These weren't soldiers, they were bandits, scum of the earth. I could feel the tension in my muscles as I gripped my bow, the cool wood familiar beneath my fingertips. I marked them on my focus, sharing the coordinates with Albedo.

"We'll end this before they even realize," I whispered, and she nodded in silent agreement.

With deadly precision, our arrows flew. The first two men crumpled to the ground before the remaining three had a chance to react. Another volley of arrows struck two more in the head, their bodies falling lifeless before they could even draw their weapons.

But the last bandit was quick, too quick. He closed the distance between us, his eyes burning with desperation. Without hesitation, I dropped my bow and drew my spear, stepping forward to meet him head-on.

His attacks were clumsy, driven by desperation. My spear danced through the air with practiced grace, the years of training and honing my body's strength paying off. Albedo's focus remained sharp, trying to find an opening to assist, but it wasn't necessary. I was stronger, more skilled. With one final thrust, my spear drove into his chest, ending his life in a swift motion.

The silence that followed was deafening.

I turned to Albedo, who was watching with a mixture of admiration and practicality.

"Go and treat them," I instructed, gesturing toward the fallen. "I'll stay guard outside. Dispose of the bodies when you're done."

She nodded, setting to work. I remained vigilant, scanning the area for any signs of further threat. It was always best to be prepared for the unexpected.