Morning broke as Levi set off toward the smithy in Wintertown, hoping to purchase new weapons. Inside, rows of blades, axes, and shields lined the racks. Levi inspected each carefully but settled only on swords and shields. The axes weren't to his liking. No one in his group had trained with them with it, and he saw no reason to add unfamiliar weapons to their weaponry.

Speaking with the smith, Levi was pleased to learn that fifty swords and shields were ready for sale. He bought the entire lot, ensuring his caravan's guards were properly armed. He instructed the men to keep the spears they'd be needed later. His force was now divided: fifty archers with short swords, and fifty spearmen with round shields and blades at their sides.

Wren finished gathering supplies. With business wrapped up, the caravan left Wintertown quietly, just as they had arrived. Their next destination: Hornwood.

But the road had other plans.

Midway through the journey, three armed men stepped onto the path.

Levi calmly rode to the front while his guards tensed, eyes scanning the woods.

"Friends," Levi called out, "we don't know why you've stopped us in the middle of the road, but I hope you'll let us pass peacefully. There's no need for trouble."

One of the three laughed, nudging the others. "You hear that? The man thinks he's some knight."

"Maybe he thinks he's a lord," another sneered.

All three laughed.

Jory and Lyle rode up beside Levi.

"What's going on?" Jory asked. "What should we do?"

Levi raised his hand. "Nothing."

Then, he looked at Lyle a quiet, deliberate glance. Lyle nodded, understanding. Behind him, a few experienced guards noticed the signal and began preparing silently.

The leader of the three stopped laughing. "Which one of you is Levi of Bogwater?"

Levi raised an eyebrow. "That would be me. How do u know me and what do you want?"

The man's smile widened. "Our Lord wants all of it. Your wealth. Your loyalty. Your men. Everything."

"And if I refuse?"

He didn't answer he just raised a hand and waved.

All at once, armed men emerged from the trees surrounding the caravan.

"Jory?" Levi asked without looking back.

"Hundred and fifty," Jory muttered.

"Maybe two hundred," Lyle added grimly.

Levi called out to the leader. "Which lord or house do you serve?"

One of the three spat on the ground. "You don't need to know. Just give up your arms and follow."

Levi's jaw tightened.

"Caravan guard!" he shouted. "Formations!"

"Archers! Stick in pairs aim for anyone alone! Spearmen! Find five others and move together! Wren! Get your helpers and stay inside the wagons now!"

The bandits charged.

One of the three leaders sneered, "Foolish peasa—"

An arrow pierced his skull before he could finish. Lyle had already nocked another.

The two remaining men screamed and charged. Levi dismounted and calmly drew his bow, planting arrows into both before they reached him. One dropped grasping his neck. The other stumbled and fell.

Jory shouted orders from the left flank, directing ten spearmen to shield the archers. On the right, Lyle did the same but reversed the tactic archers were to support the spearmen.

Levi focused on the front, his quiver emptying fast. Every arrow he loosed was aimed with care. Of the thirty-two arrows he fired, eighteen found their mark. The rest deflected off armor or missed in the chaos.

When the final screams faded, the battlefield fell quiet.

Levi's arms trembled not from fear, but fatigue. His fingers were raw from the string.

"Wren," he called. "Check the casualties. Get the full count."

He turned and found Jory injured, but alive. Lyle was nearby, his fingers cut from over-drawing his bow. Still, both were standing.

Five spearmen approached, dragging fifteen bound survivors unarmed men who had surrendered.

"They were with them," one guard muttered, keeping his spear ready.

Wren returned with a grim look. "We lost twenty-four men. Most were in the rear. They heard your call, but couldn't make out the command in time. The attackers hit them first."

"Any caravan workers harmed?" Levi asked.

Wren shook his head. "None. They followed the plan."

Levi nodded solemnly. "They did well. But we'll need to revise the guard's formation for next time."

Wren said nothing, returning to his place in the rear.

Levi sent Jory to collect their fallen and Lyle to scavenge the bandits' bodies.

Later, kneeling among the dead, Levi whispered, "Thank you, brothers, for being with me. I'm sorry I couldn't do more."

A scream cut the silence.

He looked up to see Jory driving his blade through one of the prisoners. The man collapsed, gasping, blood pouring from his chest. Some guards rushed to stop Jory, but he shoved them off.

Lyle approached Levi quietly. "What do we do? If they serve a lord, he could claim we attacked him. Even if we're in the right, without knowing who they belong to... it'll be our word against theirs."

"We could torture them," he added hesitantly. "But... if you do that, some men might start fearing you."

Levi's eyes didn't waver. "Fear is useful. But this isn't war, not yet. I won't let my people fear me over vengeance."

Jory came to his side, eyes still burning. "Levi... they were our brothers. Will they get no justice?"

Levi reached out and gripped Jory's shoulder tightly. The others watched in silence.

"For the living, we endure," Levi said. "For the dead, we remember."

He repeated it louder. "For the living, we endure. For the dead, we remember."

The others began to echo him. One by one, their voices joined the chant even Jory's.

Levi turned to the prisoners. He met their eyes. "Your leader wanted me to swear fealty and give him all I've built. Yet you won't even tell me his name."

They remained silent.

"Then I'll give you the justice you've earned."

He turned to Jory. "Kill them all. Strip them bare, armor and clothing. We'll make it look like a raid. If a lord comes to question us, we'll know who it was. If no one comes... then they were truly disposable."

He turned to Lyle. "Help Wren record the names of the fallen. Their families will be paid in full and taken care of."

The executions were quick.

When the caravan was ready to move, Levi gave the order. "We're not going to Hornwood anymore. We're going home."

The return to Bogwater was long and heavy. When they arrived, no celebration greeted them only silence and rest. The entire journey from Bogwater to castles and towns and back again had taken nearly three moons.

And for Levi Hallow, it was long enough to truly miss home.