Chapter 16 – The Raid

We spent a good hour slowly creeping around the edge of the forest. I had initially been really excited about actively planning my assault on their base, but I soon learned that doing the legwork of scouting is one of the most tedious processes possible.

I mean… Holy crap.

My skin is crawling from the constant itching of the green foliage. I’m covered by dirt from head to toe from crawling through the mud, trying not to get spotted. My loincloth seems more like a patch of dirt loosely tied together rather than an actual piece of cloth.

The worst thing however, is Wrex.

He doesn’t fare any better than me. Not by a longshot. He is incredibly dirty, and I’m fairly certain he lost several percentages off of the durability of his- my, armor. No. The worst thing is that the guy is too damn happy about it all.

“That was some great exercise, chief!” He grins from ear to ear. “Haven’t felt this sore in ages. Almost felt as if I would never get the sweet smell of grass that has recently been stepped upon by prey again. It’s so… invigorating!” He spread his arms wide. Giving his shoulder joints a good stretch.

“Wrex…” I mutter. A sour expression on my face. “Shut the fuck up.”

I gotta hand it to him though. To watch a goblin sneak about is incredibly fascinating. Seeing as goblins have more flexible joints and a lighter frame, Wrex could perform some pretty damn impressive gymnastics. The sharp claws on both his hands and feet make for excellent tools for scaling trees. His sharp nails dig easily into the bark, allowing him to noiselessly ascend the shaft in mere seconds.

His long and limber arms are also perfectly made for him to quickly crawl on the ground, at a much lower angle and at a much higher speed than any human could ever hope to achieve. It’s fascinating really. I tried to copy his technique, but I just can’t seem to get the hang of my new body. I’m just not used to my arms being able to bend at such angles. I look like a drunk and clumsy version of Gollum.

I mean what the hell. How did even Harvalon manage to master flying so quickly? Jesus christ. I’m glad I didn’t pick centaurs as my starting race. Hell, I would probably still lay sprawled on the ground with a mouth full of dirt back at my base, with Gut taking free potshots on my skull with that darn torture stick of his. I shiver at the thought.

We quickly make our way back towards where the scout has gathered the rest of the warriors. It doesn’t take long for us to find them. I praise myself lucky I ordered them to gather a little way inside the forest, because these little morons are holding a party.

Like seriously. I could hear their screams and laughter from a hundred meters away.

Bloody morons.

I resist the urge to give them all a proper beating. We have plans to make. I gather them all and describe the layout of the enemy territory.

Wrex and I didn’t find anything special around the edges of the large clearing apart from the small cluster of lumberjacks. I picked up a few trails from what might be warrior patrols or hunters heading out in several directions. I didn’t see anyone though.

The real gem of the excursion was what we managed to find closest to the mountain. It was by far the most difficult area for us to observe unnoticed, but we managed to climb a tree to the southwest that was just tall enough for us to spot a cave entrance in the distance.

A freaking cave. How did they even make one this fast? Did they spawn with it? Is it some sort of starting racial trait for subterranean races? Shit. I should have spent some time researching racial traits in the wiki back at base. It would really have helped if I had researched kobolds beforehand.

Anyway. Courtesy of my [Eagle Sight] ability, all I could see was a cave entrance, roughly three meters wide and two meters tall. It’s quite spacious considering how tiny we all are. It will be tough to do a proper cave delving with my current forces. I might get overrun. There are two guards at the entrance. From what I could see, they both wield spears. I reckon they are similar to my own spears, and thus are tier one weapons. I crack a smile knowing that I need to… confiscate those weapons.

Mehehehe.

All in all, I didn’t see much activity. I assume the cave system is extensive and must contain some sort of infrastructure. Otherwise, they would most likely have starved by now. Or at the very least, they wouldn’t have been able to produce those spears. The spears did seem to have the similar brown tint to them, similar to my own crafted copper spears.

I hate the fact that there are too many unknowns in this scenario. I only know three things for certain. One: There are four undefended lumberjacks outside of the base gathering raw materials. Two: The enemy’s base is hidden inside the mountain with an unknown number of soldiers, but at least two fighters with upgraded weapons. Three: There should be at least one roaming patrol with a minimum of two enemies somewhere in the forest. These patrols could return at any point and cause major damage to my operation.

Shit.

I was hoping to make a safe and efficient raid at the enemy. At the moment, I can only at most guarantee four enemy casualties. Considering they are a tier one race, losing four units isn’t a huge loss for him. The risk of the unknown is almost too much. What if there are twenty soldiers inside the cave entrance? If I try to do something, I might get overrun and lose all my elite troops. That would be horrible!

Do you see my predicament?

I only get one decent shot at a raid here. I have to make it a good one. No matter the outcome, the enemy will be way more alert after my attack. I have to try to cause as much damage as I possibly can.

Hrmpf.

No risk, no gain. Is that it?

If I need to take a risk, why not make it a big one? I nod with resolve. I’m going for maximum damage. The strategy I decide to go for is the timeless ‘Divide and Conquer’ tactic. Yep, I’m going to hit the lumberjacks and the guards at the cave entrance in a simultaneous blitz attack.

I send Wrex alongside five warriors and the scout to surround the four lumberjacks. I name them Strike Force Alpha, because I want to. So shut up. It’s kind of overkill, but I figure I need these numbers if I want to make certain none of them manage to make a run for it. It took a long while to convince Wrex to split away from me. I had to promise to stay clear of the actual fighting, only using my crossbow at range. And most importantly, I had to promise never to mention any part of this plan to Gut. I swear, the thought of Gut caused Wrex to shiver in fear.

Djeezez. What did Gut whisper into his ear? I’m afraid to know.

The second, and most dangerous attack against the two guards is being executed by Strike Force Falcon. This group consists of me and the four remaining warriors. We make up for the lack of numbers with higher skill levels. Well, my higher skill levels. I cross my long green fingers and hope there isn’t an army of kobolds right inside the door. I’m not sure if we can hold them off for long enough to wait for Wrex’s group to catch up.

For fucks sake. This is too reckless. Why am I still going through with it anyway?

Because I’m an idiot. Too greedy. I’m far too accustomed to take calculated risks after playing Yggdrasil Online for so long. While huge risks and gambles often pay off, it doesn’t always. This game doesn’t have a respawn. So why risk it?

Someone please stop me…

I motion for my troops to move out. We’re doing this. Damn the consequences. A mental image of Gut’s expression if he knew what I was up to crosses my mind briefly. I shrug it off for later and take charge leading my group towards the edge of the clearing near the mountain.

I twist my head around and make sure that Strike Team Alpha is heading out to do their thing. Luckily for me, Wrex’s use of his [Raid Leader] skill seems to have a pretty decent effect on the unruly goblins. They follow him obediently and alert, but most importantly; quietly. The corner of my eye catches a single goblin left behind in the clearing. It’s the [Hauler].

I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with him, but that guy has proven himself pretty self sufficient before, so I’m not worried. I’m just going to let him do his thing. People can’t expect me to micromanage everything all the time, can they?

“Aaargh!” I let out a muffled yell. I slap myself across the face, shaking my mind awake. It’s time to focus.

I take a moment to explain my strategy to my group of warriors once more to make certain they all understand. I explain it slowly, as I don’t trust these muppets with their super short attention spans. After receiving their nods of affirmation, I quietly gesture for them to take the lead through the underbrush.

The cave entrance is located on top of a small hill along the mountain side. There is a wide clearing in both directions, but luckily their view isn’t too great as the top off the hill is a flat area. Still, there is about twenty meters of open ground in every direction with absolutely no cover.

It’s a chance we must be willing to take. My group halts to a crawl as we near the edge of the forest line. My warriors stop at the very edge and prepare themselves for the mad dash towards the unsuspecting enemy. We can still see the lumberjacks in the distance, and I ordered Wrex to strike as soon as he sees us starting to sprint.

It’s been about fifteen minutes since we parted, so I can only assume he is ready.

I turn back and face the backs of my warriors. I grab my crossbow and cradle it in my hands. The hard wood of the bow reassures me. I can do this.

I take a deep breath.

It’s showtime.

“Get ready boys…” I whisper, causing their long ears to slightly twitch in acknowledgement. “On my mark…”

I sit down and gently rest the crossbow on my knees. I angle the crossbow in a high arc, trying to locate my target. I activate [Long Shot]. A soft ‘twang’ is all I hear as I release the bolt. It flies in a wide arc, gently floating over the two unsuspecting guards. It impacts loudly on a rock fifteen meters past them.

They both snap to attention, turning towards the sudden sound. Their grips tightening on their spears as they survey the area in front of them.

“GO, GO, GO!” I hiss. Four green little shapes bolt into action. I waste no time reloading my crossbow while I simultaneously jump to my feet. The precious few seconds I have quickly slipping through my fingers.

My goblins are gaining on them. Fifteen meters… Twelve… Ten.

I finish reloading my crossbow and quickly raise it. I secure it in my armpit and take aim down the stock. In my rushed state of mind, I try to stabilize my breathing pattern. I mentally activate [Snipe Shot] and pull the trigger. I hold my breath as I watch the bolt soar across the sky.

My goblins are only five meters away now, their rapid footsteps have finally alerted the guards. Confused, they turn around as my crossbow bolt finds purchase in the left eye of the guard furthest away. He doesn’t even have time to make a noise as his head is flung back. He is dead before he hits the ground.

The remaining guard opens his eyes wide as he tries to comprehend the situation. His mouth opens to cry out as my first goblin reaches him. The agile dagger wielding goblin charges knife first into the surprised kobold’s abdomen. A small shriek escapes his lips before they both tumble to the ground in a heap. The remaining goblins quickly catch up to the pair, and a flurry of stabs with spears and daggers are all it takes to silence the guard once and for all.

I let out a sigh of relief.

That worked surprisingly well. I don’t think anyone heard that small noise-

“AAoooOOO!”

A large howl can be heard from near Wrex’s position. My head snaps in his direction, but I’m unable to see them from my current position.

Crap! We need to-

At least a dozen responding howls can be heard from inside the cave.

FUCK!

What the hell am I supposed to do now? Shit. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I wanted to take them out quietly… This isn’t going according to plan. What happened to Wrex? Is he okay? I need to retreat.

I look back towards the cave entrance just in time to see a fireball explode outwards, striking one of my warriors directly in the chest. He lets out a shriek of pain as he is lit on fire. Falling to the ground and rolling around desperately.

Shit, shit, shit, SHIT!

“RETREAT!” I yell from the top of my lungs as I turn around and start running towards the forest. I don’t dare to turn around to see if my warriors are following me. I run as if hell itself is chasing me. It doesn’t take long for me to reach the safe comfort of the forest. I finally dare to look over my shoulder just in time to see my three remaining warriors sprint for all they are worth towards me. They are not alone however. Eight kobold soldiers and a mage follow them, hot on their heels. I can see the mage charging up another fireball.

“GET DOWN! FIREBALL!” I yell as I duck behind a tree. My goblins shriek in fear as I can hear them diving head first into the surrounding bushes. A large boom echoes in my ears as the tree I’m hiding behind splinters from the impact of the fireball.

The bastard targeted me!

In my panic, I start reloading my crossbow. My fingers fumble and it takes longer to reload. I eventually manage to slip the bolt into position and stick my head out behind the tree to get an overview of the situation.

My three goblins are back on their feet and shielding me from the oncoming horde. The kobolds are still charging straight at us. We don’t have much time. My eye catches the brown glint from their weapons. What the hell!? They all have crafted weapons!?

“What are you all standing around for!? Keep running!” I shout. I lift my crossbow and take a quick shot at the leading kobold. The bolt strikes true and hits him in the thigh. He tumbles to the ground, crying out in pain. I don’t have time to savor the moment as I am already sprinting back into the forest.

Branches snap as I’m running for all that I’m worth. The howls of my pursuers ringing in my ears. My three warriors are all running beside me, throwing scared glances over their shoulders as we flee.

Shit! What can we do?

There is just too damn many of them.

Wrex… He’s too far away. Fuck. Why didn’t I run straight for him? … No, that would have been moronic. If I had run for him then we would have to cross an open field. That would be mighty stupid with a goddamn fire mage running at our heels. Crap. I can’t fight this… I don’t even have any armor! There are still seven soldiers and a mage after us. Shit.

“Keep running!” I yell, stating the obvious. Realising the only thing we can do is try to outrun them. It’s a slim chance, but it’s all we have.

Crap.

I knew this was a terrible idea. I can’t let it end like this.

I try to reload my crossbow as I run. It’s next to impossible to do without losing speed. It’s basically just random chance if I manage to properly cock a bolt. I have no choice though. My stamina has never been the greatest, and I can already feel my virtual body reaching its limits. The goblins to my side seem to be in a similar state of affair. A few drops of sweat trickles down my forehead.

Shit.

What can I do? I don’t have many choices. Making a last stand will just get me killed. I can probably keep the pace going for a good while, but there’s also uncertainties tied to this. I don’t know the kobold specifications. For all I know, they might have more stamina than me, and that would spell my doom. Should I just keep running and take my chances? No. Too risky.

My mind works overtime as my lungs gasp for air.

Crap. I need to sacrifice my warriors to buy myself some time to escape. It’s the only way…

My heart aches at the thought of once more sacrificing my companions in order to survive. I know I shouldn’t let this affect me, but I just can’t. They’re just V.I’s. Pawns. If I die, they will die anyway.

But it’s the principle of the matter…

It’s just a game.

That’s why I have to do it.

With my decision finally made, we burst through a bush and into a clearing.

“What the…” My eyes widen in surprise.

Fuck!

I just ran into a bog. There’s water and peat everywhere. I can’t run through this. My head swivels from left to right. Shit. There’s no escape.

I can’t fucking believe my luck in this game. Someone has to be fucking with me.

The howls of the pursuing kobolds grow ever closer.

Shit.

All my options just went out the window. No matter if I sacrifice my goblins, I can’t run through this bog before the enemy mage catches up to us. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel for him.

I sigh.

It seems like we have to make a last stand after all...

We are outnumbered two to one and they have better weapons than we do. Our chances are slim to none, but I’ll be damned if I don’t go down swinging.

My best bet is that they haven’t figured out how to grind their skill levels.

The kobolds are only fifteen meters behind us now. I turn around to face them. My goblins take up position in front of me, sending me confused looks over their shoulder.

A long winded sigh escapes my lips. Steeling my resolve.

“We kill them all.” I shout confidently.

I don’t really have time for a fancy speech.

I finish reloading my crossbow and take aim at the approaching kobolds. I zero in on the closest one and activate [Snipe Shot]. The crossbow bolt takes the surprised kobold in the throat as he falls limp to the ground. I drop my crossbow and pull out my dagger.

I roar in defiance as I charge against the oncoming kobolds. My roar is echoed by the warriors who charge alongside me. The tips of their weapons glinting from the sunlight.

Our two sides clashes head on with reckless abandon. The ferocity and sudden turn of my goblins takes the kobolds by surprise. One of my goblins takes down a kobold by impaling his throat with a spear. The kobold yelps in surprise as he slumps over. The two other goblins double tackle a second kobold and bring him to the ground, weapons slashing at his exposed body.

I, however, ain’t so lucky. I throw myself at a third kobold, knife first. The kobold sees me coming and swivels to his side, narrowly avoiding my knife. I fall face first into the dirt. Disoriented, I roll over just in time to see the kobold raising his axe above his head, preparing to split my skull in half.

I raise my hands to attempt a feeble block. My eyes close in desperation. I curse my incompetence as I wait for the killing blow to land.

The seconds pass by and nothing painful happens. I slowly open my eyes just in time to see the kobold fall forward, completely blocking out my view. I shout in surprise as his furry body completely covers my face. My arms flail around wildly as I try to keep the heavy body from suffocating me.

I manage to toss him to the side as I gasp for breath. My eyes flicker around, noticing the hilt of a short rusty knife sticking out from the back of the kobolds neck. What the…

The knife belongs to one of my warriors currently fighting bare handed against three kobolds alongside another goblin. The two goblins are littered with small cuts and bruises, while the unarmed goblin’s left arm hangs limply to his side.

They won’t last long.

The kobolds wield a mace and axes. Despite being outnumbered, the agile goblins dodge their blows. It only works for so long, as they lack the ability to strike back efficiently.

I need to do something. And fast.

Realising my complete ineptitude with the dagger, I reach for the crossbow that lies just within reach and grab for another bolt. I pull back the bowstring and clumsily insert the bolt on the stock. My hands shake from the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I eventually get it in place and take aim. And not a moment too soon. The unarmed goblin takes a kick to his chest and topples over. An axe wielding kobold goes in for the kill.

My carefully aimed shot hits under his left cheek, piercing his skull. He falls over sideways, axe still raised above his head. The other two kobolds widen their eyes in surprise at seeing their comrade fall. Their heads snap in my direction, both snarling with anger.

The goblin still standing takes advantage of their lapse in concentration and lunges at the mace wielding kobold. His dagger slides efficiently in between his ribs, causing the kobold to gasp for air.

The remaining kobold, now free from any distractions, sets his eyes on me. The dead kobold on top of me keeps my legs pinned down, and I don’t have time to reload my crossbow. The kobold sees this and a wide grin spreads across his face.

Oh shit.

I desperately try to push the kobold off me. Its smelly fur causing my nose to twitch in horror. Fuck. I can’t die like this! Pinned to the ground like a trapped animal. The kobold starts laughing, his cackling laughter causing my spine to shiver. I’m screwed, and he knows it.

The bastards strolls casually towards me. Savoring the moment. His evil grin widens slightly as he raises his axe. Our eyes lock onto each other. I stare back with defiance. I’m not gonna go down crying. I refuse.

His laughter abruptly stops and is replaced by a gut wrenching yelp of pain. I’m not sure who is more surprised, me or him.

A glint of movement catches my eye as I notice the unarmed goblin crawling at the kobold’s feet. His teeth clamped down on his achilles’ heel, biting it clean off. A sharp sound signals the tendon snapping and the kobold falls forward, planting his face firmly across my chest.

In the spur of the moment, I grab for the rusty dagger still stuck in the neck of the kobold pinning me down. It releases a disgusting wet plopping sound as I pull it from the wound and plunge it into the ear of the fallen kobold, activating [Backstab] for good measure. A sick thud is all I hear as the kobold takes his last breath.

A sharp scream cuts through the air. I twist my head just in time to watch one of my warriors go down in a ball of flame. The kobold warrior he faced slitting his throat with a short stab of his sword.

Crap.

I forgot about the mage.

From what I can see, only two enemies remain. For the first time this fight, my side is actually numerically superior. Problem is however, that I have two heavily damaged goblins, whereas one of them is unarmed and immobile. And then there is me. The crossbow wielding chieftain who is pinned to the ground by not one, but two dead kobolds.

Both the enemy warrior and their mage seem to be at peak condition.

It doesn’t look particularly good for my side.

My one still standing goblin charges at the remaining kobold warrior, their weapons ringing with loud metallic sounds as they clash against one another. The battle seems to be at a stand still, where my goblin has the advantage of skill, while the kobold is in better condition. Anything can happen, and the fight won’t take long.

The hurt goblin still by my side seems to be all out of energy. He passed out in a pool of his own blood. If it wasn’t because I can still see his chest heaving, I would have assumed he was dead as well.

This only leaves me and the enemy mage. The last kobold fell on top of my crossbow, nearly crushing my left arm in the process. My right arm is still free, and it’s desperately clutching at the hilt of the rusty dagger still stuck in the dead kobold’s ear. My odds of survival doesn’t look too great in case you wondered.

The mage starts to chuckle.

“How interesting to run into a faction leader all the way out here…” He says with a raspy voice. “And in such a peculiar state as well. Interesting indeed.” He cups his chin with a furry hand.

I roll my eyes.

“Enjoying the sights, what else would I do?” I retort. I can’t stand people who gloat over the misfortune instead of just finishing their enemy off. That’s the reason I can’t stand James Bond movies. There wouldn’t be any sequels if the villains just shut up and did their job instead of holding a long tirade about their plans for world domination and gloating every chance they get.

He smirks at my remark. “Now then, don’t be like that.” He trails on. “I merely wondered why you wear no armor. Did you drop it somewhere?” He asks.

Oh my god. He is really doing this trope.

“Figured I didn’t need it. Didn’t want your scabby rat blood all over my nice clothes. It’s a bitch to wash out, ya know?”

He frowns at my insult. He points his hand at me and a small glowing orb of rotating fire appears in his hand.

Oh crap.

I try to twist my body out of the way, but the weight upon me is too much. The orb of fire grows rapidly, a wild grin appears on the mage’s face. With a flick of his wrist, the fireball launches towards me. I do my best to slam the side of my head into my right shoulder, but I can only move it so far.

I scream in pain as the fireball melts off my left ear.

God damn, that actually freaking hurts! My pain filters hardly did shit!

“Hrmpf. Insolent little cur. Who taught you any manners?” He sneers at me. “Tssk. Hardly matters. Why do I even bother wasting time on an idiot like you. You are even worse than he is.” He trails off.

He? He who? Isn’t this mage the enemy player? I look around. The mage is the only one who looks like a specialized unit. Where is the other guy? Is this the advisor? Woah. He feels so similar to Gut. Is grumpy old sack of bones the standard template for all advisors?

…

Wait. Did this bastard just insult my intelligence?

“Hey fuck you asshole. I don’t want to be called stupid by a brain dead rat-pig like you.” I shout out him. He turns an angry scowl at me. Just like my own grumpy mage back home.

“Oh? The naked little leader, currently stuck under two corpses, who only brought four measly goblin warriors to attack an enemy base fancies himself a military genius? Don’t make me laugh, worm.” He spits that last part at me. He raises his hand once more, preparing to finish me off. “This world has no room for weaklings.”

I start laughing excessively loud.

He stops casting and gives me a surprised glance.

“What’s so funny?” He shouts at me, trying to overcome my laughter. I wipe a tear from laughing so hard.

“Game over, asshole!”

The mage’s eyes widen in realisation as he turns his head just in time to see a cutlass descending towards his exposed back. He lets out a yelp of surprise as his body is flung forwards. He hits the ground with a loud thump and rolls over due to the forceful blow.

He points a weak hand at my head, a small orb of fire starting to rotate in his hand. Before he can finish the spell however, a green foot steps on his wrist, effectively cutting off the magical power gathering in his palm.

“Rule number one, asshole…” I try to regain my breath. “Talk is cheap.”

The mage doesn’t have time to respond as the cutlass embeds itself deeply into the kobold’s throat. We maintain eye contact as he gulps up a mouthful of blood until eventually, his eyes turn glassy.

I snort. “Did that asshole seriously think I only brought four warriors? Fucking moron…”

Wrex heads over to help me up. “That was a good laugh chief, very awe inspiring.” He smirks at me.

“Fuck you too Wrex. I only did that to hide your obscenely loud footsteps… What the hell took you so long?”

He shrugs. “A patrol returned from the forest just as we attacked the lumberjacks. We finished them off, but it took a while. Also she…” He points at my scout. “Was too stricken by fear to properly follow your trail into the forest. He growls at the scout.

She drops to all four, hiding her face in the dirt. “I… I’m so sorry, chief. I didn’t mean to… I… I was scared.”

Wrex grunts in dissatisfaction. “Our tribe has no room for weaklings.” He takes a step forward, raising his cutlass threateningly.

“Djeezes, calm down you two. We can’t afford this kindergarten shit.” I turn towards the scout. “Thank you for leading them here. Keep up the good work.” I smile at her. Her eyes widen in disbelief. She doesn’t seem able to find the proper words to answer.

“And you…” I direct my gaze at Wrex. “Good job taking them out.” He nods in affirmation. “Anything for the tribe.”

With the final kobold lifted off my body, I finally get back on my feet. I brush off the largest chunks of dirt and inspect my crossbow for any damage. After being satisfied that it works as intended, I turn back towards Wrex.

“Have the hauler loot these bodies, and patch up the wounded. We’re heading out.”

Wrex nods. “It will be done, chief.” He turns away to tend to it personally. He throws a look over his shoulder. “Are we going back home?”

“Home?” I raise my eyebrow. “Hell no. It’s time to claim our prize.” A wide grin spreads across my face.