The group moved cautiously through the dense undergrowth, following the trail in the direction the kobolds had come from. Broken branches, faint claw marks on tree trunks, and the occasional disturbed footprint told them they were on the right path.

No one spoke.

Every creak of leather and rustle of leaves underfoot set their nerves on edge. The forest was growing darker despite the afternoon sun—thicker canopy, heavier shadows. Bell's eyes stayed sharp, scanning ahead, and she raised her hand to signal a stop.

"Top left—tree line," she whispered.

A kobold sat in a lookout perch about ten meters up, idly scanning the surroundings with a small bow resting across its lap. It looked bored. Complacent.

Thunk.

Bell's arrow took it clean through the throat. It toppled silently from the tree, dissolving into smoke before it hit the ground.

"Another one, two o'clock," Tarni pointed out.

This one had noticed the first fall and was shifting to alert others—but not fast enough. Bell had another arrow nocked and loosed before the kobold even reached for its horn.

Thunk.

It dropped like the first. Silent. Efficient.

"Damn, Mum," Kai muttered under his breath.

Bell just nodded. "Keep moving. We're getting close."

Ten more minutes of weaving through brush and stepping over twisted roots brought them to the edge of a clearing—and the group instinctively dropped low.

There, in the center of the open space, stood a kobold fort.

It was a crude structure but solidly built—thick, sharpened logs rising ten feet high, forming an angular perimeter. Watchtowers rose from each corner, manned by lone kobold sentries peering lazily into the woods. Inside, low roofs and smoke from a cooking fire hinted at permanent habitation. This wasn't just a raiding camp.

It was a base.

"Whoa," Kai whispered.

Zane's eyes narrowed. "Well, that explains a lot."

"We attack now?" Tarni asked, licking his lips in worry.

"Wait," Bell said. "We should talk first. We only get one shot at this."

The group huddled behind a log, quietly debating. Should they wait for nightfall? Try to lure some of the kobolds out? Sneak in under the cover of darkness?

"No, we don't know how long we have before our five days are up." Bell said finally. "We hit fast. I can take out the gate with a charged spear shot. Lily and Tarni take the towers. Everyone else breaches with me."

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Zane grinned. "That'll wake them up."

"Everyone ready?" Bell asked.

Nods all around. Bows checked. Weapons drawn.

Then Bell rose, spent some time charging her shot, aimed her spear gun, then—

Power Shot

WHUMP-CRACK!

The explosion was deafening. The gate exploded in a shower of splinters and dirt, the force rocking the fort's very frame. Before the echoes even faded, Lily loosed an arrow that punched clean through the skull of the left watchtower kobold. Tarni had already vanished into the shadows, reappearing a second later behind the kobold on the right tower—Back Stab activated, and his short sword punched through the creature's spine in a single fluid motion.

"Go!" Zane roared, machete raised, and the charge began.

Inside the Fort

Sixteen kobolds scrambled in panic as the humans breached the fort. Most were between Level 4 and 5, armed with shortbows and jagged daggers. A horn wailed from somewhere inside, but it was too late—chaos reigned.

Zane charged straight through the breach, activating Defensive Stance as a volley of arrows flew toward him. One grazed his shoulder, another clattered harmlessly against his vest. His machete came down on the first kobold to approach, splitting it from neck to collarbone in one brutal motion.

Bell followed behind, launching arrows with her +2 bow. Her Piercing Shot dropped two kobolds trying to flee down the central alley. She pivoted and loosed a third arrow into the leg of another archer scrambling up a ladder—pinning it there with a shriek.

Tarni leapt from the shadows again, cutting down a kobold in mid-swing, then ducking behind a stack of crates before disappearing once more. A moment later, another kobold archer screamed as Tarni appeared at its flank, blade flashing with critical precision.

Kai stood back near the gate, hands glowing faintly. "Dad, left side! You've got one flanking—" Zane turned just in time to parry a dagger thrust. Kai activated Targeted Healing, and the shallow cut Zane had taken earlier closed instantly.

Lily dashed into the fray beside Bell, deflecting a kobold's dagger with her pink machete. Her eyes flashed as she activated Group Snare, locking down three kobolds mid-charge. They jerked to a halt, feet frozen by unseen magic. Bell and Lily took them down in synchronized strikes—clean, efficient.

Then a cry went up from the far side of the fort—four more kobolds rushing from a side building. Two had shortbows, two with paired daggers gleamed in the afternoon light.

"Got 'em!" Kai shouted, rushing up with his bat raised. He swung hard, catching one archer in the ribs. Bell fired the spear gun, Power Shot, at the ground near the other group—Boom!—sending two kobolds flying backward in a blast of dirt and smoke.

Lily moved to shield Kai as one kobold rushed him. She met its blade with her machete, clashing once, twice, before a perfectly placed kick knocked it off balance. "Stay behind me!"

Zane, grunting, finally fired his homemade crossbow. The bolt punched through a charging kobold's chest, sending it tumbling into a stack of barrels.

"Still only good for one shot," he muttered, tossing it aside and diving back into the fray.

Tarni took down another kobold with a slash to the throat, then panted, ducking behind cover again. "They're thinning! Keep pressing!"

The fight raged for another minute—steel against steel and tooth, arrow against claws and basic leather armour, until finally the last kobold made a break for the rear gate.

Bell didn't hesitate. One last arrow flew—dead centre, right between its shoulder blades.

The battlefield went quiet.

Breathless and bloodied, the group stood in the ruined heart of the kobold fort, surrounded by smoldering debris, downed enemies, and the silence of victory.

Aftermath

Dungeon Progress: 34/?? Monsters Defeated

Tarni leaned on his sword. "34 out of the system knows how many." Then, as a smile spread across his face, he continued, "Alright, now we split up and loot, yeah?"

Kai gave a shaky laugh. "34 and we're all still standing…"

Zane wiped a smear of blood from his brow. "Barely."

Bell walked to the centre of the fort, eyes scanning. "Let's make it quick. And then we talk strategy. This wasn't a boss fight—but it sure as hell felt like a test."

And judging by the battered state of their armour and the pile of disintegrating corpses at their feet—they had passed. For now.

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