Morning mist cloaked the valleys of Eastridge as a company of knights in gray cloaks picked their way through the rugged mountain path. Their leader, Karina, moved with lithe grace, her eyes sharp as hawks, flanked by her most trusted guard, Lothar. Both were members of Evelynn's elite "Snowflame Shadow Guard," dispatched today in disguise to infiltrate the Northern Outpost and dismantle Kalman's conspiracy with mountain bandits at the critical moment.
The ruins of the Northern Outpost sprawled ahead, with crumbling guard posts and fallen arrow towers half-buried in rubble. Karina dismounted soundlessly, Lothar at her heels. "Bandit leader Albert finished his meeting with Kalman last night and has stationed dozens of archers at West Watchtower," she whispered. "We strike the archers first, seize their night-vision torches, then go for Kalman."
Lothar nodded, and they divided tasks: Karina led three guards to circle behind West Watchtower, shooting out torches to create chaos; Lothar took the rest to storm the guard post, capture Kalman's lieutenants, and search for secret missives.
Under the moon, bowstrings twanged. The first torch fell, igniting a silent beacon in the darkness. Archers at West Watchtower cried out and scattered as Karina advanced, seizing several suits of chainmail and subduing three bandits. Meanwhile, Lothar's team burst into the guard post where Kalman conferred with officers. At Lothar's command, guards hacked through the door hinges. After brief skirmishes, Kalman's deputy was subdued, throwing down a damp scroll of sheepskin in terror.
Reuniting, Karina and Lothar unfurled the missive: "Northern mountain bandits will launch a surprise attack in two days when water conservancy work begins. Over a thousand men will strike Eastridge's granary and south city gate in two prongs." The text oozed bloodshed and calculation. "If true, Eastridge faces deeper crisis," Karina frowned. Lothar produced vermilion ink and a brush from his robe: "We must report to the Highness immediately."
As they withdrew, chaos still reigned outside Kalman's abandoned post. Karina covered Lothar's retreat, both vanishing into the fog in an instant.
That night, Lothar and Karina appeared in the royal secret council chamber where Evelynn and Lucian awaited. By candlelight, the missive unfurled on the table, its dried ink and dusty edges testifying to danger. Evelynn took it, her fingers trembling: "Two prongs, a thousand bandits—if they strike, Eastridge cannot hold."
"Reinforce the Eastridge Guard immediately," Lucian said gravely, "and order the Silver Oath Patrol and Luo Han Cavalry to intercept along separate routes." Evelynn's gaze hardened: "I will also deploy the 'Beacon Camp' myself, setting up fake fire formations on the mountain path to lure the bandits into an ambush." Turning to Karina and Lothar: "You two have sacrificed for the realm. Work through the night to plan the fire traps. When the bandits take the bait, we'll eradicate this treachery."
Karina and Lothar saluted solemnly, rushing to coordinate the urgent deployment.
In the small hours, the north palace gate bell rang urgently. Silver Oath Knights and Flame Riders formed ranks as torches and beacon smoke rose. The Beacon Camp ignited, a burning barrier encircling Eastridge's mountain paths. Soon, the clamor of hooves and battle cries echoed from the valley as bandits surged like a tide—only to lose their way in the phantasm of night and fire, their lines collapsing. Pressed by Silver Oath and Flame Riders, hundreds of bandits fell beneath hooves and blades, the rest fleeing in disarray.
At dawn, Eastridge townsfolk learned the rebels had been routed in a night's battle. Garrison and people alike marveled at the Shadow Guard's cunning, their last doubts dispelled. Evelynn stood at the town center, smiling at the torch brackets still hanging on arrow towers: "Such storms reveal the new policies' tenacity."
"Royal power that does not show wisdom will lose the people's reverence," Lucian murmured beside her. Evelynn turned to smile at him, and together they stood on Eastridge's wind-swept walls, overlooking the misty valley where the dark tide threatening their homeland had finally been quelled by royal blood and wisdom.