Chapter 55: Into The Darkness
They moved quietly through the forest, feet crunching over leaves and snapping twigs, the trees standing taller the deeper they went.
Noah followed just behind Leo, his eyes scanning their surroundings. Arlo walked beside him, hands in his pockets, whistling softly.
It didn’t take long before they reached a wide clearing. There, in the open, a group of people waited.
They were rough-looking men and women, most of them bearing scars, patchy armor, and cloaks pulled low over their eyes.
A few had swords, while others carried crossbows or cudgels.
They were gang members. Smugglers. Criminals. All gathered under the leadership of a man with a jagged scar across his lips, one remaining good eye, and a gold tooth that caught the light of the sun.
Leo stepped forward and spoke to him. Words were exchanged, curt and quiet.
Then, Leo pulled a pouch from his coat and handed it over. The scar-lipped man weighed the pouch in his hand, nodded, and called out something to a man in the back, who was tall and wiry, with a grim face.
"That’s our guide." Leo said, motioning for them to follow.
The man approached and tossed each of them a worn hooded cloak. "Put it on. You walk through these woods dressed as you are, and someone will question it. Don’t worry, the equipment you need will be waiting for you there."
Noah caught the cloak and swung it over his shoulders. Beside him, Arlo made a face as if the cloak offended him.
"Smells like wet dog," Arlo muttered.