Preparation

After capturing and interrogating several goblin captives, Adam discovered that Skab Rathide had returned to the village. The goblins revealed that Skab had arrived alone and likely entered the village under the cover of darkness. Since his arrival, Skab had been reclusive, seldom leaving his home and keeping his activities mostly hidden from the other goblins.

The orders Skab issued during his time in the village were odd and inexplicable. His first directive was to release the captive boars and treat them like royalty, pampering them and providing them with the best food and care. The goblins followed Skab's orders without question, believing he must have had a reason for his seemingly bizarre commands.

'That's strange. Why the change of heart? I'm sure those boars were captives he used to keep Steelhoof in line, and now he's treating them better. What the hell is going on? Is Skab planning something else, or is he just trying to throw me off? Whatever his plan is, I have to be ready for anything.' Adam thought, his mind racing with possible scenarios and contingencies.

The boars quickly devoured the village's food reserves, leaving the goblin village in a dire situation. The goblins, once plump and well-fed from the abundance of beasts in the forest, now had gaunt faces and hollow eyes, their once-green skin turning a sickly yellow. Hunger gnawed at their bellies, and they fought amongst themselves for what little scraps of food remained.

Their situation would be much worse if their numbers had not already been decimated by Adam's relentless attacks. However, with Adam continuing to target their hunters, the goblins' food supply was rapidly dwindling, and they began to grow desperate.

Concerned for their survival, some of the goblins tried to bring the issue to Skab's attention, but they felt he seemed uninterested in their plight or the Ghost of Three Days who was terrorizing their ranks. It was as if Skab had more pressing matters to attend to, or perhaps he had his own plans for dealing with the fearsome human and the diminishing stock of food.

Despite Skab's apparent indifference, the goblins continued to suffer under Adam's relentless campaign of vengeance. Each day, their numbers dwindled, and their desperation grew. They knew that if something didn't change soon, they would be driven to extinction.

Meanwhile, Adam used the information he had gleaned from his captives to plot his next move. Hearing about Skab's presence in the village stoked the fires of his rage, and he wanted to immediately storm the village and kill him. However, he also recognized that confronting Skab would be a dangerous gamble, especially if he awakened—one that could cost him his life if he wasn't careful.

He needed to be smart about how he approached this, carefully weighing the pros and cons of each potential course of action. It was fortunate that he had spent countless hours in the Dreamverse, devising different strategies and tactics to outwit Skab and his goblin minions.

'I've set things up. I can't let my anger ruin my plans; I'll wait a bit more before I attack.' Adam decided to rest the remaining time he had left in the Dreamverse, staying away from the hive and sleeping in a cave he found in the forest to make sure he wasn't confronted by Zara. He decided to attack the goblin village at his next entrance to the Dreamverse, giving the goblins a temporary reprieve.

---

In the Dreamverse, Adam stood atop the binding stone once again, but this time the altar remained silent, the ominous humming sound missing, as he had not died the previous night. He surveyed the area around him, feeling a sense of determination and resolve welling up within him. He had a plan for raiding the goblin village, and it was time to set it in motion.

Over time, Adam had become more skilled at stealing and going undetected by the hive units. He had yet to be caught; he had successfully stolen what he needed for his mission and had no plans on being discovered yet. He had his eyes set on taking something new—a rank 1 poison. This potent concoction would weaken its target, reducing their attributes and making it harder for them to fight back. With this plan in mind, Adam approached the hive, his heart racing in anticipation.

The deed done and now standing outside the hive's area, Adam couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about taking the poison, especially with the war going on. That poison was for the use of some of the hive's spies, but he desperately needed it for his plan, and it was crucial that he got his hands on it. He knew the poison would be instrumental in his plan to raid the goblin village. With the vial tucked securely in his pouch, he made his way to the clearing where he had first encountered Grobba.

As he arrived at the location, Adam skillfully lit some wood on fire, making sure that the smoke was visible, and climbed a tree, waiting patiently for someone to appear. He could feel the anticipation coursing through him as he prepared for the next stage of his plan. He knew that this person was key to his success.

As he waited he looked at a small patch of the ground that had been recently disturbed. This was where he had decided to keep the unknown stone that Grobba had possessed for so long. He figured that if Grobba had managed to keep it hidden in this area without it being taken, then it could stay there for a while longer. Besides, he was confident that no one else would be able to take it from him.

Even now he could still feel that urge to possess the stone in his hands, 'It's probably why Grobba kept coming back to this place.' Adam couldn't help but think about the stone and the strange urge it induced in people. He was intrigued by its mysterious power but knew that now was not the time to investigate further. He had a mission to complete and couldn't afford to be distracted by the stone's enigmatic allure.

With a final glance at the hidden stone's location, Adam looked over a figure who entered the clearing wearing a cloak with its face covered, its movements slightly robotic. From his perch in the tree, Adam called out to the figure, asking, "Is anyone aware of where you are right now?" The cloaked person shook its head in response.

"Good," Adam said, a determined glint in his eyes. He removed the pouch containing the rank 1 poison from his pocket and tossed it to the figure, who caught it. Adam gave his instructions.

"Place this poison in Skab's food. Make sure you aren't seen and give me the sign we discussed previously when the mission is complete. Kill yourself if you are discovered. Am I clear?"

The hooded figure nodded, its face hard to see through the hood, and exited the clearing, obediently carrying out its task.

As the figure left, Adam's thoughts raced. 'I need to find a good vantage point to keep an eye on the village and wait for the signal,' he thought, already plotting his next move. He remembered a spot he had used previously to observe the village and decided to move there.

Scaling down the tree, Adam stealthily made his way to the vantage point, keeping a keen eye on his surroundings. Adrenaline coursed through his veins from how close his plan was to fruition.

Upon reaching his chosen location, Adam settled in and began his vigil, observing the goblin village from a safe distance. He could see the goblin patrols and the daily activities of the village, but he was most focused on any sign of the figure's mission. He paid particular attention to the goblins on the watchtower, making sure they weren't aware of his presence, but he found this easy. With the reduced food and the goblins' already poor discipline, Adam didn't need to fear the goblin sentries spotting him.

Time seemed to slow as Adam kept watch, the sun moving lazily across the sky. His thoughts occasionally wandered, but he always refocused on the task at hand. 'I need to be patient,' he reminded himself. 'I can't afford any mistakes this close to the end.'

As the hours passed, Adam's anticipation grew, accompanied by a gnawing anxiety in the pit of his stomach. He knew that the success of his plan relied heavily on the figure's ability to execute his task. Doubts and fears plagued his thoughts, but he pushed them aside, focusing instead on the hope that his plan would succeed.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden movement in the village. He strained his eyes, searching for any sign of the figure. It wasn't long before he spotted them, their movements still robotic and detached as they carried out their orders, now without their cloak.

Adam watched intently as they made their way through the village, expertly avoiding detection by the goblin guards. He continued to observe as the figure slipped into the area where Skab's food was being prepared. Adam couldn't see their actions from here, so he was nervous with anticipation.

The figure made its exit, expertly blending into the shadows and avoiding the gaze of nearby goblins. As it left the area, it discreetly etched a small symbol into the dirt – a barely noticeable mark that only Adam would recognize as the agreed-upon sign of success.

Seeing the signal, Adam felt a sense of relief and satisfaction wash over him. The first phase of his plan had been executed perfectly, and soon it would be time for the next step.

He knew that the poison would weaken Skab, making it easier to strike when the time came, but it would take some time to act on Skab. With this in mind, Adam spent the remaining hours refining his strategy, mentally reviewing every step and contingency, and ensuring that he was physically and mentally prepared for the confrontation that lay ahead.

As he waited, Adam couldn't help but feel a mixture of fear and hope. He knew that the stakes were high, and any mistake could cost him his life or jeopardize the entire mission. But at the same time, he felt an exhilarating sense of purpose, a conviction that he was finally close to avenging his friend and bringing justice to those who had caused him so much pain.

He was really close to awakening but held off on it, Zara forbade him from awakening without first killing an awakened creature, saying that it would increase the rarity of his class and possibly his talent. He could have gone to Zara with the news that Skab had killed the awakened beast that was prepared for him, and she would most likely prepare another for him, but there were two things that held him back. One was that his pride didn't allow him to ask Zara after his failure, and second, there was something highly suspicious about Lancer's death, and Adam believed Zara may have had a part to play.

It took him some time for Adam to notice the inconsistencies in Lancer's behavior. Once he came down from his rage, he started to have his doubts, but it was something he didn't want to contemplate or deal with right now. He was more focused on his crusade against Lancer's killers.

He looked over his status.

Name: Adam Emmauel-Amin

Age: 8

Race: Human

Title/s: Dream child

Trait/s: Immortal

Talent: Partially awakened

Health points (HP): 230/230

Stamina points (SP): 220/220

Mana points (MP): 100/100

Class: Warrior (Tier 0)

Level: 9

Xp to next level: 80

Attributes:

Strength: 23

Dexterity: 23

Constitution: 23

Endurance: 22

Intelligence: 10

Wisdom: 12

Charisma: 11

Attributes available: 0

Skills:

[Stab] (common) (Tier 0)

[Sprint] (common) (Tier 0)

[Spear mastery] (common) (Tier 0)

[Cleave] (common) (Tier 0)

[Light armor proficiency] (common) (Tier 0)

[Battle Cry] (common) (Tier 0)

[Whirlwind] (common) (Tier 0)

[Charge](common)(Tier 0)

He already assigned his points and put them in his core stats ensuring an even spread as they were all valuable to his build. It still annoyed him looking at that one point he had spent on increasing his charisma stat.

His thoughts were cut short when he heard the commotion that gripped the goblin village Adam stood up and said "That's my cue."