A Race Of United Cowards

In a large, dark, clearing. A long and dreary outline, could be barely made out under a flickering candlelight.

A kobold came frantically running into the clearing.

"My great lord! Four human adventurers have appeared! They're slaughtering their way through-"

Before the kobold could finish what it was saying. A sharp spear had appeared right before it's neck.

"Go on, Salvar is listening. What has made you enter without asking for permission?"

The kobold gulped. A pair of cold blue eyes stared intently at it. It was that of an apex predator, watching and waiting for it's prey to make a grave mistake.

Stepping back, it fell into a kneed with it's face lowered towards the ground.

"Um, lowly puny Meku here. Came to tell my lord that we've failed in stopping them."

The hooded figure gradually lowered it's spear and looked back to what it was doing before speaking.

"Stop them, with as many as you see fit with, but do keep in mind, that you shall not live to fail Salvar another time."

"Yes, great almighty chosen one. Meku will not fail you another time."

The kobold bowed, before quickly hurrying away.

It gashed its teeth.

"Meku is going to make those despicable puny humans pay for this humiliation!"

.…

"Where have they all disappeared to? They were all out and charging at us earlier." Questioned Dream.

Shadow replied "They are probably setting up an ambush or counter attack on us."

"Or maybe a trap or two." Said Aoife who was looking up towards the ceiling.

"I've read that a preferred tactic of theirs is to drop stones and spear onto unsuspecting adventurers."

"Really make you think twice before messing with Kobolds now? Eh, Dream?" Said Chad..

Dream shifted his eyes onto the wall.

'Ya, ya, f*ck you,' thought Dream.

"You really should thank Shadow," Continued Chad. "If he didn't stop you. The kobolds would have had a new body to drain."

Dream stayed silent, but his eyes wandered on Shadow for a moment before straying back to the wall.

'Shadow. I guess like Chad said. I guess I really should thank him later.'

"Shush, stop and stay quiet for a moment." Said Shadow. He made a gesture towards Dream to hand over the torch.

Dream handed the torch over to Shadow who with his free hand pulled out three daggers that he had picked up from the kobolds from earlier.

Multiple small feet quietly shifting could be heard in the sudden silence. Shadow threw out both the torch and daggers towards their shadowy above in a single swift motion.

Yelps of pain could be heard along with the sound of rocks falling down onto the ground. The torch light revealed five panicked kobolds in the ceiling of the cave.

One of the kobolds tried to escape only to find Shadow already jumping onto him.

"Kaaaa-!" It screamed as its throat was sliced open.

"Well that takes care of the kobold from earlier." Said Shadow who pulled out a dagger from one of the kobolds neck.

"And also we now know Aoife knows her sh*t."

"You mean you didn't believe me earlier!" Grumbled Aoife.

"Maybe it's-" Chad raised his shield right in the nick of time as several spears bounced off him.

"Be on guard!" he yelled.

Dream and Aoife ducked a few spears.

As that was too close for comfort for either of them, they both made the wise choice of hiding behind Chad. Seconds later, a rain of spears flew through the air. Many of them missed them as they were aimed at where they were earlier, but the rest that were headed their way were blocked by Chad with his steel shield and armour.

"Hey, isn't this a little too much spear?!" Exclaimed Dream.

"Not if there's a shaman commanding them!" Replied Aoife loudly.

"Shamans for some reason like the mass production of just about anything!"

"Hold on! Where's Shadow?"

Unbeknown to the three. Shadow had disappeared under the rain of spears.

"Sh*t, did they get him?!" Shouted Chad who still had his shield up.

"Just believe in him. He is Shadow after all." Replied Aoife.

A pause in the rain of spears occurred as a few spears were lit up from above and thrown into a horde of kobolds hidden in the shadows. In the large opening, Shadow could be seen slicing through the horde with unnerving efficiency. It was like he was a wolf in a den of baby rabbits. Try and struggle as they might, the kobolds got in with at most a light slash wound.

"Well I guess that's our answer," Said Chad. "Let's go!"

They charged in, slashing and stabbing through the kobold horde like a hot knife through butter.

Of the four, Dream was noticeably hesitant. Although he too was slashing down kobolds, he stayed more towards the back.

'I don't think I can ever get used to this.' He thought to himself.

The number of kobolds dwindled and soon there were none left in the opening.

With sweat in their eyes, they stood there trying to regain their breath.

"There shouldn't be too many left," Said Aoife who leaned against the hilt of her long sword. "At most ten to twelve."

"Do you reckon that the shaman is going to show up soon? I thought that it would have shown up by now." Grasped Chad.

Dream spoke up. "Yeah, isn't it strange? You would think that it would have helped it's fellow kobolds."

Shadow gave him a slightly wearily nod in agreement.

It was indeed strange that the shaman didn't join in the battle. It was especially strange for a blood shaman who typically thrived in the chaos of battle.

"Perhaps we scared it off?" Chuckled Chad. "Aren't Kobolds known to be cowards?"

"Something's off, I can feel it," said Shadow.

Aoife then spoke up. "Cowards they may be, but they are a united race of cowards. They would do anything to benefit themselves as a race. They would even sacrifice themselves and their kins if it would mean to greatly benefit the rest."

"So what the hell is going on?" Questioned Dream.

"Should we go in further, now that we regained our breath." He asked.

"Yeah we should." Replied Chad who had flicked off most of the blood on his sword.

With Dream lighting up the way, holding up one of the flaming spears. They walked out of the large clearing with quickly forgotten questions.

Soon they passed by a lead off path and wandered into them. After finding no kobolds, treasures, nor prisoners they went back to the main tunnel and continued on their way.