Chapter 38: Assassin

You have killed a goblin worker!

You have killed a goblin worker!

You have killed a goblin worker!

You have killed a goblin worker!

Slaying the four duped cooks went off without a hitch. None of the goblin warriors so much as glanced in my direction.

Leaving the blood of the four to stain the ground, I crept through the shadows and behind the nearest sick goblin. Vomit liberally spattered his armor and his head lay flat on the table. He was snoring. The warrior had fallen unconscious, and I thrust my blade through his exposed neck without regret.

You have killed a goblin warrior!

Once more, my actions went unnoticed.

Slipping away from the corpse, I began hunting my next victim. The chieftain had not stopped his bellowing. Even though all his repeated calls went unanswered, he kept at it. Perhaps, it gives him comfort, I thought idly.

Setting aside my speculation over the chief’s behavior, I focused on the task at hand, and over the next few minutes, carried out my grim work with ruthless efficiency.

You have killed a goblin warrior!

Your sneaking has increased to level 31.

You have reached level 14!

You have killed a goblin warrior!

…

…

You have killed a goblin warrior!

Your sneaking has increased to level 32.

You have killed a goblin warrior!

Your shortswords has increased to level 25.

Halfway through my slaughter, my luck ran out, and one of sick warriors noticed that his fellow—whom he had first mistook for being asleep—was in fact sitting in a widening pool of blood.

Even half-senseless with pain, the warrior retained enough awareness to realize that something was amiss and he raised the alarm. “Ware! Intruder. Knorl is dead!”

As if awakening from a daze, the chieftain raised his head, and took in the hall and, after a stunned moment, seemed to realize that over a score of his followers were dead. His head whipped around to the back of the throne, but seeing the five dire wolves were still chained there, he turned back to his warriors. “RISE you fools!” he roared. “There is a foe amongst you.” Following his own orders, the goblin leader rose unsteadily to his feet and grabbed his greatclub.

I was on my way to my next target, but at the chieftain’s rallying cry, I aborted my maneuver and slipped deeper into the nearest shadow where I trusted to my skill in sneaking to hide me.

Rousing themselves out of their various states of distress, the nearly two dozen remaining goblin warriors shambled and stumbled to their feet, crying in alarm or disgust as they slipped over vomit, blood, and excrement. Urged on by their leader, they began half-heartedly searching for me.

My eyes glinted coldly. There was neither order nor discipline to the warriors’ search, and if they continued in this manner there was little chance of them finding me. In fact, the goblin leader’s commands had made my own task easier, dispersing as it did, his followers even further apart in clumps of ones and twos.

To my disappointment, the chief himself did not budge from his place on the stage. I had been hoping he would descend into the cavern’s shadows where I had a much better chance of striking at him unseen. But for now, I would have to content myself with killing his followers.

A warrior staggered passed me, cursing foully as he stubbed his toe on a nearby table leg. After a quick glance around to ascertain none of his fellows were nearby, I rose from my half-crouch and dashed two steps forward. Coming up behind the oblivious warrior, I wrenched back his head and slit his throat.

You have killed a goblin warrior! Multiple hostile entities have failed to detect you!

The kill was not spotted and I dropped back into hiding unseen. Tiptoeing through the shadows, I repositioning myself and took a moment to observe the goblins movements.

Two warriors, who were weaving unsteadily between the tables, would pass close by hiding spot if they stayed on their current course. The first’s stomach was heaving convulsively, while the second was coughing incessantly. Both were preoccupied with their ailments.

I hesitated, torn between ambushing the pair and letting them pass unmolested. While neither appeared particular aware of their surroundings, trying to take down both quietly was risky.

My hands tightened on my blades. The goblins know I am here already. Even if I was caught in the act of slaying the pair, I would not be surrendering much of an advantage. Decided, I waited for the two warriors to draw closer.

Two hostile entities have failed to detect you!

The pair passed within a few feet, yet still didn’t see me. When the goblins were two steps beyond me, I leapt upwards from my crouch and raised my blades up high. In a flash, I brought both down simultaneously.

You have killed a goblin warrior!

Your attack against a goblin warrior has been deflected!

The first goblin died instantly as the sword in my right hand plunged into his back and squarely through his heart. My attack against the second goblin did not fare as well. The point of the sword in my left hand was slightly off kilter and instead of penetrating the warrior’s hide armor, the blade skittered off.

The goblin spun around wildly, and even in his ill-disposed state spotted me immediately.

A hostile entity has detected you! You are no longer hidden.

My foe’s eyes widened and he fumbled for the still-sheathed sword at his side. Biting off a curse, I lunged forwards. The goblin was not nearly quick enough to stop me, and I struck high and low simultaneously.

You have critically injured a goblin warrior!

You have critically injured a goblin warrior!

Unfortunately, neither blow was instantly fatal, and a painful howl escaped the warrior. I spun around. Delaying neither to finish my opponent—he’d die soon enough from his wounds anyway—nor to observe the rest of the goblins’ reaction, I scurried into the deepest shadows I could find.