Act III: Infiltration

Inside the human base, Erasure

Forge walked into his commander's room, kneeled, and bowed his head. Boss! Have you taken the time to look at what I’ve brought to you? Asked Forged.

Yes, where did you find this? This contains information that should not be known by any. I will see that this book remains in our possession never to be seen by anyone, said the commander. Also, what happened to Elyron?

Well, we may have accidentally killed him sir, said Forge nervously while looking down at the floor and rubbing his own head.

Well, did anyone see you guys? Replied the Boss.

No sir, nobody was there other than our men, so nobody should know we have this book or that we were there to begin with.

The commander nodded his head in approval. Good work Forge. Rest for the night. I will have your pay tomorrow.

Yes sir, replied Forge.

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Outside the base - Kali

I’ll tell you everything you need. Please don’t hurt me anymore, cried the guard.

Damn right you will. Now lower voice, snapped Kali. He raised the guard to his feet looking away from him and had the guard walk him into the base through the side door. Slowly walking in unison with the guard while applying pressure to the back of his neck with the blade.

Remember guard, if I even suspect you’re doing something. I will kill you, said Kali. Kali was led inside through the side door. It led to a long corridor that connected the outside to the inside of the base.

Side Entrance Hall - Human Base of Erasure

The hallway swallowed them whole. It was a narrow corridor of cold, damp stone, the air thick with the smell of old rock and a hint of cooking oil. Torch sconces lined the walls, casting flickering light and long, dancing shadows. Every sound they made seemed to echo. As they walked further down the hall, Kali could see that in parts of the hallway there were doors on both sides. The hallway was longer than he anticipated, and he found himself passing multiple rooms that were all sealed. At the end of the long hallway stood a set of magnificent glass double doors. The doors were a stunning mosaic of geometric patterns, and through the transparent panes, Kali could see the inside of the base. It was a large, open chamber, filled with tables and chairs, like a dining hall but completely empty. With a stairs case going to the second floor with a door at the top of the stairs.

Where is everyone? Asked Kali.

Everyone is asleep, resting for the next day, replied the guard.

From a distance Kali could hear screaming as if someone was being tortured. It came from the inside but towards the right of the great hall.

You’re lying to me. What the hell was that? Asked Kali in rage.

I’m not lying! We have a room where we keep gob– uh, I mean, enemies hostage. I have nothing to do with that sir please. I just follow orders! Cried the guard as he could see that little by little Kali’s eyes were filling with rage.

Tell me right now how to get those goblins out and where the commander is hiding.

Of course, right away. From here there are only four doors, excluding the front door.

Kali and the guard both look through the glass doors into the dark big hall as the guard begins to explain.

To the left there are two rooms. One being the barracks where we keep our men, it’s where they sleep. The door to the right of that is where we keep our weapons. Straight ahead from this glass door is a staircase leading to the commander’s room on the second floor. To the right are the two final doors. On the left is where… we keep enemies imprisoned and on the right is where food is made for our men. There is a door in the center of these two. That just leads to the big door you saw outside.

What does the commander look like? Asked Kali.

Bald, old, around his 50s. Always has green rings on his left hand. Muscular and tall, about 6 feet if I recall. When you see him there's no way you can mistake him. If all else fails, he has only one ear as his right one was caught off by goblins, explained the guard.

The guard saw Kali distracted looking out the window for a split second and decided it was the perfect moment to strike him with his fist to get away. The guard, aware of his knee injury, endured the pain and went to strike Kali in the face. Kali was never distracted. He pulled his face away from the punch and thrusted his sword into the throat of the guard and immediately pulled it back out. Blood gushed out, spraying on Kali’s clothes. Kali glared at him directly into his eyes. The guard looked back at Kali till the life left his eyes, he collapsed to the floor and died. Kali threw up at the scene as he had never killed anyone in his life. He knew he was now in a life or death situation and anything can happen. Kali checks the pockets of the guard and takes the keys the guard had.

Kali came back to his senses, wasted no time, and entered the big hall. Creeping around the tables making as little noise as possible. He made his way towards the room where goblins were being held. His senses were on high alert now using his ears to their max ability. He reaches for his pouch and pulls out a vile; Pyro Ichor. He removes the cork and pours it into his blade. The sword lights up and shakes in his hand. Kali holds it up and immediately the blade of the sword becomes engulfed in flames. Kali’s eyes open wide, surprised at the power of the blade that was given to him by Elyron. Thank you grandfather, thought Kali to himself.

Kali crouches slightly next to the door and places his ear against the door.

He hears nothing, just dead silence.

Kali slowly pulled the door to check if it would open, but it was locked. He inserts the key quietly and turns it. *Clack*

He pushes the door slowly and walks in with his senses heightened, ready to pounce on anything that would startle him. He scans his eyes through the room, holding his sword up for light. Kali looks to the far end side of the room and sees three goblins each tied to a chair with their faces completely disfigured. Kali gasps at the scene but keeps his cool. The room was completely empty, had no windows, and along the walls behind the goblins were tools that seemed to be used to inflict pain. To the right behind the goblins was another door. Perhaps a closet, of sorts or a path leading somewhere else. Kali slowly approaches the goblins and attempts to get their attention through silent whispers.

Hey… you guys alive?

No response came from them.

Kali checked to see if they had a pulse of any kind. The goblin on the right and the one in the middle unfortunately had died. The third goblin on the left had a pulse but it was very faint. He looked at the fingers of the goblins and they each seem to be missing at least one finger. Their skin seemed to have been peeled off on different areas of their bodies. The one goblin in the middle seemed to have had his eyes gouged out. The site of this both infuriated and shocked Kali. He began stacking even more rage against the humans and the so called commander that would allow this kind of ill, disturbed, sick torture. Kali went behind the third goblin and untied him. The goblin was so exhausted that his body could not even sit up straight and collapsed on the floor. Kali set his sword down and pulled the goblin up against the wall so that they may lean against it for support.

I will be back for you. This won’t end like this buddy, said Kali to the goblin.

Kali heard footsteps coming from the other side of the door he thought was a closet. Without hesitation, he drove his blade through the goblin’s abandoned chair—wood splintering with a sharp crack. A distraction. Just enough to tilt the odds. He grabs his bow and arrow and goes into the shadows on the other side of the room. He gets an arrow ready, crouches, and waits for the person to come in.

Keep my distance. Make this shot quick and clean. I cannot miss. Distraction first, then I’ll shoot. Thought Kali to himself.

His breath slowed,

The door creaked open.

Kali’s eyes widened.

The description from the guard—etched into memory—matched perfectly.

It’s him.

He had found him. He knew that was him.

What the hell is that?! Said the commander in surprise. The man froze, gaze darting to the chair with a protruding blade. Confusion twisted across his face.

As the commander reached for the sword, Kali released his arrow. It flew fast and silently through the air. Kali sees the arrow fly towards the commander in slow motion, spinning with determination. The commander was certain to be killed.

The arrow struck.

A sharp thud echoed as it buried itself into the commander’s shoulder, just below the collarbone. He staggered, one hand clutching the wound, the other still reaching for the sword.

Kali didn’t move.

The shadows held him like a second skin, breath steady, eyes locked on the target.

The commander grunted, teeth clenched. Blood seeped through the fabric of his cloak, dark and slow.

Coward, he spat, scanning the room. You shoot from the dark like a rat.

Kali’s grip tightened on his bow. He had aimed for the heart—but something had shifted. A twitch, a breath, a flicker of hesitation. He hadn’t missed. But he hadn't been killed.

Why?

The commander drew Kali’s blade from the chair. Held it close to examine it and it was to his likin. His eyes burned—not with pain, but fury.

You’ve got one shot, he growled into the silence as he stared into the blade’s ember. Now come finish it, ordered the commander.

Kali continued to watch from the dark and loaded another arrow onto his bow pointing it directly towards the face of the commander.

Do it! Yelled the commander.

The commander’s eyes were starting to get used to the dark and could start to see the silhouette of Kali crouching down.

I see you. You have come to die. Now have at you!!! Snarled the commander. Luckily Kali’s blade had run out of the liquid he had inserted into the blade and the blade was beginning to dim.

Kali, again, shot another arrow at the commander, but the commander was quick to react, this time hitting it away with the blade. The commander locked on to Kali’s position and started to run towards him. Kali quickly reached into his pouch and pulled out a small vial—glass, cold, and humming faintly with arcane energy. He smashed it against the floor. From it,

a burst of smoke erupted, thick and violet, swallowing the room in a choking haze.

The commander halted mid-charge, coughing, blade raised, eyes darting through the fog. Kali moved fast, circling wide, silent as breath. He drew another arrow, dipped the tip into a second vial—this one filled with a viscous, black liquid that shimmered like oil under moonlight. Death’s Kiss. A poison not even a giant mammoth could withstand.

The commander’s silhouette loomed, half-blind but still dangerous. His voice cut through the smoke:

You think tricks will save you? I’ve killed men in worse fog than this.

Kali released the arrow.

This time, it wasn’t aimed at the heart. It was aimed for the throat.

The commander, not a novice in battle, grabbed the arrow out of the air and snapped it in half.

The commander yelled, Stop playing games with me and fight me like a man!

The commander was darting his eyes back and forward looking into the smoke listening to see if he could hear Kali’s footsteps.

He has my blade, thought Kali to himself. I can only shoot arrows but from this distance he will definitely know my location and from the looks of his build. I cannot take him head on. He’ll kill me. Kali in deep thought, suddenly could see a figure from behind the commander moving towards him. At first, it startled him, but then he realized it was one of the goblins he had helped earlier. The goblin jumped on the commander’s back and started pounding on his head. This caused the commander to drop the blade.

NOW! Thought Kali.

He dipped his arrow once more in Death’s Kiss and locked it steady on the commander, careful not to shoot the goblin.

Not the goblin. Just the commander. One clean shot. Thought Kali. Sweat started to run down his forehead. In immense stress.

He exhaled.

The arrow flew.

It sliced through the haze, silent and swift, and as it went to strike just below the jaw the commander turned around quickly. The impact drove right through the goblin’s back. A wet gasp escaped the creature’s throat as it tumbled from the commander’s back, limbs limp, eyes wide with shock. It hit the floor hard, heaving, blood pooling beneath its small frame.

Kali froze. No…

The commander spun, eyes blazing. That’s more like it, he snarled, stepping over the goblin without a glance.

Kali’s breath caught. The goblin had risked everything. He had given him the opening. And now lay dying because of his miscalculation.

The commander charged.

Kali slung his bow on his back and dove sideways, managing to pick up his blade on his way up heart pounding.

The goblin coughed, a weak, wet sound. Run… it whispered.

Kali’s jaw clenched. He looked down at the last vial of Death’s Kiss. Enough for one shot or one strike with the blade. He poured its remaining contents into the blade. The blade made a hissing sound and glowed a pulsing purple. As he looked up, the commander was gone and had gone through the door and into the main hall. Kali went on pursuit and chased the commander. The commander seemed to be running towards his quarters on the second floor. As Kali was about to go up the stairs, he saw three guards approaching to assist the commander, one of them being Forge. Commander Thorne! Go on ahead, we will take care of this insect! Yelled Forge.

Those bastards that killed my grandfather! Thought Kali.

Adrenaline ran through his blood and veins. Kali was ready to kill. As the three approached him, almost circling him, he chucked the blade at the guard on the left next to Forge. It struck him in the lungs causing the guard to convulse. The blade hissed as it struck, pulsing with Death’s Kiss. The guard barely had time to scream before his body seized, limbs locking, eyes rolling back.

Forge’s eyes widened. He’s using it—he’s got the cursed vials!

Spread out! barked the second guard, drawing his axe.

Kali didn’t wait.

He lunged forward, grabbing and pulling the blade mid-motion from the guard's collapsed body and spinning low beneath the second guard’s swing. The axe whistled past his shoulder, embedding into the stair rail.

Kali drove the blade upward into the man’s gut—no poison this time, just steel and rage. The guard gasped, staggered back, and fell.

Forge charged.

He was faster than the others, heavier, but trained. His warhammer came down in a brutal arc—Kali barely rolled aside, the stone floor cracking where he’d stood.

You think you can kill Commander Thorne? Forge snarled. You’re nothing but a fool with a grudge.

Kali rose, blood smeared across his arm, eyes locked on Forge.

I’m the fool your commander should’ve feared years ago, remarked Kali.

Forge roared and swung again.

Kali ducked, and with a twist of his body, slashed across Forge’s thigh. The wound cut but not enough to hinder movement. AAAHH!! Roared Forge in anger and went to strike Kali over head this time. Kali reacted quickly, jumped backwards, and the hammer whiffed his face. He sheathed his blade, and slung his bow into his hands. He pulled an arrow back and without even thinking about it, it was released immediately.

The arrow struck Forge right in the face.

Forge dropped to one knee, blood burst from the wound, then collapsed.

Kali caught breath, spat on him, and didn’t look back.

He sprinted up the final steps, heart pounding, bow in hand, and eyes burning with vengeance.

Thorne was close.

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