"All clear!" the shout rang out from the depths of the goblin warren. The dirty and bloodied mercenaries trudged their way up from the depths of the caverns to join their less grimy counterparts who kept watch above.
"Viers, tell the Boss to quit sending us out on these random missions," a wiry young man with a pronounced pout complained through the black blood caked on his face. "We're mercenaries, not bloody Aerinumic exterminators!"
"Quit yer whining, Lougias," a burly woman who could be better described as handsome than beautiful growled. "Ye'll do whatever Boss assigns and like it!"
Lougias scowled at Viers' reply, but hurriedly fixed his face as they reached the main exit of the warren, catching sight of a familiar form outside.
"All clear, Boss!" Lougias and Viers stated in unison to the person seated on a boulder a little ways away, the respect in their tone obvious. While the rest of the mercenary group Renitent had been divided into teams to enter the warren from different routes, the Boss had taken a warren entrance on her own, and obviously had cleared it of inhabitants with little difficulty. The others in the group turned to look in the direction of Lougias and Viers.
No one knew the background of the Boss of Renitent, but one thing was sure: she commanded respect. Beauty was in the eye of the beholder, but Lyncis Habile had something that went beyond mere skin-deep attractiveness. Her abilities could not be categorized as simple strength, either. When looking at the tanned, lithe woman with her navy-blue hair, one might assume she would be better suited as a mage or even a scholar by her build. However, not a single member of Renitent had ever defeated her, neither in a spar nor - as some had once been foes - in battle. In fact, none of the members of Renitent knew of a situation in which their Boss had been overcome. She was just that good.
"Injuries?" Lyncis asked disinterestedly, as though the idea that her group members could possibly be injured would be absurd. Nevertheless, the Renitent mercenaries knew better. While the Boss may seem distant, she would go to just about any length to cure their ills, however minor. She took good care of them, and they paid her back with their loyalty, a rare attribute amongst mercenaries.
The group collectively shook their heads, and Lyncis turned wordlessly to lead them back to the river to camp for the night. They were deep within the wilds of Kislevezo, but they knew the Boss would only lead them down safe paths. How she knew which paths were safe, however, was something none of them had ever figured out.
"Unsen, the Boss listens to you, can't you talk her into taking some better missions?" Lougias tried again while huddled over his supper next to the fire, pleading with the second-in-command, a scarred, battle-seasoned middle-aged man.
"Lougias, the Boss has her reasons," Unsen stated calmly, his even tone and soothing voice at odds with his fierce appearance. Lougias frowned as he finished his meal, and was about to retort when he stopped short. The entire group around the fire looked up as one, sensing the change in atmosphere.
Although there were no footsteps, Lyncis approached. Her gaze traveled over the troop before she began to speak.
"We should be far enough from any walls," Lyncis said flatly. There was no need to explain that further. Walls have ears.
"I expect you've heard of the rumors coming out of Dalint, despite the measures they've taken. Hearn, care to elaborate?" Lyncis nodded at an effeminate-looking man, or was it a masculine-looking woman? Most of the group had never been sure, and those that were did not care to share their observations.
"They say there's a sickness, or curse, or some sort of blight, took out an entire village. Quietus, they call it, sleep of the dead. 'Cept no news is coming out of this blighted village. Word is, the knights dispatched to investigate were called back, then given leave the minute they returned. No report, nothing. And far as I can tell, no one was sent back to the village to tend the sick. Like they didn't expect no one to need it. And...a woodsman saw smoke from the direction of the village a few days later. A lot of smoke." Hearn recounted flatly.
"So they fired it?" Viers muttered, unsurprised. A plague would often cause a kingdom to secretly dispose of the sick to prevent the spread of illness, it was nothing new.
"As expected, except..." Lyncis paused, then continued. "It was more than one village. And mercenary groups in the area are going missing. There's also been reports of crazed beasts like nothing seen before near the infected villages."
No one questioned the Boss' information or how she came by it. If she said it, it was true. It was also important. Therefore, the mercenaries began adding up the tidbits they had been given. Mercenaries were being sent to sick villages. As angels of death, or...as guinea pigs? Did the illness affect animals? Or...
"Hence the low-level extermination missions," Unsen stated, a step ahead of the others. Few mercenaries would take such missions, since they involved a bit of danger and low pay. Which is why they were safe. If someone wanted to lure mercenaries into a dodgy location, they would offer a more attractive job and reward. The Boss had been protecting them with the crappy missions. Viers narrowed her eyes at Lougias, who avoided her glare.
"So we stay out of Dalint?" Lougias piped up, trying to distract Viers.
"The knights were sent home, Lu-lu." Lougias grimaced at Hearn's irritating nickname for him. "If it's catching, it's too late."
Lyncis nodded at Hearn's words.
"They're trying to keep it quiet, but some of the knights never made it home. Those that did are being tracked down with as little fanfare as possible," she stated.
The Renitent members looked at each other, noting the seriousness that pervaded their faces.
"What is the plan, Boss?" Unsen asked, giving voice to the question in all their heads.