Chapter 415 - From Within (Patreon)

“You don’t have to do it,” Sasha said, resting her hand on Pudge’s knee. “I’m sure he has another plan that doesn’t involve you sneaking behind enemy lines.”

Pudge just shook his head. Sasha was smart – far smarter than him, at least – but there were some things she just didn’t understand. One of those was his relationship with Zeke. They were family, and what’s more, he knew just how far Zeke would go for him. The same was true from Pudge’s perspective. If Zeke called, he would be there, and there was nothing that would change that.

But just as importantly, Sasha had been sheltered all her life. She’d been taught about how terrible people could be, but she’d never seen it first-hand. Neither had Pudge, but he’d seen enough violence that he had some context for what Zeke described. He might not have encountered much out-and-out slavery, but he could feel the tyranny of power right down to his core. And he was cognizant enough to know how unjust it could be.

Next to that, academic knowledge was woefully inadequate. So, while Sasha was content to sit in the tower and do her research – important thought it was – Pudge had to live in the real world. That gave him context that she lacked, and that, in turn, spurred him to commit to Zeke’s plan.

But Sasha didn’t have his history with Zeke. Nor did she truly understand the connection they shared. She had some ideas, mostly based on how she felt about her own siblings, but that paled in comparison to the bond he’d developed with Zeke, from both a magical and mundane perspectives.

“I do have to do this,” he said. “There’s no one else.”

“The rangers could do it.”

“Not as well as I can,” he pointed out. That was indisputable. Once he’d learned their methods and taken the time to practice – especially during the war with the hill giants – his abilities had far outstripped theirs, largely due to his path of stealth. The kobolds could go unseen, but their methods were all based on technique and skills. Pudge had those, too, but he was also equipped with his own Will, which set him apart and above.

“I know, but –”

He put his hand on her knee and squeezed. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “They will never see me.”

“You don’t know that. You can’t,” she said.

“Have faith in me.”

“I do, but…”

Her words trailed off. Pudge still wasn’t completely certain of where their relationship stood. They were together, but she was hesitant. And he was incredibly inexperienced. The result was that they were fumbling through something neither had expected nor knew how to process.

But one thing was certain: they cared about one another, and in a way that exceeded mere friendship. That had to be enough, at least for now. They would figure the rest out as they went along.

In any case, Pudge had made his decision, and Sasha knew precisely how important it was to him, which meant that she wasn’t going to force the issue. So it happened that, a little while later, Pudge found himself standing in the Entry Hall and waiting on Eta to arrive with her prepared poison.

She came about ten minutes later, carrying a few large pack. When she reached him, she opened it to reveal that it was filled with a dozen smaller sacks. Each one contained white powder that she told him was poisonous if ingested. The plan was simple enough. He needed to sneak into the castle, find where they kept their food and drink, then poison everything. After that, his task was to escape, and when the Knights fell ill, Zeke would summon his gate so that the kobold army could attack the city from within.

With any luck, it would be an easy battle.

But Pudge knew better than to expect everything to go perfectly. So, when Zeke summoned the gate, Pudge squared his shoulders and stepped through, knowing that his mission would require the entirety of his ability. He found Zeke waiting on the other side, and the moment Pudge fully exited the tower, the gate shimmered and disappeared.

“You sure about this, buddy?” Zeke asked, putting his hand on Pudge’s shoulder.

“Yes. It needs to be done.”

What he hadn’t told Sasha was how strongly he felt about freeing the other beastkin. They weren’t his people. He didn’t know any of them, and they were entirely unrelated. However, he also felt a distinct kinship with them, and he knew that, but for a twist of fate that had put him in the Pale Moon Territory, he might have ended up among them.

Perhaps even in Heartwood’s cages.

“Alright. Be careful. If you have any doubts about whether or not you can stay hidden, just abandon the mission, okay? We can find another way to do this,” Zeke said.

But Pudge knew the truth. The entire reason they were following the current plan was because it was the safest way to accomplish their goals. If he didn’t succeed in mitigating the impact the Knights of Adontis could bring to bear, many kobolds would likely die in the ensuing battle. He and Zeke were confident that they could still win, but not without significant casualties. That meant that many lives hung on Pudge’s ability to remain undetected and accomplish his mission without being detected.

With that in mind, he set off, following the route provided by Zeke via a map he’d spent the past hour memorizing. It was just past midnight, so, despite the prevalence of mana-powered lanterns providing light, there were plenty of shadows in which to hide. The environment, combined with Pudge’s skill, [Concealed Steps], as well as his Will made him virtually undetectable.

Soon enough, he reached the castle, then circled around to the back entrance. There, he saw a pair of guards. According to Zeke, they weren’t Knights of Adontis. Instead, they were members of the local constabulary. They looked the part, too. Instead of the heavy plate armor favored by the Knights, these guards wore chainmail beneath matching green tabards, and they were armed with halberds.

Pudge inched forward, ready to bolt at the slightest indication that they could see through his attempts at stealth. However, even as he drew within a few feet, they showed no signs of noticing him. Still, he stood in place for almost a minute just to be certain. As he’d expected, they still couldn’t see him, so he gathered himself and crept through the entrance.

Doing so reminded him of infiltrating the ice palace back on the tundra. Back then, he’d spent quite some time avoiding the notice of ice goblins. And he’d only grown more adept at stealth in the time since. So, he moved confidently and quickly as he passed through the gate and into the castle’s courtyard. There, he saw a few sturdy outbuildings, but there was a distinct lack of Knights in the area.

That was fine by Pudge, because he had no interest in dodging enemies as he searched for their food stores. His feet were silent as he crossed the courtyard to reach one of the side doors. There, he used [Bestial Senses] to determine whether or not anyone was on the other side. He didn’t smell or hear anything to indicate anyone was around, so he reached out, turned the handle, and slowly pulled the door open.

But only an inch.

That was enough to give him a good view of the hall on the other side. Unfortunately, he saw a pair of guards about a dozen feet away. The distance, combined with the obstacle, was just enough of an obstruction to mask them from his senses. However, now that the door was open – even if it was only a crack – he could sense them clearly.

Thankfully, neither looked particularly vigilant, and they hadn’t noticed the slightly ajar door. But Pudge knew that if he opened any further, they would see. So, he let it gently close before continuing on his way. Three more times, he tried similar doors, but in each instance, there were multiple guards around.

Until, finally, he found one with only a single sentry.

That would have to do.

So, Pudge waited until the man looked most inattentive, and then he pounced. Ripping the door open, he darted forward. The man never had a chance to react before Pudge had his giant claws wrapped around his throat. He squeezed, crushing his windpipe. Then, he thrust the sentry against the wall, pinning his arms in place.

The guard struggled.

Of course he did.

But against Pudge, whose stats were far superior, it did no good.  Still, it took a couple of minutes of constant pressure before the man passed out. A few minutes later, and he was dead.

Knowing he couldn’t leave any evidence behind – which was why he hadn’t simply ripped the guard’s throat out – Pudge hefted the man onto his shoulder, then stalked forward. While fighting the giants, he’d learned that flexing his Will allowed him to conceal even a carried burden, and he used that to mask his presence as he searched for somewhere to dump the corpse.

He found what he was looking for a few minutes later when he stumbled upon a small, empty closet. He deposited the body, then wedged the door shut. With that done Pudge continued on his way until, at last, he found a set of stairs that would lead him to the cellar. That’s where the food and alcohol was supposed to be stored, at least if Zeke’s eavesdropping was to be trusted.

So, Pudge gradually made his way downstairs. As he did, the air grew colder until he became certain that it was under some sort of refrigeration enchantment. After rounding a switchback, he descended the last handful of steps and found himself in a cellar filled with crates and barrels.

Clearly, he had reached his destination. Now, he just needed to accomplish the goal. So, he crossed the spacious cellar to the first set of kegs.

* * *

Zeke had positioned himself atop a building only a block away from the castle. Below, the owners – who lived above the ground-level carpentry shop – were fast asleep. For his part, Zeke had climbed the outer wall, so they’d remained undisturbed. He’d chosen that particular perch for one reason – it offered a great line of sight to the castle so he could keep an eye out for Pudge.

The first sign of a response, and he’d accelerate his plans. He trusted Pudge’s abilities, but he’d learned his lesson long ago. Not having a backup plan was just asking for failure. And given what was at stake – not only Pudge’s life, but the lives of all the slaves in Heartwood – Zeke couldn’t afford to risk anything going wrong.

But if it came down to choosing between Pudge and everyone else, he knew exactly which way he’d go. It wouldn’t even take any thought.

“Not very heroic of you,” Eveline said.

“Never claimed to be a hero,” was Zeke’s reply.

“Funny way of showing it,” she remarked. “You do know if you get yourself killed, I’m going to die, too. I can’t survive without you. Neither can anyone else in that tower of yours, in case that was at all ambiguous. If you die, the connection will sever, and they’ll be cast adrift. That means, for all intents and purposes, they will cease to exist.”

“I’m aware.”

He’d given a lot of thought to that, and both he and Eveline agreed that if he died, the tower would go with him. And anyone unlucky enough to be inside when that happened would die.

Maybe not quickly, and certainly not painlessly, but they would die all the same.

“I don’t know why you’re so committed to this,” she muttered.

For his part, Zeke didn’t respond. He and Eveline had already had that discussion, and he had no interest in revisiting it. He’d made his decision, and that was that.

“Your way or the highway, huh?”

“Something like that.”

She huffed, but didn’t continue. That allowed Zeke to resume his watch. For the longest time, nothing changed. He couldn’t see Pudge, but he could feel him somewhere inside the main structure. Beyond that, though, he was entirely ignorant of his companion’s whereabouts.

The night slowly passed, and minutes turned to hours. Still, there was no sign of Pudge. Not until Zeke felt the beastkin coming in his direction. It was telling that, even when he knew where Pudge was, he couldn’t really see him. Not even a shimmer announced Pudge’s passage.

Zeke held his breath when Pudge reached the gate, but he needn’t have worried. Just as he had upon entering the castle’s grounds, he exited completely undetected. Soon, Zeke felt the former dire bear ascending the wall and slipping onto the roof. Finally, Pudge let his skill – and his Will – fall away.

Zeke asked, “Is it done? Any issues?”

“No issues. I had to kill one, but I hid the body,” Pudge stated. “All of their drink is poisoned.”

“Good,” Zeke responded, pushing himself to his feet. Then, he turned and reached out, gripping Pudge’s shoulder. “Good job.”

Pudge gave a curious expression of relief, but he didn’t verbally respond. Zeke said nothing else, either, and the two returned to the edge of the roof to resume their vigil. The poison didn’t work instantly; instead, it took a while before the symptoms became apparent. By that time, the bulk of the knights’ numbers would have been affected.

Hopefully.

So, Zeke settled down to wait. Once he saw the proper signs, the real battle could begin.