“All right, remember, this is to test your stealth. In the future you’ll have enchanted items to help you, but for now I want to get a feel for how you operate.”

Matt nodded. “I got it.”

Stoffel flew up to an oak branch and promptly perched himself in such a way that he could watch from a distance. Matt, still kneeling in the tall bushes, studied the small compound. There were two main buildings, one a residence and one a storeroom, with a small stable off to the side. All three structures were surrounded with a stone wall, but there were no guards on patrol to worry about.

Just get in, steal some loot, and get out.

“And remember,” Stoffel called out. “If you get caught, you’ll have a bounty on your head unless you kill all witnesses.”

Matt shrugged. Nothing I can’t handle. He scanned the perimeter once more and then moved toward the back of the wall. Clouds obscured the moon above, but that played in his favor, making the night darker. He dashed the last ten yards then leapt up onto, then rolled over, the wall. He landed in a fairly decent super hero pose and scanned the inside of the compound. A pair of horses stood with their backs to him, rooting about for bits of feed to munch on. Nothing else was in the courtyard area. Matt’s eyes locked onto the storeroom’s front door almost immediately.

He moved to the door and tested the lock. The door was sealed. Only then did he realize he didn’t have a set of lock picks yet. He checked the windows, but they were secured as well. He turned his attention to the house next. The front door was locked, but as he moved around the back of the home where several raised garden beds sat quietly in the pale moonlight he found a cellar door that was open.

Success!

He slipped down through the cellar doors and into an area used to house potatoes and sacks of grain. He quickly found a ladder leading up to a hatch, but stopped when he noticed a strange set of wooden shelves on the back wall with wheels of cheese and smoked meats. Never one to pass up an opportunity to stock up on life-saving cheese wheels, he pocketed as much food as he could.

That was when he noticed a faint, orange glow behind the set of shelves. The light flowed out from where mortar should have been. When Matt looked down he saw scratch marks in the floor. His lips stretched into a knowing grin.

Secret tunnel!

He gently pulled on the set of shelves and found they swung as easily as a door, pulling a large section of the stone wall along with them. Warm torchlight flooded the cellar as the tunnel opened up before him. The tunnel went on for about twenty yards and then turned abruptly to the left. Intrigued more than a little by the prospect of hidden treasure, Matt slipped through the secret door and crept along the left side of the tunnel. Other than ambient noise from the torches, he didn’t hear anything.

As he stopped just inches away from the corner, his mind recalled images of the trolls that had so efficiently slaughtered him. He doubted there was such a creature here, but he thought he might as well summon his mythic dagger all the same. His grandfather, a devout gun enthusiast, always said it was better to have a gun and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Matt figured the same logic applied here. Besides, the last secret tunnel he was in had been filled with bandits.

This merchant could be hiding anything down here.

Matt called his dagger, expending a small amount of his mana as a dark black and red cloud enveloped his right hand. A moment later he held a shimmering blade made from black steel. The back of the dagger was serrated and the pommel ended with a two inch long spike for good measure. Matt took in a steadying breath, then peeked around the corner.

He exhaled and his shoulders slumped.

No baddies to try the blade on, just an empty room with a table in the middle and a treasure chest off to one side. The walls didn’t even have decorations or anything.

”Lame,” Matt grumbled as he dispelled the dagger and ambled over to the table. “I expected more from such an eccentric secret tunnel.” He found a ledger on the table and flipped through the pages. The first few seemed ordinary enough. Money in, money out. Debts owed and promises held. He picked the book up to stick it into his inventory when a note fell out from the back of the book. Matt snatched it up and unfolded the yellowed paper. A list of names, with amounts written next to them, and locations written beside the amounts.

“What is this? People who owe money? Or perhaps suppliers that the merchant owed?” Matt tucked the note into his inventory and then moved to the chest. His fingers went to the lock. His eyes shot wide as the latch came undone with hardly any pressure at all. It’s unlocked?!

The inside was lined with red velvet. A thick, black velvet cloth covered the contents. He pried it away to reveal a set of leather armor. A very extraordinary set of armor. The gauntlets had hidden mechanisms worked into the leather that concealed miniature darts. A wolf’s head was embroidered into the back of each gauntlet, and again on the hauberk.

“Do you know why that chest wasn’t locked?” a stoic voice called from behind.

Matt froze. How much time did he have to react? What were his chances of survival? After a moment he turned his head, while he worked his hands into the gauntlets just in case.

Acquired Gauntlets of the Prowl. +2 AC. Ranged dart weapon +3 piercing damage, +1 poison damage.

“I was just looking around,” Matt said, feigning innocence.

“The chest is unlocked because no one is foolish enough to trifle with its contents.”

Matt chuckled nervously and shrugged. “I meant no harm.”

“Oh, thieves intend harm, just not to themselves.” The man’s tight lips stretched into a deadly grin. “Do you know what a wolf does to a cat that is foolish enough to trespass?”

Matt studied the man, sizing him up for what seemed an inevitable fight to the death.

The man wasn’t overly imposing. He stood maybe five foot nine, had a slight, though athletic build, and looked to be in his early fifties. Matt took heart for just a moment, but then he thought of another quote that his gun loving grandpa used to say often.

“Beware of old men who work in a profession where men die young.”

Matt gulped.

A rapier appeared in the man’s hand and he came at Matt with a flurry of movement. Matt was slashed twice on his left shoulder before he’d even managed to stand up and turn around to fully face the assailant. Matt’s health bar went down about five percent.

Matt jumped back to avoid the next series of swipes and stabs, then he raised his hand and summoned Mythic Arrow. Two silver arrows appeared in the air above Matt’s head. They hovered for only a moment and then flashed across the room and thunked into the assailant’s chest. The assailant’s health bar dropped by a quarter. Seeing the damage done, Matt summoned mythic arrow again and sent two more missiles flying at the man. This time, though, the man produced a magical ward that managed to deflect one of the mythic arrows. The second was able to snake past the man’s ward and strike him, but the damage was reduced.

“You aren’t the only one with tricks,” the man said.

Matt thrusted his hands out and triggered the darts loaded into the gauntlets. The assailant dodged to the side, but still one of the darts landed a hit. A fetid green color outlined the enemy’s health bar as it started to pulse and drop bit by bit from the poison.

The man snarled and leapt over the table, coming in hard with three quick jabs at Matt’s face. Matt lifted his armored hands, accepting the blows and trying to back away. This was a mistake. He tripped over the open chest and fell rump first into it. There was a heavy clicking sound as something snapped under his weight. At first, Matt paid it no mind, but then he heard a faint ticking underneath his butt. No, he didn’t hear it so much as feel it vibrating beneath him. Instinctively he knew what it was. He waited for the man to lunge in with another series of jabs and slices, then he haphazardly threw a fireball at the man. The spell didn’t land a direct hit, but it didn’t need to. Matt only needed a diversion as he dove past the rapier wielding warrior and rolled as far away as he could.

KABOOM!

The explosive he’d inadvertently activated in the chest exploded.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Matt struggled to cover his eyes and ears as shards of rock and debris shot out all around him. The assailant flew head first into the wall and then crumpled into a burnt heap. Smoke and haze filled the room and Matt’s ears rang with a shrill tone. His vision came into focus after a couple of seconds, but he soon realized that he had just under twenty percent health. The explosives had nearly ended both of them.

He struggled to his feet and dusted himself off.

Bounty: 1,000 Gold.

“Bounty?!” Matt snarled. “Who saw me do that?”

He glanced around the room and then noticed that a small part of the ceiling was missing, as was the wall behind where the chest had been. A room similar to the one he was in was located on the opposite side of the now crumbled wall. Inside that room was another form wearing the same armor that had been in the chest. His health bar was flashing, with just the tiniest of red slivers left for HP. The man was heaving for breath and on his knees, dazed.

Matt didn’t waste any time. He launched another fireball, depleting the rest of his mana.

The fireball hissed through the air and took the second opponent’s head clean off.

Bounty: 0 Gold.

“That’s what I thought!” Matt shouted. He almost turned to leave, but then he realized he’d be leaving an entire new tunnel system unexplored. He couldn’t do that! After all, there might be loot in there. He looked at the headless corpse and then a thought came to him. Maybe the second guy had those bombs too. He rushed through the hole in the wall and moved quickly to search the body.

No bombs.

Matt shrugged, consoling himself with the fact that he could easily loot the body and at least take the armor-- minus the hood which had disappeared along with the head-- and weapons.

Acquired Prowler’s Hauberk.

Acquired Gauntlets of the Prowler.

Acquired Prowler’s Boots.

With nothing better to do, he tried all the items on.

Equipped Prowler’s Hauberk +10 AC, +1 Sneak

Equipped Prowler’s Boots +5 AC, +5 Sneak

“Noice,” Matt said as he took a few steps to test out his boots. His footfalls were muffled to the point that he barely noticed them even on the stone walkway. He glanced around the room and found a small iron box. This one was locked, but it was also something he could pick up and put into his inventory, so he did.

Acquired Prowler’s Lock box.

He then exited the destroyed room and crept along a long hallway that curved off to the right. The final stretch of the tunnel hooked a sharp ninety degrees to the right, almost spiraling back in on itself, and ended in a ladder. Seeing no other rooms to explore, he went up the ladder and opened the hatch just enough to look outside. A single form wearing Prowler armor stood a few feet beyond the hatch, overlooking a wide stream. Matt slipped out and stalked up behind the man. He thought to use his mythic dagger, but then remembered that his mana was depleted. He stood there, shocked to see that the mana hadn’t replenished naturally.

What the crap is this?!

The Prowler near the river started to turn around.

Time was running out.

Without mana, Matt had no weapons.

Could he take on this Prowler with just his hands? No, that was stupid. Why didn’t you grab the first guy’s rapier?! Matt berated himself. Then it clicked. His hands might not work, but what about the gauntlets on his hands? He checked his inventory, hurrying to find the gauntlets before the Prowler would finish turning around. The gauntlets only held one shot each, but the second prowler’s set of gauntlets had replenished Matt’s, and he was loaded and ready to fire again.

Matt closed the inventory interface and crouched into sneak mode, knowing he’d need all the advantages he could get. He aimed his hands up at the Prowler’s head and then fired both shots at the same time.

Tha-bunk!

Both missiles struck home, driving deep into the Prowler’s skull. The Prowler managed to pull out a sword and spin around, but he only took three running steps before the poison overtook him and he fell prone. A moment later he was dead.

“Don’t mind if I do,” Matt said as he looted the third Prowler’s body. He donned the hood, completing his armor set.

Equipped Prowler’s Hood +1 AC, +5 Sneak, +2 Lock picking.

“Suh-weeeeet!” Matt also made sure to take the man’s sword as well as a plump pouch filled with two hundred gold coins. “Well, that should impress the little imp back at the tree,” Matt said to himself.

Bounty: 1,000 Gold.

Matt grunted and spun around. Twenty yards away, holding a fishing pole and a bucket, was a teenage boy. For half a second, Matt just stared at the boy, his real conscience telling him not to follow Stoffel’s admonition. A moment after that, his rationalizing brain kicked in, telling him that it was just an NPC. It wasn’t a boy. It was a collection of data points and pixels. Besides that, the boy would likely respawn anyway.

The boy, realizing his plight, turned around and started to run.

Matt, finding his gauntlets reloaded from the third Prowler’s set of armor, raised his hands and fired two darts. The first missed as the boy leapt over a rock. The second one drove home. The boy fell face first into the stream a moment later.

Bounty: 0 Gold.

“Had to be done, my friend. Had to be done.” Matt walked over and picked up the fishing pole and bucket.

Bounty: 50 Gold

Matt stood up straight and wheeled around. A guard was walking on the road about twenty yards away.

“You there, stop!”

Matt scrunched up his face. “Seriously? For a bucket and fishing pole?” Matt huffed and shook his head. You miss the fact that I murdered the poor kid, but are mad that I’m taking his fishing gear. Sure. Makes sense.

The guard starting walking toward him, sword drawn. “All Prowlers are deemed enemies of the kingdom!” the guard shouted.

“Oh,” Matt said with sudden realization. “Yeah, that makes more sense.” Trouble was, he was left with just a sword now. No poison darts. No magic. He drew his sword and waited for the guard to approach.

“Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” the guard instructed.

“You could just pretend it never happened,” Matt said, “Just walk along like you never saw me.”

“A bribe?!” The guard shouted angrily and stamped his foot. “My honor isn’t so cheaply bought!”

“Okay, so that’s a no on resolving this without swords then?” Matt quipped.

The guard rushed in. Matt deflected the first swing and then landed a solid strike on the guard’s shoulder. The guard’s armor held fast and his HP hardly moved. The swords rang out over the still night air. Surprising himself, Matt was able to block or dodge everything the guard threw at him. He even drew blood first, slashing the guard’s left leg with a ferocious hack.

The guard snarled and redoubled his efforts, this time landing a solid blow after leading with a feint, which he immediately followed up with a head butt. Matt felt his nose explode and he dropped to the ground like a cheap pair of socks. The guard raised his sword for the killing blow, but Matt rolled forward and lunged out with his own sword first, plunging it deep into the guard’s belly. The guard stumbled backward, blood spilling to the ground as his HP bar dropped to a third.

Matt rose quickly and finished the fight with two strikes at the guard’s neck. The first one was deflected, but the second landed true and bit down into the nape of the neck. The guard fell to the ground.

Bounty: 0 Gold.

“Anyone else out there watching?” Matt called out, spinning around to scan his surroundings.

“Just me,” Stoffel said from above.

Matt jumped back and looked up, but couldn’t see anything. “You startled me!”

Stoffel came into view, smiling wickedly. “Yeah, I figured as much when you jumped out of your boots as soon as I spoke.”

Matt furrowed his brow and sighed. “How long have you been there?”

“Here? About as long as you have been,” Stoffel replied. “I followed you the whole way.”

“Wait... what?” Matt sheathed his sword and crossed his arms.

“Well, how else would I be able to observe your sneaking abilities and your overall approach to the mission if I didn’t personally go with you? You didn’t think I was going to nap in the tree or something did you?”

“Well... I...” Matt shrugged again. “So the explosions?”

Stoffel nodded. “Those were fun. I heard the trigger and flew around the corner. Glad you made it out of that one alive though. Shows you can think quickly enough for the trials ahead.”

“So I passed your test then?” Matt asked.

“You did well,” Stoffel answered. “Better than I expected, actually. I wasn’t sure you’d find the Prowler hideout. And I was even less sure you’d survive if you did find it.”

“But you would have helped me out if I was about to die, right?”

Stoffel grinned. “Why? What good would it do you if you thought I was always there to save you? No, much better to let you fail if you do the wrong thing.”

“Wow... thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.”

“So I can’t make any mistakes then I guess.”

Stoffel shook his head. “Well, as my dad always used to say... just get gud.”