A Short Invasion

The message never came. Tom stood there trying to unfocus his vision to see any messages that might indicate that they had killed the goblins in the area. Nothing.

"What the fuck?" Tom growled out angrily. "They must have moved from the building. Dammit!"

"Is everything okay, Tom?" Harold asked, looking as though he was worried about approaching him in this state.

"No, not really. There was a huge gathering of goblins in that building. We rushed back so we could get ahead of it, but they appeared to be organized. No notifications that they were killed came through, so they must have cleared out." Tom replied, staring out over the city with his hands on his hips.

"We can try for another target if you like," Harold offered, easing his worry now that he understood the situation.

"Nah, we'll just be wasting ammo that we may need later. I'll figure something out." Tom replied as he turned and headed back to the elevator.

Reaching the lobby again, Tom strode into the security office.

"I'm here so fucking much, I should move my bed in," Tom announced as he sat down heavily in one of the office chairs.

"Tell me about it," TJ replied with a laugh. "Whatcha got for me today?"

"Goblins. The ones we were to check out. They're organized. Double the guard and have strike teams on standby. I've got a bad feeling about this." Tom replied as he stared at the monitors showing the camera feed from both inside and outside the guild building.

"You got it," TJ replied with a mock salute. "You think they'll head here?"

"Not sure. It's what I would do. But they don't know what we can do likely. So I want to surprise them. I really didn't need this right now." Tom said as he buried his face in one of his hands.

"Never the right time, is it?" TJ asked in a way that said he understood exactly how Tom felt.

"No, it is not," Tom said slowly after a long sigh. "Oh well. If they do come, we can farm some extra XP."

"There's the silver lining. It's just goblins, right?" TJ said sarcastically.

"Yeah, just goblins," Tom said, concern laced his voice.

Were they just goblins? The majority probably were. But they had never been organized like this before. They always acted like stupid video game mobs, many standing in the middle of the road while they just mowed them down. Now they had the wherewithal to leave a building they had been discovered congregating in. It just didn't make any sense.

Wargs were now a part of the equation as well. Anyone who knew much about goblins from video games or books knew that their mount of choice was the Warg. That wasn't new information. What was new was the fact that they had them now. So, were they evolving? Was the System spawning tougher monsters now that they had been settling into the new world, they found themselves in? Would that continue to grow if that was the case? And what about that bigger goblin Jay had mentioned?

Unable to make any more sense of the situation, Tom tried to put the issue at the back of his mind.

"I need those guards doubled ASAP. I want them to watch for any movement or strange sounds right now and I want an alert over the PA system if they see anything. Nothing too drastic, but to get the strike teams the opportunity to gather." Tom ordered as he stood from his seat. "I don't want any surprises. We didn't come this far to get fucked by damned goblins."

"Thanks for that mental picture," TJ smarted off.

Tom left the security office and went to the gym to summon Bron. Activating the skill while focusing on Bron, the Mastadonian rose out of the black sigil that had been created on the ground. Turning to face Tom, Bron peered into his eyes.

"What is it that troubles you?" Bron asked him.

"Why is it that we can't find any peace? It's like just one fucking fight after another." Tom clenched his fists in frustration at the continual parade of people or monsters looking to do them harm.

"Because you do not live in a peaceful place anymore. That may have been the way of the world once, but now you will have to continue to hone your skills to keep that which you have built." Bron replied evenly.

"I know. Doesn't make it any less frustrating." Tom huffed.

"No, I suppose it doesn't. But that matters little to the universe and the System." Bron replied.

"This guy is deep," Maria piped in.

Ignoring her, Tom continued. "Goblins. We have a goblin problem."

"That never seems to have been an issue for you before, what changed?" Bron asked.

"They seem organized. We went out to check on them and spied on what they were doing. They were holed up in a warehouse outside the downtown area and Jay said he saw a big goblin get up on a stage and start whipping them into a frenzy. Then we got spotted by some Warg riders and had to get away. When we returned, I went straight to the guns on the side of the building, and we fired some huge rounds at them. Totally demolished the warehouse, but no kill notification. They seemed to have known to get away." Tom explained while he began pacing as he thought about it.

"Sounds like a goblin war party," Bron said as he put a hand beneath his trunk to what Tom assumed was his chin in thought.

"And I'm guessing those are led by a goblin warlord or something?" Tom asked trying to get Bron to explain further.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"Sometimes. Goblins are rather impressionable creatures. The weakest ones follow the ones stronger than them, and they the ones stronger than them, all the way up to the biggest and strongest goblin. But if someone else comes along and dethrones the head goblin, they could become the warlord." Bron explained.

"That really leaves it open for interpretation," Tom sighed as he felt no closer to an answer.

"I can say that if they are acting as organized as you say, it's not likely a goblin warlord. Or rather not a goblin who is the warlord. They aren't that tactical. They just use their numbers to crash through anything they can." Bron continued.

Just as Tom was about to ask another question, the PA system crackled to life as TJ could be heard through the speaker.

"All strike teams to the outer wall. This is not a drill, I repeat, all strike teams to the outer walls. All other members of the guild who are willing and able should be on standby." TJ said in a firm military voice that showed no indication he was feeling any emotions.

"I think I can guess your next question and I believe you are about to get the answer," Bron winked at him before taking off for the wall.

Tom sped after him as they tore through the hallways and out the front door. As they ran, Tom noticed that there was no longer the same sense of panic that would normally have filled the halls with members running for cover. Instead, there was a sense of almost practiced preparations for what might come. People moved with an almost practiced ease to the stations they knew they should be at.

Children were handed off to the specified caregivers while men and women alike began to ready themselves for a fight. Armor and weapons were equipped, and the security team moved toward the wall, while the strike forces formed in the lobby and headed to the wall as soon as all members of their team were present. Tom was truly impressed with the level of professionalism that they exuded.

Not stopping to assemble with his team, Tom and Bron darted out the front door, Jay and Kiera noticing him and moving to follow. As he neared, the people gathering began to part to let their leader and his summon pass. Taking the stairs two at a time, Tom reached the top and stopped to look out over the wall.

Standing in front of them were ranks of goblins. They stood in organized groups that reminded him of the battle of Helms Deep in the second Lord of the Rings movie.

"So it begins," Tom said softly.

"What?" Jay asked, unable to hear what he had said.

"Oh, nothing. Forget I said anything. Sure are a lot of these ugly green bastards." Tom replied.

"Yeah. Not feeling quite as confident as I did before about this." Jay said to him, still looking out over the formed ranks.

"I mean, in the end, they are just goblins, right?" Tom winked at Jay.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Jay asked, a huge grin spreading across his face.

Tom took out the keys to the GS2 and tossed them to him. Jay caught them deftly out of the air and looked almost ready to jump up and down with excitement.

"Get as many others as you can and take them to any vehicles we have. Time to do a little goblin bowling." Tom replied to him, a malicious grin spreading on his face as well.

Jay took off at a speed that Tom had never seen from him before as he took the last six steps in a single leap. Turning back to the goblins, Tom pulled out a gun, aimed down at the ranks, and fired a single shot off, hitting one of the goblins in the middle of a platoon between the eyes and watching it drop to the ground in death.

"What the fuck was that for?" Kiera asked in shock.

Tom didn't reply immediately as he watched the goblin ranks. None moved. A few looked down at the body on the ground near them, but they didn't move to attack or yell out at them at all.

"You letting the intrusive thoughts win again?" Kiera asked, trying to prod Tom into talking.

"There's something going on here, and I don't like it. They didn't even move when I shot one of them." Tom replied, an ominous, thoughtful tone to his voice.

Kiera turned to look at the gathered goblins now as well and her eyes widened slightly at Tom's insight.

"Oh, shit. You're right." Kiera said softly, realization dawning. "Why are they like this? It's almost spooky."

"Well, they showed up here. I say we welcome them in style. Still got your grenade launcher?" Tom asked.

"Never leave home without it," Kiera replied as she equipped the weapon from her inventory.

"Good. Empty it into their ranks." Tom said as he looked out over the forces.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Kiera said and spread her legs apart to begin firing.

She aimed at the center of several of the platoons and fired off eight shots. Each one landed with an explosion that killed groups of goblins. After the first three shots, the ranks began to crumble as the goblin's survival instincts began to take over.

"And why exactly are we just blasting goblins from the wall while they just stand there?" Derek asked as he reached the top of the wall and walked up behind them.

"Gotta draw out whatever is causing this shit. They don't organize like this. So we need to cause a little chaos to make them show themselves to restore order." Tom replied still scanning out over the assembled abominations.

Just as Tom finished this statement, a voice called out over the goblins as they began to run around to avoid being hit by the grenades.

"Form the ranks you stupid sons of bitches! This is no time to panic! Get back in line or I'll send the spectres after you!" Said a familiar voice from the rear of the assembled forces.

"Why do I know that voice?" Derek asked.

"Fucking hell. It can't be." Tom said. "JEFFERY! SHOW YOURSELF!"

From behind all the goblins, a shimmer appeared. A form wavered into existence sitting on top of a huge Warg. Jeffery sat there glaring daggers at Tom up on the wall.

"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle. It really is you. What are you doing here Jeffery?" Tom called out to him.

"Settling our debt, Tom. I showed you hospitality and you repaid me by taking my son from me." Jeffery shouted back.

"Holy shit. Colonel Sanders is back, and he looks pissed." James whistled as he stepped up next to Tom and Derek.

"It's high time we settled this," Jeffery said in a cold voice.