"Calm down," William said. "I'm telling you the truth. First, we need to find the creature protecting this portal."
The bandit leader wasn't entirely convinced but was willing to try. "Fine," he conceded, "but if you're lying, we'll kill you."
William wasn't scared by the threat. He was confident he could easily defeat all the bandits if it came to a fight.
Now that they had reached an understanding, they moved closer to the bandits to discuss the situation further. Burt, however, disliked being there. These were the bandits who had kidnapped and beaten him, and all he wanted was revenge. He couldn't stand being in their presence and looking at their faces.
"How do we even begin looking for this creature?" the bandit leader asked. "We haven't seen a single creature or any strange movement in this area."
William didn't have an immediate answer. He moved closer to the portal and tried to activate it, but it remained blocked, just as it had when Burt attempted to use it.
