Setting out

9. Setting out

As we were leaving I glance back at the cabin where we spent an extremely short amount of time but it felt long and I had gotten attached to this place.

 This was a fun experience and just what I wished as I left home, I felt happy from the bottom of my heart as I turned away and started walking toward our next destination.

“Congratulations, now you are strong enough to survive in this forest but do not let your guard down, strength doesn’t matter in every situation. This last trial should teach you that, you will go and kill a goblin village.”

“What kind of creatures are goblins?”

“They are small, green and vile creatures. They are weak and stupid but they use traps and underhanded methods.”

“So, we should be careful but they are easy to beat?”

“I wouldn’t say they are easy to beat but I think letting you experience it for yourselves would be best.”

We walked in the forest while guided by Alphonse, we talked about all the things we went through in the training and the time flew by as we reached the goblin village without even noticing.

We were on a high ground so we could see inside the goblin village even though it had wooden walls going around it, inside the walls there were dozens of huts and in the middle of the village there was a big two-storied wooden house.

“Before you go, let me tell you about anomalies, in every race there are anomalies born and they are somehow different from the rest. They might have improved senses, magic usage or the structure of the body is different or they are smarter. They could also have many of these features which would make them even fearsome. An example of this would be you, Melissa and Luna.”

I was a bit shocked to hear that I was an anomaly, but when I thought how I could use healing magic I thought that maybe it wasn’t that peculiar.

“And I don’t mean because Melissa can use healing magic and because Luna is smart.”

Oh.

“Their usage of mana is odd, they can use a lot of magic in a place where there is almost no mana. That makes them at least an anomaly.”

“But Cyril used a lot more magic than we did.”

“Cyril isn’t normal and you should know that by now, but what I’m trying to say is that there is a reason why you are doing this. Goblins are crafty but they usually aren’t this smart and they don’t group to this degree because they would start fighting amongst themselves.”

“So, there is an anomaly there that is leading the goblins?” 

“Yes, and if left alone they would become quite a big problem for the human and half beast men settlements around here.”

“Why is that? Aren’t they supposed to be weak? Even if someone is leading the they would still be weak.” I ask puzzled.

“They are a race that breed fast and if they mate with other races the children born are always goblins, the children also grow up fast so they would quickly produce an army. The smaller villages can’t defend against them and would produce more goblins. In the worst-case scenario, they could conquer the whole area that is low on mana.”

“How horrible.”

“Well they are usually exterminated when they are found so there is usually no danger but this time they are in the forest long way from anything so they wouldn’t be noticed until they had already grown in numbers and they would destroy many villages before an army can reach them.”

“But we will kill them all and there will be no danger, right?”

“From this group at least, and there are a lot of various kinds of beasts that are a nuisance to people. You will see this when you get out of this forest, and let me tell you this, this forest is an easy place to be compared to the rest of the world.”

I watch as the green things move inside the small village, there were some on the walls as a lookout but it didn’t seem like they were doing a decent job.

“What kind of traps do they have?” Asked Luna.

“Mostly holes that have been covered and inside there are spikes, then there are some traps that have rocks drop on you, as you go in somewhere. They also could be inside the traps to finish off anyone that might not die from dropping inside the trap.”

“So, we can’t trust the ground?” Asks Martin.

“Well their work is usually pretty bad so you should be able to notice where the traps are but with an anomaly there is no knowing. This is where I’ll say goodbye and good luck to you guys. It was a lot of fun having you guys there and I’m glad I could offer some help to you. We are also going to leave the cabin to go on a journey so you won’t find us here anymore but we might encounter each other during our travels.”

“Thank you for everything. I can’t even describe how much you helped us out, I hope you have a good journey, good bye.” I say while getting a little emotional.

The rest of the group also said their goodbyes to Alphonse and then I felt a change in the atmosphere that told me that Alphonse left.

“Now let’s exterminate these pests quickly so we can rest for the first time in ages!” Says Martin energetically.

“I have a plan ready for this but we will have to split up for this one. Are you all right with that?”

We nod in agreement and Luna started to explain her plan.

“Me, Martin and Marie will go from the front and make them all come at us while I use my magic to kill them, Martin and Marie will protect me from anyone that manages to survive my magic. Melissa, Alice and Ryan will go from behind the village to kill the anomalies, Ryan will kill anyone that is left stealthily so you won’t be noticed. If the anomalies are too hard to defeat then just stall enough time so we can come help you guys, if you can’t then just run away and regroup with us.”

“We will be in position in five minutes, you can start then.” Ryan said as he appeared out of nowhere.

Luna nodded and Ryan started running silently to the left and beckoned us to follow. Alice and I ran after him as silently as we could, there were few patrolling goblins on the way but Ryan took care of them quickly.

As we got behind the village we started hearing explosion sounds and goblin screams, most of the goblins from the look-out left to help others in the fight but a few remained.

“I will take care of the goblins so when you see them disappear you can go in, I will be close by dealing with goblins and if you need help I will be there.”

I nod to Ryan and he started running toward the village, he used trees, shadows and places where they could see him, he crossed when they weren’t looking there. He got inside the village and disappeared.

Soon the goblins from the look-out disappeared and we started running toward the village, we climbed over the wall and saw the chaos that was going on, on the other side of the village. Groups of goblins were near the gate trying to get out and there were explosions and goblin parts flying around.

I focused on my job and watched out for traps as we ran toward the house in the middle of the village. There were some goblin corpses on the ground but I didn’t pay attention to them, we just kept running until we reached the house.

I open the door to the house and see a large black goblin putting on a metal armor, he takes a metal cleaver from the wall and turns toward us.

“Take one hit with your shield and I will smash his unarmored head.” Alice whispers to me quickly.

We run at him and he rises his cleaver up and strikes down, I take the hit with my shield, the force knocks me to my knee and I barely hold out the strike. I keep my shield up and hear a splatter noise and see bits and blood flying on my sides, I rise and shake my shield to clean some of the things that are on it.

“Melissa, you shield.” Alice says with her eyes wide.

I turn my shield toward me and see a crack in it. I look at it amazed as it was a super strong shield and it was cracked so easily by the black goblin.

“That was a dangerous foe.”

“Good thing that we could handle it this fast, if we took even one hit from him we could have died.”

“There are stairs there that lead to an upper floor.” Alice says and points to the back of the room.

We walked cautiously toward the stairs but nothing happened, Alice walked in front of me to the stairs. When Alice stepped on the third step there was a weird sound and a spike came from the wall and pierced her side. She screamed out in pain and blood flowed from the wound, I cut the spike and grab Alice that is crying from the pain.

I pull out the spike and heal the wound as fast as I can, the wound starts to close but the internal damage was still there. I take out one of the leftover potions that I got from Cyril and made her drink it.

I put her down on the ground and start walking up with my shield ready to block another spike but I made it up without anything happening. The room was dark but there was some light coming from a goblin that was sitting on a chair staring at me.

The goblin was black like the other one but it wasn’t big, it was smaller than a normal goblin but he had weird lines around his body that radiated red light.

The goblin stood up and took a large wooden staff that was leaning on the wall, the atmosphere changed and I got a crazy thought, what if he can use magic? I ready myself to fight him as I take my sword out of my scabbard.

The goblin formed a black ball and it started to float toward me slowly, I got a very bad feeling from the ball and I don’t think I should try to block that with my shield or dodge it.

I think fast and then decide to throw my shield toward it, when the two collided the black ball grew to five time its size and engulfed the shield, then it vanished along with my shield.

Normally I would stand there with my mouth open out of surprise but the training I had made me move before thinking about it. I ran toward the furious goblin and cut him in half through the staff.

There was a blinding red light that came from the cut and the corpse of the goblin disappeared leaving a small red orb on the floor. I stared at it in amazement and then decided to poke it with my sword, the surface of the was hard and completely round.

I bend down and take the orb in my hand, the orb felt warm on my hand and it was surprisingly light, I put it in my pocket and went to check on Alice.

Alice was sitting down already and she looked much better.

“What happened up there? Where is your shield?”

“There was a weird goblin that used magic that obliterated my shield. I killed it though.”

“These anomalies are extremely dangerous.”

“Thanks.” I said with a bitter smile.

“I meant with beasts, you know that.”

“Yeah, I know.” I say with a wide smile on my face.

The sounds outside had quieted down and the rest came to the house.

“What happened to your shield Melissa?” Asked Martin immediately.

“It is gone.” I say feeling a bit sad.

The shield was given to me by my father and I lost it so soon. I feel like I let him down.

“Guess I have to protect everyone myself then.” Martin says with a slightly happy expression.

Chapter eight. Chapter ten.