Everyone began gathering moments later, trying to decide what to do as a group. Once they were gathered, Jonathan immediately turned to Darrias, asking him what happened on his end.

“There was a Goblin Assassin. When I went for the archer, it nearly backstabbed me, forcing me back into the shadows to kill it. Luckily, once I dealt with it, Nobina shined her light and blinded the archer, making it easy to deal with.”

From what Nobina could recall, a Goblin Assassin was a rare Path for goblins. They were far smarter than your average goblins and often operated in the shadows to take out major threats. From what Nobina could tell, it must have identified Darrias as the greatest threat and waited for the right time to get rid of him. Unfortunately for the Goblin Assassin, Darrias was too skilled to die in a sneak attack.

“What’s the plan,” said Jonathan, looking directly at Nobina.

“We should pack up and retreat. Night travel might be dangerous, but if I’m right goblins don’t always attack once and ignore you. They might strike again while we are vulnerable.”

“A night retreat has its own risk, but with you light thing we should be fine,” said Darrias. “That being said, can you tell us more about it? It seems like a magical device, but I don’t want to assume.”

Nobina gave a nod. She knew she couldn’t explain exactly how it worked, so she decided to go with the idea of it being a magical device.

“It’s a magical device that creates light from this end. It has a limited use depending on the power I set it to, and it can’t be recharged so I’m careful about using it.”

He gave a nod.

“Then we’ll travel in the dark. Of course, be ready to use it when necessary.”

She nodded back. The group began packing everything and preparing for the trip back. Most of them were tired due to the fight and lack of sleep, but they felt better about getting as far away as possible.

“I’ll keep watch over the group,” said Darrias. “I’m well suited for being up for long periods without needing sleep. My senses won’t dull either.”

“I trust you,” replied Nobina.

As the group, now including Macy and Lark, finished packing and began their retreat, silence fell over the group. No one was saying a word to each other. Part of it was likely to keep their senses sharp and not draw attention. The other reason was no one was in a good mood at the moment. Even Nobina, who wanted to stay optimistic, was downcast. If not for Merick being at her side, she probably would have stayed quiet the whole time.

Seeing someone dead for the first time didn’t feel real to her. It didn’t help either that they were still not out of the woods yet. As she thought about their situation, she heard Merick’s voice.

“Nobina,” said Merick as they walked. “Are you alright?”

“Huh? Oh… yeah,” she responded, not believing a word she said.

“I know it must be rough in your position. Feeling powerless as you watch others get hurt… but at the very least you need to appreciate the lives you saved. Even if you are a powerful person, everyone has their limits… Just know that I think you did your best there, right? You didn’t hold anything back?”

She nodded her head.

“I don’t think me swinging the sword would have changed anything considering I was one of the last to wake up and get their bearings.”

To Nobina, the whole incident was eating at her. For all the Gaze’s strength, in a moment of need, it did nothing to help. Sure, it gave her the flashlight in the past, but at that moment, she couldn’t do anything but stand on the sidelines. She received no weapon to help deal with the goblins. She didn’t get any medical items to potentially save Manist. However, perhaps the Gaze was merely acting within its limits. If Manist was dead or if a new weapon would have done nothing, there was no point in receiving anything. It wasn’t like it was going to give her a medical doctor or a potion that could revive someone’s life.

“I really shouldn’t depend on you Gaze,” said Nobina out loud.

“What is it?” asked Merick.

“Oh,” said Nobina. “I… was just thinking about how in life, you can’t hope some knight in shining armor will come and save you if your in danger. You have to assume that only you can save yourself or at the very least your companions.”

Merick gave a nod.

“It’s a reality we all deal with. Even someone like you probably understands that well. You can’t be everywhere, right?”

“Yeah,” she said, merely looking at her own hands before they continued their trek.

The hours began to pass and soon it was daytime. During the day, they decided to take a short sleep each. The morning was the safest point and Darrias would keep watch. As each of them slept, there was a sense of calm starting to return. After everyone had their short sleep, Jonathan called them together.

The group looked through the map and planned their route back. While they were a large group with a few experienced individuals, the goal was to minimize the chance of an attack. They were unaware if they would be pursued, which was what large goblin attack groups usually did to weaker human groups.

“I know this is logic used during Goblin Invasions, but we should be prepared, right?” asked Jonathan, her question directed at Nobina.

“Right… The attack was a clear sign of an impending Goblin Invasion, so we must be as cautious as possible. Glad you know about them Jonathan,” she replied back.

He gave a nod.

“A good adventurer prepares for the unlikely. Considering the quest, knowing how Goblin Invasions work is critical.”

After the strategy meeting concluded, the group continued their trek back. There was nothing much to worry about, and soon, the group reached the open fields. They would be back shortly, making Nobina relieved. However, Macy called over Nobina. When she came over, she saw Herrita was with her while Lark was farther away in formation.

“What’s up?” asked Nobina.

“Nobina,” said Macy. “Do you… think I’m unqualified to be an adventurer?”

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Nobina was shocked to hear Macy say that, but Herrita began to explain why she even brought it up.

“Macy,” said Herrita. “She… Had a nightmare about the attack during her nap. She told me about it since you and I are the only girls in our group. She told me… that she fears that she is building a fear of goblins. If that turns out to be the case, she feels like she’d only be a liability if she continued to lead. That’s why we called you here though. Perhaps you have your own thoughts on her fear.”

It was easy enough for Nobina to recall her own fear, which was the fear of not doing anything before dying. She was given a second chance, but that attack made it clear that being an adventurer put her at risk. She could have very much died during that goblin attack, and if she did, her dream would have disappeared just like that.

She wasn’t a hero. She didn’t have the strength or power to avoid a lethal arrow. All it took was being in the wrong place and time, and her journey was over. Was she even qualified to answer Macy’s question?

At that thought, she had her answer.

“Macy,” said Nobina. “Ultimately, what is your dream? To become a famous adventurer? Make money? What was the whole reason you did all of this?”

Macy, hearing that, gave her answer.

“I wanted to help people…”

Hearing that, Nobina smiled.

“Then feel free to quit.”

Both of them were shocked by her answer, but Nobina began to clarify what she meant.

“You don’t have to be an adventurer to help people. I’m someone who has a simple dream of becoming a writer. Not for fame or money, but to prove to myself I can push past all my doubts and fears. Sure, it’s selfish only thinking about that fact, but it keeps me going. And if I end up helping people as a result of what I’m doing, then all the better. For you, all you need to do is remember that you don’t need to lead a team or kill monsters to help people. Even teaching others can be good enough… That’s my thoughts on the matter anyway.”

Nobin hoped her words had some meaning for Macy. She wasn’t a motivational speaker, nor could she speak about completing a dream, considering she was still working on it. However, she wanted to believe that she gave her a good answer.

“Thanks for that Nobina,” said Macy. “I’ll talk with Lark about all of this, and we’ll decide what to do. For now, all we want to do is complete the quest and then… think about Manist and what we need to do for him.”

The two of them nodded, leaving Macy to her own thoughts. As for Herrita, she smiled and patted Nobina on the back.

“Thanks for that Nobina,” she smiled. “I’m probably good on my end, but it does put into perspective the idea of not needed to be an adventurer to complete your dream.”

“Glad my words could help you as well,” Nobina said back.

The rest of the trip back was relatively silent. Everyone was in their own bubble, thinking of what had happened and what was going to happen. For Nobina, she knew she and the rest of the guild would be busy trying to determine what to do. As far as she knew, this constituted an Emergency Quest due to the nature of the situation. However, it would ultimately be up to Eric to determine what would happen.

As the town finally came into view, there was a relief amongst everyone there. No one was saying anything, but there was a constant worry of an attack from the goblins, even if it was very unlikely. It would likely have required Goblin Riders or goblins on any sort of mount, but the sight of those was a very bad sign. It indicated a Goblin Nest had advanced far beyond the point that should have been allowed.

“We are finally back,” said Jonathan, giving the first relieved words of the group.

“I’d say,” said Herrita. “All this… was so scary and I don’t know if I want to experience anything similar ever again.”

Macy and everyone else nodded in agreement.

The group headed directly to the guild, where Sarah was happy to see them. However, the look on everyone’s faces immediately had her rushing to Nobina to ask what happened.

“Can you handle them completing their quest and have them on standby? The situation… is not good,” said Nobina, her tone reflecting the seriousness of the situation.

Sarah gave a silent nod, with Nobina heading directly to Lare afterward.

At Lare’s office, Nobina relayed the whole situation. Lare listened intently, trying to avoid missing any important details. When the Goblin Assassin and Goblin Archer were mentioned, as well as the number of goblins in the attack, Lare instantly knew that it was a bad sign.

“These are clear indication that a Goblin Invasion is likely. We might have a week or two at most before they mount an actual attack, but one sign of an invasion is the goblins clearing out the immediate area around the nest. Rarely do they attack without preparation, but the possibility makes it so we cannot send out too many adventurers to assist.”

“What are you saying Lare,” Nobina asked, a concerned look on her face.

“Eric will make the call after we go over our current available adventurers but… We might need to intentionally hold back adventurers if we don’t have enough.”

The thought of sending anything less than what was safe horrified Nobina, yet part of her knew it was a choice they might have to make. There were two other nest and their threat made everything more complicated.

“I still can’t believe we have three Goblin Nests around us. It’s like we are asking for situations like this to happen,” said Nobina, expressing her dislike for the current situation.

“Things have just gotten worse over time Nobina. In our prime, even three invasions could have been handled with ease. Now… We just don’t have enough C-rank adventurers. My worry is we might not have enough D-ranks either. Anyways, it’s time to gather everyone. We need to prepare for the Emergency Quest either way.”

Nobina gave a nod.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Gather all information you can on current and retired adventurers in the town or on quest. We need everyone. Once everyone is gathered, Eric will issue more formal orders.”

With that, Nobina left for the guild library, where she began gathering all the information she could. She thought she’d find relief in a room full of books, but it only brought her more worries, so she rushed to gather the books she needed. From information books on their adventurers, both active and active, to books regarding guild operating procedures, Nobina was making sure they had everything they needed.

As she reached for one of the books she needed, she found it immediately falling. She looked at her hand, seeing it was shaking.

“Am I…. scared?”

Nobina realized that the reality of their situation was settling in. They were dealing with an emergency, and she was at the center of everything. Even if her work was merely administrative at the moment, she was someone who was playing a key role in helping the town deal with a crisis. Not knowing what to do, Nobina took a seat and began trying to relax.

“Deep breaths,” she told herself.

As she tried to calm herself, she found her worries not going away. The sense of powerlessness was becoming more and more apparent. Soon, she began cursing in her head how she wished she could have the power of the heroes she read and wrote about. The ability to do amazing things and protect everyone. However, those thoughts only made her even more emotional.

Her mind was a haze, and she didn’t know what to think. She wanted to call for help, but she knew no one would come. She wanted to ask the Gaze to give her what she needed, but would it even listen? All she could do now was try to find a way to do more than she was already doing.

“Nobina,” called Sarah, coming into the room.

“What,” she replied, snapping back to reality.

“Are you alright? You seem out of it.”

“I’m not alright,” Nobina said loudly.

The loudness caught Sarah off guard, and Nobina began venting her thoughts.

“I feel so powerless right now Sarah… I felt powerless back at the camp both times we were attacked… I could have saved Manists’ life if I had recalled the group sooner. Perhaps if I played a more active role in the question, we might have noticed the increase activity before that night attack. I…”

Sarah immediately hugged Nobina, who found herself stunned.

“Nobina… It’s alright… The reality is that none of us can do everything… None of us can see the future either. You did everything you could, right?”

Hearing Merick’s words echo in Sarah, Nobina immediately calmed down. She then gave a nod, only now noticing her tears.

“Yeah… I… I did what I could…”

“Then it’s good enough… You aren’t a fighter Nobina. You’re a writer. The sooner you accept that… the easier it will be for you to do what only you can do to help. Got it?”

Nobina could only nod, accepting Sarah’s comfort.

“I just… wish I could do more,” she said, her voice reflecting her mood.

“We all do… But for now, let’s do what we can… right?” said Sarah in her normally happy voice.

Nobina could only nod, agreeing with what Sarah said. They had a situation at hand, and there was no time to dwell on sadness. They had to be strong, not just for themselves but for the guild and town.

“Right… Let me finish gathering the data and we’ll meet.”

Sarah patted her on the back and departed back to the front. As for Nobina, with Sarah’s word now supporting her, she continued to gather the information for the upcoming meeting.