The Shattered Sky: Only I Do What the Gods Can't

The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light passing inbetween the trees as Kael approached the outskirts of the town. The world felt unnervingly still, the night holding its breath as if it knew what was coming.

Kael had managed to sneak in and now, twenty minutes later, he was trying to get out as soon as possible.

Kael crouched low, his eyes scanning the dense forest ahead. Neo's voice cut through the silence.

"There's movement up ahead. About five bodies—patrolling."

Kael nodded, his gaze locking on faint glimmers of light from torches swaying in the darkness. He adjusted his grip on his blade and crept forward, his steps silent against the forest floor.

The bandits were spread out in a loose perimeter, their attention focused outward. They were sloppy, overconfident in their territory and the fear they had placed in the town. Kael used that arrogance against them, moving like a shadow among the trees.

The first bandit was an easy target. He stood alone, leaning lazily against a tree with his torch resting at his feet.

Kael slipped behind him, one hand clamping over the man's mouth while the other delivered a precise strike to the back of his head. The bandit slumped silently to the ground.

"One down," Kael whispered.

He dragged the unconscious man into the underbrush, hiding him from sight before moving to his next target.

Neo's voice guided him, her tone sharp and calculating. "Two more on the left. Close together. If you can get one, the other will follow."

Kael nodded, his heart pounding as he approached the pair. They were deep in conversation, their voices low but careless.

"I'm telling you, we don't need to keep raiding this town," one of them muttered. "We've got enough supplies."

The other scoffed. "And leave them be? Where's the fun in that?"

Kael's jaw tightened, anger flaring in his chest. He stepped closer, his blade glinting faintly in the moonlight.

A quick strike to the first bandit's neck sent him crumpling to the ground, and before the second could react, Kael was on him, delivering a swift blow to his temple.

Neo's voice broke through his thoughts. "You're making progress, but they'll notice soon. Get out of here quickly."

The remaining bandits in the perimeter were taken out just as efficiently, their bodies hidden in the bushes.

But as Kael approached the edge of the clearing where the main camp was located, the faint sound of raised voices reached his ears. "Where are the men who're supposed to be patrolling here?"

"They've realized something's wrong," Neo warned.

Kael crouched behind a thick bush, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene.

This part of the bandit camp was larger than he'd expected, with roughly twenty men moving around a large fire. Tents lined the clearing, and a makeshift cage stood at the far end, holding a group of terrified captives.

His stomach churned at the sight. Women and children huddled together, their faces pale and streaked with dirt. A young girl clutched the bars of the cage, her eyes wide with fear as she watched the bandits.

Kael's grip tightened on his blade. "We have to free them. Now."

Neo's voice was calm but firm. "Rushing in will get you killed—and them too. Think, Kael. Use what you have."

Kael took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. The camp was chaotic, with bandits shouting orders and searching the perimeter. They knew there was an intruder, but they didn't know where—or who.

He glanced at the glowing fragments embedded in their weapons and armor. "Those fragments... they're unstable, aren't they?"

Neo's voice carried a hint of approval. "Very. Overloaded fragments create chain reactions when exposed to enough force. If you hit one in the right spot, it could disrupt the entire camp."

Kael nodded, a plan forming in his mind. He would turn their own power against them.

He moved carefully, circling the camp to stay out of sight. He located a tent near the edge of the clearing, its flap slightly open to reveal a stockpile of fragment-powered weapons inside.

"Neo," Kael whispered, "if I overload one of these, what happens?"

"Chaos," Neo replied. "But you'll need to act fast. The blast will attract attention... And you might get caught in the explosion"

Kael slipped into the tent, his heart racing as he examined the weapons. He selected a small gauntlet with a glowing fragment embedded in its palm. Its hum was erratic, the energy within barely contained.

He struck the fragment with his blade, the sharp impact sending a surge of energy rippling through the air.

"Go!" Neo barked.

Kael bolted from the tent, the gauntlet's glow intensifying behind him. Moments later, a deafening explosion rocked the camp, sending shockwaves through the clearing.

Bandits shouted in confusion, their attention snapping toward the source of the blast. Kael used the chaos to his advantage, darting toward the cage at the far end of the camp.

The lock was crude, and Kael made quick work of it with his blade. The captives stared at him in stunned silence as the gate swung open.

"Run," Kael said urgently. "Get back to the town."

They hesitated for only a moment before scrambling out of the cage, their fear driving them toward the safety of the trees.

The bandits were disoriented but recovering quickly. Kael ducked behind a stack of crates as a pair of them approached, their weapons drawn.

"Find him!" one of them barked. "He's here somewhere!"

Kael held his breath, his mind racing. He couldn't take on the entire camp head-on—not yet. But he could keep them chasing shadows.

He grabbed a lantern from the ground and threw it toward the opposite side of the camp. The shattering glass and sudden burst of light from the burning tents drew the bandits' attention, and they rushed toward the noise.

Neo's voice was steady in his mind. "Smart. Keep them scattered. Use their own panic against them."

Kael moved swiftly, taking out isolated bandits one by one. Each strike was precise, each movement was aimed to knock out them out immediately.

The camp descended further into chaos, the remaining bandits, unable to see their surrounding properly and constantly hearing the grunts and thuds of falling soldiers around them, attacked each other in their confusion.

But then, a new voice cut through the noise—a deep, commanding shout that silenced the camp.

"Enough!"

Kael froze, his eyes narrowing as a intimidating figure stepped into the clearing.

The bandit leader was an imposing man, his armor reinforced with fragments that pulsed with a unnatural dark, ominous light, the same type of light shone from a fragment on his nape.

"You think you can challenge us?" the leader bellowed, his voice dripping with disdain. "You'll regret stepping into my camp."

He spoke, his eyes piercing through the darkness aimed directly at Kael, it was as if he could see him as thought it was daytime.

Kael's fragment flared in his palm, its energy responding to the surge of power emanating from the leader. He tightened his grip on his blade, his resolve hardening.

"Let's finish this," Kael muttered, stepping out from the shadows.

The bandit leader's eyes locked on him, a cruel smile spreading across his face. "So, you're the one causing all this trouble. Brave—but foolish."

The remaining bandits formed a loose circle around Kael, their weapons raised.

Neo's voice was calm but firm. "This won't be easy. But you've faced odds as bad, if not worse."

Kael took a deep breath, his fragment pulsing as heavily as his heartbeat. The battle was far from over—but he wasn't backing down.

As the leader raised his weapon, its dark energy crackling in the air, Kael braced himself for the fight of his life.