Volume Two: The Iron-Blooded Baron Chapter 128: The Defense of Nolan Castle (II)

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The pirate who had obtained the key waited, observing the guards to ensure they had truly departed, before cautiously unlocking his cell door. One could hardly blame him for his wariness; the guards had made them suffer far too much.

Once his own door was open, he hurried to unlock the cells of three other companions on the same level. They were on the top floor; there were more captives in the two levels below, but the guard’s key could not open those doors. The three of them had no choice but to abandon their comrades and make their escape.

Inside their cells, the three Toba pirates changed into clothing left behind by the guards, disguising themselves as laborers working in the castle. Their own clothes were far too filthy and tattered; without a disguise, they would be spotted and stopped before they could even reach the castle gates.

Dressed in their new attire, they crept out of the cells. With heads bowed and carrying shovels and tools snatched from the corridor, they mimicked the gait of construction workers finishing their shift and headed toward the castle gate.

Although the Lord had already taken up residence in Norland Castle, some quarters remained under construction, and workers toiled there daily. Consequently, the soldiers stationed within the castle paid no mind to the three men. Furthermore, with night having fallen and word spreading of the pirates' arrival, everyone was on edge, making them even less likely to scrutinize three grimy-looking laborers.

When the three reached the gates, the guards cast a few glances their way but neither stopped nor interrogated them, letting them pass through. The three pirates were overcome with relief.

Once clear of the fortress, they bolted toward the forest lake, desperate to reach their father, Asedan, and deliver crucial intelligence.

Though they had arrived at Norland Castle by water, they only knew the general direction. Now, in the pitch-black night, they could only press forward blindly. Yet, as they fumbled through the darkness, they encountered "well-meaning" individuals.

They heard voices shouting, "The pirates have escaped! Catch them!"

Suddenly, five or six groups carrying torches appeared around them, searching for the fugitives. Terrified, the three men scrambled toward the direction where there were no torches or shouts.

As they ran, they suddenly spotted a vast encampment ahead, lit by numerous campfires. At that moment, the bright autumn moon, previously obscured by clouds, emerged. In the silvery light, they clearly saw dozens of ships with shark-headed prows anchored on the lake.

The three Toba pirates wept with joy. They had not expected such fortune—to escape through a gauntlet of pursuers and successfully find their destination.

After offering silent thanks to the Goddess of the Sea, they sprinted toward the Toba camp by the lakeshore.

Just then, the sharp *thrum* of bowstrings cut through the air. At least a dozen arrows flew toward them simultaneously.

One pirate, having suffered a leg injury while imprisoned, lagged behind and was struck by two arrows. One hit him squarely in the back, killing him instantly. The remaining two, seeing the danger, dared not look back at their comrade’s corpse and pressed on.

Though they too were struck by arrows, the wounds were not fatal. While running, they shouted to the pirates in the camp in the Singar language, identifying themselves and pleading for rescue.

Asedan had not yet retired; he was inspecting the sentry posts. This was their first day ashore, and he remained vigilant, knowing the dangers of a surprise attack—a lesson learned from the heavy losses suffered by Toba bands previously ambushed at night by the Brick people.

Upon receiving the report from the sentry at the gate, Asedan hurried to the entrance. By the moonlight, and from a distance of only a few dozen paces, he recognized the men and immediately ordered the gates opened to provide cover.

As the pirates inside the camp raised a shield wall to receive them, their Brick pursuers vanished. The pirates brought the two wounded men and the body of their fallen comrade back into the camp.

Breathless, the two wounded pirates entered and knelt before Asedan. The one who had secured the key wept, saying, "Father, I have returned. I thought I would never see you again."

Asedan showed no joy; instead, he was consumed by rage. He kicked the man who had just spoken to the ground and roared, "Iboka, you cowardly fool! How dare you show your face to me? Even the little girls on Toba Island have more courage than you!

"You fought a losing battle, you were captured by the Bricks for so long, and you have the gall to return? Don't think that because I saved you from the Bricks, I intend to spare you—I only did it so I could slaughter you cowards myself and honor our fallen brothers!"

Hearing this, Iboka was terrified. He crawled forward to cling to Asedan’s leg, crying, "Father, you cannot kill me! Though I was captured, I did not surrender to the Bricks. We risked our lives to escape the prison to bring you vital intelligence. Please, do not kill me!"

By now, the pirates who had been sleeping were awakened by the commotion. Seeing Iboka’s shameful display of begging, some cursed, "Shameless! Is this the same Iboka who once fought three men at once?"

"Bah!" Another spat at him, shouting, "You pig-born fool! You spineless coward! We don’t need Father to do it; we want to kill you right now and chop you into fish bait!"

With these two leading the way, a torrent of insults rained down from the other pirates, leaving the wounded men paralyzed with fear.

Just as they trembled, a thunderous voice commanded, "Shut your mouths, all of you!"

It was Asedan. He silenced the crowd; the power to judge these men rested with him alone.

Asedan took a double-headed battle axe from a nearby pirate and ordered Iboka and his companion to be pressed down onto two wooden stumps. Their faces were shoved hard against the rough, circular grain of the wood. Wood splinters pierced their skin, yet they dared not cry out in pain, for the Toba pirates despised cowardice above all else.