Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage

Chapter 160: The Hidden Meadow Goblin Village

CH160 The Hidden Meadow Goblin Village

***

Laura overlooked the forest meadow from a concealed vantage point atop a tall tree.

She wasn’t sure if the goblins had stumbled upon the area by sheer luck or if something—or someone—had guided them to it. Regardless, this spot was perfect for a hidden village.

The meadow was a naturally formed clearing, likely due to a domino collapse of trees over time. The fallen trunks were now being repurposed by the goblins to construct crude hut-like homes.

To the east, a stream snaked along the forest floor, offering a clean water source. To the north stood an elevated slope, pockmarked with signs of digging and movement.

Laura narrowed her eyes.

’If my hunch about a goblin blacksmith is right, then that elevation is probably a mine...’

She paused, frowning.

’Or worse—it’s their breeding ground. Goblins prefer dark, humid places for reproduction... and caves fit the bill.’

The south and west of the settlement were hemmed in by dense tree cover, offering natural protection. Only a single beaten trail extended westward—the very same one her team had followed earlier.

After forming a mental map of the terrain, Laura descended from the tree silently.

She turned to one of the Archer scouts. ”Send word back to the platoon. Let them know we’ve located the goblin settlement.”

”Yes, ma’am!” The scout mounted a direwolf and sped off to deliver the message.

Laura then addressed the rest of the scouting party. ”We need a detailed and accurate layout of this entire location. Goblin count, number and position of evolved types, burrows, cave access, possible escape paths—everything.”

”Understood,” the scouts replied in low voices.

”Move out.”

The advance team dispersed into the forest shadows, flanking and encircling the goblin village. Each member moved with stealth and caution, gathering vital intelligence before the main force arrived.

Laura herself slipped into the goblin camp using her limited Rogue-class stealth abilities.

She avoided detection and entered the cave.

Just as she suspected, there was a modest mining operation underway. Several goblins chipped away at exposed mineral veins along the cavern’s walls using crude picks and tools.

’So, this wasn’t dug by them. It’s a natural cavern... they’re just scavenging what they can reach near the surface,’ she noted.

That aligned with known goblin behaviour. While naturally suited to mining, they lacked the skill or organisation for complex tunnel systems unless guided by a superior intelligence.

She quickly confirmed that the mine only had one entry and exit—an exploitable tactical weakness.

A couple of hours passed.

The scouts reconvened at a safe meeting point beyond the village’s perimeter to consolidate their findings.

Soon after, the rumble of movement signalled the arrival of the main platoon.

Alex dismounted from Fen’s back near Laura.

”What did you find?” he asked directly.

Laura replied clearly. ”Roughly four hundred goblins. They’re moving in and out of the village freely.”

Both Alex and Lieutenant Cross stiffened, their expressions turning grim.

That number wasn’t just inconvenient—it was a threat.

”Of those, about fifty are Hobgoblins,” Laura continued. ”Most likely first-generation evolutions. They’re clearly in charge. The goblins show disturbingly improved coordination when directed by them. It’s nothing like the usual chaos of a goblin horde.”

Laura crouched and used a stick to draw a rough sketch of the goblin village on the forest floor.

”The village backs onto a stream. That prevents any direct assault from the rear. They’ve built two concealed escape routes—one heading northwest, the other south. Both are designed to be used when the village is attacked from the western entrance. There’s also a fortified cave to the north. It looks like a fallback point—an evacuation centre where their young and old can hunker down while their fighters hold off the threat.”

Lieutenant Cross folded his arms as he considered the map. ”What about their female breeding mules? Did you locate them?”

Laura shook her head. ”No. There was no obvious sign of them in the village. Either they’re being kept inside the Hobgoblins’ personal quarters, or they’ve been hidden deep in the cave mine.”

Alex nodded slowly. ”And the Hobgoblins—have they begun to specialise? Who’s leading them?”

Laura responded immediately. ”Most of them are on the warrior track. The weapons scattered throughout the village suggest they’re geared for melee combat. Only a few show signs of favouring ranged fighting—maybe three or four with archer tendencies. Their leader, though, is different.

”It is a Hobgoblin displaying early signs of becoming a Lesser Priest. It’s smarter than the rest, acts as the village head, and also serves as the village blacksmith.”

”Understood. Good work,” Alex said, offering his adjutant a nod of approval.

He crouched beside the sketch and studied the drawn map in silence, digesting the information.

Then, picking up a charcoal shard, he began marking alterations and suggestions directly onto Laura’s sketch.

Moments later, he summoned the squad leaders and began coordinating the raid strategy. The subunit leaders offered feedback, and within minutes, a workable plan was hashed out.

Orders soon flowed down the chain of command.

The troops got to work preparing for the night raid.

They waited patiently until well after sundown.

By then, all the goblin hunting parties had returned, their hands brimming with raw meat and forest produce. A couple of Hobgoblin-led groups even dragged back capture female humanoid beasts.

Their intent was unmistakable.

The return of the hunting groups allowed the platoon to cross-reference the numbers reported by the scouting teams.

As suspected, more than half the village’s population consisted of old goblins and children. These were the ones seen tending fires, gutting game, and distributing meals after the hunting parties returned.

For a brief moment, Alex felt a prickling unease.

’To have reached this level of organisation in such a short time...’ he thought.

It was troubling.

But he shook the thought off almost instantly.

’It won’t matter for much longer. Once we raze this place and take out their Hobgoblin elites, whatever they’re building here ends tonight.’

The enemy forces numbered over two hundred active, military-age goblins, including around fifty Hobgoblins. Added to that were more than two hundred elderly and juvenile goblins—limited in skill, but still capable of basic resistance if cornered.

Against them stood Alex’s platoon of forty-seven, counting Fen and the six Direwolves.

The difference in numbers was vast.

But there was no hesitation.

Not from Alex. And not from his platoon.

They were confident they would win.

And the goblins would burn.

***