The valley was still, almost unnervingly so. Kaavi crouched behind a cluster of dense underbrush, his keen eyes sweeping over the enemy camp nestled in the shadows of the mountains. The fog that had settled over the valley clung to the ground like a shroud, muffling sound and reducing visibility to just a few feet ahead. It was an ideal setting for an ambush, but Kaavi knew better than to underestimate his opponents.

  From his concealed position, he could make out the flicker of a fire within the camp, casting eerie, dancing shadows on the rocky walls. There were five figures moving about—a small but potentially deadly group. They were all armed, their movements betraying the disciplined air of experienced warriors. But it was the sixth presence, deeper in the camp, that drew Kaavi’s attention. This one radiated an aura of power that set him on edge, a formidable energy that marked its owner as the leader and the most dangerous of the group.

  Kaavi’s fingers flexed around the hilt of his sword, the blade resting silently at his side. He had no desire to prolong the confrontation. He had to finish this quickly and return to the village. But rushing in headlong would be foolish. These men were professionals, and the leader was clearly no ordinary man.

  Kaavi’s mind raced as he formulated a plan. A direct assault would draw too much attention, and fighting them all at once, especially with that powerful presence in their ranks, would be a reckless gamble. He needed to even the odds, to sow confusion among them and eliminate the weaker ones before facing the leader.

  His gaze shifted to the enemy’s campfire. An idea began to take shape, and a thin, grim smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Fire was a primal force, and in the right circumstances, it could be the perfect tool of distraction.

  Kaavi moved silently, his body blending with the shadows as he circled the camp. The fog worked to his advantage, concealing his movements as he carefully avoided the guards' line of sight. He made his way to the far side of the camp, where the enemies had stored their supplies—food, bedding, and most importantly, fuel for the fire.

  Kaavi knelt by the supplies; his movements precise as he set to work. He used a small flint to ignite the kindling he had gathered, and within moments, the flames began to spread. He fed the fire with oil-soaked rags he found among the supplies, ensuring that the blaze would grow quickly and uncontrollably. The thick smoke began to billow upwards, mingling with the fog and creating an ominous haze.

  As the fire caught and began to consume the supplies, Kaavi retreated back into the shadows, watching with cold calculation. The camp was still unaware of the growing inferno that was about to engulf them.

  It didn’t take long for the first shout to pierce the night.

  “Fire! The camp’s on fire!”

  The alarm spread like wildfire among the men. Kaavi watched as the five figures scrambled, their once-disciplined movements now frantic as they rushed to douse the flames. The powerful presence remained in the centre of the camp; its owner seemingly unconcerned by the chaos erupting around him.

  Kaavi took a deep breath, cantering himself as the distraction he had orchestrated took hold. The time to strike was now.

  He moved like a shadow, slipping through and into the camp, his sword drawn and ready. The first man he encountered was too focused on the fire to notice Kaavi until it was too late. With a single, fluid motion, Kaavi’s blade sliced through the air, severing the man’s windpipe in a silent, lethal stroke. The man fell without a sound, his lifeblood soaking into the earth.

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  Kaavi didn’t pause. He vanished back, reappearing behind another enemy who was struggling to control the fire. This one managed a surprised gasp before Kaavi’s sword found his heart, ending his life in an instant.

  The camp was now fully engulfed in flames, the fire roaring as it consumed everything in its path. The remaining enemies were in disarray, shouting orders that were lost in the crackling of the fire. One of them noticed his fallen comrades and drew his weapon, his eyes searched the fog for the unseen assailant.

  Kaavi didn’t give him the chance to raise an alarm. He moved with deadly precision, his sword a blur as he cut down the third man with a powerful strike that cleaved through flesh and bone. The enemy’s eyes widened in shock as he fell, the life leaving him before he hit the ground.

  The fourth and fifth men finally realized the true danger they were in. They drew their weapons, backing away from the flames and into a defensive formation, their eyes scanning the fog for any sign of Kaavi. But the old warrior was no longer there. He had already circled around them, moving with the grace of a predator stalking its prey.

  One of the men opened his mouth to shout a warning, but Kaavi’s sword silenced him before he could utter a word. The fifth man, now alone, swung his weapon wildly, fear gripping him as he tried to fend off an attacker he couldn’t see.

  Kaavi stepped into the man’s guard, his movements calm and deliberate. He parried the wild swing with ease and drove his sword into the man’s chest, the blade piercing his heart with deadly accuracy. The man gasped, his weapon slipping from his grasp as he crumpled to the ground.

  The camp was silent save for the crackling of the fire and the distant cries of the night creatures. The five enemies lay dead, their blood staining the earth, and the fire continued to rage, casting long shadows across the valley.

  But Kaavi’s task was not yet complete.

  He turned his attention to the centre of the camp, where the final and most dangerous presence awaited. The man stepped forward, emerging from the shadows with a slow, deliberate stride. He was tall and broad-shouldered, with a cruel smile etched across his face. His dark robes billowed around him, and in his hand, he held a massive sword that glowed with a faint, ominous light.

  “You’ve got some skill, old man,” the leader said.

  His voice deep and laced with disdain. “But you’ve made a mistake coming here. You might have taken out my men, but you won’t find me so easy to kill.”

  Kaavi regarded the man with cold eyes, saying nothing. He had no interest in engaging in idle banter. The leader’s confidence was a weakness, and Kaavi intended to exploit it.

  The leader mistook Kaavi’s silence for hesitation and laughed, the sound grating against the night air. “What’s the matter? are you just too scared to speak? You think you can hide behind your tricks and ambushes, that won’t save you now.”

  He raised his sword, the blade crackling with energy as he prepared to strike. “Face me head-on if you have any courage left!”

  Kaavi remained silent, his grip on his sword firm and steady. He would not be goaded into a reckless attack. Instead, he waited, his body poised like a coiled spring, ready to unleash deadly force at the right moment.

  The leader’s eyes narrowed as he realized his taunts were falling on deaf ears. “So that’s how it is, huh? Fine. I’ll come to you!”

  With a roar, the leader charged, his massive sword cutting through the air with terrifying speed and force. The ground shook under the weight of his steps as he closed the distance between them, his blade aimed to cleave Kaavi in two.

  Kaavi sidestepping the strike with a fluid motion. The leader’s sword bit into the ground where Kaavi had stood a moment before, sending up a shower of dirt and rocks. Before the leader could recover, Kaavi struck.

  His sword flashed in the firelight as he aimed a precise slash at the leader’s exposed side. The leader barely managed to deflect the blow with a grunt, his eyes narrowing in frustration. Kaavi was already moving again, his sword a blur as he launched a series of quick, controlled strikes aimed at the leader’s weak points.

  The leader’s confidence began to waver as he realized he was being outmanoeuvred. Kaavi’s attacks were relentless, each strike calculated to exploit the smallest of openings. The leader was forced to go on the defensive, his powerful strikes losing their edge as he struggled to keep up with Kaavi’s speed and precision.

  The old warrior’s focus unwavering. He could see the leader’s frustration growing, his movements becoming more erratic as he tried to land a decisive blow. But Kaavi gave him no such opportunity. He parried the leader’s attacks with ease, countering with lightning-fast strikes that kept his opponent off balance.

  The leader let out a snarl of rage, his arrogance giving way to desperation. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? Hiding in the shadows, picking off my men one by one. But you can’t keep this up forever!”

  Kaavi didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. The leader’s words were the ramblings of a man who knew he was losing, and Kaavi had no intention of indulging him. He pressed his advantage, his sword darting forward in a series of feints that kept the leader guessing.

  Finally, Kaavi saw the opening he had been waiting for…