Squad Games — A Mercenary Company Turn-Based/Tactical LitRPG

SELECT MISSION

KILL REDBLADE

DESTROY WARG DEN, £2

KILL SAL

LIBERATE EISENBERG

Lothar’s mission board seemed to stare at him, his fate written in that short list. There had been times, since arriving in Avolo, when he had felt like he had been given choices about what to do, and how to do it. Now those choices seemed like a mirage. He had been pushed in one direction all along.

The warg den was an irrelevance: the money offered wouldn’t change his situation. No. Taking on Redblade, either at the brigand’s headquarters, or Eisenberg, was his only option. It had become inevitable.

Despite coming to such a conclusion—or maybe because of it—Lothar dithered. I don’t like the thought of having no choice.

He sought out Femke.

‘What’s next, Lothar?’ she asked him.

‘Taking on Redblade comes next.’

‘Redblade, not Sal? You saw what his men did to Murder. He’s still not right.’

‘Oh, I’d like to deal with Sal and his siblings. I’d like to take on The Golden Blades and win. But right now that would be suicide, and I’m not quite at that point yet.’

‘I see. Give it time.’

Her dry humour made him crack a smile, the first time he’d done so since The Blades had barged their way into The Rose. ‘There’s something else I wanted to get your opinion on. Mila.’

‘What about her?’

‘She asked me if she could entertain men in her room. I’m in two minds about it all. I wanted a woman’s perspective.’

‘And what would a woman such as myself come up with that you can’t work out for yourself?’

Lothar wasn’t sure. He’d already weighed it up from a business perspective. But it seemed there was more to the decision than money. ‘I dunno. Whether it’s right or wrong, I suppose.’

‘And only women know right from wrong?’

Lothar shrugged.

Femke sighed. ‘Alright. I’ll go talk with her.’

‘Thanks,’ Lothar said, relieved.

‘What can you tell me about how Redblade operates?’

Lothar was grilling Steben, the mayor of Eisenberg, before he made the final decision to take back the town.

‘Redblade is cunning, and has complete control over his brigands. But he won’t be in Eisenberg. He’s gone back to his fort. He put the town under his second in command, Brickhouse.’

‘You’re sure about that?’

‘Yes. Redblade rarely leaves the hillfort, and never for long. It’s impregnable and gives him control of the region.’

Impregnable? That didn’t bode well for Lothar’s next mission. But he’d worry about that another day. ‘Alright. Tell me about Brickhouse then.’

‘Not as clever as Redblade. A brute. He’s loyal to his boss, and a bully to everyone else. Once he had Eisenberg, he made sure people understood he was in charge. Nasty. Had our smith whipped, just for being big and strong. Only stopped because they need the man to make their weapons for them. I dread to think what’s going on there as we speak.’

‘That’s it on Brickhouse? Nothing else? What does he fight with?’

‘A big weapon. A pike. He even calls it a name.’

‘It has a name?’

‘Aye. That matters?’

‘Yes, it matters. I suspect this hillfort Redblade took offered up treasure and weapons. Magic weapons.’

‘I see. Breaker. Yeah, Breaker, he called it.’

‘And how many thugs did Redblade leave with this Brickhouse?’

‘No more than twenty.’

‘Twenty?’

‘Aye. Our mine is very important to Redblade. You can handle twenty?’

Lothar shook his head. ‘We’ll have to. I suppose some good may come of it. If by some chance we actually succeed, that’s twenty brigands out of the picture. We took out ten the other day. He can’t have many left at his fort. Can he?’

‘No one knows for sure. But he brought about forty to Eisenberg. Let’s say he left another twenty to guard the fort. Taking out twenty might cut his force by a third.’

‘Alright. There’s one more thing, Steben. I’m not risking the lives of all my mercs out of the goodness of my heart.’

The mayor nodded, a nervous look on his face. ‘We’ll give you what we have, Stiff. But it’s not much.’

‘Let me put it this way,’ Lothar said. ‘If I take Eisenberg, I get the proceeds of the mine. Your people will get paid and be left in peace to live their lives. But that’s my price. Your alternatives are to stick with Redblade, or go ask The Golden Blades for help.’

‘Those aren’t much of an alternative, Stiff.’

‘No. They’re not.’

‘Alright. I guess I don’t really have a choice but to agree.’

‘No. I don’t see that you do.’

‘Stiff!’

It was Wade. He didn’t look happy.

‘I hear you’re taking The Baron to Eisenberg. And Mila as well?’

Femke had spoken with Mila. Somehow, Auntie had persuaded the girl that a career in medicine might be more appropriate than the profession Mila was interested in. As well as taking lessons from her, Femke wanted her to get experience in the field. Which was music to Lothar’s ears. He had little doubt he would have need of their skills.

‘I’ve got a mission to do, Stiff. Murder still isn’t up to work. Not sure he ever will be again. If you take The Baron and Mila, that just leaves me and Mags.’

‘I know, Wade, I know. But Eisenberg is going to need everything I’ve got. Can this job not wait?’

‘No. It’s time dependent and I’ve shaken on it. You want the details?’

‘No. I trust you to deal with that. Look, this is a one off. But maybe we need to separate the teams in future so you’ve always got a reliable crew. For now—what about Stricken?’

‘That bastard? For real?’

‘He’d be a third thief for you. He’s handy with that cleaver. I know I said I’d never use him again, but that was mainly when there were women in the crew. And we don’t have anyone else available.’

Wade was silent. Lothar could tell he was angry. ‘I guess I don’t have much of a choice,’ he said at last.

The thief’s words sounded similar to those of Steben, the mayor, and Lothar didn’t feel good about forcing people into a corner. But I’ve been forced into a corner as well. If I don’t break out of Avolo and defeat Redblade, I’ll be in Sal’s grip forever. The Golden Blades will crush me, sure as eggs are eggs.

‘None of us have the luxury of choices right now, Wade. We all have to do what needs to be done.’