“One of the most basic stratagems in warfare that you might possess is: Surprise. To outwit your opponent by introducing unexpected variables that will throw off the balance of power more into your favor. Traditionally, this has been done in three ways: surgical strikes, ambushes, and dispersed warfare. While the former two might be familiar to you, I would use the term dispersed warfare to be an amalgamation of the two. Launching skirmishes whilst relying on guerilla warfare to occupy a superior foe. Hopefully, in time for a reinforcing force to support your position.”


    - Professor Terrance Ehrlich, Arterian Academy of Strategy, “Lecture on: The Changing Dimensions of Warfare”


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    The quietness of the cavern outside was interspersed by the rumbling of the cart. Sophie had been soaked to the bone and she could only wince as the cold dampness had travelled past her stomach and to her chest. It was frigid and murky, her gear now also completely drenched and growing heavier. She didn’t know how long the cart had been pushed, only that her arms were beginning to grow sore from the effort of keeping her balance.


    A violent lurch sent her smacking into the edge of the cart, the loud clang making her tense up. Rattled, she was further caught unawares when the canvas was thrown off the cart. Unwilling to be ambushed, Sophie quickly pushed herself upright, her hands steady herself and wrapped around her hilt. The two workers who had brought her in quickly recoiled and stepped back, the fear evident on their ragged faces. Scanning her immediate surroundings, Sophie found herself alone with them in what appeared to be a small junction depot for the minecarts.


    Seeing no one else around, Sophie breathed a small sigh of relief and refrained from striking out. She carefully hopped out of the minecart, landing against the stony cavern floors with a decent splash and thud as she had finally extracted herself from the water laden cart. Annoyed but grateful that she had made it in without any real fuss, she hastily performed a small bow. Only for the water trapped in her shirt to run out of her collar, nearly making her yelp as cold water rushed past her ears.


    This seemed to put the two workers somewhat more at ease, their pleading figures looking a little more composed as they stared at the strange elf that had just appeared before them. But Sophie had little time for planning or pleasantries. She needed to start moving before the company realized the ‘animal’ outside was a templar.


    “Don’t worry, I’m here to help. I need to take out the head office first though, then I’ll be back round to free everyone. Do either of you know where it is?” Sophie asked, straining what water she could out of her ponytail.


    The two seemed uncertain, unwilling to speak up or just in disbelief that a singular half elf girl was trying to plot the downfall of the kolonia. Perhaps fearing retaliation for her failure, they just pointed vaguely off to the left of a junction point further ahead. In the time it took for Sophie to look over and analyze her potential route, the two had already begun retreating with their heads hung low, gazes trained squarely on the ground. Stars, what the hells have they been through here?


    Not wanting to cause a fuss, Sophie gingerly tried to head in the direction the two had pointed. Though she tried her best, the waterlogged boots and her leather armor squeaked and slapped up a storm as she snuck ahead. She kept on high alert as she travelled parallel to the mine tracks. The grooves and smooth floors indicating either a concerted effort to create some form of pathway, or just the untold years of traffic throughout this mine.


    Where the two had walked upwards and back towards the distant sounds of chaotic shouts, Sophie instead reached the junction and turned left. The two faded from view and now she could feel the strange eerie lonesomeness within the mind. Cold and wary, Sophie finally drew her blade, unable to tell if sweat or rainwater now coated the hilt and her palm. The entire night, she had yearned to draw her weapon, a part of her nervousness having been drawn into the simmering desire for a fight.


    It both irked and surprised her at how her body was reacting. Despite the slight shivers from the dampness, her muscles felt almost too at ease with the situation. She calmed her breathing down, taking a deep breath and assessing the path ahead. Only a dimly lit pathway greeted her, although she was thankful that there seemed to be little other activity going on.


    The mines themselves were large, the echoes of her footsteps reverberating off the cavern. A well dug tunnel led her along some previously excavated ore veins, the deep gashes in the rock wall adding a strangely manmade touch to everything. Little magefire lanterns rested alongside the walls. Just bright enough to show the way, but never enough to bring any true sense of comfort to her.


    She passed by another small gathering of empty minecarts. Here however, there were small racks of mining equipment nearby. Pickaxes, helmets, and a few shovels accounted for most of the miner’s kits, though she did note the inordinately large but crude looking set of whips nearby. Well, certainly sends a strong message. But she was getting closer to somewhere important, that much she could tell.


    Heavy footsteps echoed from somewhere up ahead and Sophie quickly ducked behind the minecarts. Hiding between two of them, she peaked out from in-between them to try and assess the oncoming threat. The distinctive deep set thud of orcish boots slammed against the floor.


    “Ugh, damned welps say there’s trouble.” A voice grumbled. Not orcs, half orcs, huh.


    “Bah, the pups can handle it.” Another replied.


    A third voice spoke in heavy orcish that Sophie couldn’t distinguish but could tell it was some form of admonishment. The two half orcs let out angry grunts of agreement. The guards traded a few more barbs in pure orcish dialect but slowly faded as they continued on their path. Damn, guess I’m not fully alone.


    One of them did say welps, probably means a bunch more further in. That’ll be troublesome, Sophie grumbled.


    She proceeded forward into the mine, an uneasily silence following her as she kept moving forward. The first junction seemed endless, just more and more walking. Only after a few minutes did she manage to stumble upon where the patrol had likely originated from, a small checkpoint guarding another junction.


    What looked to be a watch post to her left and the barracks opposite it flanked the central tracks. Based on the light shining from the watch post, she had a sinking feeling that the patrol did not leave this area completely unmanned. Her suspicion was confirmed when a shadow silhouetted itself against the light for a moment, before vanishing back into the building.


    Keeping her back against the tunnel walls, she inched ever closer to the building. At least one guard, maybe more. She tried to listen in, to see if she could tell what was happening. She could clearly identify the clanking of metallic boots, but that was about all she discerned. Maybe they just left one here, probably pretty bored. But are they vigilant is the real question.


    Stolen story; please report.


    Testing the water, Sophie slowly started to make her way under the building’s solitary window facing the tracks. Each little squeak and squelch of her armour made her anxiety go into overdrive. Still, to her great relief, she did not hear the expected clanking of boots moving towards the window. At least, not yet.


    Going pass the watch post, Sophie was now unsure of where to go. While the two workers pointed left of the first junction, she didn’t notice them adding any other instructions. Having reached the second junction. She was left stumped on where to go now. Basing her faith in the idea that any important command center would have easy access to all areas, thus the tunnels would all connect, she forged straight ahead, ignoring the other pathways at the junction.


    With no new movements from the watch post, she let out a small sigh of relief and continued on her way, taking somewhat more hurried strides to make up for any lost time. She didn’t know exactly how long had passed, only that Taurox’s rampage would’ve likely ended or was soon to end. Especially given that the minotaur had said he intended to infiltrate the mining complex as well. Beyond the devastation his presence could cause, the duo also did not know just how extensive the tunnels would be or just how many guards there were within the caverns.


    It was only now that she noticed something odd. A stray thought poking its way into her mind that blossomed into more and more questions. Why the hells are there so many guards? Why such a massive town? What are they trying to do here? Something’s not right. In moments like these, she could only absently run her free hand across her ponytail, toying with her hair in frustration as her mind swirled with untold theories.


    The unsettling thought that this oversized kolonia and mine were here for more than just mining now bugged her. To her, simply the two separate junctions so far indicated a likely plethora of other tunnels and pathways in the mine. For such a large scale operation to have gone completely unnoticed by Arterian authorities seemed almost impossible, at best it was some form of negligence. Why do I have such a bad feeling about this?


    Stowing her questions away, she focused back on her surroundings. Beyond the limits of her visual range, she could slowly hear the growing sounds of conversation. Sophie was conflicted. On one hand, she was relieved to finally be getting close to something proper, on the other, it meant there would be company. With a growl, she steadied herself and carried on.


    The tunnel finally ended upon reaching a large cavernous chamber. Numerous stone and wooden structures dotted the area, what seemed to be a small camp almost village of sorts with dozens and dozens of workers and company guards. For a brief second, Sophie shuddered as flashes of her experiences in Saclia returned to the forefront, the explosive violence of back then making her feel sick to her stomach. And now… we’re here…


    Her sword arm wobbled, the memory of the past tugging her forward. Still, she had made progress. For she suspected that if there was a command post anywhere, it would be in a place like this. The guards however, caused her a different set of problems. Although they seemed nowhere near as vigilant as those on the surface or even at the mine entrance, they were standing guard at all the key entrances to this village. She could only skulk around by the rocks around the tunnel to keep herself out of sight, unable to get a clearer view of what was happening.


    “Work crews! Form lines!” A heavy voice roared.


    The commotion within the village grew to a fervor as hundreds of feet slowly organized themselves somewhere. A few of the guards closest to Sophie turned to look back at the crowd, giving her an opening to move to another hiding spot closer to the village.


    She caught glimpses of what was happening from her new vantage point. Half orc guards alongside full orcs and human company guards were busy doing a headcount of the gathered crowd. The nervous looking faces of the people suggesting an air of fear that was evident even to her. Unlike regular guards, a few of the watchers were wielding whips and chains, a weapon-set more akin to that of slavers than what she expected company enforcers to be using. At least this confirms that they aren’t just all innocent. Some fucking consolation that is, she growled under her breath. Damned bastards. They hurt Sophia and so many others.


    Restraining her own desire to act, she continued circling the village, taking care to only move when the guards marched around the workers, hoping their metallic clanking would mask her own footsteps. More and more, she uncovered the scale of the settlement. Multiple barracks, a few administrative buildings, and even company shops. All inside the damn mine, they’re building a damned city. Finally, there was a two story building that caught her eye, one made of chiseled stone bricks. Definitely fancy enough to be a headquarters.


    A small shiver went down her spine, her hand tightening once again around her blade. This feels a little too familiar.


    “Get in line! Do another headcount!” The heavy bellowed again. An overseer, maybe. Commanding, certainly.


    His half orc subordinates grunted their annoyed acceptance, taking some small joy in tormenting their victims with jabs and slaps as they begun the count. The human guards here seemed unfazed, clearly used to these events. It did however, present her with a small opportunity. With how slack though sadistic the guards were being, she would have an easier time trying to stay in the shadows.


    Waiting for the process to begin anew, Sophie tiptoed her way ever closer towards the town until she closed upon the guards at the village entry points. Furrowing her brow, she bit down on her lip trying to figure out how she could get past them. Her nose wiggled with annoyance, and panic soon set in. Shi-I need to…ahh… her tickled throat shook as the cold had finally settled into her body, she desperately wanted to sneeze.


    “Ahh… nghh.” She clenched her mouth shut and pinched her nose, but the ticklish sensation continued. She pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth and still, the itchiness did not abate.


    Through sheer willpower, the sneeze died down a little, Sophie feeling a little light headed. Relieved, she opened her mouth, “-chu!”


    It was a sneeze that reverberated around the walls of the mines. It had caught her so off guard that she could only stand bewildered, in utter disbelief at her momentary lapse of control. The unexpected sneeze didn’t just stun her, her shrill little sneeze had also paused activity within the mining village. Whatever muster had been going on stopped as they all could identify the origin of the sound as being outside the walls. Oh Goddess, no, no, no!


    “Did you…” One of the gate guards asked.


    “Yeah, there. Move.” Another replied.


    Saint damned hells! Shit, shit. Need to move… need to move… need to… What the hells do I do? How do I get to the command center now?


    “Oi, oi. Whichever wench you are, if you come back now, the punishment will be light. Reveal yourself.” An orc guard called out.


    Oh Goddess, what now?


    “You, you, you, go check. Now.” The overseer ordered.


    Armoured boots moved in response. Think, dumbass, think.


    They were closing in on her. Sophie ran through mental calculations, trying to determine how to proceed. She needed to secure the command center somehow, but she had been compromised. No matter what she pictured, they all led to one solution. Her tried and true but foolhardy method.


    “Take the side, we’ll move in there.” A guard whispered to his compatriots, the patrol now dangerously close.


    “Show yourself, or-”


    With stealth off the table, Sophie did what she did best. She steadied her blade and jumped out of cover, seizing the last fragments of surprise she still held over the guards. Before any of the half orcs could react, she charged. Straight shot to the command center, let''s do this.