Forcing it open, she was greeted to the smell of rotting food and darkness.

“Eugh, what a horrid stench.” Sevasta belched.

“Food is food,” One of the goblins retorted.

“Not with this smell, you can't just treat yourself to this kind of food!” Sevasta lectured. A few of the goblins snarled back but the rest seemed to understand. They were hungry and desperate, but Sevasta had promised them food after all.

Rummaging around, Sevasta managed to find a box of untainted meat and other foods, somehow surviving the entire ordeal.

“Here,” A goblin tried snatching the box away but missed.

“Not so fast dear, it will be much better once cooked, we just need to set up a campfire and the meat can be cooked.

“Waiting, boring. We starve, we need to eat now!” The same goblin yelled. Another from the group walked forward, smacking its head and causing a brief confrontation.

“Now, now, settle down. The food will come soon, I'll make it with as much love and care as possible for you all.” After talking, she turned to the remaining untouched crates.

Through the dark, she noticed a faint glow. She walked over to it, the glow was blocked by a few crates.

Pushing them aside, she had found what the goblins spoke of. The flour. It exuded a bright white aura around itself, as if asking someone to grab it. It had no label, simply a small clean sack filled to the top in pure white flour.

“My…This place is dirty and horrid, yet has the best looking flour my weak eyes have ever seen.”

“I think we can head out now with this food, just be patient while grandma cooks food ok?” The goblins eagerly nodded. While making her way out, she noticed a broom.

“This entire village does need a good cleaning…”

—----

The campfire crackled loudly, searing slabs of meat on top of it while goblins all dined around the fire. Sevasta sweeped the pathway and remaining homes of their dust.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Not as clean as I had hoped, but that’s what happens when you only have a broom and no soap and rag.” She muttered to herself. Seeing the goblins eating put a smile to her face, making her recall faint memories.

“Just like the poor children of the war orphanage…” She swept more dust from what remained of the village, stopped by a sudden sound in the distance, a shout and the noise of a sword meeting flesh.

“Bad soul, near!” One of the goblins yelled, prompting the rest to take out their weapons.

Sevasta looked at the entrance to the village, seeing who was causing all that ruckus.

After a minute, a man in a mix of metal and leather armor lumbered forward with a bloody mace, his breathing could be heard from where Sevasta stood. Upon setting his eyes on the goblins, he stopped.

“A bunch of abominable creatures, I was told to kill any in my way,” He raised his head, revealing the youthful but soulless face of the man.

“Especially others who joined from the other world.” He aimed the tip of his mace at Sevasta, who simply walked past the goblins with her broom.

“We don’t want any problems here dear, we just wanted to eat and also get ingredients for a cookie recipe.” The man moved back in confusion.

“Do you take me for a fool? I just killed another soldier earlier with nothing but my mace!”

“Yes, very much so dear.” The man was further taken aback, his anger now blended with even more confusion.

“If you need that much armor and a menacing glare to intimidate a person like me. Maybe you’re not that strong. Do you need that much to kill an old crone like me?” Sevasta stepped forward again, a few feet in front of the goblins and intending to protect them.

“You’re crazy, you know that? Let’s see if your skill with fighting matches your skill with blabbering.” The man readied his mace. Sevasta looked hesitant for a moment before raising up the broom with a calm expression.

The man rushed forward, the mace raised up to clobber her head. As it reached inches above her, Sevasta stepped to the side and whacked the man on the head with the broomstick.

The man delivered a few more attacks, swinging his mace recklessly while Sevasta moved around swiftly, beating his head again and again.

Enraged, he rammed her directly, surprising both the goblins and Sevasta.

“How brash and rude…” She muttered. She hit the man on the throat, stunning him for a moment before getting up. With a series of strikes and sweeping his legs, the fight came to an end with Sevasta standing above the man with the broom handle touching his forehead.

“It is rude to harm the elderly and to carry that much pride blindly. I would lecture you for another hour but right now I want to feed them.” Sevasta spoke, almost in a threatening tone masked by optimism.

“Who even are you?” The man asked. Sevasta reached down her hand to help him up.

“Sevasta, dear. I expect an apology. Not to me but also to these dear young ones for traumatizing them. You’re lucky it was my broom and not a cane.”

The goblins rushed to Sevasta, checking for any wound on her body while keeping a close eye on the man, bearing sharp misaligned teeth.

“I’m sorry…Madame Sevasta, I was sent here to gain some fame and glory. Honest!” He knelt in front of her.

“It is fine, no need to grovel. An admirable goal to have, you remind me of a certain child I took care of in an orphanage. He was very eager to become a famed slayer and warrior too. So much so he left once he was old enough. Never seen him since.” She sighed, the memory brought a sadness to Sevasta.

The goblins were famished, filled with meat and other foods, satisfied and ready to move again.

“I won’t stop you, i’m not after what you want. But a companion is far better to have than going alone.” The man looked up, bewildered.

“What do you mean?”

“Ugh kids these days. We can walk along this path, the ingredients i need may be further down this path. And i would be saddened to see another child’s dreams get crushed. I can help you.” The goblins and even the man were surprised by her response. A trick? Or something more.

“Now, what is your name child?” The man looked down before giving a reply.

“Aaron, Madame Sevasta. Aaron Podrick.”

“Very well then Aaron.” She rested the broom on her shoulder, “Let’s head down this weird world. Ingredients and uncleaned villages await us!”