It doesn’t take long until Rezvorn returns with a scruffy looking bandito being dragged in by two ravagers, each holding his arms.

He looks pretty shitty right now, besides being dragged in by two undead. Wearing ratty leather armour that looks like it is almost rotting, a rusty looking mace at his hip, glazed over blue eyes and a black scraggy food infested beard. The only thing that would show he was any deeper in the hole would be if he was bloody from getting screwed up by my men.

Looking over to Rezvorn as the bandit is brought before me, clearly out of it right now, I ask, “It seems that he wasn't any trouble with the ambush.”

Rezvorn smirks, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight. “No Master. He was just ranting and raving as he was going through the woods, not paying any attention to his surroundings. We just snuck up behind him and rapped him on the back of his head with a log.”

Huh? Did he just say… But why? Out of all the methods to use, a log? How is he even alive!? Shouldn’t his skull be caved or something!

“I see… Excellent job then Rezvorn.” I say to him before looking back to the bandit. “Now stranger, do you know what kind of situation you are currently in right now?”

He slightly raises his head to get a better look at me. His eyes slowly clearing up before narrowing in fright. His breathing becoming hitched, his muscles tensing up. Ah yes, I can practically smell the fear radiating off of him.

“Y-yes, the one where I am not going to get out still breathing. Is that right Lord Necromancer?” He rasps out, slightly shaking. “I’ve dealt with your kind before. Being brought up to one alive, always leads to one becoming an abomination of some sort.”

“Oh ho, you’ve dealt with necromancers before?” I ask, cocking my head to the side with a smile. “Well I’m going to have to disappoint you with your assumptions, you will be able to leave here unmolested, body and soul as long as you answer some questions truthfully. Demon’s honour.”

Hearing a gasp as I say ‘Demon’s honour’, he gains an even more frightened look. He starts murmuring what seems to be prayers under his breath, but as my minions make no reaction I take it he’s not casting any spells. I wonder if priests cast their spells with prayers or if they just say the name. Food for thought.

Continuing to smile at him as he tries to collect himself, he finally takes a deep breath closing his eyes before opening them again to look right in mine. All fear gone, only grim acceptance left.

“W-what do you wish to know?” He takes a deep breath before continuing, “I will answer anything you want to know, if it is in my ability.”

“Wonderful!” I say, clapping my hands together. “I wish to know more about the merry little group you just left. I plan on taking over the Citadel, and can’t really do that when there are some wretches still infesting the place.”

The bandit chuckles with a small amount of mirth. His face started to show a smile that by all means could curdle milk and frighten children. “Oh, it would be my pleasure, to tell you everything I know about that topic. Where would you like me to begin?”

“Finding out how many of them there is would be a good first step. After that we can get more nitty gritty details”

“I understand. There were fifty six of us until I was discharged.” He spits off to the side, with no small amount of venom in his voice, “Now there should only be fifty five of the bastards, besides one of your friends.”

“One of my friends?”

“... You don’t know?” He says, looking confused, “Aren’t you here to free that demon we captured?”

“No, not at all! We’re here only to get a new base of operations after our last one was rudely ransacked.” I stroke my chin and smile, “This is very interesting news however.”

“Oh. Well, she is being kept in the dungeons underneath the main keep. Which we… I mean they are using to keep her secured so she doesn’t go causing anymore mischief.”

“Hm, I see. I’ll have to go down there when the vermin are gone. Is there any of them guarding the dungeons then, or are they just allowing a demon to be unsupervised?”

“Last time I checked, Wallace and Greg were watching over her. Two lumbering idiots that couldn’t tell the difference between an apple and potato. She might as well have been left unsupervised.”

“So that leaves fifty three left. I was told that there are about twenty of them guarding the perimeter of the inner keep. Are the rest just relaxing in there then?”

“Yes, they will just be screwing around, doing nothing productive.” He scowls and continues, “Play some cards or fight each other. Those on guard duty will also be laxed as we are kind of out in bum fuck no where.”

“I see… Does anyone have any way to see in the darkness, like a torch or perhaps a lantern?” I ask.

He shakes his head with a sigh, “No. My old boss thought it would give us away if we had lights. The idea was if something happened just scream for help. to alert everyone in the citadel”

Chuckling, I relax my shoulders I didn’t know were tense. Who would of thought these bandits are dumb enough to do something like that when there is monsters in this world.

The bandit across from me shuffles uncomfortably with my chuckle and then silence. His breathing uneven but calmed down from our chat so far. His knuckles grasping his knees, no longer white from holding them in a death grip. His eyes shifting around skittishly like a caged animal now. Looking in his eyes I can tell he will fight tooth and nail to live, even if he knows he will die none the less.

With another chuckle I wave him off. “That is enough questions to satiate my curiosity. You are free to go now, no worse for wear.”

He freezes. I can hear the gears in his head turning, computing the words I said. “I’m… I can go now?” He whispers.

“That is what we agreed too, isn’t it?” I smile fully. “Did you believe I wouldn’t hold my end of the bargain? You wound me, Sir.”

The look on his face is priceless! His mouth gaping open like a fish as his eyes bulge out like one too. Obviously I’m not going to let him live the rest of the night, but he doesn’t need to know that. Only that he is allowed to leave this encampment alive. Not the forest.

Heroes kill bandits. I’m clearly in the right here.

The deadman eruptly stands up before he bows to his waist. “Thank you so much, Milord! I-I’ll remember this mercy for the rest of my life!”

You sure will, friend. “Yes, yes. I have more important matters to attend to, as I bet you do now. Have a safe trip.”

Without anymore proding he quickly leaves, taking looks to the undead standing guard but ignoring them when they don’t move as he leaves.

I watch him leave for a few seconds before Rezvorn speaks to me. “You are letting him leave unscathed, Master? You are more merciful than I thought.”

Rezvorn flinches as I snort at what he says, “No. The agreement was he leaves safely from us, and that he is. However that doesn’t mean that any unfortunate accidents can happen to him tonight, is there?”

“I completely understand Master.” He gets his own malicious smile. “Is there any specific accident you have in mind that he will come across this fine evening?”

Hmm… What kind of tragedies happen in the woods? Being mauled by animals or monsters. Eating some very bad mushrooms. Being robbed by bandits or being lost in the woods.

“The poor bastard will get his head caved in while he was sleeping comfortably underneath a tree by a broken branch. Truly a shame, if only he picked a tree that wasn’t weakened by disease.” I tsk sadly as Rezvorns smile grows to it’s max size. Tearing noises included.

Rezvorn salutes, “I will send one of my men to see if it happens to him.”

“Perfect. Now that, that was solved, let us continue with our attack against the citadel.”