The sun set low on the horizon, casting a reddish hue over the smoke-filled sky. The city had barely begun to process the attack on the supply depot, and yet, chaos was already spreading through its veins. Kevin stood atop a crumbling stone parapet, overlooking the city's winding streets as the goblin rebellion continued to take shape. The smoke from the depot fire still curled into the sky, a beacon of their first true victory. But Kevin knew it was only the start. He could feel the tension rising, the atmosphere crackling with the promise of violence.
The guards were out in full force now, their numbers doubling at every intersection as they scoured the city for signs of goblin insurgents. But it wouldn't be enough. Kevin had spread his forces thin, hitting multiple points across the city simultaneously. A patrol here, a warehouse there—small but strategic strikes meant to weaken the city's infrastructure, sowing confusion and fear among the populace.
As he observed the distant torches of a guard battalion moving through the lower district, Kevin couldn't help but feel the familiar surge of adrenaline that came with watching a carefully orchestrated plan unfold. He wasn't the same man—goblin—who had once daydreamed of heroism while reading fantasy comics. This was real. He was a leader now, and the thrill of conquest was intoxicating.
"We've hit six supply lines already," Grom said, appearing at Kevin's side. His heavy footfalls were unmistakable, but he moved with an agility that belied his size. "Guards don't know where to look next. They're trying to barricade the marketplace."
Kevin nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Good. We need them spread thin. When they feel like they're chasing ghosts, that's when we hit them where it hurts."
Rax joined them, grinning from ear to ear, a bloodstained dagger tucked into his belt. "Scouts say the Captain of the City Guard's losing his head. They're panicking down there."
"They should be." Kevin turned to face them both, his mind already racing through the next steps. "How many of our raiding parties made it back?"
"Most of them. We lost a few, but they're learning to adapt. The guards are relying on old tactics, and we're not playing by their rules." Rax's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Good. It's time to escalate." Kevin straightened, his voice taking on a tone of command. "We've softened them up, but we need something bigger—a blow that cripples their morale. We take the main guard tower."
Grom and Rax exchanged glances, both surprised but not hesitant. "The tower's heavily fortified," Grom said, scratching his chin. "But if we take it... the city will be ours."
Kevin's eyes narrowed. "Exactly. Without their nerve center, the guards will collapse. It's the heart of their communication and control. We break that, we break them."
Rax leaned in, his grin widening. "What's the plan?"
Night fell completely by the time Kevin and his elite team of goblins reached the outskirts of the guard tower's perimeter. They moved silently through the dark alleys, their green skin blending into the shadows, their breathing barely audible. The city guard had bolstered their defenses since the depot attack, and Kevin could see archers patrolling the tower walls, their silhouettes faint against the starlit sky. The tower loomed before them, an imposing structure of stone and iron, rising high above the rest of the city like a symbol of unyielding authority.
It wouldn't stand for long.
Kevin signaled for his team to halt. They crouched in the cover of a dilapidated building, their eyes trained on the tower. The outer walls were guarded by squads of soldiers, with archers positioned along the parapets and a series of locked gates sealing off the main entrance. But Kevin wasn't interested in the main entrance.
"Rax, you and your team head for the sewer grate on the east side," Kevin whispered, his voice barely audible. "It's our best way inside. Once you're in, take out the archers quietly. No alarms."
Rax nodded, his face alight with excitement. He motioned to the goblins behind him, and they disappeared into the shadows without a sound.
Kevin turned to Grom. "You'll take your group to the western side. I need a distraction. Something big enough to draw the guards away from the gate but not so loud that it raises the entire city."
Grom gave a crooked grin. "Consider it done."
As Grom and his team slunk off into the night, Kevin remained behind with his strike group—four of the most skilled goblins in the tribe. His plan was simple: get inside, eliminate the tower's leadership, and plant enough explosives to reduce the structure to rubble. But simplicity didn't mean it would be easy.
With a quick motion, Kevin led his team toward the tower's base, sticking to the darkest corners as they made their approach. The sewer grate that Rax had gone through was barely visible in the moonlight, but Kevin could see the faint glimmer of it ahead. He glanced up at the walls—no sign of the archers. Rax had done his job.
They reached the grate, pulling it aside just enough to slip through, and within moments, they were inside the sewer tunnels beneath the tower. The stench was overwhelming, but Kevin pushed it from his mind. They crept through the narrow passageways, the sound of dripping water echoing in the gloom. Above them, they could hear the faint murmur of guards, completely unaware of the danger lurking beneath their feet.
When they reached the ladder leading up into the heart of the tower, Kevin gestured for silence. One by one, they ascended, emerging into a small storeroom tucked away near the rear of the building. The stone walls were thick, muffling the noise of the bustling guards outside. Kevin's senses were heightened now—every creak of wood, every shuffle of boots seemed amplified as they moved through the narrow corridors.
They passed through the lower levels unnoticed, taking out a few stray guards with swift, silent strikes. Kevin's heart pounded in his chest, the thrill of the mission pushing him forward. But the real challenge lay ahead.
They reached the staircase that spiraled up toward the tower's upper levels, where the Captain of the City Guard resided. The man had been a thorn in Kevin's side since the rebellion began—a symbol of the oppressive rule that had kept his goblin tribe downtrodden for so long. Tonight, that would end.
As they climbed the stairs, Kevin could hear the faint sound of conversation coming from the Captain's quarters. He motioned for his team to stay back and pressed himself against the wall, creeping closer to the door. Inside, two voices were speaking—one clearly the Captain's, the other unfamiliar.
"...can't let this go on," the Captain was saying, his voice low and tense. "The goblins are growing bolder. If we don't crush them soon, they'll overrun the entire city."
"They've already taken half our supplies," the second voice replied, frustration clear. "The people are terrified. Morale's slipping. If the goblins attack again..."
"They won't," the Captain growled. "We'll increase patrols, fortify the gates. I'll handle this."
Kevin smirked to himself. Not if I handle you first.
With a signal to his team, Kevin burst through the door, his sword gleaming in the dim firelight. The Captain barely had time to react before Kevin was upon him, steel clashing against steel as their blades met in a flurry of strikes.
The other man in the room—an officer, by the look of his armor—scrambled for his weapon, but one of Kevin's goblins was on him in an instant, slicing through his defenses with brutal efficiency.
Kevin pressed the attack, his sword striking with relentless precision. The Captain fought back fiercely, but Kevin could see the cracks in his defense—hesitation, fatigue. The fight was over before it had truly begun.
With a final, savage thrust, Kevin's blade found its mark, piercing the Captain's chest. The man's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back, blood spilling from the wound. He collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, his hand clutching the hilt of Kevin's sword.
Kevin leaned down, his voice cold and steady. "This city is mine now."
The Captain's eyes glazed over as he took his last, shuddering breath. Kevin pulled his sword free and stood, wiping the blood from the blade with a scrap of cloth.
Behind him, his goblins had finished off the remaining guards. The room was silent now, save for the crackling of the fire.
Kevin turned to his team, his eyes blazing with triumph. "Plant the charges. Let's bring this place down."
By the time they emerged from the tower, the explosives were set, and the city was already beginning to stir with the realization that something had gone terribly wrong. Kevin and his team melted back into the shadows as the first of the explosions rocked the ground beneath them, sending plumes of dust and debris into the air.
The guard tower crumbled in on itself, a symbol of the city's authority reduced to rubble.
As the dust settled, Kevin stood atop a nearby rooftop, watching the destruction unfold. His tribe had struck a decisive blow, and the city would never recover. They had taken the heart of the city's defenses, and now, it was only a matter of time before the rest of it fell.
"This is just the beginning," Kevin said softly, his voice barely a whisper in the wind. "Soon, they'll all know our power."
And with that, Kevin the Goblin King turned his back on the burning city, his eyes set on the next conquest.