Melissa had just about had it with the scrubs that her team was carrying through this mission. The party of trainees was so unfocused and incapable that her head ached every time she heard them speak. Twice in the last hour, the overzealous priestess and the playboy warlock had devolved into competing to see who could come up with a more offensive insult.

She and her fellow silver-rankers were traveling near the edge of the Voskeg Mountains. They had been assigned by the Guild Master to purge the goblins and rescue a trainee that had allegedly been captured. It was clearly bullshit since none of the trainees were missing, but a mission was a mission. This same group of goblins was said to have an assassin unit with a leader capable of fighting on par with Lord Maxwell Rovar, a High Templar.

If it were just that goblin alone, she wouldn’t be very worried. She trusted her teammates and they had faced difficult foes in the past. They were veterans of many battlefields.

It was her past experiences fighting goblins that made her wary.

It wasn’t uncommon for goblins to have assassins, but assassins were never the leader. If this tribe had assassins that were that powerful, their leaders were likely to be even more frightening.

A gentle hand tapped her shoulder, pulling Melissa from her thoughts. She turned and saw Edwin looking at her with a concerned look.

“How’re you holding up?” he asked.

Melissa rolled her eyes.

“I’ll live, though my mental state might be permanently affected.”

He chuckled.

“Everybody has to start somewhere.”

She shook her head, motioning slightly toward idiots one and two.

“Maybe so, but that is a bit much.”

They looked at the party walking down the path with them. Though Samantha and Sage were keeping an eye on their surroundings, the fools that should have been helping watch for roaming monsters or enemy scouts were showing their mediocrity and lack of training. Their party had a ranger and a rogue, for crying out loud! There was literally no excuse for them to be so inattentive to their surroundings.

The group had a general idea as to where the goblin camp was located due to the anonymous informant, but they didn’t know exactly where it was. Melissa had never been to the area before either, so she didn’t have a relay point to tie her teleportation artifact to, which was a shame because she was looking forward to showing off her level a bit to the newbies. Thus, they had been roaming around the hill for over an hour.

There was an itch in the back of Melissa’s mind that told her something was wrong with their surroundings, but she couldn’t quite place it…

“Shut it, you judgmental prick!” a voice shouted from behind them.

Melissa sighed while Edwin just shook his head. They stopped, turning to address whatever happened before it turned into another fight.

The warlock was bearing down on Suzy, who was in turn gathering mana to cast some sort of spell. Suzy raised a hand and gathered holy light.

“Divine Retri---” she started when a flash of crimson crossed her vision.

Samantha appeared behind her, her red hair billowing as she smacked the purge-happy priestess on the back of her head.

“Oww! What was that for?” Suzy demanded, covering the throbbing spot with her hand.

“Don’t use holy purge spells on your allies. It’s inefficient,” Samantha reprimanded sternly.

“It’s more than just inefficient. It’s unacceptable. Why the hell would you attack a teammate?” Melissa demanded.

On a personal level, she understood Suzy’s dislike of the playboy. He laced too many of his words with mind-control magic for any magic user to feel comfortable around him. Outwardly, he seemed like a nice enough person, but her intuition warned her that he was actually a weak predator.

“This creep just tried to use magic on me again. Let me purge him just once! He’ll respawn…!” Suzy growled, miffed at being stopped mid-cast.

Melissa’s eyes softened. As a girl, she understood Suzy’s feelings but as an adventurer…

“This behavior is unprofessional. You may do as you wish after the completion of the quest,” Samantha said in her typical monotone.

Melissa had been adventuring with the methodical rogue for almost a decade and she honestly couldn’t remember the woman ever displaying more than the most basic level of emotion.

“Now, now” Edwin interjected. “There are bound to be tensions when working with new faces. Both of you have a bone to pick with these goblins, right?”

Suzy and the warlock both nodded.

“Then you should work together until they are dead.”

He looked at Suzy.

“That will help you appease your god.”

Then he looked at the warlock.

“And it should help you get the revenge that you desire.”

Edwin turned to Melissa and Samantha.

“Either of you have any ideas on what's going on? The intel said the camp would be around here.”

Samantha shrugged indifferently.

“The paths are strange.”

“What do you mean?”

She pointed at the road they were following. It angled off to the right and continued as far as the eye could see. There were a few trees lining the path and budding flowers amongst the rocks, but nothing stood out to Melissa.

“The trees are the same. Somehow, we are walking in a loop,” Samantha supplied.

The itching feeling in the back of Melissa’s mind returned and then her eyes widened in understanding. That feeling was her mind reacting to the use of magic! All things considered, that had to mean…

“Illusion!” Melissa shouted. “We’ve been wandering under an illusion barrier for over an hour.”

Edwin clasped his gauntleted hands together, the chainmail on his arms rattling from the impact.

“There we go! An illusionist! If it took us this long to detect it, then the little bugger must be pretty powerful.”

He glanced at Melissa.

“Can you break it?”

She smirked at the obvious challenge.

“Easily.”

She closed her eyes and focused on sensing the magic in the air around her. The magic had an almost ‘tangy’ taste to it that made her mouth water. She ignored the feeling as she drew upon her own internal mana supply. After a moment of gathering mana, she condensed it into a fine point and thrust it into the barrier around them.

A faint buzzing sound reached her ears and then her vision distorted. Their surroundings began to blur and shift as the path bent into its normal position.

The barrier had been surprisingly easy to break. Whoever the illusionist was, they had powerful skills, but their mana supply was probably small.

The trainee adventurers all gaped at their surroundings, mouths wide with amazement. Melissa squared her shoulders smugly as she took in their silent compliments.

As quickly as the barrier had broken, all hell broke loose. An arrow flew from a nearby tree and struck Melissa in the shoulder. Burning pain clouded her mind for a moment and she cried out as she ducked down, covering her head with her uninjured arm. A scream from nearby alerted them to the presence of multiple attackers.

“Defensive positions!” Edwin shouted, donning his shield and mace in seconds.

He stepped in between Melissa and the attacker and smoothly defected a hail of arrows.

Samantha followed the direction the arrows were coming from and ran toward the tree line, dodging any arrows aimed at her as she looked for the source. Suzy and the warlock were both face-first on the ground, Suzy was crying with a large slash on her back while the Warlock was out cold, a bloody gash on his head.

“They were waiting to ambush us as soon as we broke the barrier…!” Melissa realized, dazed. “They weren’t supposed to know that we were coming though!”

“Get a hold of yourself. We need your magic!” Edwin ordered.

Melissa shook her head and slapped herself to clear her thoughts. She pulled a health potion out of her bag and started to drink it while yanking the arrow out with her free hand. The sharp pain was instantly muted by soothing relief as the injury healed.

She looked around, gathering information about their new surroundings. The trainees were scattered, running about like chickens with their heads cut off. They had no sense of order or discipline.

Samantha was moving through the trees, chasing some sort of blur that Melissa couldn’t make out distinctly, but she thought it might be a goblin. A really, really fast goblin.

“Mana Well,” she muttered, using the short incantation to focus her thoughts on her magic.

The air around her seemed to thicken, filling with the overpowering smell of roses. She channeled her mana into the well, multiplying the output manyfold. As she reached the amount that she needed, she projected the mana into the surrounding forest.

The mana condensed around each of the adventurers, protecting them from the hail of arrows and any other attack that might come.

A few more arrows were absorbed by the barrier before the hail stopped. Then, as quickly as the attack had started, the attackers disappeared. Even Samantha paused as she was unable to find any trace of them.

They waited for several more seconds of tense silence, prepared to defend against any attacks. Sage used her nature magic to heal the injured trainees while Samantha, Bill, and Vick swept their surroundings.

Finally, the three returned, assuring everybody that the attackers were gone for now.

Melissa sank to the ground.

“What the hell was that…” she groaned, massaging her shoulder where she had been injured. Lowest-quality healing potions were great, but she would still have a bruise.

“Someone told them we were coming,” Samantha observed. “There is a traitor or a spy in Cairel.”

Sage grimaced as she finished treating Suzy’s back. The young priestess was sobbing, clutching her hands together in prayer as she mumbled incoherently.

“Why would any human try to protect goblins?” Sage asked, her lips quivering as her normally smooth and melodic voice was betrayed by a slight tremble.

Edwin reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of water, guzzling it to wet his throat.

“We’ll have to worry about that later as well. For now, we need to make a plan of attack. We can expect that the rest of the path will have various traps and ambushes laid out for us.”

“Can’t we just use magic to detect the traps?” Jonathan asked as he approached. He pointed at the barrier surrounding them. “This seems like it could keep us safe from almost anything.”

Edwin motioned for Samantha to explain.

“Our opponents are a skilled group of assassins. If they use magic to set a trap, then it would be possible to detect its magic signature using magic ourselves. However, they will probably have set their traps manually. If so, we will also have to find and avoid or disable them manually,” she recited dutifully.

“And the barrier?” Jonathan pressed.

As he motioned toward it again, the barrier folded in on itself and collapsed, the mana dispersing into the air.

Melissa shook her head.

“It’s not all-powerful. As you just saw, I can only maintain it for a handful of seconds... perhaps a minute if I strain myself. Also, it won’t stop any traps that go off inside of the barrier.”

Jonathan frowned.

“What's the point of detection magic if it can’t sense things done without magic?”

Edwin smiled.

“Good question. Magic can be used to automate processes; therefore magic is often predictable and easy to counter. As we just noted, If you simply use magic to simplify processes in combat, there is a tradeoff. You are basically advertising your position, your abilities, or your method of attack. While it has limited uses as a feint, you won’t see veteran assassins using magic to set their traps.”

“Templars and arcane tricksters, on the other hand…” Sage jumped in when she was interrupted.

“We can continue this lesson another time,” Melissa pressed. “We’re in enemy territory and they know we are here. We need to end this quickly.”

Edwin nodded in agreement. He turned to Samantha.

“I want you to find the exact location of their base. With the illusion barrier down, it should be simple enough. Then, find out as much information about their numbers and equipment, and as much of the layout of the camp as you can.”

He turned to address the rabble of weakling trainees.

“As for the rest of you, let’s talk about a little something that I like to call ‘teamwork’.”

***

Lexi stood behind a barricade on a raised platform near the center of the camp. This relatively centralized area served as the strategic command center for the goblin defensive forces. She had a small, patchy straw hat covering her ears and her tail was tucked into her pants. Though uncomfortable, she endured because it was part of the plan.

On a small table in front of her sat a hand-drawn map of the village and its surroundings. Aside from Lexi, there were four others sitting around the table - Shaman, Lord Cedric, Frog, and another goblin called Nag. Frog was the strategist for the Glitterfart goblins while Nag used some sort of magic that she didn’t understand. It allowed him to relay instructions quickly and easily.

Though Lord Cedric was the Martial Lord, he was only in the command center because he was awaiting deployment. He was much better at fighting than coordinating troops.

She looked out over the camp once more, noting that the sun was reaching its highest point in the sky. The alarm sounded hours earlier, but the adventurers had yet to reveal themselves to the camp. Nag was receiving steady reports about the movements of the adventurers from Og’s assassin troupe, but it wasn’t clear why they were waiting.

On the other side of the palisade, she could just make out the craggy trees. The newly budding branches remained relatively still.

“They broke through the barrier, right? What are they doing? Why aren’t they attacking?” Lexi asked, with a hint of annoyance.

Frog tapped his finger on the table while observing the map with a critical eye. There were small stones marking the positions of the various defensive groups. There were offensive and defensive lines, archers, assassins, magical bombardment and support groups, and supply lines set up in a series of circles around the camp. Lexi didn’t fully understand the purpose of it, but there was an offensive line and a defensive line in the center of the camp behind all the mages.

“They must be gathering information. As far as they know, we aren’t supposed to be aware of this attack,” Frog replied, his voice tense.

“Why are we giving them time to plan? Shouldn’t we act while we have more information?”

“Og and his group are already engaging in guerrilla fighting but we can’t move our entire force into the forest. If this turns into an unorganized brawl, we’ll lose.”

Lexi hissed, balling her hands into fists. Her claws dug into her palms.

“We should be doing something. I dislike this waiting game.”

Shaman placed a calming hand over Lexi’s clenched fists.

“Relax, child. All things in their proper time. The only information they have is that which their senses can detect. They will fall for our traps.”

Lexi took a deep breath and forced herself to relax.

“Will these ‘traps’ be enough, though? Og told me a bit about silver-rankers.”

Shaman shook her head, smiling uneasily.

“There is nothing we can do that will guarantee our victory; however, we have no choice but to try.”

“The enemy has split up,” Nag reported. “Also, the assassins have lost sight of most of the members. They assume some sort of teleportation magic is involved.”

A flicker at the edge of her vision caught Lexi’s eye and she turned in time to see a hail of snow fall from the hanging limbs of a tree. The horn sounded once more and all the goblins immediately tensed up, searching for the enemy.

Frog clasped his hands, rubbing them together with a gleam in his eyes.

“Looks like things are getting started. Let’s wreck some faces.”

He turned to Nag.

“Fire the warning shot.”

Nag nodded and then placed a glowing hand to his ear. He started speaking, though Lexi heard no sound.

After a brief pause, a wave of fire launched over the palisade and into the trees where the snow had fallen. Some of the dead branches briefly lit up but the flames were quickly smothered by a wall of steam from the melted snow.

“Anything?” Frog asked through clenched teeth.

Nag tilted his head, listening to reports.

“One of the elementalists reported movement in the trees. It is unclear if we caused any damage, though.”

Frog pursed his lips.

“Good.”

Lexi watched the exchange silently. Though the reports they received were obviously in Goblin, they were carrying out the discussion here in English for her benefit. She was grateful for their consideration though she wasn’t sure why they were going that far. She had zero experience with large-scale conflicts like this one and so everything was new to her. She wasn’t sure that she could contribute anything up here in the command structure.

Lexi observed the wall of steam that was slowly dissipating. Three forms stepped out of the mist and approached the front gate.

Edwin stood in the center, covered in heavy-looking steel armor. He had a large kite shield adorning his left arm and his right hand held a mace. The one on the right was Jonathan, the trainee fighter and to the left of the steel-armored man was Bill, the trainee ranger.

Lexi fiddled with the edge of her hat, tipping it forward slightly to hide her face as she observed the adventurers.

“I know them…!” she muttered.

She felt a tinge of hesitation taking root inside of her, but she shook the feeling off. She didn’t have time to be doubting her course.

Shaman and Frog looked at Lexi curiously. She grinned in response.

“The man in the center is Edwin Weston, leader of the silver-ranked party Earthbreakers. The other warrior is Jonathan, leader of one of the trainee adventurer parties. Bill, the ranger, is also a trainee,” she explained.

“You knew about their party compilation beforehand, and you didn’t share this information?” Shaman asked, displeased.

Lexi shrugged.

“I had no idea who was coming. I’m just as surprised as you are that I know the teams. I don’t know much beyond the names and faces of the silver-ranked team, but I know a lot about the trainees.”

“Tell us quickly then. If necessary, we might have to adjust the strategy with the new information,” Frog urged.

The three enemies approached the gate. The goblins on the palisade fired a few arrows but they were all expertly deflected by the steel-armored man.

“Lexi, what are we facing?” Shaman repeated the question urgently. “This information could save many lives.”

Lexi scratched her head.

“Umm, as I said before, that one there is called Jonathan. He is a trainee warrior, specialized as a frontline fighter. His party includes a rogue, a ranger, and a priestess.”

Then she pointed at Edwin.

“He is a silver-ranked frontliner. I’ve heard that he trained as a warrior, but I never confirmed it. His party consists of a rogue who may or may not be an assassin, an arcanist, and a druid.”

Lexi pursed her lips for a moment as she considered whether to speak about the other trainees, then decided it couldn’t hurt to have extra info just in case.

“I don’t know if they are also here, but the other team of trainees had a ranger and a rogue, and there was an unaffiliated priestess. If Peter or Jantzen somehow survived, then another priest or a dominator warlock could be here as well.”

Frog took note of the info.

“I’m not sure if they have any other surprises up their sleeves, but at least this is something to work with.”

While they were talking, the three adventurers had reached the gate. Edwin raised his mace and it started to glow with a strange blue light. After a brief delay, he struck out with the head of the mace and blew the door off its hinges. The wooden slab splintered into pieces as it crashed into the ground.

Frog frowned.

“Offensive line engage the enemy. We need to get a better grasp of what we’re dealing with. Bombardment squads launch a line of fire into the tree line encircling our camp. We’ll smoke out the rogues and rangers if they are hiding in the trees.”

Then he turned toward Lord Cedric.

“Martial Lord, after observing the result, prepare to intercept the silver-ranked warrior.”

Lexi gently stroked the chain on her wrist, taking comfort from the symbol of her freedom. Shaman noticed the motion and the old goblin’s eyes softened.

“It will soon be time for you to go out, child.”

Lexi leaned on the barricade; her eyes glued to the goblins that were now approaching the three humans.

“I am prepared. I don’t want to sit back and watch the goblins die,” Lexi replied, her eyes filled with determination.

Frog came up on her other side and watched the first offensive line move forward.

“That is one burden of leadership. If you and your god truly desire to bring salvation to monsters, then you have to be prepared.”

The first goblins reached the adventurers and were smashed down in a series of smooth motions. The silver-ranker moved through the goblins, ending lives with every swing of his mace.

“I am prepared to kill anybody who tries to stop us. Is that not enough?”

Shaman shook her head.

“You must also be prepared to be a leader. Sometimes that means watching others die for you.”

Lexi flinched as unpleasant memories danced at the edge of her mind.

“What meaning is there in ‘salvation’ if it’s built on the bodies of hundreds?”

She turned and looked at Shaman and froze as she saw tears roll down the old goblin’s cheeks.

Shaman met her eyes with a hollow gaze.

“That is for us to decide,” she declared forcefully.

It almost looked like the old goblin was trying to convince herself of her own words.

The silver-ranker finished smashing down the first offensive line without suffering a single injury and then paused, assessing the lines of goblins around him. Jonathan and Bill stayed back near the gate, not yet participating in the battle but also preventing any goblins from attempting to flee.

Another wave of fire flew out from the bombardment squads, but this time it completely ringed the camp. A wall of steam erupted from the trees. A scream sounded from behind the camp and Frog clapped his hands.

“There we go! Report!”

“One body fell from the trees and is currently not moving. Seems to be a rogue.”

“That should flush out their backline a little bit,” Frog said, glancing down at the map.

A strange buzzing sound filled their ears. A flowing, violet rectangle appeared behind the line of mages.

Lexi noticed it first and pointed at it, tapping Frog on the shoulder.

“What is that?” she asked.

“Ah shit,” Frog cursed. “It seems the silver-ranked arcanist is incredibly skilled…” he muttered.

“What does it do?”

Frog pointed at the humans stepping out of the portal.

“That.”

There were four of them. Sage in a very nature-y robe decorated with green and brown leaves, Melissa wearing skin-tight black pants and a purple blouse, Peter in his standard black robes, and Suzy in her white priestess garb.

Shaman grabbed her staff with one hand and the edge of the chain dangling from Lexi’s wrist with the other.

“Now it is our turn.”

Lexi verified that her ears were covered by her hat and that her tail was not visible. She looked at Frog and he nodded in assent. As she and Shaman started to descend from the platform, she overheard Frog’s next instruction.

“Begin Operation: Skyfart.”