We were then surrounded immediately by a unit of ten fairies in armor created from tree bark.

“Damara, what is the meaning of this?”

The fairy knights quickly dropped to one knee as a man with great presence walked thru the circle.

He wore a very gaudy green and gold robe with a crown of vines flaunting a beautiful white gem as its centerpiece with a matching staff. He looked mature, but young light green shoulder length hair.

Oberon Lv 78

Race: Forest Fairy

Physical: Lv 24

Nature: Lv 54

Titles: Fairy King

I didn't completely understand what the appraisal showed me yet, but I would assume he's pretty strong for this world standard. I'll check my status and get more information from Tasa later. The situation at hand needed my undivided attention.

“Father.”

He looked at Damara with great discontent.

“Damara I will only ask this one time. Why is there a human in our village? His words were practically spat at her.”

“He is here to help in the upcoming battle with the goblins, she rebutted.”

“You foolish girl! You bought a human here for your imaginary war! Your executions will be swift!”

“I Damara princess of the fairies declare a continuance for the trial.”

He clicked his tongue before turning his back on his daughter and proceeded to walk away.

“Kill the human,” he spoke casually as if the order he gave wasn’t to end a life.

The knights began chanting spells and shards of rock began rising from the ground and were aimed at my exposed head. I glanced over to her and she didn’t seem worried so I set my mind at ease as I waited.

I was able to tell the level of the magic was no threat to me.

The shared of rocks began barreling towards me so I closed my eyes preparing for the impact, I didn't want to get dirt in my eyes, but the hit never came.

I opened my eyes to a wall of green vines raising out the ground in front. Some of the shards were lodged in the vines, but most disintegrated on impact. Then a massive green stalk emerged from the ground and rose seven feet with a rosebud on top. The petals of the beautiful red rosebud opened revealing a woman so beautiful she put the plant to shame.

“So you plan on executing my dear daughter Oberon?” she spoke while her eyes pierced the fair king.

Oberon became flustered and became visibly shaken.

“Oh my wife Titania, No I was just being intimidating is all.”

Titania Lv 91

Race: Forest Fairy

Physical: Lv 21

Nature: Lv 70

Titles: Fairy Queen

She was the most beautiful person I’ve ever set my eyes upon. She stood on the rose she emerged from, her lavender hair cascaded down her back, she wore a beautiful long light green gown with decorative gold stitching. Her tiara sat upon her head with the same white jewel as King Oberon’s.

The rose gradually pulled back into the ground bringing Queen Titania back to ground level. The knights quickly dropped to two knees, it was clear the fairy queen held more respect than her husband.

She walked gracefully to her daughter and cuffed her cheeks in both hands, and softly kissed her on the forehead.

“My silly daughter you had me worrying sick,” her voice was tantalizing any man to hear her speak would be her victim.

“I’m sorry mother but I refuse to stand by and allow my people to become extinct because of the stubbornness of my father. “

“You insolent brat! Oberon hearing her words lashed out, but did not dear stand between his wife and her daughter.

“Very well, we will gather the council and listen in detail to the vision you had my daughter.”

“Titania you mustn’t be so soft, she broke the most sacred laws of the fairy people.”

“Yes I understand Oberon, but she cannot be tried for one month period in accordance to fairy law. What’s the harm in listening to her speak?

“And what of this human?” Oberon glared at me with great hatred.

Titania walked over to me and looked me in the eyes and gently caressed my cheek. It caused a stir among the knights and they were all ready to lop my head off.

“My what a beautiful young man. If I met you during my youth you......excuse me. Young warrior speaks your name for all to hear.”

“Yes Queen, My name is Joten Caru.”

I spoke my name loudly for all hear as she requested.

“Oberon, there is no one in this village that has the capability of harming this boy. Please do not send any of our knights to die a frivolous death.”

There was a collective gasp among the knights in attendance, the fairy king, and also Damara.

“Young Caru, demonstrate I give you permission to relieve yourself from your restraints.”

On the queen's word, I twisted my body and the clay that was encasing me cracked and fell to the floor.

The knights, the king, and Damara looked terrified, but the queen just smiled gently.

“that was a fourth tier spell,” some of the knights murmured.

“By my name Titania the fairy queen I declare Joten Caru a friend of the fairies and anyone who attempts to harm the boy…..and lives, will have to answer to me”

“By your command,” The knights agreed and bowed in unison. Oberon was still standing in shock and awe when she approached him.” My beloved let's go prepare. Damara, you and young Caru come to the meeting cabin in thirty minutes.”

Then a giant rose petal opened from the ground and swallowed them before it returned into the earth.”

Leaving us there by ourselves to deal with everything that just happened.

Damara turned to me for the first time since we were here she didn’t look completely confident in the turn of event.

“My mother protecting you with her vine wall was the last part of our arrival my vision showed to me. Everything from this point is a shot in the dark, please tread lightly.”

“So you knew all that was going to happen?”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“As I said up until my mother intervened. Anyways we should go thirty minutes isn’t exactly a wealth of time.”

"Wait I'm confused, Did you know that you were going to find me? "

"What I saw was that I would request the outside help to assist in our plight and who the person was would be saved from my father's execution by my mother. But my visions was very blurry and didn't show who the person was."

Her demeanor was different, she was nervous, scared, up to this point she exuded the utmost confidence. Well, I guess it makes sense to be confident when you know exactly what is going to happen.

I put my hand on her back which and she turned her head to look at me.

“Don’t worry princess no matter what happens next I got your back, I’m your comrade now,” I said with a gentle smile.

Her cheeks began to burn red and the downcast expression she had up to now disappeared and was replaced by a soft smile.

“I’ll hold you to those words.”

We walked side by side into the fairy village, it was a small, quiet place, and all the homes looked to be made of tree trunks with a dome roof. It looked exactly how I would expect it to look. Various flower provided lighting under the setting sun illuminating the village.

We walked straight to the back of the village into one of the larger built houses in the village.

We sat on a rug around a wooden table with King Oberon and Queen Titania sat at the head of the table adjacent to each other, on the side in front of Damara and I sat three elders, and on the opposite end sat a mature fairy in full plate armor made entirely of wood.

King Oberon was the first to speak,” now Damara you have our attention, speak.”

She glanced over to me and I gave her a nod of reassurance.

“Very well, my vision was a dark one; we were caught by surprise and slaughtered. By the time we realized we were under attack forty of our kind littered the ground of our village including our dear king and queen.”

“You say forty, then what of the eight unaccounted for?” The knight at the bottom of the table interrupted the story with a question and all the eyes gather on him.

“Yes, what of them,” one of the elders reinforced his question

“Well, I’m sure they wish they died on the battlefield with the rest of us, the eight including my little sister and seven other women became the playthings of the goblin scum.”

Gasp and various mumbles could be heard at the sudden explicit information, even I was taken aback by the actual details.

“This is absurd, I’m sure this is only her way of lashing out in response to her father, the second elder spoke.

I had a perplexed look on my face because I wasn’t aware of the reason her and her father had an issue other than her bring me here.

Apparently noticing the confusion written on my face, “It doesn’t look like she shared that detail with you did she human, the princess was supposed to be bethroed to the fairy general’s son and produce an heir and then this tomfoolery began.”

I hadn’t spoken up until this point because I deemed it not to be my place, but now eyes were on me expecting a response.

“I was not aware of those details; however that is not something for me to be concerned with. I was bought here for a job, which I will do.”

The fairy queen didn’t seem to approve of my response and she lowered her eyes at me. Damara also didn’t look to be overjoyed by my response either.

“Who would be leading an army of five hundred goblins? It just doesn’t make sense,” said the fairy general.

“A hobgoblin,” Damara said those words gingerly as if she knew she would regret saying them.”

The elder began arguing amongst themselves once again.

“This girl is clearly a liar and dears speak such words to avoid her duties as a princess. There is only one way she can compensate for this and it must be with her life!”

They all said about the same thing, no one was happy to hear that there was a hobgoblin out there.

“Now-now-now, please tell me I did not hear an elder threaten to execute my dear daughter,” the temperature in the room plummeted Titania spoke for the first time since the meeting began. She still wore a gentle smile but exuded a black demonic aura. I had no idea what the hell just happened, but it was truly intense. Sweat began to gather on the forehead of the elders who recognized their mistake instantly.

“Oh no my queen, it was just a scare tactic please don’t fret,” They bowed and apologized profusely.”

It was a quite humors display.

King Oberon cleared his throat to refocus the meeting and then spoke, “if what you say to be the case Damara death is what awaits us either way, A hobgoblin is an insanely powerful being born once every few hundred years. I don’t think that human will be of much help. Titania I’m sure you’ve perceived him by now, what are your thoughts?”

“Perceived?” I asked.

“My mother was gifted with the Eyes Of Thea; her eyes see the truth in things. Meaning she can see evil in the heart of others, the depth of their strength, and the truth in their lies.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

“Yes, that’s why she’s so supportive of me, she knows the word I speak isn’t lies made up to displease the great fairy king.”

There was a clear hint of sarcasm in her voice which irked Oberon.

“Well to answer my love, I cannot perceive the depth of his strength. Either its beings obscured by the sword at his waist or its more than I can fathom,” Titania interrupted the musings before King Oberon could reply to Damara, "but either way," she continued, "either he is insanely powerful or his sword is."

“I’ve never heard of that happening to you, but are our daughter's words true?”

“Yes, she has told no lies, she did indeed have such a vision. Although I do not know nor can I confirm whether or not that vision is true, not even my eyes can see into the future. “

Various rumbles began again among the elders.

“If our queen cannot see it with her eyes, how can we believe that she can see it?” an elder asked.

‘May I speak,” I spoke up again, my question was directed at King Oberon.

“It seems as though you’ve already taken it amongst yourself to do so."

“I apologize for my rudeness, however, if this meeting is to determine whether something will or will not happen in the future then we are wasting our time. No matter how much time we spend in here we will not know the answer to that. My question to you Fairy King Oberon is this, which will mean a greater loss for you and your people, Preparing for an attack that never happens or not being prepared for an attack that does happen? That is the only thing that needs to be considered here."

“Such insolence to our king”

“I actually agree with him,” the stoic fairy general spoke out. “We aren’t mobilizing a large army; we are simply taking precautions to secure our city and our women and children. The lost that way is minimum. I humbly ask you to take that into consideration”

King Oberon rose from his seat to make his declaration.

“So be it we will make the necessary preparations; we’ll bring in the knights and begin making preparations, this room will now strictly be for battle operations. If you are not involved in those operations you may leave.”

“I will gather my knights and anyone who can aide in this battle.”

The fairy general departed first to gather his men, the fairy elders follow suit. Damara and I also rose to leave.

“You two stay, Joten I’m assuming you would play a major role if this battle was to happen and Damara you are the only one that knows what coming.”

Damara bowed her head, “Yes father as you wish.”

After a ten minute wait, the room was filled with the knights and hunters of the village, twenty people in total.

“This is the fighting force we can muster.”

“This is expected general thank you, Joten what are your thoughts?”

“I’m honored to be called upon King Oberon.”

“No need for the fake formalities this is a military operation now, I need your uncensored truth, let’s treat it as if this battle was a certainty; at the very least this will spruce up our defenses for future conflict.”

“Very well, How many goblins can a fairy knight handle in battle?” my question was directed at the general.

“I would say ten-twenty depending on the knight’s skills, I’m sure even the hunters among us can handle at least five.”

“Allow me to interrupt, Joten please keep in mind that the force you see here is every able bodied man in the village. If this force is wiped out it means that extinction of my people.”

“No need to worry king, I do not plan to lose anyone in this battle.” My words caused a stir among the knights, it was clear everyone here came to die defending their people.

“Young Joten your hands will be full dealing with the Hobgoblin, we cannot depend on you fighting with us against the hoard.”

“Don’t fret general, When we spoke Damara wasn’t one hundred percent certain that it was a hobgoblin leading the charge meaning she didn’t see it in her vision. We assume it’s leading because it’s the only logical option.”

“That is correct.”

“Goblins are not known for their intelligence, and since the goblins general was not seen it's easy to assume he leads from the back, meaning he gives orders prior for everyone to follow. “

“Yes, that common if a general leads from the front he’s a target, and if he dies in combat the battle is all but lost.”

“But the problem with this approach is that sudden changes stir the whole army because communication is slow. We assume its twenty vs five hundred, but do not forget this is your land and no one knows it better than you.”

“I see so your plan is to use the terrain to our advantage, but the forest is simply flat lands.”

“Fairy Queen Titania if my observation is correct your earth magic is the best in this village.”

“Titania is fine, and your observation is Corr….”

“I refuse to put my wife on the front line,” Oberon interrupted which earned him the glare of his wife.

“King Oberon I have already told you I do not intend to lose anyone in this battle...”

“But, can you guarantee that Joten?”

Titania grabbed him by the ear and twisted, the King Oberon winced in pain begging her to stop.

“I apologize for my husband’s frequent interruptions. Please continue with the planning.”

Everyone was happy to not be in Oberon’s shoes.

“Ok well the goblins are expecting this to be a surprise attack, but we can prepare our defenses accordingly. “

“How?”

“Damara, did your vision show which direction the goblin horde approached from?”

A little surprise by suddenly being called to the spot light, but jumped right into the action. “Yes, they approached from the east marching in three lines aimed at the top, middles and base of the village respectively.”

“Thank you, that’s careless planning on their behalf because they expect a quick rout or they would try and surround the village before attacking. So in their path, we can see various traps, Pitfall, swinging log traps, and trip wire. We funnel their forces into one line and render their numbers useless.”

“I see! This is a wonderful idea it just might work we could thin out there forces severely before we even begin the battle!” The fairy general excitement went from cold to hot.

“Once they are funneled into a line we will be able to have our fun, we cannot allow them to scatter about and do as they please.”

The meeting went on after that well into the night as we discussed the ideal places to put each specific trap. It turned out pitfall traps were new the people here, but it was an easy teaching session.