Chapter 70: Rescuing the Hostage

A hundred meters in, Zaos' danger senses were triggered. He scanned the area but was unable to find the source of the premonition.

[A concealed trap?] Zaos changed his route and the feeling disappeared.

He sighed and continued on the new path. As he proceeded deeper, he came across a few more concealed traps which caused him to make a few detours, but he eventually arrived at the main stronghold of the Spectral Raiders.

In the central area of the forest were a bunch of wooden houses forming an incomplete circle. On each of these poorly constructed houses was a lantern that illuminated the area around the house.

Zaos gazed around and noticed a few elves on wooden constructs integrated into the trees around the base. The elves vigilantly scanned the forest in search of any intruders.

Other than these elves, there were a few others gathered around a campfire in the middle of the houses.

The elves held liquor bottles as they danced and sang around the fire. A few of the elves even had female companions amongst them.

[Where could she be?] Zaos, still invisible, walked towards the houses stealthily.

He scanned the faces of the elves partying outside and was unable to find the leader, vice leader, or Finnea.

[Maybe they are inside?] Zaos continued towards the largest of the wooden buildings.

He phased through the front door and entered the living room. There, he saw the leader of the Spectral Raiders; Scarface, alongside his vice-leader: Skull Crusher.

Both elves sat on wooden chairs in the barely decorated living room as they engaged in a conversation.

"Boss, what do you want us to do with the merchant's daughter? The people from the caravan that escaped this morning must have informed him that we have his daughter," Skull Crusher spoke respectfully. He was a large earth elf with rough facial features.

Scarface took a sip of wine from the glass in his left hand while his right hand caressed the female wind elf on his lap.

"Send him a ransom note tomorrow. She has more value alive than dead," He spoke nonchalantly.

Zaos remained undetected even though he was only a few meters away from the elves. He listened to their conversation while simultaneously scanning the building for Finnea.

"Understood, boss. How much should we ask for?" Skull Crusher scratched his head awkwardly.

Scarface thought for a few seconds before voicing out his orders, "The ransom will be two excellent quality mana gems. Let the merchant know that the deadline to pay the ransom will be three days,"

The expressions of all the elves except Scarface, changed simultaneously.

[Two excellent quality mana gems? Is he being serious?] Zaos was surprised by the bold statement.

Two excellent quality mana gems equated to two hundred good quality mana gems. This was a high sum for a mere merchant. Zaos himself only had ten excellent quality mana gems courtesy of Marvid.

"Boss… isn't too much? The merchant might not be able to gather the mana gems on such short notice," Skull Crusher asked while still maintaining his respectful tone. He was only an elf after all, while his boss was a high elf.

Scarface scoffed, "If the merchant values his daughter, he will pay whatever amount we ask him to."

"Alright, boss," Skull Crusher didn't press forward in fear of angering his leader.

At this point, Zaos had identified the presence of another individual on the top floor of the building.

He exited the living room, walked up the stairs, and headed toward the room where the individual was.

Phasing through the door, Zaos entered a simplistic bedroom with wooden furniture and a few paintings hung on the wall.

There was an individual on the bed but after taking a closer look, Zaos realized it wasn't his target. He sighed and exited the building through the window.

He landed gracefully on the grass floor and was about to continue searching the other house when he spotted a large wooden shed a distance away from his position.

Zaos focused on the shed and was able to discern the presence of three individuals, two outside and one inside.

[Is it there?] Zaos walked over to the shed while maintaining his invisibility.

The shed was located a few meters away from the rest of the houses, directly behind the largest house which was presumably the leader's home.

Stationed outside the shed were two elves who seemed like guards, they conversed while standing in the cold with only a lantern.

"I can't believe we have to watch the hostage while the rest are having fun!" One of the guards cursed. He was a dark elf with plain facial features.

"What's the point of complaining? It's our fault for letting those guys from the caravan escape, it's only natural we get punished." His companion, an earth elf with a less bulky figure than most of his race, replied plainly.

"Tsk," The dark elf snored but didn't press the topic.

After hearing the contents of their discussion from a distance away, Zaos increased his pace and arrived before the shed.

He ignored the two guards and phased through the shed's walls.

The space inside the shed was rather cramped as there were a few chests and sacks stored inside. In what little room remained in the shed, a beautiful dark elf was bound to a wooden support beam.

The female dark elf struggled to undo her binds while being as silent as possible.

[That's her,] Zaos nodded in satisfaction as he gazed at the lady. She had long dark hair, deep dark eyes, and soft facial features, just like the portrait Zaos had seen earlier.

Without further ado, Zaos walked up to her and struck her at the back of her neck rendering her unconscious.

He undid the rope binding her, hoisted her up his shoulders, and teleported out of the shed. A few seconds later, he materialized in a cave located at a remote location and dropped her there.

He didn't bother waking her up and instead teleported back to the Thieves' den. He reappeared in Scarface's house and walked directly to the living room where the latter was currently relaxing with his female companion.

Zaos drew his short sword from its sheath, and with a quick slash, he beheaded Scarface before the latter could react.

Scarface's female companion who had been feeding him a slice of meat, recoiled in horror as the blood from his decapitated neck splattered everywhere.

"Clean, isn't it? The cut I mean," Zaos undid his invisibility and smiled at the shocked wind elf on the floor.

"Ahhhh!" The wind elf, overwhelmed with shock and fear, let out a piercing scream.

"So dramatic," Zaos' blade flashed and her head was separated from her body.

Listening to the sounds of hurried footsteps approaching the house, Zaos smiled wickedly as he casually awaited their arrival.