Post by BreadPudding337 9:47 AM, April 10th, 20XX

We need to do something. Tell your preachers. Tell your community leaders! Get the Passivity out of our lives! One day is too long. Ten days is unacceptable!

I climbed into a long stone tunnel. A small window shone with yellow and blue lights. Curious and since I was still waiting for Lore anyway, I peeked through it into a truly massive cavern, a third of which had a lake where indistinct forms played in the water. A few large fires along the shore had giant pots cooking on them where large rodent cooks stirred the soup within and ladled it out to the smaller rats walking on two legs. Every time a rat would grab a bowl they would scurry off into lean-tos which then shook rhythmically. Then I saw it, near one of the blue glowing mushrooms, and my eyes widened. Two rats. They were… they were really going at it. Yep, that was definitely… something… And Was… was the rat on the bottom okay? I turned my head sideways to get a different angle.

“These monsters really have no finesse,” Lore whispered from just next to me and I nearly jumped. Totally did not notice him.

I nodded to one couple. “That one there seems like they’re doing fine.” My cheeks burned. Why did I just say that?

“Not at all. See how bored their partner is? A sure sign that no one is enjoying themselves.”

“Seems like we should put them out of their misery.”

“Doable, but it will be rough.”

I leaned near Lore and whispered, “There’s too many of them, right?”

He grinned and leaned closer. I could see his perfect skin and feel the heat of his breath. His eyes were a bedroom fantasy come to life. Perfect bow lips moved. He’d said something?

“What?”

He looked up in exasperation. “We don’t need to massacre them all right away. Doing things like that is the equivalent of jumping in front of them, waving your arms and yelling, ‘kill me now!’”

“Then what do we do?”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re an assassin.”

“Oh, right.” Maybe I was starting to show signs of being inflicted with the same brain fart-ness as Crimea. Or maybe I needed time away from Lore. I gently cleared my throat. “Are we going to assassinate them together or separately?”

“Separate. You’re currently too low leveled and your stealth skill is minuscule. Go grind it.”

I scowled at him, but he did have more experience in the PPVS so I became an obedient little pupil and shuffled off to a dark corner to practice my ninja skills.

Instead of jumping into the fray and dying right away, I figured I should try to think more like an assassin. First, review what I’ve learned so far, then apply it.

I Observed my victim, a certain rat with tufted ears that appeared ready to leave the pervy pack.

[Rat Breeder. Level 1. 20 HP. 5 Mana.]

Sweet. The perfect assassination target!

It walked along a well-worn path towards a small packed dirt tunnel. I used every trick in the Tome of Stealth I could remember, keeping low, taking careful steps matching the rhythm of my target’s, and staying near shadowy walls or objects. The breeder rat suspected nothing and even did a little shuffle dance just before entering the tunnel.

Honestly, I was surprised at how easy sneaking around came to me and at how my heart raced with glee. This rat would die and it had no clue that death had come for it. I grinned.

Congratulations! By using what you know effectively, your stealth skill has earned a new level! Keep it up and you might earn the ability to hide from low-level sentient creatures!

After nearly stumbling, I waved the prompt away and continued to follow the second lesson, stalking my target.

Before I entered the tunnel, I peered ahead and planned my path through it. It was going to be difficult. While the area had terrible lighting and uneven walls perfect for obfuscating me, it was still a small tunnel leading to a lit side room. Some rat could easily notice me.

The little breeder continued down the hall and I stalked after it. Just as it entered the tunnel room another rat exited and walked toward me. Shit! It probably hadn’t noticed me though, or it would have sounded an alarm.

I dove deep into a nearby dark corner and crouched down. As it neared, I stilled my breath and activated my invisibility spell. This new breeder walked by without noticing me and I nearly cried from relief.

Wait a minute. This is the perfect chance for a murder of opportunity! There were no other rats along the hall and I was behind this rat.

My heart sped. I stepped from my alcove, cast Add Water to my swords and jumped toward the rat! For some reason, I could almost see the placement of its little rodent heart so I stabbed my blades past its ribs and into it. Oddly, the breeder didn’t make a noise as if all the air had been pushed out of it. The rat’s tail, on the other hand, thumped wildly smacking the ground and striking my legs until it stilled and collapsed onto the floor.

Too much noise!

This was poorly done, but it was still done. I pulled my swords out and ran toward the room my original target went into, even as the body of the rat I’d just murdered burned.