The very next second, several crows swept off the branches. As they startled into flight, a sharp whistle cut through the air.
The neck of the lead warhorse burst open, blood gushing like a fountain as it neighed and crashed to the ground.
"Ambush!"
"Draw your weapons!"
But before they could pull their shortswords halfway out, attacks swept from the woods like an ice storm.
Several figures shot from the undergrowth like arrows, blades flashing.
Before one man could react, a spear pierced him from behind. He fell among the dead leaves, still twitching.
Another tried to jump off his horse and flee, only for a thrown rope to coil around his ankle. He was dragged into the trees in an instant, leaving nothing but a pool of blood.
"Aaaah!"
"Don't kill me!"
The screams of horses and men mingled in chaos.
Just two minutes.
Baron Vira's "brothers" lay sprawled across the ground, some dead, others unconscious.
Baron Vira hid behind a pile of saddles, trembling and muttering to himself. "A noble... I'm a noble... you can't kill a noble..."
A scar-faced member of the Snow Oath approached, dragging a heavy blade, and sneered, "Heh heh heh! Nobles are exactly who we're here to kill!"
Another member of the Snow Oath chimed in, "This bastard... let's just butcher him and avenge Barnes's soul!"
"Wait." A woman's voice, as cool as snow.
She was the leader of the Snow Oath group, clad in a black cloak. Her bow was still in her hand, but her gaze was sharper than any blade.
She was exquisitely beautiful, yet utterly devoid of warmth, like a finely carved ice sculpture. "We aren't here to vent our anger. We're here to find sacrifices."
"Couldn't we just grab a few commoners? Why go to all this trouble?"