It was almost time. Half an hour ago, Harl and five of my most trusted Hunters had left the doors of the guild. They were on their way to rouse as many of their friends to our cause as possible before we all moved at midnight.

  Danver didn't have any churches that I knew of, let alone bells to signify the change of the hour, but I did have a warhorn that a Hunter found for me in the armory.

  When I blew that horn, everyone would count down from one hundred before attacking their targets. They weren't forced to attack any of their targets if the situation wasn't optimal. This first strike was all about stealth, and we would try to maintain it as long as possible.

  Much of this day had been spent compiling intel on where the majority of the Kurskins were staying at night. There were a few inns that catered specifically to their kind, so those were obvious targets. Some of the Hunters had come up with other potential locations, and we ended up with ten targets marked on our map for the initial attack. After that, I assumed the remaining Kurskins would make their presence known. If they joined the fight, they would likely be met by an overwhelming force and have no choice but to flee the city.

  Earlier in the afternoon, when I was alone with the map, Val provided me with some valuable and detailed information on the likely whereabouts of other Kurskins. Her ability to track the location of Players wasn't as robust as I wished, but if she focused, she could extend her range in a specific direction. I added six more marks on the map.

  I hoped it was enough to thin the herd. These Players were powerful, but we could overwhelm them if we took out a significant portion of their population early, doubly so if other civilians joined in the fight.

  "If we leave within the next five minutes, everyone should have enough time to get to their assigned locations," Ersabet said.

  "Do Dalaris have some inherent timekeeping ability in their brain because the only way I can ever get the time right is with a good old-fashioned clock?" I said. I could use Val. But I could never truly trust her answers. She might tell me it's eight o'clock instead of seven just to fuck with me.

  "I'll tell you if you tell me something first," Ersabet whispered.

  My interest was suddenly piqued. "Let's have it then."

  "I noticed more marks were added to the map earlier. It may just be an 'x,' but I have an eye for detail. Those marks were written by your hand."

  "Yeah," I shrugged. "One of the Hunters gave me some solid intel."

  "Why are you lying?"

  "I'm not lying," I said quickly.

  "I am Dalari, and you are lying."

  "Fine. It's an ability I have if you must know," I said. "I can sense where other Players are." It wasn't a lie. Val was essentially a legendary piece of gear in this game, which provided me with unique perks.

  Ersabet narrowed her eyes, but she didn't accuse me of lying again, so I took that as a win.

  "And this ability only works on Players?"

  "Yup," I said only as I realized Ersabet had just set a trap for me.

  "That's very interesting,” she purred. “So, how did you know that Master Roan and the other humans were coming down the hall? You ushered us out of that room quite briskly, just in time for them to round the corner and see us outside the room instead of catching us inside, surrounded by death."

  "I heard them coming." It was the best excuse I could think of.

  Ersabet's expression made it clear she knew that was a lie.

  "Look, if you help me do this," I said, "And if by some miracle we drive those scaly bastards out of Danver, I'll answer your questions. How about three questions? That's a fun storybook number, right?"

  "I don't read stories," Ersabet said. "I read to learn, not to escape into some fantasy world."

  I laughed in her face. "Your people built this fucking fantasy world, and you're here playing in it!" "Irrelevant. Enough talking. It is time."

  All of my Hunters were gathered near the exits of the building. I turned to the group waiting with me at the main entrance, along with Ersabet. I recognized a few of the Hunters who had stood out to me in my short time as a member of their order, including Benor.

  Benor was nearest to me. He didn't seem to hold any grudge against me for beating him in hand-to-hand combat on the night of my initiation into the Hunters. We had shaken hands at breakfast, and Benor had filled me in on his previous interactions with the Kurskins. Let's say Benor would be happy to take one down.

  “Val, what’s the status on Master Roan?”

  'He's safe in his quarters. However, I can't tell if the Hunter you assigned to keep guard is still there or not."

  “He seemed legit. I trust him to do his job.”

  'My, what a ringing endorsement.' Val said. She wasn't projecting her form anywhere at the moment, but I had grown used to the invisible voice living inside my brain.

  I ignored her. Roan was out of the picture tonight. He had protested when I laid out my plan to everyone. Ersabet took that opportunity to berate him. She told him that his feelings didn't matter because Djadja was telling the truth, and so was she. From there, Ersabet and I essentially seized control of the entire order, banishing Master Roan to his chambers until the job was done.

  “Now," Ersabet said.

  I turned to my group. "It's time. Our city is littered with monsters, and it’s our duty to get rid of them. Let's make the Hunters proud."

  There were subdued shows of support, and I saw the excitement in their eyes. If not for our desire to remain undetected, they would be roaring their support.

  I opened the door and headed straight east. On the other side of the building, more doors were opening, and other groups began their silent journey through the town.

  We all knew the inns that catered to the Kurskin would be the most dangerous targets, and so that's where Ersabet and I were heading. There were two inns we hoped to address tonight. One was nearby, while the other was at least half a mile further into the heart of Danver.

  Suppose we could keep our attack at the nearby inn from spiraling out of control. In that case, we might have a real shot of eliminating a significant portion of our enemies before the rest were alerted to our uprising. Maybe even enough to make the rest of the Kurskins reconsider whether Danver was worth fighting over.

  I led our silent march to the first inn, Val ensuring I was on the right path and that there were no Players nearby. Our group stayed spread out to appear more like individuals walking in the same direction, rather than a group of people walking with a shared intent.

  The night air was crisp, and a weak wind drifted southeast, bringing the scent of mountains and pine with it. The city of Danver was a dark place at night, but the stars above cast enough of their light down on us so that we could at least travel the streets without tripping.

  We reached the street where our target inn was located, and Val informed me that we had another eleven minutes until I was to blow the warhorn. After that, everyone would count to one hundred before making their moves.

  There was a total of ten in my group, including Ersabet. I pulled them into an alleyway to review the plan. It was a tight fit, but we managed.

  "We need someone to go find out if the front door is locked,” I said. “Lights are on, so there's a chance they're still open. If they are, hopefully, most of the Kurskins have retired to their rooms. Anyone up for taking a peek?"

  "I'll go," Ersabet said.

  "No way,” I protested. “You draw too much attention. It's probably no big deal to them if they see a human lurking about, but a Dalari is a different story."

  I looked at my group and spotted Benor. I pointed to him. "Up for some recon? Just peek through the windows first. If you spot any Kurs or humans, report back here. If it's empty inside, try the door to see if it's unlocked. Then report back."

  "I'm on it."

  "Good. Go."

  Benor spun and trotted out of the alley.

  I couldn't guess what he would see. The lower floors of the inn could be empty, or it could be some lizard's birthday, and fifteen of them were inside drinking the night away.

  It didn't matter. Either way, we had to kill them.

  After a couple of minutes, Benor reported back. From the look in his eyes, I could tell he didn't have good news. "Eight," he said. "Eight Kurskins are drinking at a table. They seemed like a rowdy bunch."

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Maybe they're drunk. That could help us.

  "Okay," I said, rubbing my hands together. A plan was forming. Sure, it would have been easier if they were all asleep, but there was still a way we could take them by surprise.

  'Five minutes until midnight,' Val said, reminding me we had no time to waste. I had to be decisive.

  "Okay, listen up. I want everyone but Ersabet on a roof." I pointed above me. "Ersabet will lure them into this alley, and we'll pick them off as they go deeper into it. I'll be the first to strike, right there." I pointed to a neatly stacked pile of corded logs. "None of you are to interfere unless one of them makes it past this woodpile, understood?"

  They all nodded.

  "If they get past this point, wait until they are underneath you and strike from above. Let them pass if it means another Hunter further down can handle it. We need to try to hit all of them at once. If you're strong at range, stay on the roof. If not," I shrugged. "It's not that far of a fall. I bet most of you could take one of those bastards out and still land on your feet. Now, we don't have much time, so you all had better start climbing."

  My team scurried away, looking for handholds and other ways to access the eaves that peaked over the narrow alley.

  "Any chance you can get those lizards to chase you down this alley?" I asked Ersabet.

  "I am certain of it," she replied. "I'll wait near the inn until you give the signal. When you do, I will initiate contact. I expect it will only take a moment to convince them to chase me." She put her hand on my shoulder. "You are capable of killing these Players, yes?"

  I nodded my head once. "This is going to work."

  "I would be sad if you died, so please be careful," she said.

  "Sad because you lost your friend or because you lost out on your chance at fame?"

  "Do not ask stupid questions. I must go now. I'll await your signal."

  Ersabet sauntered off into the night, readying herself for what was to come. I wished I could be with her to see those Kurskins' faces when they saw a Dalari burst into their favorite inn.

  'One minute,' Val said.

  I pulled the warhorn from my inventory and waited. I was standing on a threshold, and once I stepped over the edge, there was no going back. But we had to fight back. We just had to, and I was the only person on Earth who could make that happen.

  The town of Danver was quiet in those final seconds before I brought the horn to my lips and blew. I didn't put much force into it, but all who were listening would be able to hear the low moan of the horn. It might pique the ears of others, but in a town like Danver, strange noises in the night were a common occurrence.

  I slipped behind the woodpile in the alley and prepared myself. I wasn't counting down from one hundred, but I knew Ersabet was, as were many of my fellow Hunters across town.

  The waiting was always the worst part. Anticipation quickly turned into anxiety if left unchecked. I closed my eyes and thought of Elena.

  In the distance, I heard shouting. I couldn't make out any words, but the voices sure sounded reptilian to me.

  The angry voices grew louder as they hurled insults at Ersabet. She hadn't lied when she said she would have them after her in moments.

  I wasn't worried about her. I would bet all my gold that there wasn't a Kurskin on this planet that could beat her in a race.

  I nearly yelled in fright when she rounded the corner down the alley. She ran so damn gracefully that her steps barely made any noise.

  As she passed me, she said, "The closest twenty yards behind me. Be ready.”

  I took cover in the shadows of the log pile and activated Enshrouded. Streams of shadow reached out and wrapped around my body. A thin blanket of shadows found my sword and quickly consumed it. I was fully covered in a pitch-black shroud, but my vision was unaffected. I could see the shroud was there, but I was able to look through it as if it were translucent.

  I heard footsteps and positioned myself to see the first Kurskin run into the alley. "She went in here," he yelled behind him.

  His eyes were darting left and right as he slowed momentarily to take in his surroundings.

  I glanced behind me and saw Ersabet's silhouette further down the alley. She was waving at him.

  The Kurskin bolted forward. He held a small axe in one hand, and it looked like he had another secured to his hip, but it was difficult to tell in the dark. I stood and tightened my grip on the Razer Knight’s sword. To the Kurskin, I was nothing but a part of the dark backdrop of the alley.

  I wasn't taking any chances, so right as he passed me, I activated Devastating Strike and swung my blade laterally at his midsection. I felt no resistance as my weapon bisected the lizard. I had to take a step to prevent the sharp sword's momentum from spinning me around.

  I watched in awe as the top half of the Kurskin's body tumbled forward, rolling a couple of times before coming to a stop.

  "Wait for the rest of us," snarled another Kurskin as it rounded the corner. I quickly stepped to the side to better blend in with the shadows.

  'Val, how much time do I have left on Enshrouded?"

  'Nine seconds.'

  My heart skipped a beat, and I mentally urged the other Kurskin to come forward.

  He continued down the alley but came to an early stop. Then he stepped back. He saw his dead friend, and I just knew he was about to yell for the others.

  I activated Silent But Deadly and rushed forward as a soundless void. His eyes never left his friend's severed body as I ran forward. Just as he was opening his mouth to call out to his friends, I swung the engraved side of my sword at an angle and buried it into the meat of his neck.

  It sank deep. Deep enough to quell his voice and kill him nearly instantly.

  I had to kick him off my sword to free it.

  'Two seconds,' Val said.

  I reactivated Enshrouded and let out a breath of relief when it worked. There was no cooldown, and it said I could use it three times a day, but one never knew with this fucking game.

  I slunk back into the shadows as three Kurskins appeared at the entrance to the alley.

  "Stop," one of them said. It was hard to tell what color he was in the dark, but he was taller than the others.

  Another three trailing behind joined their waiting peers at the alley entrance, bringing the total to six.

  "Do any of you have Darkvision?" The tall one asked. "Or anything that lets you see better in the dark?"

  "Why?" one of them replied. "It's just an alley. Let's go."

  "An alley with the bodies of Drashk and Ichi," the tall one said. "Look closely."

  "Piss and blood, I think he's right," another said.

  More concurred as they realized what they were looking at.

  "I don't have any see-in-the-dark skills or potions, but I do have this." The speaker was female; her voice was raspy and lazy. I couldn't quite tell what she was holding. It looked like a cylinder of some sort.

  The tall one nodded.

  'Ten seconds,' Val said.

  A flash of orange temporarily blinded me, and I blinked it away. Light sparked out of whatever the Kurskin was holding, and she tossed it into the alley. It was a flare, landing just a few feet away from Drashk and Ichi.

  My eyes widened in panic as I noticed Benor on the roof across from me. I didn't think they could see him from their position, but I wasn't sure. They might be able to see the others further down the alley roofs.

  I rushed forward, a human-shaped shadow in the bright alley, and picked up the flare. I leaned back and threw the flare over the Kurskin's heads as far as I could. It managed to clear the roof of a building on the other side of the narrow street and disappeared from view.

  "Wraith!" one of the lizards yelled.

  "It's the Dalari!" the tall one said. "She must have some shadow-wielding ability."

  I turned and started sprinting down the alley just as my shadows timed out and fell away.

  "That's no Dalari!

  "After him!"

  "I got this," I heard the female Kurskin say.

  Something hard and cold hit me in the back, but not enough to knock me over. Whatever it was fell to the ground and shattered. Magic Be Gone had just saved my life.

  "Impossible," she shouted. "Kill him!"

  I ran down the alley and saw Ersabet's silhouette heading in my direction, but the Kurskins would catch me before she did.

  I barely made it ten yards before I heard them closing in on me. The closest pursuer was nearly atop me when I heard him cry out in pain and crash to the ground.

  I risked a look behind and saw one of my hunters had timed his attack from above with adept precision. He had driven a long dagger deep into the top of the Kurskin's left shoulder, the momentum from the Hunter's fall allowing the blade to easily pierce the hard leather armor the Kurskin had been wearing.

  More Kurskins fell to the ground as other Hunters leaped from their perches while a couple let loose arrows from above. The next Hunter closest to me had a clean kill, but behind him, a Kurskin had dodged the attack and retaliated with unnatural speed, killing his attacker with ease. I saw two more of my people fail and die in the initial attack.

  An arrow struck a Kurskin in the side, and he threw a dagger with unnatural speed and precision directly at the archer. They clutched their chest and fell back from my view.

  By the end of the ambush, three Kurskins were still on their feet, ready to seek more blood, and a fourth was rising from the ground. I recognized her as the one who cast a spell on me. As she rose, she left a dead Hunter underneath her. Even in the dark, I recognized Benor's bald head.

  I let my rage take over and charged toward the nearest Kurskin. I wasn't going to let these Kurskin bastards kill any more of my people.

  The Hunter nearest me joined in my charge.

  My Devastating Strike was still on cooldown, but I could use it again soon. In the meantime, I didn't need it as I had an exceptionally sharp blade.

  My opponent was wearing chainmail armor, and I decided it was a good time to test just what the Razer Knight's sword could and could not cut through.

  Our eyes met, and he moved forward to attack. His blade was held low, with the point facing outward. Luck was on my side, and time seemed to slow as Close Combat Specialist kicked in. He was going to attempt an upward sweep if my intuition was right.

  He darted forward, and I spun to the left, causing him to miss his upward slice. During my spin, I raised my blade, engraved edge facing my target, and my sword sliced through his chainmail like it was made of cloth. My sword sank deep into the meat of his arm. Had I put more force into it, I would have severed the arm entirely. Nevertheless, his arm was now useless.

  The Kurskin roared in pain, and the Hunter nearest me swung his sword at an unarmored section of the lizard's thigh.

  The poor little injured monster fell to the ground, useless. But there was no time to celebrate as two more rushed me. The ground underneath me felt like it was vibrating, and one of the Kurskins tripped and inexplicably struggled to rise. Ersabet was here, and she had just used her Quicksand ability to trap one of them.

  The other Kurskin lunged toward my fellow Hunter, who amazingly managed to parry the first blow. I raised my sword to attack, but the Kurskin struck sideways with its leg, hitting me in the gut and knocking me on my ass.

  When I looked back up, it was pulling its blade out of the Hunter's belly. The moment the blade was out, he collapsed into a heap on the ground.

  His death was my fault. I led him here. The least I could do was get revenge. I gripped my sword tightly and met the Kurskin's gaze as I regained my feet. There was a blur of movement as Ersabet flew toward him with a flying kick. She hit him squarely on the chest and knocked him to the ground, stunning him long enough for me to finish him off with my sword.

  Not counting the one Ersabet had trapped in the earth, only one more Kurskin appeared to be left. The witch.

  Ersabet and I faced her. To my surprise, two other Hunters slowly came to their feet next to us. They were injured but not dead. I glanced up and saw I still had an archer on my side, too. Thank God.

  The lizard-witch smiled a yellow-toothed grin and raised her hand. A shard of ice materialized before her open palm and launched directly at the archer on the roof.. She cried out, but her pain was cut short as the icy lance reached her heart.

  "You're dead," I snarled and darted forward.

  The witch backstepped and prepared another attack, but a violent whirlwind consumed the area around her before she could finish. The wind was so mighty it knocked me back.

  The lizard-witch screamed as she struggled to keep her feet within the mini tornado. The wind picked up rocks, which pelted her as she flailed about.

  It gave me an idea. I walked back a few feet and pulled a dagger from one of the dead Kurskins. Then, I tossed the blade into the isolated whirlwind.

  It took a while for the whirling blade to find its mark, but the lizard-witch screamed when it finally cut her.

  "Having fun?" Ersabet asked.

  "Not really," I said truthfully. "Let's just kill her already."

  "When I deactivate the spell, she'll be disoriented. Strike then."

  I nodded in agreement and got as close to the whirlwind as I could without being affected by it.

  "Now," Ersabet said, and the wind abruptly dissipated.

  The Kurskin fell to her knees and didn't even have time to look up before I took her head.

  I panted and looked around. Only Ersabet and two more of my Hunters were left standing. My ambush had left as many of us dead as it did the Kurskins

  And this was only the beginning.