Chapter 20: Training

Many days passed since that conversation, leaving Eina and Elena in a silent confrontation. Mostly it was Elena who wished to prove with her actions, how dissatisfied she was with Eina's decision.

However Eina had no intention of giving in, so the issue remained. Eina had been taking Elena along with her to deal with the various thugs around the city.

The actions of the two brought a greater impact on the people than they expected. The groups that they had targeted were usually ignored by the inspectors because of how intricate their relationships were. Not only would these groups scatter before they could be found, but some of them had connections to the nobles that inhabited the city, making trying to arrest them a thankless task.

But after Eina and Elena began hunting them, the common people that were targeted by these groups began to tout the mysterious heroes that dealt with the scum.

Eina decided that the last lesson for Elena, who had begun to use her own martial arts, was a notorious bandit group that had holed themselves up in a mountain, a short distance away from the city.

Although it's said to be a mountain, but it's nowhere near as large as an actual mountain. It is more so a large hill. The reason why this group is so difficult to remove, isn't because of their skill in fighting. But simply because they have connections to the officials, as well as the merchants in the city. So whenever the court decides to send soldiers to suppress them, the bandits have miraculously disappeared. Add onto that the treacherous traps that they have laid out, which has caused many casualties to the soldiers sent, it isn't difficult to see how such a legend about these bandits spread.

Eina had seen some information about these bandits in the various reports that were penned by the group in charge of information for this brothel. It was through these reports that she could better deduce that the country was in the beginning of its decline. War, famine and infighting, all present. All necessary for the demise of a dynasty.

That night, Eina took Elena with her. The two brought the group of maids along with them. It was Elena's decision to teach them martial arts. Obviously she had decided that she'd need her own trusted network when she returned to the capital. Eina had no reason to refuse this. She didn't think that they'd be able to surpass her, who not only retained her experimented abilities, but also her experience and skills. And she proved herself correct, even after eight years, the maids couldn't even reach Elena's level, but they were definitely a force not to be taken lightly.

The twelve women disappeared from the yard, but not a single person was the wiser about it. The small group followed behind Eina, their toes silently tapping the various rooftops as they made their way in the direction of the bandit stronghold.

They bypassed the soldiers on the city wall, leaping into the darkness outside the wall, not afraid of the height, only leaving a gentle gist as they passed.

The city guard felt the gust, and turned his head. But seeing nothing in the darkness, he shook his head, trying to dispel the tiredness from standing guard.

Eina led the small group to the bottom of the mountain. The majestic tree covered hill, standing solemnly in the darkness. No sound could be heard, except for the wind rustling through the leaves.

Eina spoke calmly "Keep to the trees, the traps are mostly laid out on the ground. But there will be a few nets to catch martial warriors. Don't be complacent. And don't make noise".

Elena nodded, and the maids all whispered "Yes".

The group rushed into the dense brush of the trees, their bodies merging into the darkness of the thick branches.

Loosely following Eina up the mountain, making sure to keep her in sight, they made sure to remain vigilant to their surroundings.

The group began to feel the breaths of other people as they went further up the mountain. Some coming from the trees, others from the ground. Looking closely, the bandits had sentries placed throughout the path up the mountain.

Eina gestured to the group that these people needed to be dealt with, which was responded to with affirmative actions.

The group silently unsheathed the daggers attached firmly to their legs, and resolutely attacked their targets. Covering their mouths and stabbing straight into their throats, before ruthlessly dragging the dagger horizontally across.

The sentries tried to claw at the hands covering their mouths, but to no avail. The women's hands were like iron claws attached to their faces, leaving only the impending approach of death's embrace.

The group continued dealing with the sentries along the path, moving faster before the smell of blood spread and alerted someone.

Finally they reached the peak of the mountain, where the bandits stronghold had been built. A wooden fort, lined with various traps and defences appeared in front of the group of women. Sentry towers stood every twenty or so metres, each manned by two people.

Eina counted the towers, and said "Ten towers, each needs to be taken down relatively quickly. They're all in sight of each other.

One tower per person. Slit the throat of one guard, and deal with the other as swiftly as possible. The towers have bells on them, so make certain that you do not allow the sentries to touch them.

The remaining two deal with the bandits standing at the front gate. Remember to drag them into the brush nearby, out of the light. Just in case".

The group divided their responsibilities. Eina took on the sentry tower that was the closest to the buildings in the stronghold. Knowing that it was the closest to the bandits, and would need to be even quieter when dealing with the two guards.

With the plan agreed upon, the women all acted independently, rushing to their targets. Eina was the fastest, as if she teleported. She appeared in the tower with the two sentries. Her dagger already piercing through the skull from under the jaw of the first sentry. Before the second had time to turn around to investigate the noise, she had already taken the dagger out, and covered the mouth of the second, slicing it across his neck.

She laid the body on the floor of the tower, and looked towards the other sentry towers. Thankfully the women that had gone through eight years of arduous training were not so disappointing as to fail against two regular men, with no internal strength.