It took all of Shin’s will to fight down the terrible urge to yell out ‘Psych!’

Somehow, though, he didn’t think the other guards could be convinced that this was all some drunken prank. That this was a hilarious joke stabbing, and the decidedly mongrel-like ears atop his and his packmates’ now-exposed heads were fake. The humans were all deeply drunk, and Shin could be very convincing, but he had to confess that such a feat of persuasion was likely beyond his talents.

Besides, Higen had already drawn another dagger and hurled it straight for the closest guard, who collapsed bonelessly with the blade buried deep in his eye socket. That struck Shin as something of a definitive statement on the matter.

But why weren’t the guards swarming them yet? The kobolds were outnumbered almost eight to one. They were practically trapped in a confined area. It didn’t even seem as if Shin’s ultimate plan had begun to take its toll yet. Even the simplest of tacticians would have known that the best move, the only move, was to attack immediately and with overwhelming force.

Instead, nearly half of the guards made a break for the door, trampling and battering one another in a panicked attempt to flee. Another handful were stricken in their spots, staring in disbelief at their two fallen comrades. Only five at most were making the correct play, dropping their bottles as they struggled their swords free.

It occurred to Shin that this was the first actual fight any of the guards had ever been in. Not once in all their years lording over the zone had they ever been in anything close to real danger. They had no idea what to do. Maybe the kobolds could reach the gate after all.

Shin hissed back to Higen and Hanbun, pulling his dagger out of the stout guard. “Window.”

They nodded, and then all three pressed forward.

The first guard to reach them knew how to wield his weapon, but not that he should have waited for the others instead of attempting to face the kobolds one against three. He lunged at Shin with his shortsword, the less-skilled kobold barely managing to turn the killing blow aside. The guard raised his free arm, clearly intending to smash his off-balance target to the ground. In a one-on-one duel, he’d have already won. And by the savage grin on his face, he knew it.

But this wasn't a duel, and Higen was inside his reach by then, snaking under the guard’s attempted blow to drive his dagger directly into the human's armpit. Four on three.

The guard furthest back turned bone white at the sight of his bellicose comrade falling, a little mark popping above his head to signal his state of Disadvantage. Shin immediately raised his voice, face smeared in blood as he pointed towards the shocked guard. “You're next.”

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Opportunism - Break Ranks: Opposing the Disadvantaged target’s Presence, the Schemer attempts to shatter the morale of a shaken foe. A target affected by Break Ranks will gain the Fear status. If the check is failed by ten or more, they gain the Terror status instead.

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The guard immediately threw down his weapon, rushing to join the throng still attempting to force their way through the door.

Three on three.

Higen snatched the shortsword from the dying guard’s hand, flanked on either side by Shin and Hanbun as the three remaining guards closed ranks. Both sides kept their blades raised and ready as they slowly circled one another. Neither group seemed willing to make the first move, and before the guards realized it they had completely reversed positions with the kobolds.

Shin winked, and then he and his packmates whirled around and crashed straight through the window that was now behind them, leaving behind three dumbfounded guards as they escaped into the greater outpost.

Just a little further. Shin could taste it. They just had to get to the levers that operated the gate. And then…

There was no further need for that thought. It seemed that the first guards to force their way out of the mess hall had the same idea. Shin could only watch as the axe smashed into the gate controls, rendering them inoperable even if the three kobolds somehow managed to kill every last guard in the outpost.

Panting with exertion, the axe-wielding guard propped his weapon up on his shoulder as he turned to face the three intruders. “Goin’ somewhere?” he wheezed, the four guards standing directly in front of the inoperable gate drawing their bows. “Nah. I don’t think you are.”

Many of the humans had managed to shove their way out of the mess hall by this point, the sight of their trapped foes miraculously reigniting their courage. Chuckling now as they caught their breath, they moved to surround the three kobolds, Shin and Higen and Hanbun back-to-back with weapons bared.

The guard with the axe took a moment to wipe his arm across his sweat-drenched forehead before swaggering forward. “Well now. Don’t know what you are. But I don’t think you’re gonna fit on the mantle, eh?” He roared with laughter, calling out to the others. “Eh? We’re gonna need a bigger trophy display, right lads?”

The guards joined in his bloody-minded amusement, braying their approval as they inched forward. Axe clapped a meaty hand to his thick belly, guffawing so hard that he was actually wincing in pain. This was it, then. After every plan, after every triumph. Their preordained fate still unchanged.

And then the gate shuddered.

“Eh?!” Axe spun around, his mirth forgotten. “What’s thaaaaugh?!”

He doubled over as the gate screamed again, clutching at his stomach with an agonized groan. More and more of the guards joined in, starting to realize that perhaps their shortness of breath and the terrible heat burrowing its way through their guts wasn’t simply from excitement and fear. That maybe, something much worse for them was going on.

The guards had been around much longer than Shin, but he still knew a few things they apparently did not. Which mushrooms were toxic. Not to be so trusting of free drinks. Always strike while you have the Advantage.

Maybe a few of the guards would be able to learn those lessons in the short time they had left. But it was doubtful. Because the gate only gave one more tortured groan before it burst open, all four bow wielding humans sent flying as the combined force of Gero and the two other Brutes splintered the thick wooden barricade into firewood.

From there, matters took a decided swing.

The guards still outnumbered the kobolds two to one, but the combined effects of the surprise reinforcements and the poisoned wine utterly evaporated any advantage they might have had. Choro and Karikari had already taken over the watchtowers, raining down arrows upon the sickened humans with unerring accuracy. Gero and her Brutes went through the clustered guards like a scythe through wheat, each swing of her brutal club leaving shattered bodies in her wake. And any guards who managed to break free soon found themselves swarmed by the other kobolds, dragged down screaming.

Shin found himself losing focus as the bedlam went its bloody course. This was truly happening. They’d snatched victory from countless generations of defeat. The Biggest Plan had actually–

He could only flinch as something buzzed past his ear, a wet thud and a gurgle of pain sounding out directly behind him. Shin turned around to find Axe, clearly just moments away from bringing his name-sake weapon down on the kobold’s head. But now there was a dagger buried in his throat, the human collapsing to his knees.

Higen breezed past Shin without a word, collecting his dagger from the guard’s neck and claiming his axe as well. The wild kobold straightened up, his face a mask of blood as he met his one-time rival’s blank stare.

And then he turned his head, spat, and stalked off again. Lesson learned, Shin. Celebrations only come after the victory.

Judging by the chorus and dings and jubilant howls filling the outpost, however, that victory was at hand. Shin shook himself, then glanced towards the sky. Sure enough, there it was.

Conquest Complete! (Raze/Claim?)

Shin was surrounded then by his overjoyed packmates, their injuries and bruises completely forgotten as they chattered and laughed in victory. The Schemer did his best to keep up with the endless barrage of applause and adulation, though at that moment there was only one voice he wanted to hear.

Fortunately, Gero was not hard to spot.

“What happened to leaving if the gate didn’t open?” Shin grinned up at the woman, her powerful frame coated in sweat and muck and much worse. He wasn’t certain he’d ever seen a finer sight. “Forgot that part, did we?”

“I didn’t forget.” Gero was unable to resist a grin of her own. “Hasn’t been twenty minutes yet.”

Well. Who was Shin to argue with that logic?

Momo rushed to them, her eyes sparkling. “We’ve got some injuries, but everyone made it! Everyone!”

Shin turned, realizing that the eyes of all of his packmates were on him. They clearly expected a speech. And to his surprise, Shin realized he didn’t have one. How uncharacteristic. Normally, he’d have had the victory speech prepared well before the actual plan was. Luckily, he didn’t need one. In this moment, there was only one possible thing to say.

Shin raised his hand, and the entire pack fell silent. “What we just accomplished…this was the goal of every mongrel that ever came before us. They all lived, and died, wanting exactly one thing. So for all of them, and for ourselves, it’s time to finally claim our greatest prize. Shall we?”

Nothing more needed to be said. And so reverently, almost solemnly, but with a deeply held pride, each and every kobold ceremoniously dropped trow and set about peeing over every square inch of the outpost.

Truly, this was the smell of Victory.

.