At dawn, they returned to the camp where they found the dire bear had thrown a party for himself and used Kevin’s body parts as decoration. Every tent had been ransacked, just as every pack had been raided for their rations. Bits of bread littered the ground. The dried fruit and tack had been consumed. Even one of their water skins was torn. Then there was Lefty’s pack that had been ripped apart, so she and Grumner helped him patch it together with her needle and string. In all, they spent the rest of the morning salvaging what was left and repairing what they could before they set off again.

It is a funny thing that happens to people when faced with hardship. Their bodies adapt. Their minds steel themselves. They find mental and physical reserves they didn’t know they had. So it was for them that day. Hungry, tired, and cross, they marched down the hillside and into the next valley. As the hours of marching ate away at the afternoon, they subsisted on water and adrenaline to carry them.

They were traveling downhill into the valley now and Calista – between keeping an eye out for goblins, monster, and other deadly wildlife - was marveling at the wilderness around her. It was spring time in the foothills of Sommerdale and the forest had come to life. Her first moment of awe had been when they had walked up on a pair of deer, a mother and fawn, who had seen them and promptly ran. They had been beautiful, especially the fawn with its spots and floppy tail.

Was this why I was so addicted to this game? She wasn’t sure. She only remembered that she had been very, very addicted. She had played constantly, preferring her interactions online to her relationships with real people. Vaguely, she remembered friends and family, but that was all in the past. The now was here. Sable Unlimited.

Then Grumner spotted a troop of goblins at the bottom of the valley. The little green monsters had gathered around a river bed where they were filling their water skins. Not twenty yards away was a bridge where two more goblins stood guard.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

They all took cover. Calista found herself ducked behind a bush with Grumner at her side. Grumner looked out between the leaves and whispered, “What do you think?”

“If there’s a bridge here, that probably means its the safest way to cross the river,” she replied.

“Agreed,” said Grumner.

She continued, “So if we want to do the smartest thing, I say we wait here until the others leave and then kill those two guards.”

“You think you can hit one with your bow from here?” Grumner asked.

She raised her eyebrow, “Yes. Can you?”

The dwarf pulled the heavy crossbow off his back. With the potential to do lethal damage to any level one or two level character in a single shot, it was as impressive a ranged weapon as a character could expect at level one. “I don’t think it will be a problem,” he said.

Calista nodded, “Right, and I suppose if my short bow doesn’t kill him, we can always have the wizard cast a spell.”

They both turned at Lefty then, who’s response was to look very confused. “What?” he said.

Grumner pointed. “We need to get across that bridge.”

Lefty looked out through the leaves, “But there’s a bunch of goblins there.”

Grumner smiled politely, “Yes, that’s why we’re going to wait for the patrol to leave and then kill the guards.”

“And I suppose you want my help with this?” The wizard asked.

“Only if Calista’s short bow doesn’t do the trick,” Grumner said.

“Or if one of us misses,” Calista added.

Grumner grunted, “Which isn’t going to be me.”

Lefty squinted out at the goblins. “Right. But what if both of you miss?”

“That’s not going to happen,” Grumner hissed.

Lefty frowned, “Yeah, but what if it does?”

“Then you’ll just have to cast more than one spell,” growled Grumner.

And so they hid in the brush as they waited. Calista spent that time scanning the trees and hillsides as she looked for any other goblins, but could see none. After half an hour, the goblin patrol moved on, marching over the bridge and up a path that led up the next hill. The two guards, of course, had stayed. They waited until the patrol of two were well out of sight.

As Calista notched her arrow, she glanced over to Grumner who already had a heavy quarrel loaded and ready. Over at the bridge, she could see one of the two remaining goblins was staring out into the distance while the other was busy dozing against a rock. I guess we’re not going to get a better chance than this. With a glance, she gave Grumner a nod that she was ready and then they both took aim.