[AnthroPaul:] [William of Brinsford] [We found something we think you’ll be interested in. Or I should say the army found it.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [AnthroPaul] [What have you got?]

  [AnthroPaul:] [William of Brinsford] [The army guys started looking around the whole area around Eddington. They found something I heard about through the GRA Discord. We think it’s a Goblin camp or maybe a village. There’s at least three round huts hidden among the trees with a center fire pit.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [AnthroPaul] [Shadow got a quest for a Goblin camp when the STORE first opened. Give me the info and I’ll let her know. Thank you.]

  [AnthroPaul:] [William of Brinsford] [You’re welcome. You sure stirred up shit around here. I haven’t seen the army guys so active in days. They gave us pictures and details on the camp. If you need an extra, I’ll help.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [AnthroPaul] [Thanks for the offer. It’s a sneak-and-steal quest.]

  [AnthroPaul:] [William of Brinsford] [Understood. But getting to see a camp is smack dab in the middle of my specialty.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [AnthroPaul] [Yeah. It is. I’ll see what she says and if we can get a Healer. Don’t want to go in without one. I’ll let you know.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [Have you still got that totem quest for a Goblin camp?]

  It took a few minutes before she answered. I checked the time and figured she must be working. While I waited, I plugged the GPS coordinates into Google Maps; the site sat between four spawn points. I’d been farming one of them, so I already had a mental picture of where it was.

  [Urako Sarutobi:] [William of Brinsford] [yeah. had to finish and plate some steaks. You found one?]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [Yeah. GRA and the army did. It’s far enough from the big boss that it shouldn’t be a problem. I’m looking for a Healer as backup. Got a mage interested. We should clear it when you’re ready.]

  [Urako Sarutobi:] [William of Brinsford] [roger that. pick me up at 10 at work. I’ll be ready.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [Will do. See you tonight.]

  I put out a general call to the Irregulars and a specific one to Nurse Melissa. She’s our go-to for Sneak-and-Peek runs. She’s a dual class Healer/Thief, heavy on stealth and not being seen or heard until she needs to cast. And she BACKSTABs like a demon.

  Melissa replied she’d come. Blaze was tied up tonight with an FBI agent on Game Rules and couldn’t make it. A lot of people were busy…more than half the guild didn’t answer. Bhaarrt and Ingrid were with friends, prepping to scout the World Boss in the morning, so they weren’t sure they could finish in time. That left us a little thin.

  To kill time, I made MANA Batteries and re-enchanted what I could on my gear. Then, old memories called; I went out back and did sword drills with my new rapier. I hadn’t done that in years.

  A swordsman doesn’t think his moves so much as feel them…you decide where to hit, then hit it. Defense works the same way. Sometimes your body moves before your mind finishes the thought or notices the attack. I drilled with both hands until my arms burned since I hadn’t done this for over a decade.

  I wanted to have the new blade feel and move like it was a part of me. I had that with my old ones. The song line about old swordsmen get to be that way by being very good was very true. I might need to be that good again if I ran out of MANA.

  A few drivers slowed to look. It was a good workout, and I was sweating enough to need a quick shower. I made a light supper and watched the spawn fight across the street. No fifth party member yet for Shadow’s quest.

  Mary and Pat Flannigan were fighting, but their sons weren’t there. Carlos the Paladin tanked with help from HechtYea, their new thief. They finished fast. Watching them gave me an idea.

  A few drivers slowed to look. Good workout, and I was sweating enough to need a quick shower. I made a light supper and watched the spawn fight across the street. No fifth party member yet for Shadow’s quest. Mary and Pat Flannigan were both fighting, but their sons weren’t there. Carlos the Paladin tanked with help from HechtYea, their new thief. They finished fairly fast. Watching them gave me an idea.

  When the fight ended, I crossed the street. “Good work, guys,” I said. What the guild lacked in levels, they made up for it in flexibility and experience. That was only one reason I wanted to merge with them

  “HechtYea, you got a minute?”

  “Huh?” He sounded surprised I’d talk to him first. “What’s up?”

  “I need a hand tonight. It’s a Thief-based quest. Sneak and steal. If you can be back here by 9:30, we’ll pick the others up.”

  “What do I need to do?”

  “Mostly keep watch while the others go in and out. We’ve got an Ice Mage and me as backup, and Nurse Melissa as Healer. That will give us three people who can sneak in, and two who will help if things go sideways. If nothing does, then once things are done, we’ll take the place out. Experience and loot for everyone.”

  “It’s a Goblin camp," I added. "I don’t know how many of them or what levels they have. Or if there is anything else there. We won’t know until the three of you go in. If there’s too much for us to handle, we’ll come back later with more people. I won’t risk anyone dying. She doesn’t have REVIVE yet.”

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  He’s new but game. Pat and Mary overheard and offered help. Mary was nearly Level 5 and another healer would help. I told them there was a bigger problem coming: we’d found what looked like a threat that might need two raid groups…fifty players per group. The shock on their faces was worth the delivery.

  “What’s that big you need that many people for?” Pat asked.

  “World Boss,” I told him. “Minimum level is twenty-five.”

  “Shit!” Carlos said. “Can that thing one-shot us?”

  “It might be able to one shot me through my shields,” I said honestly. “We’ll bring multiple Healers with REVIVE. We’ll know more after intel. Tell your boys. We may wait until the weekend, so more people are available.”

  “This sneaking thing is more my level,” HechtYea said. “I’ll help with the other if it's in the evening or the weekend. I have to work tomorrow, and I don’t have anyone to replace me.”

  “Don’t worry.” I smiled at him. “Most people have that problem. We’re doing this thing late tonight because the person with the quest is working until ten.”

  “Is this Shadow?” he asked, and I nodded yes.

  HechtYea was all in. “You mean I get to be in a party with Shadow?” he said, grinning.

  I kept him honest: “She’s party leader. You’re backup.” He laughed anyway. “I’ll be back at 9:30. What should I bring?”

  “Weeeelllll….” I drawled the word out. “You won’t exactly be in a party with her. She’ll be the Party Leader. She’ll run it. I’m just transportation and backup. And I’ve got the location.” I added with a laugh.

  “Bring water, boots for the woods, woods, a flashlight, weapons, jacket. Small packs are good for anything the INVENTORY won’t take.”

  “Got it. Thanks. I’ll be here. How long do you think it will take?’

  “Two or three hours,” I told him. “It’s around a half hour each way to get to where the camp is. We need to take some county roads.” He nodded and took his share of the loot and headed off somewhere, probably home.

  AnthroPaul messaged me saying he could meet at my place, but I’d need to pick up Nurse Melissa. I told them the same things I told HechtYea. They both said they’d be ready.

  If I was going to do this, I made sure I was ready as well. When I looked at my electric blue day pack, all I could think of was the color clashing with the rest of my clothes. Buying a cheap black one went on my mental checklist. I even found the cheap pair of binoculars we’d bought years ago for a reason I didn’t remember.

  At 9:20 p.m. I was in my office trying to find something useful when the doorbell rang.

  [AnthroPaul:] [William of Brinsford] [I’m a little early. Hope you don’t mind.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [AnthroPaul] [NP. On my way.]

  I let him in. “Ready for a boring walk in the woods at night?” I asked.

  “The woods, yes. Ready for what’s out there? We’ll see.” He handed me his phone. “Look.”

  His photos started wide and zoomed in. Swiping through them, I recognized the area; I’d stored the coordinates. Close up, I saw a rectangular clearing, then four round shapes and a firepit glowing in the center.

  “We spotted it with heat signatures first,” Paul said. “Satellites that normally watch for fires saw it. It didn’t spread, so they took extra looks. HQ found the enclosure.”

  “How did you know it was Goblins?” I asked.

  “Daytime views showed small figures and cooking fires. One pic had a deer carcass near the fire.”

  "Hunting and cooking…plausible for Goblins. GRA talked about sending someone out, but that was talk."

  Then the doorbell rang again. HechtYea was on time. I introduced him to AnthroPaul.

  Staying out of their way, they quickly got to know each other.

  [William of Brinsford:] [Nurse Melissa] [Three of us are here. I’ll be on the way to pick you up in about five. Should be there in 10–15. You ready?]

  [Nurse Melissa:] [William of Brinsford] [I will be by the time you’re here.]

  “OK guys, our Healer’s ready, time to go.”

  I unlocked the van and got seats set. Stow-and-Go is a blessing. Paul rode shotgun. We pulled up to a two-story apartment on the southeast side just over ten minutes later. Melissa waited outside. I sent a chat message to Shadow.

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [I have the other three and are heading your way now. Should be there just after 10. Do you want the rear seat or should I have someone move?]

  [Urako Sarutobi:] [William of Brinsford] [Back seat. I need to change.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [OK]

  [Urako Sarutobi:] [William of Brinsford] [Just realized, the 2 new ones don’t know me. Shit.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [Put your head wrap on. It will be dark otherwise.]

  [Urako Sarutobi:] [William of Brinsford] [good idea. I’ll be further out in the lot. I’ll find you.]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [Roger that. ;)] I laughed after sending that.

  Melissa asked what I was laughing at. I explained that Shadow was worried about being recognized. AnthroPaul volunteered to close his eyes until she was seated. HechtYea promised not to peek.

  Melissa warned him nobody would be killed if they looked, unless Ingrid was there to REVIVE him. That earned a nervous laugh from the newbies and a real one from me.

  The two guys finally did as well. I don’t think they were sure if we were joking or not. If nothing else, it helped her reputation.

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [Please form a party with Nurse Melissa, AnthroPaul, HechtYea, and myself. This is your quest and your show. You run it. Yes, I’m evil.]

  [Urako Sarutobi:] [William of Brinsford] [Wheres melissia?]

  [William of Brinsford:] [Urako Sarutobi] [Middle passenger side.]

  [Urako Sarutobi:] [William of Brinsford] [Behind her. And I’m bringing leftovers we were going to dump. They somehow fell in my bag.]

  We were almost to the lot when the JOIN PARTY ping came through. I stopped, popped Melissa’s door, and Shadow slipped in…STEALTHed, but we felt her settle. In the mirror I caught a glimpse of her as her seatbelt clicked: she was in full gear.

  “That was either a fast change or you found a place to change before we got here,” I said.

  “There were two cars parked with enough room between them where the light didn’t shine,” she said, laughing. “What have you got for me?”

  Paul handed his phone back to her. The back seat conversations buzzed as they traded plans. I concentrated on finding the area near the camp; it sat closer to the World Boss than I liked, but it was what it was.

  Before we got out, I told everyone I’d cast PSYCHIC SHIELDs on us and keep them up for the run there and back. Melissa hadn’t heard about the World Boss until then; AnthroPaul, Shadow, and I filled her in on the urgent bits.

  I pulled the van far off the road to avoid headlights and noise. The night pressed in, thick with the tang of damp leaves and somewhere near, wet mud. The kind of smells that sits in your nose and makes you feel like you're in the middle of no-where. Crickets sang in a tight chorus. A whip-poor-will called once. When we shut down the engine, the sudden silence felt loud…more like held breath.

  It was the deep dark that you only get out in the woods on a cloudy night. Shadow complained that she was still three levels short of getting Night Sight. That’s an ability that lets Thieves see in the dark like they wore infra-red goggles.

  “Ready?” I asked.

  “Ready,” they whispered.

  We killed all but one light on a phone and slipped out into the dark.

  Musical Interlude:

  Swordsman -- Moonwulf Starkaaderson

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