Hellion's Reckoning

Inias had given him command of the scouts after Ashryn’s generous proposal. It was only a party of four, but it was a small step. Ruvyn’s little troop would make themselves invaluable to the prince. It was their intelligence the mission relied on. Whatever that mission was, he was still uncertain, but his duty was to the prince. That was the task the king had given him himself. Wherever Inias went, he would follow.

Ruvyn knew that this mission was no small feat. As the leader of the scouts, he felt the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. Every decision he made could mean the difference between success and failure for the prince and their cause. But Ruvyn did not shy away from challenges; he thrived in the face of danger. Every obstacle was another chance to prove himself, to become stronger. He wasn’t afraid of the challenge he faced, but excited.

As he prepared his scout troop for the mission ahead, he felt a thrilling sense of anticipation coursing through his veins. The weight of responsibility only fueled his determination to excel, to lead his men with precision and skill. The prince did not misplace his trust in his abilities. His years in the borderlands had prepared him for this. He knew how to sneak around, gain information on his enemy. Redcaps were always building their nests on the borders.

They were far removed from the purist and hellion feuds, and he wasn’t sure where he stood on it. Demon were evil creatures, even the hellions knew that. The ones he’d traveled with didn’t seem evil. They wanted to fight the injustices faced by their people. Where was the evil in that? Wouldn’t it happen naturally that their people cleanse themselves of demon blood? Why couldn’t the purists trust in their own prophecies? Regardless of prophecies, they could not allow people like the magistrate to exist with unchecked power.

Ruvyn tightened the straps on his leather armor, his jaw clenched with determination. He knew the importance of the mission ahead and felt the weight of responsibility like a tangible force pressing down on him. But he was no stranger to challenges; he welcomed them with a fierce resolve. As he checked his weapons and gear, his sharp eyes scanned the horizon, anticipating the dangers that lay ahead.

With a steely gaze, Ruvyn addressed his fellow scouts, his voice firm and commanding. “Listen up, folks. We have a vital role to play in this mission,” He began, fixing the axes upon his back. The four who joined him were three men, each with varying shades of brown hair and a fierce-looking woman, eyes weathered with age.

“We may be few, but our task is crucial,” Ruvyn continued, his tone unwavering. “The prince is counting on us to watch the city. I want to know every detail you can learn about their patrols. We need to know about the city. Ask around.” Dusk Haven, now a shining beacon of purist ideals, was their target. To end the Magistrate, they would need to take the city.

The three men and the weathered woman nodded in understanding, their faces reflecting determination in the tasks ahead. “We move as shadows, unseen and unheard.” Ruvyn continued, his voice resonating with authority. He had given these speeches before when conducting raids on redcap nests or goblin camps.

Two were going to sniff around the city and see what they would learn. He assigned the others to watch the hills around the city. He had sneaked around the farmland, hoping to ask a few chatty farmers about events in the city. Ruvyn crept around the hills, remaining low as he climbed up and over until he could spot figures in the distance working the fields. His eyes grew wide when he saw the chains, heard the crack of whips, and then saw the horns upon a chained worker’s head. Hellions.

This is what the Magistrate had done? Was it not enough to kill them? He had to chain them like beasts and force them to labor. Ruvyn’s heart pounded in his chest as he observed the treatment of the Hellions in the fields. Anger surged through his veins, fueling his resolve. With grim determination, he knew that their mission had just become even more vital than before. His grip on the grass tightened, his resolve hardening like tempered steel.