Free Web NovelChapter 89: Shadows Of Retribution (2)
As the crackling flames licked the remnants of the bandit camp, Drake, bruised and bloodied, stumbled backwards, his gaze fixated on Shinon. His voice trembled as he desperately reached for the radio device hanging from his belt, his fingers trembling with exhaustion and fear.
"This is Drake... calling for backup... Phoenixes... they’ve attacked... I need reinforcements. I can’t hold them off much longer..."
His words echoed into the silence, carried by the crackling radio waves. Drake knew that his pleas were futile, that the Bandit King and his men were unlikely to come to his aid. But he had to try, to make one last attempt to salvage the dire situation he found himself in. frёeωebɳovel.com
As he released the button, Drake turned around, his gaze falling upon Shinon standing next to a gnarled tree.
The shadow tendrils swirled around him, manifesting his power and authority. Drake’s eyes widened in fear, knowing that his fate was now in the hands of the enigmatic intruder. freёweɓnovel.com
Drake’s breath hitched, his voice trembling as he mustered the strength to speak. "Please... I did as you asked... I even called for backup. The Bandit King... he’ll come... I swear... just let me go. Spare my life."
"Begging for mercy, Drake?" Shinon’s voice cut through the tension, cold and unforgiving. "I gave you a chance once, remember? You’re the one that ruined it."
"Please..." Drake weakly mumbled, grabbing onto his severed arm.
"Don’t worry. I have no intention of taking your life just yet, Drake. But know this, your fate is intertwined with theirs." Shinon muttered, playing with his sword. "If they arrive here with Selena unharmed, I will honour our agreement. But if they have so much as laid a finger on her..."
His voice trailed off, leaving the threat hanging in the air. Drake shuddered, a flicker of terror crossing his eyes. After being tortured by the ghostly figure, he knew the severity of Shinon’s words.
Drake’s shoulders slumped, the weight of his actions and the impending doom settling heavily upon him. He understood the gravity of the situation, the delicate balance of life and death that hung in the balance.
"I... I didn’t want any of this," Drake muttered, his voice choked with regret. "I was just... trying to survive. But I see now... the path I chose... the pain I’ve caused..."
"Save your crocodile tears for some other time," Shinon walked up to Drake and stomped the radio with his only remaining arm. "Whether it’s you or the phoenixes... all of you are one and the same."
As the night stretched, the tension grew palpable, the weight of their choices pressing upon them. The path ahead was uncertain, fraught with danger and the potential for salvation or destruction.
Drake’s battered body trembled, his eyes flickering between Shinon and the dark forest. He knew that time was running out.
In his condition, even if the bandits arrived in time, they would have a tough time getting to him. By the time they found him, he might already perish from excessive blood loss.
~~~
The moon hung high in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow upon the surroundings. An hour had passed, but there was no sign of the bandits, until... something unexpected happened.
Shinon, his senses sharpened through survival and combat, suddenly felt a prickling sensation crawl up his spine. A shiver coursed through his body as he became acutely aware of a gaze fixed upon him, a presence lurking in the shadows that he couldn’t see.
"What was that?"
He quickly got up, scanning the surrounding area. Nothing showed on his map, but he felt like some eyes were on him. Drake was out cold, so it couldn’t be him. But shinon knew there was something out in the forest.
His hand instinctively tightened around the hilt of his sword, his muscles coiling with a readiness born of years of training. The weight of the blade provided a small comfort, its familiar presence grounding him amidst the encroaching unease.
"Should I... no. My focus should be on rescuing Selena..."
Even then, he couldn’t help and scan the darkness, searching for any sign of movement or disruption in the stillness of the night. The forest whispered secrets to him, its rustling leaves and distant calls of nocturnal creatures only adding to his growing apprehension.
Yet, try as he might, he could not discern the location of the unseen watcher. The feeling of being observed persisted, each passing second increasing his unease. Shadows seemed to elongate, taking on a life of their own as if they concealed the mysterious onlooker.
Shinon’s hearing strained to catch the faintest sound, and his eyes darted from shadow to shadow, searching for any movement.
"It must have been a rodent or something..." Shinon mumbled as the feeling disappeared as quickly as it had emerged.
Just then, from the corner of his eyes, Shinon saw something on his map. A lot of people were headed his way. Moments later came the distant roar of engines.
A low rumble grew steadily louder, punctuated by the distinct revving of multiple vehicles. Shinon’s ears perked up as a smile formed on his lips. The bandits had taken the bait.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Shinon’s lips as he observed the approaching vehicles, their headlights piercing through the darkness like beacons of impending chaos.
The noise of roaring engines echoed through the camp, creating a symphony that would not go unnoticed in the lonely night.
"They have no idea what they’ve done," he continued, his tone laced with satisfaction and foreboding. "Their noise will attract the dead, and hundreds, maybe even more, will descend upon them."
As the rumble of engines grew louder, the ground beneath Shinon’s feet seemed to vibrate with anticipation. The bandits’ arrival was imminent, with it, a storm of chaos and retribution. Shinon braced himself, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword, prepared to meet the oncoming horde head-on.
"This is just the beginning," he muttered, his voice filled with grim satisfaction.
