The sun was beginning its descent, casting golden light across the sharp cliffs of the Azrak Mountain Range. On his way back to the Adventurers' Guild after clearing the hidden salamander boss, Alex moved swiftly along the narrow, rocky trail.
Each step was deliberate, his senses sharpened.
Suddenly—he paused.
His eyes narrowed. There was movement, faint but coordinated. The sound of metallic clinks, voices hushed in the wind, and the distant shimmer of torchlight just ahead where there should have been only stone.
Alex leapt onto a nearby cliff, crouching low. From the shadowed ledge, he gazed down.
A massive, fortified cavern mouth lay carved into the mountainside, surrounded by wooden palisades, watchtowers, and dozens of tents arranged in military formation.
Bandits.
Not the usual disorganized filth. These were disciplined, armed with spears, crossbows, enchanted swords, even siege gear.
