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Chapter 7 - First Steps with the Guild
The Echo of Infinity: Chapter 7 - First Steps with the Guild
The strike team assembled an hour after sunset, shrouded in the darkness beyond Oakhaven's flickering torchlight.
It was small, as Elara intended:
* Elara: ([Guild Officer Lv. 35 (Tier 2)], [Swordmaster Lv. 30 (Tier 2)], [Scout Lv. 28 (Tier 2)]) - Clearly the leader, her presence calm and commanding. Kael glimpsed her status briefly when she gave orders. Tier 2 in multiple relevant classes. Formidable.
* Finn: ([Guild Scribe Lv. 10 (Tier 0)], [Archer Lv. 8 (Tier 0)], [Alchemist Apprentice Lv. 5 (Tier 0)]) - Quiet but alert, carrying a sturdy shortbow and a quiver filled with arrows, some fletched with coloured feathers Kael guessed indicated alchemical properties.
* Kael: Officially the [Gatherer Lv. 6 (Tier 0)] guide (he'd updated his fake status slightly as promised). Unofficially, equipped with [Shadow Scout Lv. 11 (Tier 1)], [Swift Blade Lv. 11 (Tier 1)], and [Mana Weaver Lv. 7 (Tier 0)] – a potent combination hidden beneath his nervous exterior.
* Borin: The retired [Veteran Warrior Lv. 52 (Tier 3)]. He wasn't joining the infiltration but would lead a small group of village militia (including Marcus) to create a diversion near the western edge of the Goblin territory if things went wrong, or to cover their retreat. He gave Elara a grim nod before melting back towards the village.
"Alright team," Elara said softly, her voice barely disturbing the night air. "Kael leads us to the ravine ridge. Finn, watch our rear. I'll take point once we're close. Standard hand signals. Absolute silence. Our advantage is surprise. Let's move."
Kael took the lead, forcing himself to move at a pace believable for a Tier 0 [Gatherer], deliberately adding a slight stumble here and there. Inside, his [Shadow Scout] skills were screaming warnings and information at him. [Enhanced Hearing] picked up rustles far off the path. [Detect Presence] painted faint hostile signatures – likely goblin patrols – deep in the woods, allowing him to steer the party around them long before they became a threat. [Silent Movement], even partially suppressed, made his own passage quiet.
To Elara and Finn, it must have looked like he was just lucky, or perhaps genuinely skilled in pathfinding despite his low level. Kael focused intensely on maintaining this illusion. Every 'instinctive' halt before a noisy patch of leaves, every 'coincidental' turn away from a hidden game trail a patrol might use, was a calculated move informed by his hidden Tier 1 skills.
Finn moved silently behind him, bow ready. Elara moved near the front, her senses clearly sharp as well, though Kael suspected his specialized [Shadow Scout] skills gave him an edge in pure detection range and subtlety in this environment.
The journey was tense. The woods felt oppressive, charged with the Shaman's foul magic. Kael could feel it like a static buzz against his skin, a benefit of his relatively high INT and WIS, amplified by [Sense Mana].
After nearly two hours of careful navigation, Kael signaled a halt. He pointed through the trees. "The ravine... should be just ahead. Over that ridge."
Elara nodded, moving forward to scout the final approach herself. Kael used the moment to subtly activate [Sense Mana] more strongly. The sickly green energy from the Shaman's staff pulsed like a beacon from the ravine floor. He could also sense the fainter, purer natural energy signature – the captured Wood Sprite.
Elara returned, her expression grim. "Camp is active. At least twenty visible guards, plus the Shaman by the fire. Two Hobgoblin sentries posted on the near side of the ravine entrance."
She looked at Kael. "Is there another way down? Quieter?"
Kael scanned the terrain, his mind racing. His [Gatherer] knowledge combined with his elevated stats gave him an idea. "There's a small runoff channel," he whispered, pointing. "Usually dry this time of year. Steep, loose scree, but it leads down the far side, away from the main entrance sentries. Comes out behind a rock outcrop near the back of the camp."
Elara considered it. "Risky descent. But avoids a direct confrontation at the entrance. Good." She glanced at Finn. "Prepare sleeping arrows."
Finn nodded, retrieving two arrows with dark grey fletching from his quiver. [Alchemist Apprentice] skills, Kael realized.
The plan was simple: Kael would guide them down the channel. Elara and Finn would neutralize the sentries guarding the Shaman's area if possible, or create a localized diversion. Elara would engage the Shaman directly. Kael's job: stay hidden, watch for reinforcements, and *only* act if absolutely necessary.
The descent down the runoff channel was treacherous. Loose rocks shifted underfoot. Kael deliberately made it look difficult, mimicking slipping occasionally, while his high DEX and [Swift Blade] agility allowed him perfect balance. Elara and Finn, both skilled, managed it with focused effort.
They reached the bottom, hidden behind the rock outcrop Kael had predicted. The camp was mere yards away. The stench of goblin and woodsmoke was thick. The Shaman's chanting rose and fell hypnotically. Kael could see the cage with the whimpering Sprite clearly now.
Elara drew her longsword, its surface gleaming faintly even in the low light. Finn nocked a sleeping arrow. Elara gave the signal. Time to act.
Kael flattened himself against the rock, activating [Shadow Meld]. The skill drained mana slowly, but darkness clung to him like a shroud, making him incredibly hard to spot as long as he remained still. He held his breath, watching, every nerve ending alight. The fragile peace of Oakhaven felt a world away. Here, in the heart of the enemy camp, his secret and his life were on a razor's edge.
Publishment Date: 4/4/2025
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