Free Web NovelChapter 27: Bad Omen
For Ka’z, Tu’ka, Za’r, Ru’k and Kurg, despite their identities as hunters, they were in no position to speak during a gathering like this. They were the youngest members of the colony, the least experienced, and although Ka’z carried the title of Messiah, it meant very little inside a war council.
This was the domain of those who had survived battles, led hunts, and buried comrades. Here, experience carried more weight than destiny. The five quietly remained near the back of the chamber, listening as the elders debated strategy while charcoal maps covered the cave floor.
The discussion continued for nearly half an hour before the voices gradually settled. Different ideas had been proposed, questioned and discarded until Tud’or finally stepped forward. Every conversation ceased almost immediately.
"Our objective is not to conquer the enemy," Tud’or said, his calm voice echoing through the chamber. "We are going to cripple them. Burn everything they cannot replace and kill as many as opportunity allows. Once the camp is gone, they will be forced to start over."
Nobody argued.
It was the only realistic option.
The old warrior lowered his gaze toward the crude map drawn on the cave floor before continuing.
"Twenty soldiers and six hunters will participate. Everyone else will remain behind to defend the colony."
One after another, Tud’or began calling names.
Every warrior whose name was spoken stepped forward and joined the formation without hesitation.
"...Lan’ka."
"...Ka’z."
"...Tu’ka."
"...Ru’k."
The moment the final name left Tud’or’s mouth, a loud voice suddenly echoed across the chamber.
"YES!"
Every head instinctively turned.
Kurg stood frozen with both fists raised in celebration. The terrified kobold’s face gradually stiffened as he realized everyone was staring at him.
His ears slowly folded downward.
"...Ah."
Without another word, he hurriedly covered his own mouth with both hands before spinning around and bolting out of the chamber as fast as his short legs could carry him.
"I wasn’t happy!"
"You all misunderstood!"
"I swear!"
His increasingly embarrassed voice echoed through the tunnels until it finally disappeared.
For several seconds, complete silence filled the chamber. Then laughter erupted. Even some of the elders couldn’t suppress their smiles.
Lan’ka shook his head while rubbing his forehead.
"That brat..."
Even the usually stern Tud’or allowed the corner of his mouth to lift ever so slightly before returning to the matter at hand.
"The force will divide into two teams."
His claw pointed toward the northern side of the charcoal map.
"I will lead the first assault."
He then pointed toward another route circling behind the camp.
"Lan’ka will command the second."
Everyone leaned forward.
"My team will consist of ten warriors alongside Tu’ka and Ru’k. We will launch a direct attack against the camp. Our objective is simple. Draw every eye toward us and keep the enemy occupied."
His claw shifted toward the opposite side.
"Lan’ka’s team will wait until combat begins. Once the goblins commit themselves to the front, your objective is to destroy every supply you can find. Burn their food. Burn their timber. Burn anything useful. Once the camp descends into chaos, attack them from behind."
Several veteran warriors nodded in approval.
The strategy was straightforward.
Even if they failed to eliminate every goblin, destroying weeks of supplies and construction would leave the Ashmork camp in an extremely vulnerable position.
Satisfied murmurs spread throughout the chamber. Soon afterward, everyone dispersed to prepare.
By the time they gathered outside the cave entrance, night had completely swallowed the forest.
No moon hung overhead.
Only endless darkness stretched beyond the colony’s borders while powerful winds swept through Evergreen Forest, causing countless leaves and branches to rustle together without pause.
Ka’z quietly looked toward the canopy.
For once the weather favored them.
The wind would help conceal their movements and drown out the sounds of marching feet.
Just as that thought crossed his mind...
Ding!
A translucent window appeared before his eyes.
[New Mission Acquired]
[Description: Limit the kobold casualties to the barest minimum.]
[Win Condition: Lose no more than 10 kobolds.]
[Special Win Condition: Lose no more than 5 kobolds.]
[Lose Condition: Lose more than 10 kobolds or lose a hunter.]
Buzz!
Ka’z’s heartbeat violently skipped and his pupils shrank. His breathing unconsciously stopped as he stared blankly at the floating words while his mind desperately tried to process their meaning.
His lips parted but no sound came out. His thoughts became completely blank.
The implication behind those words struck him harder than any weapon ever could. Even if they won, people were going to die.
Not one or two. Enough casualties for the system to specifically warn him.
"...How?"
The word escaped his lips almost inaudibly.
How could that possibly happen?
They had the element of surprise. The goblins had no reason to expect an attack. Everything favored them.
Yet the system had never lied before. If it predicted casualties, then casualties were coming.
Without another thought, Ka’z immediately hurried toward the front of the formation where Tud’or and Lan’ka stood discussing final preparations with several veteran warriors.
Unlike Ru’k, Ka’z had never enjoyed attracting attention. Despite being regarded as the Messiah, he preferred remaining quietly in the background whenever possible and this gave everyone a good impression of him. So seeing him approach with such urgency immediately caused both leaders to stop talking. They knew it must be something serious.
Lan’ka frowned.
"Is there a problem?"
Ka’z nodded immediately.
"I can’t explain it," he admitted honestly. "But I have this feeling that something is going to go wrong tonight."
Several nearby warriors exchanged confused glances.
"What exactly will go wrong?" one older kobold asked.
Ka’z frowned.
"I don’t know."
"You don’t know?"
He slowly shook his head.
"It’s just..."
He hesitated before forcing the words out.
"...a feeling."
Silence lingered for only a heartbeat before several older warriors burst into laughter.
"A feeling?"
One of them slapped another’s shoulder.
"So that’s what interrupted us?"
Another chuckled.
"If you’re scared, just admit it."
"We won’t laugh."
That only caused even louder laughter.
Ka’z’s ears lowered slightly. Even he felt ridiculous hearing himself. He had no evidence or explanation.
Nothing except a warning only he could see.
Tud’or and Lan’ka, however, didn’t laugh. The two older kobolds simply stared at him, their expressions revealed obvious doubt.
Yet neither dismissed him outright.
After everything Ka’z had accomplished over the past two years, they couldn’t completely ignore his words.
Finally, Tud’or gave a small nod.
"Understood."
His response was neither agreement nor rejection. It was simply acknowledgment.
Ka’z realized there was nothing more he could say. With a frustrated sigh, he turned away and began searching for his siblings.
He found them gathered beneath a large tree a short distance away. Ru’k leaned lazily against the trunk while casually twirling a throwing knife between his fingers.
Za’r stood beside him checking the contents of a small satchel filled with herbs and stripes of clean cloth.
Tu’ka remained a few steps away from both of them with his arms folded across his chest, silently watching the darkness beyond the colony.
The moment they noticed Ka’z approaching, Za’r and Ru’k instinctively straightened.
"What happened?" Za’r asked.
Ka’z wasted no time.
"I need all of you to be careful tonight."
Ru’k blinked.
"...That’s it?"
Ka’z nodded.
"I have a feeling something is going to go wrong."
Silence followed. Then Ru’k suddenly doubled over laughing.
"Hahaha!"
He slapped his own thighs repeatedly.
"What?"
He pointed dramatically at Ka’z.
"Don’t tell me your dragon senses are tingling!"
Za’r immediately smacked his arm.
"Ouch!"
Ru’k rubbed the sore spot while glaring at her.
"What did I do?"
"Take him seriously," Za’r snapped.
Ru’k rolled his eyes dramatically. Meanwhile, Tu’ka quietly stared at Ka’z. Unlike the others he wasn’t laughing.
After several seconds he finally spoke.
"How?"
Ka’z frowned again. It was the same question everyone kept asking. The same question he couldn’t answer.
"I just know."
Tu’ka continued staring at him before slowly nodding.
"...Understood."
Ka’z turned back toward Ru’k. He grabbed the mischievous kobold firmly by both shoulders.
"Especially you."
Ru’k blinked.
"Stay a coward."
Ru’k looked offended.
"What?"
"Look before you act."
Ru’k immediately slapped Ka’z’s hands away.
"Get off me!"
He took several steps backward while glaring at him.
"What the hell is wrong with you?"
Before Ka’z could answer, Za’r smacked him across the back of the head.
Thwack!
Ru’k yelped.
"Ouch!"
"Be careful when he tells you to be careful," Za’r scolded.
Ru’k rubbed his head miserably.
"I get beaten no matter what I do..."
Behind them, Tu’ka slowly covered his face with one hand. For the first time this night he was thankful Kurg was not here. If Kurg were here this would somehow become even worse and spiral into an argument.
The four shared a few more words before, little by little, the joking atmosphere disappeared. Even Ru’k eventually stopped smiling.
Nobody could explain why, but after seeing Ka’z so serious, each of them silently resolved to be more cautious.
If nothing happened then nothing was lost but If something did, perhaps those few extra moments of caution would save a life.
As everyone finally separated to join their assigned groups, Ka’z instinctively reached out and took Za’r’s hand.
She froze.
Her golden eyes widened before a faint blush slowly spread across her cheeks.
Neither of them spoke. There wasn’t anything that needed saying.
Ever since Za’r’s confession, Su’ki’s death had thrown the entire colony into chaos. Every waking hour had been spent training, preparing or working. The two of them had barely found time to exchange more than a few words daily.
Now, for the first time in days, they walked side by side alone. Za’r quietly tightened her grip around his hand. The fear of the coming battle hadn’t disappeared. But somehow walking beside Ka’z like this made the darkness ahead feel just a little less frightening.
For the first time since Su’ki’s death, she found herself smiling.
