I stole a glance as she rolled her eyes. “Mostly dude… I’ll pass.”
She shivered with the chill. “It’s colder tonight.”
Pulling out her cloak, she put it on, then walked over to me and leaned up against my side for body warmth.
“We don’t have to sneak out tonight if you prefer,” I said. “I have a feeling we are going to have plenty to do in the morning. There’s always tomorrow night.”
“No. I don’t really sleep much anyway. Are you having second thoughts?”
“I…” I was cut off by a black streak of movement only a block away. A red dot on my local map proved that I hadn’t just been imagining things.
“Enemy.”
“What?!” she hissed.
I immediately equipped my gear, and she didn’t hesitate to do the same.
We stalked forward. If it was some kind of rogue character I doubted I would out-sneak it, so the moment I caught a glimpse of it again…
Tiptoeing to the corner of the building I had seen the streak go behind, I peeked around the corner and there it was. I had seen this creature before. It was a Goblin Sneak-Thief. This one was still living.
It was examining a window to the home. If its intentions were as I expected, then there was no time to waste.
I leaned my spear against the log cabin and drew my sword as I charged. I was able to reach full speed before it started to bolt.
Smacking it across the back with my shield, I thrust down, easily piercing its thin leather. Looting took no more than a second. I whipped my blade across its back, then sheathed it. Victoria retrieved my spear for me.
“Where there’s one…”
“There will be more,” she finished my thought. “How did they get in?”
“No idea. Climbed the walls?”
“I certainly hope not! There’s no one watching the wall, only the gate! We need to warn people!”
We walked back out from the alley between two homes. I scanned the area carefully.
“Should we sound the alarm?” I asked.
“Yes, but there! One’s behind our house.”
We ran.
“You go inside to warn the others. I’ll come at it from behind,” I commanded.
“Got it.”
She didn’t slow as she threw the front door open. It banged against the side of the house.
I didn’t slow either. Speed had worked the first time.
The sneak-thief wasn’t up the alley of our home, so I shot through it. Rounding the corner, I caught movement from the corner of my eye. The ugly snorter lunged, knife aimed at my throat. My spear took up the space it wished to occupy, so it had to settle for glancing my arm below the shoulder with its blade.
-11 Damage
My vision flashed white. You little green gerbil!
Enraged, I kicked out, forgetting my spear and shield, and launched it against the rear of the house. It stood there dazed, so I happily rammed my spear through its chest and into the wood behind it, pinning it there.
You just hang out here for a while.
Level 15
You have reached Level 15!
You have grown closer to your Pet. Closer to unlocking the Teen tier.
+50 pounds carrying capacity.
Your Creature Indicator range has increased by 2 to 36 meters!
That’s what I’m talking about! Now those are some needed improvements.
“You’re hurt?” Kline asked, running up fully armed down the alley between homes.
“Nothing serious. There are more of them.”
Leaning down, I looted this one too. Another dagger, but both also had carried an unusual number of gemstones. Three each. Score!
The rest of the group soon joined us.
“We must warn everyone,” Peter said. “Let’s head to the front gate.”
“Shall we make some noise?” Kline asked.
“Let’s.”
***
We jogged toward the main road, banging our swords and shields together. The only people that wouldn’t wake from such a commotion would have had to know Treetop.
Not even a few blocks away we spotted another Sneak-Thief. It was running after hearing our commotion. The chase began.
It rounded nearly every corner it came across like it had something against going straight. We just happened onto another Sneak-Thief that was climbing out of a shattered window.
My stomach dropped. Had it finished its evil deed?
Oliver was the first to see it. He launched himself forward, skewering the goblin through the side before it even hit the ground. With insane strength, he raised it up, impaled on his spear, and tossed it behind him and out of the way. He didn’t bother to loot it.
I don’t mind if I do. Skidding to a stop, I knelt, took it all, and caught up in seconds.
“Silly gamers,” Kline chided.
I winked. If I remembered I’d give it to Oliver later.
When the Sneak-Thief stopped he wasn’t alone. Three other Sneak-Thieves and four Warriors were raiding a line of carts on the side of a house.
“Form a line!” Oliver demanded.
No one argued. We had the group of goblins pinned in between houses. I was no stranger to the strategy Oliver had in mind. It was a tight fit for the five of us shoulder to shoulder, but for the seven of them, it was impossible. It was basic group strategy. Now the five of us could face off against five of them and not all seven at once.
With only four warriors, who wisely took the front line, they were still harshly outmatched. Kline faced off against the Sneak-Thief and downed him in a few swings of his axe, which he was using one-handed for the fight. The rest of us squared off shield to shield.
The cut on my arm was nearly healed already. Lowering my center of gravity, the goblin had no target to aim for if I ducked below my shield. It was almost a cheat item. I baited him by spitting at his head. He had to raise his shield to block it. His sword came in with a heavy blow, but I was able to block while nicking him on the knee. Kline dared to level an overhead chop at the same goblin from my flank. A dull thunk preceded its death.
I dared a glance down the row. Oliver’s goblin was already down and he was helping Victoria, while Peter had somehow de-shielded his own.
Feeling it was time to break formation, Kline bounded forward, crippling one Sneak-Thief at the knee. The remaining two started to run.
Launching forward, I quickly caught Kline who tackled one from behind. Passing by, I stuck my spear between the fleeing goblin’s legs, slicing it at the ankle and tripping it up.
When I glanced back, my group had already finished the job.
“This is not good,” Victoria protested. “I can accept that the rogues can climb the walls, but the fully armored warriors?”
This time everyone looted their own kills. I had gotten two of them.
I took it back. I was feeling different, likely from my stat gains the last couple of days. The thrill made me forget everything I had been dealing with.
“I’m afraid Willingham has been breached,” Peter replied, his brow furrowed as he watched Victoria.
“We must hurry,” Oliver demanded. “The longer we rest the more people die.”
We nodded as one and ran off banging our shields like a bunch of determined madmen.
Chapter 18 – Flee
So much blood. Over thirty players’ lifeless bodies lay scattered from one side of the street to the other. They weren’t just dead, they had been mutilated. It had happened so recently their bodies still hadn’t disappeared.
Peter grabbed Victoria by the arm and pulled her to him, holding her by the shoulders at arm distance.
“Look at me.” He demanded.
Her eyes wandered, taking in the tragedy. Finally they met his.
“It’s already over. There is nothing you can do to help.”
She clenched her fist. The tension in her arms grew, rising up into her shoulders. The trembling started until she shook as if she was about to tear something apart. A muffled cry slipped between her clenched teeth.