The grand halls of the Rackenshore Town’s mayoral mansion were filled with the echo of frantic footsteps and the desperate shouts of Baron Edris Wyndhall. His voice, filled with panic and fear, rang through every corridor, calling for his son.
“RON! MY SON!” Baron Edris bellowed, his face flushed with worry, as he rushed down the hallway toward his son’s chambers. The grand house, usually quiet and dignified, was now alive with chaos. Servants scrambled in every direction, their faces pale as they whispered among themselves.
The door to Ron’s room stood wide open, and the baron stormed inside, his heart racing in his chest. His eyes swept over the empty bed, the open window, and the scattered belongings. It was as if Ron had vanished into thin air. But what caught Edris’ attention—and sent a cold chill down his spine—was the letter left conspicuously on his son’s desk.
Baron Edris rushed over to the desk, snatching up the letter with trembling hands. His eyes scanned the parchment, his face darkening with every word he read.
“Baron Wyndhall, you’ve dared to meddle in our affairs, fully aware of the consequences. Now you face them. Your son, Ron, is with us. If you wish to see him alive again, you will cease your interference and comply with our demands. You’ve made your choice; now live with it.”
His brow furrowed in confusion. Meddle in their affairs? Baron Edris had no idea what this letter was referring to. He hadn’t been involved in any deal or taken any action against the bandits beyond the usual town defenses. His fists clenched, the letter crumpling in his grip.
The idea that these criminals had been able to capture his son from under his very nose without him even knowing and without anyone in his mansion noticing ignited a fury in him. The fact that someone had acted in his name or perhaps been mistaken for him made it even worse.
He threw the letter down, his heart pounding with a mix of fear and anger. “What is this madness?!” Edris roared, slamming his fist on the desk. “Who in the world is meddling with these bastards in my name?”
The baron stormed out of the room, his rage boiling over as he shouted for his household staff. Servants hurried in, eyes wide with fear as they saw the baron’s state.
“Gather everyone! Now! Every member of this household, all the personnel!” he barked, his voice echoing through the mansion. “Someone knows something, or worse—someone has betrayed us. We’ll find out who’s behind this!”
As the staff scrambled to comply, Baron Edris began to pace, his mind racing. How could someone take his son without anyone noticing? And who in his household could be missing? As each servant and guard was accounted for, the absence of several key personnel quickly became apparent.
A few guards who had been posted near Ron’s chambers were nowhere to be found, and neither was one of the household aides who had recently joined the staff.
His anger grew even fiercer at the realization. “Traitors… right under my own roof,” he growled.
Without wasting a moment, Baron Edris summoned two of the most trusted figures in Rackenshore: the knight of the household and leader of the city guard, Roderick. The knight, a grizzled veteran named Garret, entered the room first, his expression grim as always. Roderick followed shortly after, his brow furrowed in concern though he maintained his usual calm demeanor.
Baron Edris wasted no time, thrusting the crumpled letter into Roderick’s hand. “Read it,” he ordered, his voice low but seething with barely contained rage. “My son’s been taken, and I want answers. Now.”
Roderick’s grip tightened on the letter as he read it, his eyes narrowing with each word. ‘Fuck… out of all those things…’ he cursed internally, feeling a wave of unease settle over him. His usually stoic expression faltered for just a brief second as the realization hit him like a hammer—this was connected to his deal with Lucavion.
His mind raced. ‘Lucavion… that reckless bastard.’ Roderick hadn’t expected things to escalate to this point. He had made a quiet arrangement with Lucavion to deal with the bandits and clean up the outskirts without drawing too much attention. But now, it seemed that the bandits had retaliated in a way no one could have predicted.
As Roderick finished reading, he felt a bead of sweat form on his brow. He clenched his jaw, trying to maintain his composure, but his eyebrows twitched involuntarily. He cursed both himself and Lucavion, knowing that this situation was spiraling out of control faster than he could have anticipated.
“Roderick, what is it?” Garret, the household knight, asked, his keen eyes caught the slight change in Roderick’s expression. “You look… troubled. Do you know something?”
Roderick felt Garret’s gaze boring into him, and for a brief moment, he considered coming clean. But then he shook his head, swallowing his frustration. “No, nothing,” he said curtly, his voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside him. “It’s just the gravity of the situation. We need to be careful how we proceed.”
Baron Edris, still pacing furiously, caught the tail end of their conversation. “What do you mean ‘careful’?” he barked, his voice filled with impatience. “My son has been taken, Roderick! I need to know what you’re thinking! If you know anything about this—”
Roderick held Baron Edris’s gaze for a long moment, then sighed deeply, trying to rein in his own frustration. He knew that keeping his composure in front of the baron was crucial now. “Sir Edris,” Roderick began carefully, “there’s no reason to trust the words of bandits.
They’re liars by nature, and even if someone has stirred up trouble for them, at the end of the day, they are the ones who’ve kidnapped your son. Rather than focusing on who may or may not have provoked them, it’s wiser to tread carefully and deal with the bandits directly.”
Baron Edris stopped pacing, his anger still simmering just beneath the surface, but Roderick’s words had started to get through to him. The baron’s eyes narrowed slightly, his chest heaving with controlled breaths as he listened.
“There’s more,” Roderick added, his voice measured. “Two of Korvan’s subordinates—Loren and Lothar—have already been dealt with. Both are dead.”
The baron blinked in surprise, his face momentarily flashing with confusion. “Lothar and Loren? Those bastards are dead?” Baron Edris was well aware of Korvan’s operations and knew the strength of his lieutenants. He was no stranger to the name Korvan, the leader of the bandit group terrorizing Rackenshore and the surrounding regions. “Who… how?” he stammered, trying to make sense of the situation.
Roderick chose his next words carefully. “It seems someone has already made a move against Korvan’s forces. That might be why they retaliated by kidnapping your son. However, the deaths of Loren and Lothar have weakened Korvan significantly. It’s the best time to strike.”
Baron Edris took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he tried to regain control of his emotions. The shock of hearing about the deaths of two of Korvan’s key men had begun to shift his focus away from the panic of his son’s abduction.
“You’re right,” the baron said after a moment, his voice quieter, more controlled. “I’ve been too reckless. They kidnapped Ron, and I let my emotions cloud my judgment.” He swallowed hard, his eyes hardening with resolve. “I’m sorry, Roderick. You’re right—there’s no reason to trust the words of these bandits.”
Roderick gave a brief nod, glad that the baron had calmed down somewhat. “We need to act swiftly but carefully. With two of Korvan’s lieutenants gone, his forces will be disorganized. We have an opportunity, but it won’t last long. We should strike while they’re vulnerable.”
Roderick’s eyes gleamed with quiet determination as he continued, his voice steady.
‘This should also satisfy him.’
He had been serving Baron Edris and his household from the moment when he was drafted. That is why he was feeling attached, and he knew that if that young man was able to deal with Loren and Lothar on the same day, that would mean he was strong just as he looked confident.
That is why, by issuing such a reward, he could make connections with such a man and could even possibly build a safety net for the young master Ron in the future.
‘My hunch…..It was not wrong this time either.’
That is why he opened his mouth.
“There’s something else we should consider, Baron. We need to offer a bounty not just to our soldiers but to anyone capable. Someone already dealt with Lothar and Loren—whoever they are, they’re powerful, and they might be interested in taking down Korvan as well. If we offer a sizable reward, we’ll attract more manpower and perhaps draw this person out. They’ve already proven themselves effective.”
Baron Edris considered Roderick’s suggestion, rubbing his chin as he mulled over the idea. “A bounty… Yes, that could work,” he said, his tone shifting to one of resolve. “It will send a clear message. Not only will we be calling on the best fighters, but it will also show the people of Rackenshore that I’m serious about ending this bandit threat once and for all.
And if this mystery fighter takes the bait, we’ll have a valuable ally.”
Roderick nodded in agreement. “We can deal with these annoying pests ourselves, but the added help could be the key to finding Ron and finishing Korvan’s reign of terror. Offering a reward will turn the tide in our favor.”
Baron Edris straightened, his posture firm with renewed confidence. “Then it’s settled. I’ll issue the decree tomorrow morning. Anyone who can bring back my son and take Korvan’s head will be handsomely rewarded. We’ll offer gold and land to anyone who aids us in this fight. No one will ignore such an offer.”
Roderick smiled faintly. “It will get the attention of every fighter within the region—and possibly beyond.”
Edris took another deep breath, the tension in his body easing as a plan finally began to form. “We’ll make sure no stone is left unturned. If this person is as skilled as we believe, they will take interest. And Korvan… will fall.”
“Indeed,” Roderick agreed. “With the right preparation, we can end this threat once and for all.”
Baron Edris clenched his fist, determination etched across his face. “By tomorrow, the decree will be public. Let the hunt for Korvan begin.”
Roderick bowed slightly, concealing his inner thoughts. While the baron’s plan was sound, Roderick couldn’t help but feel a surge of apprehension. Lucavion, he thought, you’ll be drawn into this mess even further, whether you want it or not.