A profound stillness had settled over the village. The twin moons, Ruya and Siamond, painted the sky in soft silver hues, bathing the entire forest in an almost unnatural calm. Thin threads of smoke rose lazily from the huts, dissolving into the cold morning breeze, while the distant whispers of nocturnal predators drifted through the air.
Bren's party halted the moment he raised his hand—an iron command. Every footstep ceased instantly. His gaze was locked on the village center, his face etched with the quiet certainty of a meticulously crafted plan.
He turned to Mira.
"Mira, you'll circle around the back. Ignite as many huts as you can with a single burst of fire magic, then retreat immediately. Make absolutely certain no one sees you."
Mira gripped her staff tighter; confidence flared in her eyes.
"Understood."
Bren shifted his attention to Kovo, his voice steady and unshakable.
"Kovo, take the left flank. Loose as many fire arrows as possible—maximum coverage. You have exactly two minutes. No matter what happens, you pull back on my mark."
Kovo unslung his bow and flashed a cocky grin.
"Leave it to me."
Next was Tarl.
"Tarl, you're the strongest among us physically. Take the right side. Hurl the torches straight into the huts. You've got the power and the accuracy."
Tarl rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, the ritual before every fight.
"Don't worry. I'll turn the whole place into a bonfire."
Bren took one step forward, eyes fixed on the sleeping village.
"Two minutes. That's all any of you get. Remember—we are not engaging tonight. Our only objective is to set the huts ablaze. Let chaos and panic do the rest. By tomorrow afternoon, they'll be exhausted."
He wrapped his fingers firmly around his sword hilt and drew a deep breath.
"I'll draw the goblin sentries myself. They won't interfere with the rest of you. The moment they chase me, everyone moves."
Finally, he looked at Lira. His tone softened—just slightly—with the respect of countless battles fought side by side.
"Lira, cover me as always."
She nodded once.
"As always."
Bren swept his gaze across his team one last time. Fatigue was visible on their faces, but beneath it burned something stronger: purpose. A faint, proud smile touched his lips.
He raised his sword.
"Let's go."
Like shadows given form, the party dispersed, each member gliding silently toward their assigned direction. The silver moonlight trailed behind them, stretching their shadows long and thin across the forest floor. The night itself seemed to grant them concealment.
Moments later, every member was in position, awaiting only Bren's signal.
Inside the largest hut at the village center, Rion sat face-to-face with Gobuto, the settlement's chief.
Rion spoke, his tone a mixture of seriousness and quiet warmth.
"How is the village faring?"
Gobuto puffed out his chest, straightening his back with pride.
"Very well, Master. The young ones have already reached Beginner Stage Three. Food stores are stable, hot meals are prepared regularly—we've come far."
Rion gave a slow, approving nod.
"You've all done excellent work. Keep it up."
Gobuto lowered his gaze for a moment, lips trembling with reverence.
"It is all thanks to you, Master…"
Rion raised a hand to silence the praise.
"Good. Has Noa returned yet?"
Gobuto paused, thinking.
"Not yet."
Rion stepped outside. The air felt strangely tense. He glanced up at the moons.
"I hope everything is all right…" he muttered to himself.
At that exact instant—
BOOOOM!
The rear of the village shuddered violently. Rion's heart lurched. He spun around.
Three seconds later, two more explosions thundered through the night.
BOOOOM! BOOOOM!
Rion bolted forward. Huts on the outskirts were already engulfed, flames clawing hungrily toward the sky. Screams erupted—goblins poured from their homes in panic, some hauling water, others dragging children to safety.
Rion's eyes narrowed as he spotted flaming arrows streaking through the darkness.
"This is no accident… someone is doing this deliberately."
He clenched his fists.
"Gobuto!" he roared.
Gobuto came running, face pale with terror.
"Y-yes, Master…?"
"Find out what's happening! Gather every goblin—now!"
Gobuto nodded frantically and stumbled away.
Rion surveyed the spreading inferno. More than ten huts were burning; fire was already leaping to others.
He changed direction abruptly and sprinted toward the village gate—where dozens of sentries should have been stationed.
When he arrived, his eyes widened in horror.
Every sentry lay dead, fresh blood still pooling beneath their bodies.
He scanned the area—no footprints, no sounds, no trace of the enemy.
Only fear, fire, and the sharp, alien scent of calculated violence.
Rion whispered, voice low and laced with cold fury:
"This is no ordinary raid…"
His gaze lifted to the sky. Rage sparked in his eyes. His shoulders trembled, and suddenly—massive crimson dragon wings erupted from his back with a thunderous snap. He crouched, gathered power, then launched himself upward—one powerful beat of his wings and he shot into the night like an arrow.
From high above, the sight was apocalyptic: more than twenty huts ablaze, flames painting the heavens red, thick smoke billowing into the sky.
Rion gritted his teeth, scanning the treeline with predatory precision. Movement—on the eastern edge. He banked sharply.
It was Tarl, retreating into the trees after completing his task.
Rion dove toward him but stopped short, staying hidden in the darkness.
"Not yet… chasing now would play into their hands. This was a distraction. The real attack comes later."
He wheeled around and streaked back through the smoke toward his own hut, where surviving goblins were gathering in terrified clusters.
He landed hard, the impact scattering those nearby.
"Gobuto!" he barked, voice like ice.
Gobuto stepped forward, breathing ragged.
"Where are the rest?"
"I—I don't know, Master… I gathered as many as I could. Some may still be trapped…"
Rion turned to the huddled goblins and raised his voice, commanding and calm at once.
"Quiet! The attack has stopped for now. Stay away from the flames—do not waste strength trying to extinguish them. Conserve your energy. Eat, recover. The true fight is still ahead!"
The goblins, trembling moments ago, began to settle into uneasy order.
Rion fixed his gaze on Gobuto.
"Take ten warriors and pull out anyone still trapped. Go."
"Yes, Master!" Gobuto saluted and dashed off.
As Rion entered his hut, his heart beat with an unfamiliar unease.
"This happened before Noa returned… I have to end this before he arrives."
Worry and fury warred behind his eyes.
Meanwhile — the adventurers' side
Kovo returned first, a triumphant grin on his face.
Bren greeted him with a nod.
"Good work. Drinks are on me when we get back."
Kovo slung his bow over his shoulder.
"That's just how I roll."
The others trickled in one by one, light laughter and victory in their eyes.
Only Tarl looked troubled.
"Bren…" he said quietly, voice grave.
"There's someone—or something—else here besides the goblins."
Bren's brow furrowed.
"Who?"
Tarl took a slow breath.
"I don't know what it was… but something flew out of the village—straight up into the sky. I saw it and pulled back immediately. I could've burned a few more huts otherwise."
Bren clapped a heavy hand on Tarl's shoulder.
"You did the right thing. That information is valuable."
He addressed the team.
"So the enemy is stronger than we thought. No matter—they're already in panic, many burned alive. We stick to the plan: strike at noon tomorrow. By then they'll have searched the area, decided the danger has passed, and let their guard down."
He glanced around.
"Where's the porter?"
Mira stepped forward.
"I left him by the tent."
Bren's expression hardened for a split second.
"From now on, never leave him alone again. He's durable, but defenseless. If he dies, you carry the loads yourselves."
The team exchanged glances and nodded.
"Good."
Bren pointed toward the hill—their pre-arranged fallback point.
"If anything goes wrong, everyone retreats there. We have enough elixirs to recover and withdraw safely if needed."
With that, he started toward the hill. The others followed.
The night swallowed them once more.
Friends, what do you think, who will win? Leave your thoughts. If you like the chapter, save it to your power stone and library. 100 power stone. An unscheduled chapter is being posted every morning at 7:00, 7 chapters a week.