After few seconds a squad of armored soldier, they were too uniformly equipped and organized to be mercenary, marched from the encampment. Other soldiers were coming from behind the building, judging from the sound of heavy steps, I was completely surrounded.

The squad in front of me stopped after they were a few meters from me, and when I tried turning my head I saw the other two also stopped at the same distance. With the structure at my back I had no chance to escape, also all the soldier seemed pretty mean customer.

Every squad seemed composed of a dozen fighter, all equally protected by a full plate armour and big rectangular shield. For every squad I counter four spears, two crossbows, three big flanged maces and three longswords. While the shooters had their shields on their back, the spearmen formed a line of defence a few paces forward.

I couldn't see their expression thanks to the helmet's visor they all had, but the tension in the air was palpable. I stared at them and waited, their timing was to well coordinated to be a coincidence. Adding in the new fortification that appeared in front of the clearing, the only explanation that I could make was that they were waiting for me. Maybe I was wrong and this was another building, not the first one, or maybe the mercenaries that I encountered really reported to some kind of military organization.

The staring contest between me and the soldier continued until a new person exited the camp, from his demeanor and the fact he mouted on some kind of huge crocodile he seemed like an officer. He wore an armour similar to the soldier's one, albeit with few golden inlay, and was armed with a mace that resembled more a scepter than a solid weapon.

The reptilian mount was impressive, not only the long row of fangs, shorter than an horse but I was betting it was an hell of a war potential. The scaly hide seemed pretty tough, coupled with the claws and long and flat tail it was a natural weapon.

When the official dismounted and came closer he started to stare at me, more like he was assessing my danger factor than really looking at me. Also he seemed taken back when he saw the same calculating look into my eyes. His orders leaved little doubts to the fact he believed I was, even unarmed and wearing only simple fabric shirt and pants, dangerous. Or maybe he really wanted to capture me, who could tell?

- What are you waiting for? I already told you what to do! Cuff him and take him to the jail! And don't rough him up too much, if he die you will follow him!

Well that surprised me, he was willing to threaten his own man for my safety, even if the part about rough handling was worrying. So I assumed I had to have my best behaviour, at least for now.

All the spearmen came closer and used their spears to pin down the already heavy nets to the ground, four swordmen gripped one of my limb each and cuffed me. When they checked that the restrain were effectively clamped, they finally freed me from the nets. Judging from they relieved gestures maybe they expected some kind of resistance.

When I was upright again, even if weighted by the cuffs and chains, the official mounted on his steed and made way for the formation of soldier that "escorted" me toward their encampment. With the shields up they surrounded me and used the spears to trap me and also guide me forward.

With my current weak status I could only follow them, but if I was right, and they captured me alive for information purposes, I could gain a relative safe place to start. We, meaning Ausas, Llanfil and me, had considered various scenarios and hatched few plans for any of the most probable ones.

This situation sure wasn't nice, but the last years of training changed a little my previous life's way of thinking, if previously what was lost was lost forever, here I could use even death like an occasion improve. I couldn't help but to grin at the idea of all the possibilities.

From the reaction of the soldier that were closely watching me, a slightly trembling from trained personnel told much about it, maybe more that a smirk for a few seconds I had a more crazed expression. Maybe Ausas was right when he told me that, to my dismay, I resembled Dafoe's green goblin smile when I grinned.