56: Crescent Gorge

Chapter 56: Crescent Gorge

As Division 10 ventured deeper into the treacherous Crescent Gorge, the air grew thick with an eerie silence. The rough terrain was littered sign of previous battles — scattered weapons,broken shield, and then to their horror, countless bandit corpses lay across the path.

Captain Elara signaled for the division to slow down as the rode through the grim scene. The tension among the knight grew as they exchanged wary glances, the unsettling sight of the dead bandits raising questions about what had transpired here before their arrival.

Synoh:(Whispering) "What happened here? Who could have done this?"

Before anyone could answer,they noticed something odd about the way the body were positioned — many of them had deep puncture wounds, almost as if they have been pierced by multiple weapons at once. Elara's eyes narrowed in recognition.

Captain Elara:(grimly) "These wounds.... It could only be her."

Before Synoh could ask who she meant, a sudden war cry echoed from the cliffs above them. From the shadows of the gorge A group of bandit descended, their face twist in rage and grief, weapons drawn.

Bandit Leader: (shouting) "You knight! You thinks you can slaughter my comrades and get away with it? We'll makes you pay for this. Revenge will be ours!"

The bandits surrounded the Division 10, their numbers seeming endlessly. Despite the ambushed, the knights quickly formed a defensive formation around the carriage. Captain Elara stepped forward, drawing her sword, her eyes looked on the leader.

Captain Elara:(calmly) " We didn't kill your comrades. But if you want to challenge us, you'll meet the same fate as those lying on the ground."

Bandit Leader: (spitting) "Lies! My men saw who did this! It was one of you knights — a woman wielding a trident. She cut through my forced likes we're nothing ! You're all the same. Today, you die for what she did!"

At the mentioned of the trident,Elara's expression hardened. There was no mistaken now— Trident Queen, Captain of Division 2, had passed through here before them.

Synoh: (wide-eyed) "The Trident Queen... so she's already been here."

Dred:(grinning nervously) "Figures. She probably wiped out half the bandits in gorge on her own."

Before they could process it further, the bandit charged and the battle erupted.

Captain Elara moved swiftly, enchanting her sword with elementals magic as she slashed through the first wave of attackers. Synoh joined her,using his own magic-infuse sword to block the oncoming strikes. The knight of Division 10 fought bravely,but the bandits were desperate,driven by vengeance.

Bandit Leader: (screaming)"For everyone of you we take down,my men will rest easy!"

Despite their anger, the bandit were no match for the skilled knight. Ursa leaped into the fray, her massive sword swinging with deadly precision, cutting down bandit left and right. Yana,protecting Princess Akane, dispatched her foe with swift, calculated strikes.

As the battle raged on, Captain Elara faced the bandit Leader directly, their weapon clashing with resounding crash.

Bandit Leader:(growling) " You'll pay for what she did!"

Captain Elara:(coldly)" You chose this path. Don't blame us for your mistakes."

With a powerful surge of magic, Elara's sword ignited with flames and one final blow she disarmed the bandit leader, knocking him on the ground. The remaining bandits, seeing their leader defeated,began to retreat, as their will to fight shattered.

As the dust settled,Division 10 stood victorious, though the grim reality of the battles hung heavily in the air. The bandits have been driven by revenge, but it was clear the Trident Queen already left her mark on this place.

Synoh: (panting) "That was.... intense. "

Captain Elara: (noddiy) "The Trident Queen never leaves her works unfinished ."

With the threats dealt with, the division pressed on more determinants than ever to reach Lathunia. But the encounter served as a stark reminder of the dangerous force lurking along their path and the power of the knight they allied with.