Further away from forest, a camp Is placed. There were 14 tents set up, 7 on one side and seven on the other, symmetrical. Two guards were patrolling, going in a circle. Between the 2 rows was dirt path leading towards a larger tent. A man with a red badge was sitting inside, the mercenary captain.

"Where are those idiots?", he thought to himself while his face twitched in frustration,"those were our hunters, they should be back by now, one man couldn't of killed them all."

Further down the road from the tents, a knight was riding towards the camp. He wore Roman like armour and carried a banner with a symbol on it: a black helmet.

"Hold it", says the guard as he stops the horse," what is your business here?"

The knight replies:"I have come to see your captain, the duke sends me."

"Let him through",says the captain,"he was bound to come eventually".

Knight:"I came here to pick up the report."

Captain:"You'll have it soon enough"

Knight:"Not soon enough, the duke needs it now!"

Captain:"My men aren't back, but they will be, don't worry."

Knight:"*Don't worry?* Don't you know what's at stake here? If word gets out that duke Rodger can't take care of a single man, it will be chaos."

Captain:"I very well know what's at stake here for YOU. But do you know what's at stake for ME? My weight in gold for his head. If I don't get that reward my men are gonna rebel. I promised them an early retirement, and I'm not a man that goes back on my word."

Knight:"Well then you better keep your word and make it quick. Cause if you don't, you'll loose more than just that gold."He puts a letter on the captains table.

Captain:"What's this?"

Knight:"A letter from the duke. If you don't bring him the phantom's head within the next 4 days, he'll have yours."

The captain becomes scared. He crumbles the letter and throws it in the fire.

Knight:"Something wrong?"

Captain:"No. You go back and tell the duke that he will have the phantom's head on a platter."

Knight:"I sincerely hope so. For all our sakes." He walks out of the tent. As he walks towards his horse he sees drunk mercenaries singing:"We're gonna be rich HEY, we're gonna be rich HO..."

Knight:"Poor fools. You there,guard", he climbs on his horse,"keep an eye out tonight and don't drink, there might be a beast in the forest." He rides away.

The captain pours wine in his cup "Uptight prick." takes a sip.

The sun sets, the air becomes cold and heavy. The trees become dark. All the mercenaries except the two guards and the captain are asleep. The phantom climbs on a tree close by and observed the situation. He looks at them like a predator, ready to hunt them down.

He thinks to himself:"14 tents, at least 2 men in each. Two guards walking in circles, 10 seconds to cover the width and 15 to cover the length, that means a 10 second window. Barrels, so they're drunk. A light coming out of the large tent, that must be the captain." He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath through the nose, exhales through the mouth, open his eyes, puts his hood on and runs toward the camp.

"Why am I always on night duty?", the guard talks to himself, oblivious, "I get that they're drunk but it's not like anyone's gon-", phantom grabs him and snaps his neck, then starts counting "8..9..", shoots an arrow and hits the other guard in the head,"10".

We see the captain walking around his tent nervously,"C'mon where are they? How hard can it be to kill one man who's shitting in the woods and living on squirrels and grass?"

He Tries to drink more wine but there's nothing left.

Phantom walks into the tent. The captain has his back turned," Finally", thinking he's talking to the hunter he sent,"where have you bee-". Phantom covers his mouth and puts a knife on his neck:"The guards are dead and the rest of the idiots are passed out drunk. The men you sent are rotting in the forest. Did you really think that would kill me?" The captain, overwhelmed with fear, can only stare into his eyes.

Phantom:"Here's how this is going to work. I'm gonna ask you questions and you're gonna answer in a way I find satisfying. Cause if you don't, you'll end up worse then them. Ready? Who are you? Who sent you? Where can I find him?", he moves his hand from his mouth still holding a knife to his throat.

Captain:" I, am captain Beck. I was sent here by duke Rodger to kill you."

Phantom:"Why?"

Beck laughs:"Don't you know? There's a bounty on your head. The man that brings it to the duke gets paid his weight in gold. I might have to put on some pounds huh?"

Phantom:"Where is he?", he asks as he pushes the knife towards the neck.

Beck:"He's in his castle on to the south west. He's hold up in there, waiting for us to kill you. But you know there's something I don't get. Why are you still alive? With that kind of bounty, I'm surprised you didn't just turn yourself in." He laughs more.

Phantom:"How far away is the castle."

Beck grunts:"It's 2 days ride by horse. You're not planning to go there are you? Those knights are gonna send you straight to hell."

Phantom:"Guess I'll see you there", she slits Beck's throat and leaves. When he exits the camp, he grabs a torch and throws it on the ground. The torch ignites the alcohol and the fire spreads to all the tents.

All the mercenaries scream in pain. Phantom walks away with out looking back.

End of chapter 3