Day Four. Midnight.

It was just before midnight when I left the Red Rat war camp. Hurrying south through the forest, I headed back to the safe zone to carry out the next part of my plan: causing more mayhem.

With the first of my primary goals—destroying the Long Fangs—seen to, my next task was to find a way out of the sector.

That, however, was easier said than done.

I didn’t fancy depending on either the captain or the druid to escape. For one, I couldn’t fathom a means of accomplishing Mariga’s task, and certainly not in the time that remained to me. For another, I had no wish to bind myself to Talon’s master, the god-emperor.

That left me with only one option: escaping the sector on my own.

To do that, I needed to draw Ishita’s sworn out of the safe zone and somehow get them to drop the shield around the portal so that I could use it to escape. I had a plan—of sorts—for accomplishing that, and it involved the Howlers.

But assuming my scheme failed, which admittedly was likely, I wanted the valley in as much turmoil as possible to make it harder for Erebus and Ishita’s cronies to find me. Hence, the chaos I sought to sow.

I sped south as fast as I could manage. To accomplish what I planned next, I needed to reach the goblin fort before sunrise.

~~~

I completed my journey with an hour to spare. Panting heavily from my long jog through the forest, I skidded to a halt at the edge of the treeline and allowed myself five minutes to recuperate. The clock was ticking.

When it no longer felt as if my lungs were about to explode, I cast lesser imitate.

Energy rippled out of me to clothe me anew in illusion. One minute, I was Michael, a human player. The next, I was Xrex, the lizardman mage sworn to Ishita’s service.

Leaving the safety of the trees, I marched towards the gate. The guards eyed me disinterestedly as I approached.

Multiple hostile entities have failed to pierce your disguise.

Stopping in front of them, I demanded, “Let me through.”

The squad leader stifled a yawn. “What are you doing out here, Xrex?” he asked. His eyes drifted past me to study the dark outline of the forest. “I thought you sworn weren’t supposed to leave the safe zone?”

Good, he knows who I am meant to be. What I intended wouldn’t work otherwise.

“Where I’ve been is of no concern of yours,” I hissed. “Now open the damn gate!”

The squad leader’s gaze snapped back to me, his bored air vanishing, and for a drawn-out moment, he didn’t say anything.

I stifled my trepidation. Had I overplayed my hand?

But no, it seemed not.

“No need to be rude,” the goblin said mildly a second later. Looking over his shoulder at his soldiers, he barked, “Open the gate!”

I inclined my head in thanks, softening my harsh demeanor. Perhaps, contrary to my prediction, Xrex was on more relaxed terms with the goblins than I thought. I doubted it, though.

Feeling the squad leader’s eyes on me, I strode through the gate, and the moment an opportunity presented itself, I slipped behind an intervening building to cloak myself in shadows.

You are hidden.

Step one complete. I was safely in the fort, and my identity as Xrex was established. Now, for some mayhem.

Safe within the darkness, I scanned the area. But for the guards patrolling the inner and outer walls, the fort appeared asleep—which was what I’d been hoping for.

Bent in a half-crouch, I crept towards the closest barracks. Bracing myself against the adjacent wall, I reached out and gently turned down the handle on the door.

It refused to budge. Aargh.

I ran my gaze along the length of the building. All its windows were shuttered as well. Not willing to rattle their locks and risk waking the soldiers within, I searched out another barracks.

It took me five tries before I found one that was open.

Slipping inside the building, I studied the interior. The barracks consisted of a single room that was many times longer than it was wide. A dozen bunks were set against each longer wall, forming two neat rows separated by a narrow walkway. Only half the beds were occupied, though. I counted my targets.

Twenty elite goblin warriors. All sleeping.

Turning back to the door, I searched for a keyhole. There was none, but besides the door, I found a stout iron rod that likely served as a means of locking the door from within.

Sloppy of them not to secure their barracks.

I lifted the bar carefully into place, slotting it through the two rings on either side of the door and barring the entrance. With the door attended to, I drew spider’s bite and turned my attention to the occupants.

It was time to get killing.

~~~

You have backstabbed your target for 100% more damage! You have killed an elite goblin warrior with a fatal blow.

You have backstabbed your target for 100% more damage! You have…

…

I slew my first ten victims silently and without fuss. Asleep and unarmed the soldiers made for perfect targets.

My good fortune didn’t last, of course.

As I tiptoed towards my next victim, things went awry.

For no good reason that I could divine, my intended target groaned and sat up while I was still on the opposite side of the walkway separating the bunk rows.

Perhaps he was an early riser, or perhaps he’d sensed something. Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter. Things were about to get messy.

Fading back into the shadows, I watched the warrior as he rubbed his still-closed eyes. More than a dozen feet separated us, too far for me to rush the goblin without alerting the rest of the barracks. Cursing my misfortune, I crept closer. Perhaps, he’ll go back to sleep.

Ten hostile entities have failed to detect you! You are hidden.

I closed the distance as rapidly as I dared.

The goblin yawned without opening his eyes. I relax slightly. It looked like he was about to go back to sleep.

Abruptly, the goblin’s eyes snapped open to stare in my direction.

I froze in place. My target was more perceptive than his fellows, and somehow, he’d sensed my approach. Squinting, the goblins searched the spot I occupied.

A hostile entity has failed to detect you.

The goblin’s eyes narrowed further. He knew something was amiss, but not what. I began gathering psi. Charming my target was the only hope I had now of stopping his incipient outcry.

The warrior’s gaze slid beyond me, his eyes widening in alarm as he caught sight of his dead bunk mates lying in pools of their own blood.

Damn, I thought. Now that’s done it.

Abandoning both my casting and stealth, I charged forward. I was still too far away, though.

“Wake up!” the warrior roared. “There’s an intr—”

Lunging forward, I sank both my blades deep into the unarmed goblin. Blood bubbled out of his mouth and spurted from his mangled chest. He jerked once, then the light of life faded from his eyes.

You have killed an elite goblin warrior.

The damage, however, had been done already. The remaining nine goblins in the barracks had awoken. Cursing and shouting, they reached for their weapons.

All was not lost yet. If I moved quickly to contain the damage, there was a chance yet that the alarm would not spread outside the building.

Spinning away from the corpse, I sliced open the torso of the goblin in the adjacent bed. The warrior shrieked and tried to roll away. Darting forward, I plunged my second blade through his back.

You have killed an elite goblin warrior.

I dashed to the next rising warrior. He was fumbling for something beneath his bed, his weapons presumably. Without hesitation, I ran him through.

You have killed an elite goblin warrior.

A blade whistled past my ear. I spun about and spied a blur of motion. Raising spider’s bite, I blocked the next incoming blow. My foe snarled in anger as his second attack was foiled. Darting forward, I pierced the warrior through the heart with the blade in my left hand.

You have killed an elite goblin warrior.

On my left, a goblin kneeled on his bed, equipping a quarrel to the crossbow he held. I flew forward, one-stepping through the air to close the distance in a single bound.

The goblin’s head whipped upwards to stare in horror. His mouth dropped open, but before he could plead for his life, I shoved spider’s bite down his throat.

You have killed an elite goblin warrior.

Five down. Five to go.

My gaze darted about the barracks and picked out the remaining goblins gathering at the far end of the room. Unlike their fallen companions, the five had wisely retreated to regroup.

Two in the group were archers and were setting arrows to bows while the other three, with melee weapons in hand, saw to their defense.

“Surrender, you double-crossing son of a whore,” the goblin at the forefront of the five growled harshly. He hefted a broadsword in both his hands and looked to be in command of the group.

Ignoring him—there was no time to waste—I dashed forward, one-stepping to speed me on my way.

I was halfway to my targets when the two archers released in tandem. Throwing myself to the side, I narrowly evaded the first incoming projectile. The second grazed my cheek, scoring a deep furrow of red across it.

An elite goblin warrior has struck you a glancing blow. A goblin’s arrow has pierced your illusion! Your lesser imitate spell has dissipated.

I cursed softly.

I had no choice now but to make certain all the goblins in the barracks died. Otherwise, my plan to lay the blame for these killings on Ishita’s sworn would come to naught. Disregarding the blood pulsing from the wound, I leaped back to my feet and resumed my charge.