Anselmian-Wyzkian Border
Stefen Rogalski and Jean Corvoisier, Rogalski and Associates
Climbing the cliff overseeing the mercenary camp, Stefen counted the people in the camp through his spyglass. There was around 23 combatants altogether. Tents were strewed out in the camp with makeshift fences and rails circling the camp. Armed men walked around the camp. He sees a man in important looking armor giving commands to other armed men, that must be the leader. He also noticed three cages at the furthest end of the camp filled with people, they look to be the "captures" from other raids.
According to that raider Jean's team caught, the camp belongs to the Jackal Group. The Jackal Group is just one of the many mercenary companies operating in Anselm. Compared to other mercenary companies such as Shadow Company or the infamous Black Band, the Jackal Group is a much smaller mercenary organization with their numbers operating in the double digit. That being said, they do get involved in underground activities such conducting raids across the Anselmian-Wyzkian border and capturing unfortunate individuals there. This was why local mayors and sheriffs across border settlements gave an open warrant to Rogalski and Associates to wipe out the Jackals at the border.
Stefen frowned as he peered through the spyglass. This campground is heavily guarded with all perimeters looking secured, sneaking would be next to impossible. A frontal assault would probably work, Stefen has six sharpshooters with him and Jean and Iwan are each commanding six armed men. Stefen's team could take out outside defenses, allowing Iwan and Jean's teams to enter in melee combat. Frontal assault it is then.
Jean and Gloria walked to the campgrounds of the Jackal Group with their cloaks concealing their armors. They were given the task to serve as decoys; traveling merchants interested in browsing the captures of the Jackal Group. The rest of the bounty hunters were divided into their groups; Stefen leading archers and crossbowmen to aim for Jackal missile units while Jean's bounty hunters would join with Iwan's team for a frontal assault. A camp guard stopped them from the entrance.
"Halt," the guard said with his left palm out. "What business do you have with the Jackals?"
"We are humble travelers passing through and we're wondering if we could browse some of your recent additions before they would be shipped to the trading markets," Gloria lied. The guard contemplated for a while then nodded.
"All right then, you may be taken to browse the fruits of our raids," the guard said. "However be warned that any aggression against the Jackal Group would net you a slow and painful death, especially with you, madam suffering longer." He pointed at Gloria who only glared back. A guard lead them to the slave pen, containing three people, a woman and two boys, in a large cage. A man guarding the pens stood up from his chair at the arrival of hooded figures.
"These two would like to browse our captures," the guard said before returning to the entrance.
Very well," The pen master said before turning to Jean and Gloria. "These captures had yet to be processed to earn the right of being called slaves but we can sell you one of the captures, just at a higher cost than if we have them processed and sold at the slave auction."
"Why are we limited to just one capture for a higher price, my good sir?" Jean asked. "Why couldn't I buy all three captures, make it a bundle?"
"We have to meet a quota for the market," the penmaster answered. "We're still waiting for two other raiding parties with their captures, it would not look good for us if we only have one slave to sell at the market.
"Speaking of," the penmaster continued, eyeing the two people with suspicion. "We sent three raiding parties two nights ago, only one party returned with the captures last night and the other two have yet to arrive, despite their experience in the border. Wyzkia doesn't have central military presence in the border and the levies under their lords in the border areas don't tend to patrol far out from their lands.
"Then we have two armored figures walking to our camp, interested in browsing the loots of the only party that made it back on time." A few of the mercenaries got closer to Jean and Gloria, interesting in what the penmaster is saying. "Perhaps you'd be kind to answer some of our questions?" the penmaster asked.
'Well, there goes the easy way out,' Gloria said. Both Jean and Gloria drew their weapons. In response, most of the Jackals in the camp surrounded Jean and Gloria with their weapons.
Stefen smiled as he looked through the spyglass. Jean and Gloria are getting a good number of these merc's attention. He turned and nodded to the other bounty hunters behind him, awaiting his command. While he doesn't doubt that Jean and Gloria could handle themselves against a large amount of mercenaries, Jean being the only mage within the firm and Gloria being a relic, the arrival of their comrades is always a good thing.
Three crossbowmen including Stefen lay at the top of the cliff, aiming at some of the perimeter guards while the three archers raised their bows at the entrance while still concealing themselves by the foliage. Bolts were launched from the crossbows and penetrated three guards. Taking cue, the archers let loose their arrows at the entrance guards. The archers from the sentry towers at the front of the camp fell to the raining arrows and bolts. Iwan drew his sword in front of the bounty hunters.
"Men, attack!" He yelled out as the bounty hunters drew their weapons and rushed rushed forward past the entrance, easily overpowering the remaining Jackal guards.
"Ambush!" a Jackal cried out. Jean and Gloria responded by striking at the Jackals closest to them, Gloria especially punched the penmaster in the throat. The clash of metals are heard all throughout the camp as the bounty hunters stormed the camp of the Jackal Group. Jean punched a Jackal with his gauntlet while slashed at another in the neck with his sword. One Jackal attempted to stab Jean with a spear but was met with a clang as his steel armor blocked the spear. Jean high kicked the merc square in the chest in retaliation.
In the midst of the chaos, Jean took a few steps back to scan for the man with the important looking armor. He sees him guarded by three spearmen and both he and Gloria rushed toward them. They took care of the guards easily and both lunged at the camp leader with their weapons. Surprisingly, the camp leader is a capable swordsman, being able to parry their attacks with relative ease. However, Jean was able to knock the sword out of the camp leader's hand and elbowed him in the face, causing the camp leader to fall to the ground. The leader struggled to get up but Jean pointed his sword at his face.
"Alright," Jean begins, "Where were you about to take those people? Answer the question and you may be spared and rotting in a prison cell somewhere." Unfortunately, the man started shaking uncontrollably with foam appearing from his mouth. A few seconds later, he lied motionless. Jean cursed under his breath.
"Looks like he has some poison pill to keep himself silent," Gloria said. "We can search the tents and see if there are any documents to seize."
"I didn't saw any fires, so perhaps we'll find something," Jean nodded.
The fighting was already over by the time Jean and Gloria returned from searching the tents. Any survival Jackals were wounded up by the bounty hunters while the people in the cages were let out; most opting to take a ride in the wagons back to their homes to the border settlements. Stefen's archers and Jean and Gloria did a good job whittling down the numbers for the rest of the bounty hunters and only three bounty hunters reported any injuries. Stefen had some of the wagons carted off to the border settlements with bounty hunters, prisoners, and freed people when Jean and Gloria arrived with some documents.
"Stefen, I like to request some time off for a period of time," Jean said. Stefen looked at his friend with some confusion.
"What do you mean?" he asked. Jean gave him a sheet of paper as an answer.
"Meet with a guide at Ennestein to reach Kaesar for slave market by this date listed below," Stefen read. "Are you looking to disrupt this slave market all the way in Anselm?"
"Yes but it is not just that," Jean replied. "The name Kaesar seems to have his own signature and I recognize that handwriting as the one used by my wife's killer. You know that I've been looking for that man for years all over the known world."
"I'm well aware of that, friend," Stefen said. "But it looks like this Kaesar has some underground connection, especially since it looks like he had a small mercenary company working with him. Are you sure you're going to handle this by yourself?"
"I have Gloria but this is my fight," Jean replied. "I know that your firm operates largely in Wyzkia and that this border operation was largely in cooperation with the sheriffs and lords of the settlements there. I'm not asking for more of your bounty hunters, I'm doing this by myself."
"It sounds like suicide, Jean," Stefen said. He took out a small piece of paper and handed it to Jean. "I have some friends in Anselm during my brief mercenary work there. A friend gave me an address to a mercenary company headquarter in Anselm. At the very least, meet with them before you take on Kaesar and his operation by yourself." Stefen took out a small pouch filled with coins and gave that to Jean.
"And your pay for this successful operation," he added. "Return to Pakrzyski first. Get yourself a hot meal, some supplies, and some rest before you cross the border. I'll let the other partners know of your whereabout."
