Chapter 4

Taking one last quick look around from our high view point we settled back to plan out our next move.  “Well there doesn’t seem to be any other torches wandering around, so hopefully that means we’ve taken care of all the scouts.  Down side is we don’t know when they are due to head back to make a report or to check in with anyone, so it seems we’re even more on the clock to keep some sort of element of surprise before suspicions start to arise.  Hate to say it but I think we need to split up.  You have darkvision and are far more capable at sneak than I am, so I think you should make your way to the campfires and the cages and see what you can find out.  Definitely ere on the side of caution, would prefer to not know a little bit more and keep you safe and our surprise longer.  I’ll circle around the cavern and see what I can find and if there may be anything of value.  Let’s meet back here in about 2 hours.  If no alarms are raised, then that should mean we’re both safe and just wait for the other.”

Planning lvl 5 reached

Wick looked as I had a quick unfocused look and smiled “Got something else did ya? A level in planning?”

With a chuckle I just nodded, “Yup, alright let’s go and see what mess we’re in”

I stayed to the outside wall and crouched low and as quickly and quietly as I could I started to make my way around the cavern.  The ground was flat and relatively smooth guessing a road circled the cavern in the past.  Making my way around I noticed alcoves and cut outs, places where stores or houses could have been. It was like walking through a memory.  Faint glimpses of the past showing through.  A partial relief was still on the wall, a scene filled with so much detail the shadows made it look to be in motion.  It was a battle scene where two forces had joined. One side filled with what looked like orcs and if I had to guess I’d say kobolds.  The other side showed proud beings that kind of looked like dwarfs but they seemed just a bit taller.  For a moment there I got lost in the scene, a pure struggle for survival and a hunger for dominance.  Reaching out I let my hand slide over the relief feeling every detail and being awed at the masterful artistry that it took to create.

Dropping my hand, I took off again.  Trying not to get distracted again but yearning to explore all that was around me.  Thinking to myself over and over, after this is done...  Slowly coming up to a wide intersection. I noticed that the road went straight into the heart of the cavern and right to where the campfires were.  The road also went straight into the wall, slowly stepping back a bit and making sure to stay hidden, I looked up at the wall.  Two giant figures stood beside the road wearing full armor.  Both fierce warriors dressed in full plate gripping large shields pushed into the ground.  The warrior to my left had a steely gaze with a long braded beard and hair coming out of his helm.  On his back was strapped a massive war hammer, symbols etched into the head and down the shaft almost seeming to shine a bit with the light of the moss.  The other warrior could have been a twin.  Dressed the same with a large two-handed sword strapped to his back instead.  Staring at the two in awe and a bit of reverence a quirky thought popped into my head, NONE SHALL PASS… and I just chuckled a bit. Looking a bit more intently I noticed a razor thin arch cut into the stone. Running my hand along the line I couldn’t even get my finger nail into the cut. With a bit of a shrug I thought, Huh, just another thing to figure out when this is done… 

I made my way around the cavern.  Not quite as large as I had first thought it was still about five football fields in width and about eight in length.  All the buildings were in the same amount of disrepair. Everything had rotted away except small pieces of wood that looked to be what was left of massive beams.  Deciding that I had seen enough I started my trek back.  Hunched over and concentrating on my movement trying to be as quiet and fast as I could.  Just past the warrior statues I got another notification.

Sneak lvl 2 reached

With a smile I continued thinking that with that I was up to nine PP; only needing one more to get my Support Path. 

I made it back to the original pile, taking a quick look around I didn’t see Wick so figured I should try to get that last PP while I waited.  Grinding out pushups and sit ups until my stamina bottomed out I would then sit and meditate to increase my regeneration speed.  After my second round of meditation I got the notification I was looking for.

Meditation lvl 2 reached

With a grin I opened up my status page and looked through his Paths options

Support Path 0/10; Risk Taker Path 0/15; Dauntless Path 0/50 ; Lucky Bastard Path 0/50; Path of the Cunning 0/20

PATHS COMPLETED

Newbie Path 7/7; Defense Path 10/10;

DESTINY PATH POINTS AVAILABLE: 10

Now I was torn looking at the different paths.  I could definitely finish up the Support Path but I was also only five short of the Risk Taker Path; which considering what we were doing, it was a huge risk, so the Risk Taker path may be something I should try to get.  Trying to do a bit of math I thought it takes little over 20 minutes to regain all my stamina and I can try to level iron skin which takes about 24 seconds to deplete my stamina. If I meditate while keeping iron skin active I can effectively level both at the same time.  With a grin I sat down and activated my iron skin.  I felt my skin tighten a bit, curious I took out the dagger and lightly started to push it against my forearm.  Feeling a bit more resistance that what it should be I chucked and put the knife away. Closing my eyes, I started to meditate.  After about half a minute I felt my stamina bottom out and my skin revert back to normal and after an hour of meditating and using his iron skin I welcomed the notifications.

Meditation lvl 3,4 reached

Iron Skin lvl 2,3 reached

Muttering to myself about being one shy, I was about to start meditating again when I felt a tap on my shoulder.  Nearly peeing myself I had to force my mouth shut not to make a sound as I spun around pulling my knife to see what it was.

Trying to keep from laughing out loud Wick covered his mouth and plopped down on a rock silently laughing. 

In a hissed tone I looked at Wick and said, “What the hell were you thinking?! That almost cause me to shout out, then what would we have done?!”

Holding both hands up, Wick calmed down and said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.  Was just trying to get your attention, didn’t realize you were a bit zoned out.”

Shaking my head I sighed a bit, “You’re right I should have been paying more attention.  I was trying to get some more PP to fish a Path.  I have fourteen PP now and can either finish the Support Path or try to get one more PP and finish the Risk Taker Path.  What do you think I should do?”

With a moment of contemplation Wick started, “Well both are good Paths in the beginning.  The Support Path will give you one support point which you can use toward Intelligence/Wisdom every odd PP that you add to the Path for a total of five.  You also get one free stat point you get for every even PP you add to the Path for a total of five. Finishing the Path you get plus two to all the support stats (Intelligence/ Wisdom) plus one support point per level.  As for Risk Taker Path, well you get plus one to all stats every five PP you use so a total of three to each for the Path.  You also get a random chest and get plus one percent experience per each level a defeated mob has over you.  Both are great Paths so hard to say which way to go.  The Support Path with give you sixteen stat points plus five for being level five, for a total of twenty-one.  The Risk Taker Path will give you twenty-four stat points plus a small chest.”

Trying to decide the better route, I wavered back and forth finally deciding, I added the points of the Risk Takers Path.  The increase in experience and the small chest was the better choice to make.  “Well, I’m still short a PP hopefully I’m close to another level in Physical fitness so let me try to grind it out a bit more.”

With that I got back to pushups/situps and meditation grind. Only forty-five minutes later I got the notifications that I was hoping for.

Physical Fitness lvl 2 reached

Congratulations! Pushing those muscles a bit further, you have earned +1 Strength

Congratulations! You’ve finally dropped that freshman fifteen! +1 Constitution

Really happy with the bonus two stat points I dropped the fifteen points right into the Risk Takers Path, which led to more beautiful notifications.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Congratulations!  You have earned +1 stat point to all stats!

Congratulations!  You have earned +1 stat point to all stats!

Congratulations!  You have earned +1 stat point to all stats!

Congratulations! You have completed the Risk Takers Path!                                                              Receive one random chest. +1% experience per level a defeated mob has over you!

With a big grin, I really felt everything about myself improve a bit, it was an incredible feeling.  With a small pop a chest appeared in front of me.  Looking a bit greedily at it I opened it up and took a look inside.

You have found:

Cloak of Concealment

Durablility: 15/15

Item Class: Uncommon

Quality: Well Crafted

Weight: 4.9 kg.

Traits: Decrease detection by 10

Inspection lvl 2 reached

Wick let out a soft “HA”, before continuing. “Well that’s definitely going to be useful with what’s ahead.  I waited a bit extra trying to get a sense if the hobgoblins noticed their scouts were missing.  To our luck nope!  Must be middle of the night, so most of them are gambling, drunk, asleep or a mix of the three.  I wasn’t able to get to the cages.  There was just too much open space between where I was and where they were.  The light from the fires would have lit me up too much and would have been easily spotted.  However, I was able to get a count of what we’re up against and it’s not pretty.  There are fifteen regular hobgoblins, five warrior hobgoblins and one shaman hobgoblin.  Plus you already know about the mountain troll.”

Shaking my head I started to think out loud, “Huh, well any chance we can sneak up and kill them individually?”

“Nope, nada would be spotted after the first kill and even with a sneak attack those warriors are almost hard to one shot, even slicing their throats wouldn’t do enough damage, don’t get me wrong would do a lot, but just not enough to kill them.”

“Alright, what about freeing the prisoners and having them help?”

“Possible but would probably get spotted while trying to open the cages, most likely get killed before you get them open.”

“Damn it, ok….”, I thought for a bit, then a bit longer with a very slow smile creeping on my face. “Say, how far away is that troll….”

“Wait, Why? He’s on the far end sleeping against a building pile.  They don’t really like fire so he’s staying away from it.  What the hell are you thinking?”

“Two more questions, can I over charge a mana bolt, and trolls wear loin cloths, don’t they?”

“Oh God… Oh God no! What the hell are you thinking?! Yes, you can over charge a mana bolt just when you call it forth hold it and let more mana build into it.  It’s not easy.  As to the troll yes, they do, and I REALLY REALLY don’t like where you’re going with this”.

Crawling back into the rubble pile I pulled each scout back into my bag and made my way back to Wick.  Pulling them all out and their equipment I gave Wick a smirk and said, “Well let’s dress them back up.”

“Ughhh, you are just sick you know that… I’m still not sure what your plan is but so far it sucks, you sick bastard.”

Getting all of the scouts redressed was a testament to our will.  Almost throwing up twice and having to play around with dead bodies I realized I was going to have to let Wick get first crack at the beer stein when the used it.  Placing the dead bodies back into my bag (I really have to see if there is a way to clean the inside), we made our way around the cavern following the road that I had used earlier.  When we got to the two warrior statues, Wick could only let out a slow soft whistle.  Having put on the cloak I felt a bit surer of my stealth allowing myself to travel a bit faster but very conscious of the noise we made sneaking.  When we reached the far side we settled down and I started to explain his plan to Wick.

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?!?!”, Wick barely able to contain himself was grabbing onto my cloak with both hands spitting in my face as his wild eyes held my own.

“Look, this is the only plan that I could come up with, now do you have a better one?”

With the wild look slowly subsiding, Wick looked away and shook his head “No”.

“Alright then, we’ll have to go with this one.  Now go get into position and I’ll get started”, With that another notification.

Planning lvl 6,7 reached

“Ha! The System must like my idea, I just got two levels out of it.”

“Ya, well we’ll see how well great it is if we’re both still alive after it” Turning around, Wick quietly snuck off to his position.

Slowly sneaking towards the troll, going from one pile to the next hiding behind boulders to regain my stamina as much as I could I stopped when I was no more than twenty-five meters from the troll and another twenty-five meters to the closest fire.  Looking up at the troll I could tell he was deep into sleep, the rolling rumble of his snoring a testament to that fact.  Making sure the cloak was pulled down over me as much as possible I started to very slowly make my way toward the troll, steeling myself against the thoughts of this is crazy, what the hell am I do, I’m soooo gonna die. Keeping an eye on the hobgoblins by the fire I kept my pace slow and steady.  Whenever one would look my way I froze,  sweat dripping down my back but letting every muscle lock until the eyes would move else wear. 

The sounds of the hobgoblins and the deep snoring of the troll helped cover any soft scraping my shoes made on the ground.  The closer I got the more I noticed just how intoxicated the hobgoblins were.  Those that weren’t passed out were throwing dice drinking and yelling at each other.  When I finally made it to the troll I slowly started to pull out the bodies one at a time.  I laid one of the bodies on the trolls calf and put a knife in its hand, looking up to make sure the troll didn’t move and listening for any change in the snoring I continued. Carefully placing a body on each thigh and another one on the other calf, I moved around slowly placing the bodies around the Troll.  Always checking for signs of change from either the troll or the campfire.  Taking the last body out I leaned it against the trolls’ foot and slowly crept back checking the placement.  The arrangement wouldn’t fool most, but a troll isn’t that bright.  Hopefully it will look like it’s being attacked.  I then slowly crept my way to the opposite building pile getting myself into position.

Crouching down behind large pieces of ruble, I took a few minutes to relax and shake my hands out.  Wanting to make sure I was fully restored on my stamina and giving Wick a few more minutes to get himself into position.  Closing my eyes, I took one last deep breath and began pulling my mana to my had for a mana bolt. Watching the mana swirl in my hand I concentrated on pulling more and more mana into the bolt.  The ball started to swirl faster and faster, the energy getting whipped up into a frenzy with the need to be released.  More and more I pulled into my hand, straining against the magics want for release.  Peaking around the stone I raised my hand and steadied it with his other, focusing exactly where I wanted to shoot.  With a grunt I let fly my enhanced mana bolt and watched it fly to its target.  With the mesmerizing effect of watching a car wreck, I winced as I watched my bolt tear through the loin cloth of the troll and smash into his enormous twig and berries. 

With a deafening roar the trolls eyes flew open in an absolute fit of rage. Looking down seeing the hobgoblin scouts on its legs its anger flew it into a stage of blood rage berserker.  Smashing the scouts about it picked up its club and launched itself at the campfires belching out a blood curdling roar.

The hobgoblins looked up in startled fear as they saw their troll descending upon them. The first swing of the trolls club decimated 3 hobgoblins sending them smashing into the surrounding stones in more pieces than they started.  The campfires erupted into action.  Confusion and bewilderment etched on their faced as fear laced through them.  The five warriors grabbing their shields and swords and started to attack the troll in fierce battle darting in and out trying to avoid the devastating swings.

With stunned shock and awe I was frozen in place watching the play before me unfold.  In absolute shock at the amount of destructive force the troll was able to bring forth I just couldn’t tear eyes away.  Shaking myself out of the stupor I kept my eyes on the battle before me and crept my way behind the fires.  Looking for my intended target.

Just as I was about to stop my eyes locked in on my target, the hobgoblin shaman.  Jumping about the fire the shaman kept channeling ice bolts and dark energy bolts through its staff.  The bolts tore rents of flesh from the troll. While the shamans attention was wholly on the troll I crept up behind him slowly pulled out my dagger. Just under a meter away from the shaman I sprung into action, grabbing the shaman around the waist I reached around and dragged my dagger across its throat, using every ounce of strength I had to get the blade as deep as I could.  Wrenching itself free from my grasp, the shaman turned to look at the new attacker.  With one hand clenching its staff the other grasped its throat, blood spilling through its fingers.  With a look of shock that turned to cruel hatred the shaman brought up its staff.  Not sitting still I quickly started to pull mana to shoot the shaman in the neck trying to disrupt its spells while lunging at it with his knife activating Heavy Blow.   

Landing the knife into the chest of the shaman broke whatever spell it was preparing. The mana bolt into the neck of the already mortal wound, finished the job.  Notifications starting to pop up I quickly dismissed them trying to keep from getting distracted from massacre in front of me.  The troll had already killed all but two of the warriors, both of which were severely injured with little life remaining.  Without the shaman to provide heavy damage the rest of the hobgoblins were doomed.  Not that the troll hadn’t taken heavy damage in return.  Bleeding from countless wounds, the troll swung his club ending the life of one of the warriors and then stomped on the head of the last one.  Slumping a bit the troll took a ragged breathe then noticed me, back lit by the fire light. Half blinded and with flesh pealing from its bones it let out another roar and reared back and threw its club at me.

Frozen staring at the troll, I barely made a twitch to move as the club was about to get slammed into me.  A moment before the club would hit, I got hit from the side.  Looking at what hit me as I flew a couple of meters I saw Wick get hammered by the club and thrown into a pile of rubble.

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” the word loud and raw ripped from my mouth as I saw my soul companion taking a hit that would have most likely ended my life.  The roar of the troll grabbing my attention, I stood up as the troll reached to the sky roaring one more time. 

In full blooded rage I started to shoot mana bolt after mana bolt.  Holding my hand out I poured every drop of mana I could into one massive bolt, all the anger, fear, loathing I had just fueled the unstable bolt. “DIE YOU UGLY SON OF A BIT……” A rock thrown by the troll slammed into my chest sending him flying back into rubble.  My mana bolt shooting high overhead.  My sight tinged in deep red as a notification popped into view

*CRITICAL HIT* You have received 235 points of damage.

Hearing faint cracking I coughed up some blood, my body unwilling to let me move.  I watched as the troll painfully stomped its way towards me.  Bending down it roared in my face, the foul fetid breath blasting my face, as I saw the battered face of the troll, with an eye missing gouges across its face with cracked and missing teeth.  Standing up with one final roar the troll pulled his arm back twisting its tormented body to give everything it had into this final swing.

CRACCCKKKKKK……

I watched as the troll wound up to dispense final judgement on me and what I saw instead was a stalactite plunge through the head of the troll spearing him to the ground.  Watching what just happened my jaw dropped, and was able to mutter “what the fuuuu…” and then passed out.