Chapter 39: Death Lurks in the Shadows

Of course, as soon as the other goblins heard their fellow’s death throes, they converged on his location.

But even before the warriors had reorientated themselves, I was long gone from the vicinity. Ducking from shadow to shadow, I wove an erratic path towards the cavern’s exit. My plan was to flee the chamber in the event that any of the goblins spotted me.

Though after only a dozen yards, I realized my precautions were unnecessary as I slipped entirely from the goblins’ sights again.

Multiple hostile entities have failed to detect you! You are hidden once more.

Well, well, I murmured. It seemed that given my relatively high stealth and the goblins’ debilitated state, I had an even greater advantage in the darkness than I first realized. Reversing direction, I headed back to the converging goblins and searched for a straggler.

My escape into darkness had not gone unnoticed by the goblin leader. “FIND HIM!” he roared, but he still made no move to take up the search himself. Ignoring the chief, I found another target and plunged my shortsword through his neck.

You have killed a goblin warrior!

With the deed done, I slipped away to find another mark.

~~~

I was methodical. Systematic.

One by one, I ran down lone goblins and dispatched them quickly and silently. Meanwhile, the chief ranted and raved from the stage. I was content to let him do so. Every one of his warriors that I slew was one less who would be around to aid him once we finally clashed.

It took the warriors a while to grasp that death was stalking them from behind. The realization galvanized them into some semblance of order and the survivors formed into two large groups to hunt me.

It was too little, too late.

By then, I had felled a dozen more of their number and only ten remained. Concealed in the near center of the room, I studied the two bands of roving goblins while I decided which to attack first. The warriors were mostly recovered from the effects of the darts’ poisons, and already looked more alert and dangerous.

All the same, I felt confident of my ability to defeat their two five-man squads—as long as I managed to meet each separately and their leader didn’t intervene. I glanced up at the stage. Leaning forward on this throne, the goblin leader was still spitting furious orders to his followers. At least there didn’t appear any danger of him interfering soon.

Behind the throne, I saw that the two adult dire wolves had finally roused. Restrained by their chains, the beasts lay on all fours and panted heavily as they observed the chaos below them.

The many deaths I had dealt in the hall had honed my skills, and now I felt measurably stronger. Turning my gaze inwards, I reviewed the changes to myself and invested my new attribute points.

You have reached level 15! You have 2 attribute points available.

Your sneaking has increased to level 34.

Your shortswords has increased to level 27.

Your dodging has increased to level 21.

Your two weapon fighting has increased to level 23.

Your Dexterity has increased to rank 9.

Returning my attention to the two goblin squads, I waited until they were on nearly opposite ends of the hall, before creeping through the shadows towards the nearer group.

It’s time to end this.

~~~

You have killed a goblin warrior!

I killed the trailing goblin of the five-man team before the others realized battle was upon them. Stepping past the corpse, I engaged the next warrior in the squad.

But the heavy thud of his fellow’s lifeless body had alerted my target, and he spun around, sweeping his axe before him.

I dodged under the weapon’s arc. In the same motion, I slashed out with my twin blades. The swords were a dark blur as they severed the warrior’s tendons both below and above his knees.

You have crippled a goblin warrior!

The warrior crumpled to the ground. Clutching his now-useless legs, he shrieked in agony. Knowing I was out of time, I didn’t leap back to my feet. Instead, with my opening gambit completed, I dropped straight into a roll and retreated swiftly, deftly avoiding the thrust spears and sword of the other three goblins in the process.

A few yards away, I bounced back to my feet. At my back, I heard the shouts of the other squad. They were racing to my position. Up ahead, the three remaining warriors from the first squad were closing fast too. I had only a second before they were on me.

Setting my stance, I waited.

The three goblins were hollering, forgetting all semblance of discipline in their eagerness to get at their elusive prey. Reaching me, the three attacked in an uncoordinated and messy fashion.

The goblin on the left thrust out his spear. I spun away, dodging the weapon to place myself on the trio’s left flank. The swordsman—in the middle and a step ahead of the others—slashed out with his blade, but fouled his strike on his companion’s spear. The goblin on the right tried to lunge passed the others to get at me and predictably crashed into them, sending both stumbling.

I didn’t allow the goblins to recover. Nipping forward, I plunged my right blade into the first spearman’s torso, before slipping behind the still-unbalanced swordsman and skewering him with my sword in my left hand.

The last goblin swung around. Dropping his weapon, he stared at me with wide and fearful eyes. Mercilessly, I thrust both my blades through his heart.

You have killed 3 goblin warriors!

I stepped back from the corpses and looked up. The battle with the goblins had lasted just a few seconds, and the second squad were still only halfway across the room.

Feeling another’s gaze burning into me, I turned towards the stage. The chief was glaring hatefully at me. Pasting a mocking smile on my face, I raised my bloody weapons in salute to him.

The goblin leader’s face turned purple with rage. With a roar of anger, he rose from his throne and stomped forward.

Hahaha, that’s done it, I thought with a more a genuine smile. Spinning around and leaving the chief with no target for his fury, I disappeared into the darkness.