Julian weighed his options, the moonlight casting eerie shadows across his half-masked face.
"This is madness," he whispered, more to himself than to Vykekard.
"There are too many of them. Even if I could get past the outer guards, who knows how many more are waiting inside?"
He observed the patrol patterns again, noting the precision with which they moved. These weren't ordinary bandits or thieves.
Their movements spoke of military training, of discipline forged in the heat of battle.
"I could try to create a diversion, perhaps a controlled fire at the edge of the forest? Or a series of mana explosions to draw their attention away from the western entrance?"
WAHAHA!
Vykekard's laughter resonated in Julian's mind, startling a nearby nocturnal creature that scurried away through the underbrush.
"Sometimes, my boy, the most effective approach is also the most direct!"
Julian frowned, his brow furrowing beneath his mask.
