My body felt light and the wounds on my stomach were gone. I felt my face and removed my eye-patch. My left eye had finally healed but there was something different. I could see clearer than I ever could before. I tightened my muscles and I felt stronger. I even jumped in the air and knew I could reach higher than before.

My senses and abilities felt like they've been dialed up three times.

I felt superhuman and this feeling was euphoric in a way. But I felt scared at the same time. I knew not everything was given for free. What in the world just happened? Did killing the Goblin King do something to me? Was I afflicted with another curse? What price am I going to have to pay for this? I couldn't understand what transpired but I knew I had to leave this place.

I picked up my broken Mithril blade from the ground and sheathed it. It was half a sword now but it was still sharp. I knew I could still use it in the future. I didn't want to rely on the Demon Lord's weapon. I could hear the commotion outside die down. The temperature around the area was rising, probably due to the fire that raged on.

I wanted to check on Vera and see if she needed my help. I exited the gigantic tent the same way I came in. I could see that the Goblins were still running around not knowing what to do. Their leader was gone now, he wouldn't be able to tell them anything. I run quickly in the search for the prisoner holdings.

The Goblins paid me no attention as a thick black smoke whirled through the encampment and the forest. The fire was naturally pushing itself towards the river because of the wind. I hoped that the fire doesn't spread far away from the encampment. I needed to help free the prisoners before they become trapped here like the Goblins.

When I came to the prisoner enclosure, I could see Goblin bodies littered on the floor mixed with other Elves. Not everyone was able to make it out alive. I checked inside the enclosure to see that the rest of the prisoners had escaped. A hole was blasted through from outside the walls. Before I could move through I was interrupted.

A horde of Goblins had come to check on the prisoners. There was something different about them now, they had looked too hideous and monstrous than before. Half the Goblins were missing noses, their faces seem to melt off their bones. Some of them had their skin boiled and bubbled over. These Goblins smelled worse than before.

They were undead Goblins.

I drew my broken sword and readied myself as they rushed me. If I didn't remove their heads, they would keep attacking me. I cut the head off one goblin and his blood splattered on me. Another tried to stab me and I remove his head as well. Were these goblins moving too slow or was I moving faster? The Goblins were snarling and shrieking with sounds. I saw a Goblin with a bow and he had his sights aimed down on me.

I needed to kill him and wanted to move to him. My legs went a step and in a flash, I was suddenly in front of him. The Goblin was shocked but I was more surprised. Before he could react, I removed his head from his body with my blade.

More undead Goblins came, they looked like they were going to fill the prison enclosure. I couldn't fight them all off. Something strange was in the air and around these Goblins. My best bet at survival was to follow the prisoners and leave through the hole. I slowly moved back to the hole and faced them. I had to stop some of them here so they could block the hole and stop the rest from chasing.

The Goblins attacked me and I swung my sword ruthlessly. Arms, legs, and other body parts seem to fly by me. My Mithril blade was cut in half but it didn't take away from its sharpness. The dead bodies of Goblins started to pile underneath me. They kept their attack on me, they weren't thinking at all. I doubt they were feeling anything either from the look in their eyes.

It was stranger still, I didn't feel tired at all. I would've been exhausted from fighting so many of these Goblins, I was ending them quickly as well. I was covered in blood and filth from fighting the Goblins. A mass of bodies was piling and the Goblins seem to fight me more vigorously. Lightning struck the ground in front of me and took out a group of Goblins.

My eyes look up to the sky and I saw a mass of clouds piling together. It was unusual for it to be there, it was a clear night sky before I entered the Goblin encampment. Rain started to pour down from the sky like a flood. Thunder and lightning echoed the senses, the Goblins became disoriented and I cut more of them in half. The rain began to wash off the blood that covered my body. The hole in the wall was now covered with the bodies of dead Goblins.

I turned around and sheathed my sword, my breath was still calm as the rain continued. I couldn't see anyone in my sight but the mass of prisoners left tracks for me to follow. I wasted no time in following the tracks, the rain was going to wash them out soon. I ran through the Wild Forest and left the Goblin encampment. The light of the fire that once filled the horizon in the night sky was gone.

My eyes wandered back toward the encampment and I could see lightning still striking down upon it. The rain didn't seem to leave the area of the Goblin encampment. What was doing that? I didn't know but I didn't want to wait to found out, I needed to meet up with Vera. I hope that she was able to make it out alive and that she was safe. I might need her help in reaching the Demon territory.

I don't know the Wild Forest too well and I would need some assistance. I just wanted an easier route to the North Mountains. I didn't want to go the route I went before with the Hero and my companions. Vera didn't owe me anything but I hoped I could appeal to her senses. Soon I entered a small clearing in the forest and saw a mass of Elves.

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They looked to be filthy but they were alive. I don't know how many Elves those Goblins captured but there seemed to be hundreds of them here. Most of them were women and but there were a few males. They reacted to me but I held up my hands.

"Where's Vera?" I said with a loud and clear voice.

The Elves looked at each other but soon parted away and Vera appeared behind another group of Elves.

"Demitri! You're alive!" Vera said as she smiled over at me.

I moved over to her and noticed the signs of battle on her body.

"You did well in rescuing the prisoners," I said as I looked toward the crowd.

"Yes, and we even came in contact with the King's guard." She said.

The elite troops under the command of the Elven King?

"What were they doing here?" I asked.

Elven knights emerged from the crowd of Elves.

"They came to fight the Goblin King," Vera replied.

The Elven Knights seem to look at me suspiciously.

"Were you able kill the Goblin King?" She asked.

"Yes," I said and nodded my head.

"This is the man Sir Thorn."

It was an Elven knight covered in luxurious armor.

"Who are you?" The Elven knight stood proudly.

"Demitri," I said. "I helped free the prisoners by causing a distraction."

"Oh? You're the one Vera was talking about."

Vera introduced me to the Elven knight wearing luxurious armor.

"Seize him!" Sir Thorn pointed at me.

"What! Why?" I replied in shock.

Elven knights rushed over and held me down.

"Not only are you trespassing in Elven territory, you poisoned our river and set fire to our lands."

Vera seemed to be in the same state of confusion as I was.

"But he killed the Goblin King!" Vera said.

The Elven Knight only looked at me and scoffed.

"Him? I bet he used some tricks, we can't even be sure that he even killed that monster."

Sir Thorn seem to wave his hand at the idea.

"If it wasn't for the rain, we would've been worst off with the fire he set."

This army of Elven knights was probably here to obtain glory from killing the Goblin King. Now that I've done so and disrupted the Goblins. I doubt they would be able to obtain anything. Most of the Goblins had died because of me. They won't be able to find the body of the Goblin King either. The Demon Lord's weapon consumed it.

They were looking for an excuse and I was probably the scapegoat. Had I known it was going to end up like this I wouldn't have come. These Elves were arrogant and noble Elves had the worst kind of arrogance. They cared about honor and prestige just the same as humans. Vera tried to plead again with Sir Thorn but he wouldn't listen.

"Don't worry, the truth will come out. Only the Elven King will judge him." Sir Thorn said with a smirk.

There was some desperation on my face but I didn't want to fight off these knights and cause trouble for Vera.

"We're returning! Lead the survivors away and put the prisoner in a cell."

Sir Thorn gestured toward a group of knights who followed his command.

The survivors of the Goblin encampment followed the knights willingly. I was bounded by my hands and feet. I was led to march as a prisoner with two knights accompanying me on the side. Vera looked worried for my safety but I only cared that this was going to waste my time. Do they have no idea what was going on just north of here in Demon territory? Or do they not care?

I had fixed their problems for them and in the end, I was still treated this way.

The army of Elven Knights lead us through the Wild Forests and we followed. After a distance, we came upon a glowing and beautiful Elven city. It was the Capital city of the Elven race in the Wild Forests, Avalon. The Elves who survived the ordeal with the Goblins had a look of joy on their faces when we reached the city gates. The survivors were safe and free to move about.

Vera couldn't follow me as I was led away from everyone.

I was led to the Royal Palace of the Elven King. I didn't enter to greet the King but was put inside the dungeons. They stripped me of my clothes and took my belongings. I was thrown into a cell and given some linen to wear. The Elven Knights locked my doors and looked me over.

"Look! He's branded! He's nothing more than a vagrant!" An Elven Knight said.

My face turned pale as I backed away from my cell bars. I tried to hide the brand on the side of my neck but it was easily visible without my cloak.

"You kill the Goblin king? You're nothing but a thief!"

The Eleven knights laughed and quickly left me.

Sometimes I would forget the brand that was marked on my body. It was the consequences of the actions in my youth. My eyes wandered around the prison and I realized I was the only one there. I leaned my back against the walls and slid down to the floor. All prison cells looked the same from behind bars.

No matter where I was, I would always be judged.

My mind started to drift back to the memories of when I first became branded.