Soren advanced along the mountain range.
After entering the red dragon's territory, he could clearly sense an increase in monster activity.
Generally, once dragons reached the old dragon stage, they began recruiting monsters to guard their established lairs. An elder dragon controlled even more minions. Ogres were the monsters Soren saw most often. Although the army of White Horse City had routed them once before, the chaotic evil ogres had still gathered around the chaotic evil red dragon. Besides them, gnolls, bugbears, dark creatures, and other monsters occupied every road leading to the red dragon's lair. They kept others from approaching, repeatedly forcing White Horse City's forces to return empty-handed. They had rarely even glimpsed the ancient red dragon itself.
More obvious traces began appearing within Soren's sight.
Not only had his target entered the ancient red dragon's territory, but he had also ventured deep into the mountains. None of the monsters along the way had detected him.
Soren possessed the [Shadow] portfolio, and his stealth abilities were frighteningly powerful, so it was perfectly normal for monsters not to notice him. But this fellow clearly wasn't a rogue. His ability to evade so many creatures seemed rather implausible.
After advancing roughly a dozen kilometers, Soren made a discovery.
For the first time, he found traces of a fight, though it had ended very quickly.
"What's this?"
"Melf's Acid Arrow?"
Soren bent down to examine the corpse before him, along with the bodies of a group of bugbears.
The entire fight had ended swiftly. Some unexpected event seemed to have brought the target into contact with a group of bugbears. Traces of a campfire lay nearby. Soren guessed that the target had lit a fire during the night, then unexpectedly encountered some roaming bugbears. This time, the enemies had spotted him.