Chapter 2

 "What do you think was going through your mind when you fell to the ground? For Me and Grey, seeing that happen is scary," said Scáthach as she looked at Wren.

 "Let me think for a second." Wren thought about why he fell to the ground. "I got nothing I can think of why I fell to the ground," I said, looking right at Scáthach as he said that.

 "Ok, then that is all that I wanted to hear, at least for the moment. Also, Grey is waiting for us at his parents' house," said Scáthach as she got up from a chair that was right by the cot.

 Trying to get up from the cot. "I will come as well. I would like to meet them. Even though I don't know where we are?" asked Wren as he looked around the room.

 "Here, let me help you get up," said Scáthach as she reached out her hand.

Grabbing her hand. "Thank you for the help," I said as he got up from the cot.

Scáthach and Wren made their way to the village leader's house.

 "So this is the village leader's house?" asked Wren as he looked up at what looked to be the only ornate building in the village.

 "Yes, it looks like it is the richest building," said Scáthach, looking at the gigantic building in the center of the village.

As they walked into the building. "This is a big place," I said as he looked around.

 "Why, thank you for coming right this way," said Grey as he moved his right hand in a becoming manner.

As Scáthach helped Wren to get through the house. "Ma'am we have located your daughter. When should we proceed?" asked a scout. They ran into the house and knelt on the ground.

"Where is she at the moment?" asked Elise.

"Do east," said the scout as he bowed and left the building.

"Ok, so we now know where your sister is. Let us eat dinner," said Elise as she walked into the dining room.

As Wren, Scatach, and Grey walked into the dining room, they saw that Grey's father was already there. "You are late. What took you so long?" asked Seble to Grey as Grey sat down for dinner.

"Mom wanted me to train to get Cipher back," said Grey as he looked down at the plate in front of him.

"I see it makes sense to me," said Seble, turning to Scáthach and Wren. "Why do you not sit down and get ready to eat?"

"Yes, thank you for having us," said Scáthach as she put down Wren right next to where she was going to sit.

"So, what brings you to this village?" asked Seble, looking at Wren.

"We are on a quest from the guild master that brought us out here," said Wren.

"What is this quest that you are on right now?" asked Seble.

Wren handed Seble the quest that they were on when Cipher.

"I see. Well, let me help you with the quest. If you help us with getting Cipher back to us," said Seble.

"Ok then, what is the plan?" asked Wren as he looked at the people that were sitting at the table.

"The plan is simple: we go into the bandit camp, knock some skulls around, and take Cipher back," said Seble.

"I am sorry, but it can't be that easy to get her back here," said Elise to her husband.

"Why can't it be that easy getting to this place was easy for us to do," said Seble, annoyed at his wife.

"No, this place was hard to get to. Also, does the report on Cipher's location say where she is held?" asked Elise.

Looking at the report." Yes, there is a location where she might be held," said Seble.

"Where did it say that she is?" said Elise, looking at her husband.

"Right here. It says an abandoned castle dew east," said Seble, handing the report to Elise.

Taking the report from Seble's hand. "Let's see what the report says about the castle." Elise looks over the roof. "I see they abandoned the castle two hundred years after the Aler Kingdom moved its capital to where it is now. The correct residents laid claim to the ruins about ten years ago," said Elise as she set down the report on the dining room table.

Does it say anything about where there might be a dungeon or prison building?" asked Grey.

"Let me see." Elise looks over the report again. "Yes, I believe so. Right here it says the prison is next to the old castle," said Elise as she said that her face turned concerned.

"Mom, what is with that face?" Grey asked, looking worried.

"It says that they torture the captive, then sell them to the Kingdom of Snara," said Elise.

"Then why are we sitting around here and not doing anything to stop this?" Grey asked as he got angrier and angrier.

"Not that simple. If we try anything, it might mean war. Do you understand that?" said Elise.

"No, I do not understand when this group is supposed to be elite assassins. That would stop at nothing to get to their goal," said Grey.

"He has got you bet there dear," said Seble.

"Yes, that is true. That would not stop us before. Why is it stopping us now?" said Elise.

"If I may say something about what is going on," said Scáthach.

Everyone looked at Scáthach with curious looks on their faces.

"Do you have something in mind that might help us with what we are talking about?" asked Elise as she looked at Scáthach.

"Yes, I believe I have something that might help with this problem. Though that said, Grey has a point in that this group of people is all assassins. There should not be any hesitation to do what you do best, and that is to kill by assassination. That said, I wonder why you are hesitating on this when your daughter might be endangered," said Scáthach, looking directly at Elise.

"I see your point in this. What do you think since I don't know what to do Seble?" asked Elise as she turned in her husband's direction.

"What do I think? I think we should get our daughter back from that bandit that took her," said Seble.

"But Grey is not ready yet. I have not cleared him to go," said Elise.

"You will not clear him till he is ready. How many days are we taking here to clear him to go? One day or more." asked Seble.

"At the rate that he is going, I will have to say two months at the most," said Elise.

"By that time, Cipher will not be there at all," said Seble angrily.

Elise could ask for nothing to put it back on Seble. Since she knew that time right now is of the essence, and the more time to train her son the less time to look for Cipher.

"Ok, we will get Cipher now and then it is back to training for you Grey," said Elise.

"Ok, now that is out of the way. Let us eat something. I am starving," said Seble as he dug into the food on his plate.

"Go on and eat up. There is plenty of food, so don't worry about eating a lot of food," said Elise to Scáthach and Wren.

"Ok then, don't mind if I do then. I am wondering something, though." I said, as he ate dinner.

"Yes, what is it?" asked Seble, looking at Wren.

"I am just wondering why you chose this place to set up the assassin's guild?" asked Wren, looking at the two of them.

"We did not set this place as the base of the assassin's guild. Grey's and Cipher's Great-grandparents on their dad's side set it up. There was an assassin's guild before this one, but they collapsed three hundred years ago." said Elise.

For the rest of the dinner, the group ate in silence. Not knowing what to say next.

"Ok, that was well interesting to hear," I said as he tried to walk, but fell when he took ten steps. Scáthach walked over to him and helped him up.

"Yes, that was interesting to hear, and also you are getting better at walking again. Good job," said Scáthach as she helped him to a chair.

"Thanks for helping me. I don't know what I would do if you were not here as well," I said with a sullen look on his face.

"Don't worry about that and just focus on walking again. Especially after a fall like you just had." Scáthach looked at Wren with a concerned look in her eye.

Just as she said that someone came running in and collapsed to the ground.

"Demons are here," said the person who collapsed to the ground.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and did nothing for what seemed like one entire hour, but in reality, it was only one minute.

"Where?" said Seble, looking at the person who collapsed on the ground.

"He can't hear you, Dad," said Grey.

"Oh, I see. Well then, take him to the medical cabin," said Seble as he turned and walked away.

"Ok, then you heard him pick him up and take him to the medical cabin," said Grey.

"Yes, sir, right away," said two assassins that had run over to where the person had collapsed.

"Ok then, now that is taken care of. Do we head toward the ruins?" asked Scáthach.

"Yes, that would be a great idea," I said.

"Then what are we waiting for to let us go," said Grey as he walked out of the village.

As they walked out of the village. Bang Bang. "What the heck was that noise?" Asked Scáthach looking toward the noise

"Let us head to the ruins right now," said Grey as he moved toward the ruins.

"Then what are you waiting for? Let us get a move on," I said.

The group moved towards the ruins of the castle.

"What do you think the castle ruins will look like?" asked Scáthach.

"Destroy what else?" said Grey as he continued to walk.

"Grey, that is not what she was talking about," I said.

"Oh, then what do you think she is talking about?" asked Grey.

"How destroyed the castle is," said Scáthach as she sped up her pace.

"Oh, I do not know, but whatever it looks like is not good right?" asked Grey.

As the group of three walked, they came across a bridge that went across a river.

"Who are the people that are standing there?" I said.

"Those look like bandits. I see ten humans there," said Scáthach.

"Then what do you think we should do?" asked Grey.

"That is a significant question. We can't just sneak around them," said Scáthach.

"Also, if we try to talk to them, they will attack us," I said with a worried, concerned face.

 "We still need to get to the other side of the river," said Grey.

Thinking as they tried to get around the group of people.

"Hey, we see you!" said one bandit as he drew a sword from his belt.

"Make a circle around me," said one bandit," said the leader of the group of bandits.

"Crap, they saw us. What are we going to do?" asked Scáthach, looking toward the group of bandits. That was at a diagonal from where they were at.

"Then what should we do then?" asked Wren.

"I do not think we need to wait too long for them to attack," said Grey.

As he said that, the group looked up and saw that the bandits moving toward them

"So what now? The bandits are getting closer to the group," said Scáthach.

"We can't get around them, so the only way though is to kill them or capture them," I said.

"That would be tough to do," said Grey.

"Whatever we decide we have to do now," I said as he drew his bow and fired at the group of bandits that were blocking the way. Then he moved away from the other two so that the bandit didn't know his location at all.

"Ok now that Wren is out of the way for the moment, what are we going to do?" asked Scáthach as she pulled out her sword.

"We will attack the bandits. Wren lays down cover fire with his arrows," said Grey as he pulled out a spear.

"Ok, then I will watch you back ok," said Scáthach as she advanced towards the group of bandits.

"Heard that. Now let us get a move on and get this done right," said Grey.

As they moved, the group of bandits noticed where they were.

 "Over there, get them right now," said the squad leader.

 "On it right away," said the other bandits that were there. Little did they know they were in Wren's line of sight.

 "Wren is in position?" asked Scáthach. As She was looking around to see where Wren was. Just as she said that, an arrow flew right by and hit one bandit in the head.

"Where did that shot come from?" asked one bandit.

"I do not, but keep your guard up," said the bandit squad leader. As they brought out swords and spears.

"Scáthach time to get a move on Wren can you give us cover fire?" Grey asked, looking around for Wren. More arrows rained down on the bandits.

"Looks like Wren is having fun right now," said Grey as he jabbed at one bandit with his spear.

Laughing at what is happening. "Yes, you are right in that regard," said Scáthach.

Looking around the area. "Looks like he went overboard," said Grey, looking over the bandits that were on the ground dead.

"Oops my bad I think I went overboard a bit," I said. As I looked over the bridge and the bodies that were on it.

"Let us just move on and get to the ruins," said Scáthach as she walked over the bridge.

We walked over the bridge.

"Looks to me that the ruins are up ahead," said Scáthach as she pointed out some ruins and buildings that were made of stone bricks. They also had a cloth that covered the stone bricks.

"We should try to sneak into the camp," said Grey as he crouched down and crawled toward the ruins. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get moving on."

"Following you," I said.

The bandits that were at the camp already noticed that something was up.

"What was that noise?" asked the bandit chief, looking around at her bandit underlings.

"Want me to check what that noise was?" asked one of the bandit squad leaders as he looked at the chief.

"Yes, see what is going on," said the bandit chief.

As he bowed and left the room,

"What are we going to do?" asked the bandit chief.

"Ma'am what are you wondering about?" asked another bandit leader.

"Nothing at the moment. Go now and prepare for whatever is on its way," said the bandit chief.

"As you command."

Meanwhile

"Amazing Wren. You did all this carnage with one bow." Looking around at all the dead bandits. "I am wondering where all thought's arrows come from?" asked Grey.

 "Shall we get going then?" said Scáthach as she walked into the bandit camp.

"Yes, I believe we shall," said Grey and me together.

"What do you think we will face in the ruins?" I asked.

"Bandits and more bandits," said Grey as he continued to walk.

Rolling my eyes. "Can you be more obvious?." I said.

"What! It is not like you were not thinking about it too," said Grey.

"Even if that was true I wouldn't have said anything at all," I said as we kept walking.

"Ok, you two keep your focus," said Scáthach as she kept walking while he held up her sword.

"Right. Though what do we do when we get into the ruins?' asked Grey.

"We fight right away," I said as I pulled away from the group to see if I could get a high preach.

"What got him so riled up? It is not like his sister is in danger of being sold into slavery," said Grey.

"That might be true, but that said your sister is still important to this party, right?" asked Scáthach.

"Yes, that is the case. Well, then shall we go," said Grey.

We continued to walk into the ruins.

"Sir, I see them down in our training yard," said one bandit.

"I monitor them."

"As you command, ma'am," said one bandit as he moved around the base.