With the mighty roar of a monster pushed into a corner, the Goblin's claws ripped of the gnarled face of a Giant Rat as it pounced on him. The creature let out a pained squeal, only for its pained cries to be snuffed out by Miu's liquids.

The girl stared at the Goblin's back, her intense gaze made his hairs stand on edge and it felt as if he was being stared at by a predator. Yet he did not falter in his defense of the strange Beastman. He ignored the steely gaze the girl threw at him from behind as he struck down more of the Giant Rats as they rushed them.

A crimson flash made the girl duck instinctively, sharp teeth snapped but the Giant Rat's jaws met only the magical steel blade the Goblin held with a tight vice around its handle. It let out a sharp cry as the Goblin twisted his dagger into the Giant Rat's throat. He turned to the girl, his eyes as sharp as that of a hawk, his finger pointed towards the dungeon.

"Run!"

He barked at the girl as he threw off the body of the Giant Rat on top of him. His ears picked up the sound of old shoes as she pushed herself off of the ground. His heels turned, his heart beat wildly, and he followed after the girl as they dashed towards the dungeon. Her heavy footsteps dug into the ground as she leapt forwards while he threw himself into the stone floor of the dungeon. Miu followed after them then sat at the entrance of the dungeon, a mountain of corpses floated within her as she sealed the entrance with her own body.

The tide of black rats scratched and bit at the liquid, but the Slime did not budge from her silent watch. The Giant Rats hissed at Miu, but the sudden flash of bright light in the distance followed by the ear-splitting sound of a violent explosion silenced any and all creatures around the valley. Chunks of Miu's body split from her as the many birds and animals that lived in the woods around the dungeon were roused from their sleep and fled into the night while the trees rustled violently while the ground rumbled beneath them.

The Goblin looked at the pillar of smoke and flame as large rain clouds formed around the tower in the city. Its black walls were illuminated by the orange and red of the fires that ate away at the buildings of the city while he could make out the husk of what was once the castle walls as it melted from the heat of the intense attack. And while he watched the hellish scene, the Giant Rats scattered into the wind as a primal fear washed over them.

Silence. There was just silence as the woods settled down gradually, devoid of the noises made by the creatures of the night. He picked up the eerie silence with his sharp hearing yet he couldn't take his eyes off of the distant carnage. He did not ease his grasp on the dagger's hilt, although it was already clear to him that their assailants would no longer bother them for the rest of the night. If the violent flames that raged in the distance did not scare them, then the sight of Miu as she devoured the half-melted carcasses of their kin will.

He let out a sigh and relaxed his back. With a slight groan, he sat beside the fire and tossed a few twigs as the fire crackled by his feet. He looked up at the silent girl as she trembled due to the thin rags that failed to shield her from the cold breeze of the coming winter months. She did not squeak nor made any sort of sound as she warmed her dirty and rough hands in front of the flame. He watched the girl closely, his hands never far from the hilt of his dagger with each sudden twitch she made in front of him.

"What's name?"

The Goblin asked, his other hand deep inside his bag as he waited for the girl's response.

"S-Serrisa..."

Serrisa meekly said just before she let out a soft sneeze.

"Hmm. You slave? That reason why strange men chase you?"

He didn't need to ask her that, it was clear from the iron shackles and black collar around her neck and arms. But it was still good to know the exact details of things.

He waited and waited for her response, but the girl was adamant on her silence. Finally, he let out a sigh and pulled out the last handful of mushrooms he had on him. The girl caught a whiff of the strong smell of the smoked mushrooms he had in his hands and her stomach growled in response to it. He scoffed, one that held no disdain at the silly yet familiar sound, and handed her half of the mushrooms.

"Eat first. Talk later."

Serrisa said nothing, and she meekly accepted the brown mushrooms. She sniffed at the ones in her hand, then she looked at the Goblin as he popped a few of them into his mouth.

She hesitated, but the pain of hunger and the loud groans of her stomach was unbearable. She bit into the large mushroom and chewed it ravenously. It was tough like Barkhare hides, but it tasted good. It was better than the gruel made from leftovers and scraps that her captors served her when she was under their care. Her tail twitched with each bite and she could feel the pain in her stomach subside as she shoved the rest of the mushrooms into her mouth.

After a few minutes, she had devoured her share of the Goblin's mushrooms. She was still hungry for more, but the Goblin had already eaten what meager amount remained on him. Her ears twitched as she felt the soft pangs of hunger, but she did her best to not to ask for more from the strange creature. She watched him smile at her as he adjusted his position so that he was able to look at her in a more comfortable position.

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"Still hungry?"

"... Y-"

Growl~

Serrisa looked away and clutched her stomach with her furry hands. The Goblin nodded and took off his canteen that contained water from the many fountains that once flowed with waters from deep below.

"Drink will help."

She nodded and thanked him from under her breath as the Goblin gave her his canteen. She quickly gulped down the refreshing liquids inside while the Goblin watched her closely.

She had soft skin like that of Humans, but there were parts of her body covered with thick fur like those on her shoulders, shins, and hands. She didn't smell like a Human either, she smelled like sewage and of the wild. She had no ears on the side of her head, instead, a pair of feline ones sprang from the top of her head. And as she drank the last drops of what little remained in his canteen, he stared at the Beastman that sat opposite of him.

It was his first time seeing a Beastman. Sure, he heard stories about the many battles their kin did with Goblins, but all of them painted them as vicious creatures of war and brutality. The girl that sat in front of him was just that, a starving girl in the middle of a strange land. He wondered how she found herself in the hands of slavers this far east from the Minoan Plateau and the Beastmen Plains. How she was shackled and chased through the woods. It was a sad thought, and a sadder sight to see.

The fire crackled while they ignored the distant sounds of carnage. Serrisa shivered, her tail tucked close and her face covered with sweat. He sighed and gave her a shrug. Nights are cold here, and he himself did not have much on him to keep the bitter winds from gnawing at his bones. The best he could do is give her the best spot beside the fire. The girl yawned, and she curled into a ball with her back towards the flame.

Silence. Silence filled the dungeon as he continued to sit in his lonesome. He wasn't alone in the dungeon, he had both Miu and Serissa with him as they slept. He was alone in his own mind as he lay awake before the fire by his feet as it died slowly. The distant sounds made him think deeply. The only thing deeper than his thoughts were the groans of the dungeon, but it did little to put him off of his important thoughts. Just beyond is fingertips was his journal and maps he could use in the coming weeks.

Should he head East or West? Neither sounds good, but it's better than heading North towards the Winterlands and the South is dangerous for a monster like him. It would have to be either of the two. A hard choice but something not unfamiliar to him. If he were to travel now, should her take Miu and the girl with him? He pondered on the question with a frown. Another hard decision.

"Ema... Apa..."

The words made the Goblin pause and glance at Serrisa. She mumbled the Beastman's words for "Mother" and "Father" in her sleep.

"No... Don't... Don't touch Apa..."

The girl trembled as the hairs on her back and tail stood on end. The Goblin sighed and took off his cloak that was slung over his shoulders.

The winds howled as he stood. It bit into his flesh and he felt the pangs of winter as the cold winds chilled his bones. Still, he draped his cloak over her body and sighed. He pointed at the dying flame and lit it with a Flame Spell as he sat against the wall of the dungeon. He knew he needed to leave the girl in the city but now was not the time. Despite the cold winds that blew from the North-West, he could feel the heat of the hellfire as it raged within the city.

Should he check how his friends are doing? No. It's dangerous. Too dangerous for a Goblin like him to approach a city. He sighed. A short sigh, one that brought with it his frustrations as the sound left his mouth. He stared into the distance, at the large column of smoke and magic. Helpless, like a child in a forest. That was how he felt as he thought to himself with a deep frown and silent anger while he sat beside the embers of their campfire.

The dungeon was dark now, his yellow eyes now crimson as they glimmered in the darkness. Slowly, he closed his eyes. The soft lull of the breeze as it brushed against the dungeon's doors are like gentle tunes to his ears. Soft, yet constant in their persistence. It was a sound he hasn't heard in a long, long time. It was chilly, sure, but it reminded him of the nights when he was younger. When he once slept to the stories of his father as their tribe slept beneath the cover of the giant trees in the middle of the vast forest. It calmed him.

"Take up arms."

He jolted up from his slumber, his hand firmly planted on his dagger's hilt. His dreams were interrupted by a strange voice in his native tongue as it called out to him. No, not just him. This voice was like that of a Chief, but greater than any Chief that he knew. And it called out to all of them.

In his dreams, the voice came from the West along with the bitter cold. So he looked West, and found only nothing but a stone wall built with black rock. Relieved, he turned towards Serrisa and Miu. The girl was no cuddled up against the wall while the Slime continued to block the dungeon's entrance in her sleep. He stood up quietly, and made his way over towards a small gap between Miu's body and the door.

The light in the distance was dimmer now, but it still worried him. Foul. That was the only way he could describe the air from Arenhein. It was foul, stagnant, and it brought with it a strange scent that he knew was not of this place. But he only glanced at Arenhein for a moment before he walked over to a nearby tree and unbuckled his pants. Scent is how creatures mark their territory, but all he planned to do was to relieve himself on that particular tree. Let those vermin take it as a warning if they want.

But just as he was about to let the floodgates burst, his nose crinkled at the most awful smell he had ever known. His head glanced to the side, and he saw a crimson glimmer. At first he was confused, was it a lost Giant Rat? No, it wasn't. Giant Rats didn't have horns. They didn't have gnarled faces covered in scars and blisters as well. This... This was something else.

It's form rose, and he found himself stunned as he stared at the giant thing as it stared back at him with an unamused expression. It looked like a burn victim, yet its malformed body looked unnatura to be a Human or an Elf. It sneered, then it mumbled something. Something that made its body erupt into flame. It let out a screech as the Goblin drew his dagger, his eyes wide with fear and confusion as the thing's form twisted and glowed with magic fouler than Necromancy.

Then he saw it. It was faint, but it was there. A symbol on the creature's chest that bound it to its vessel of flesh and bone. And as the symbol glowed with intricate lines of foul magic, the Goblin realized that the thing before him was no ordinary creature.

"Daemon."