Two men bolted across the grassy field, their footsteps pounding the earth. The one in front pulled ahead with each passing moment. Ron struggled to keep up, his chest heaving with the exertion of the run. He cast an envious glance at the unaffected Bron, whose breaths came easy and steady despite the exertion.
As they finally reached Billy Jon's cottage, Ron collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. He looked up at Bron, who seemed unfazed by the run and couldn't help but wonder what numbered star this knight must be.
Bron stormed into the cottage, his heavy footsteps echoing through the small space. Ron followed closely, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of danger. As Bron searched the area, Ron pointed to a spot on the wooden floor where the goblin had emerged.
Without a moment's hesitation, Bron smashed his fist through the floorboards. Wood splintered and flew in all directions, revealing a gaping hole in the ground. Bron's eyes widened in surprise, and he peered down into the dark abyss below. He could hear the hollow earth and this was a lot worse than he thought.
Bron grunted and muttered curses under his breath as he tore apart more floorboards, searching for any sign of another hole. After several more minutes of searching, they discovered yet another tunnel leading down into the darkness below.“As coward as it sounds, I’m not going in there, Sir Bron,” Ron said.
Bron nodded solemnly, his eyes fixed on the gaping hole in the wooden floor. "I share the same sentiment, my lord," he said, his voice heavy with concern. "These tunnels were clearly crafted with the sole purpose of aiding goblins. Entering them would be folly, and we would be at a severe disadvantage if we did so."“So we go back to Foghaven?”
“Unfortunately not my lord,” Bron replied. “Trouble has been brewing, it’s best if we cut the bud first rather than letting it bloom into a rot.”
“And how do you propose we do that?” Ron asked. “Unless we get inside this tunnel, I don’t think we’ll find those goblins again.”
“Worry not, my lord,” Bron said. “I’m sure Kaktag has a way to aid us in this.”
Ron and Bron made their way toward the center of town, their horse hooves were heavy with the weight of their discovery. The bustling sounds of the town fell silent as they arrived, the townsfolk staring at them with curious eyes.
Bron quickly dispatched a messenger bird, its wings flapping frantically as it soared toward the distant horizon. Ron watched it disappear into the distant sky, a small dot vanishing into the infinite blue that was slowly getting a shade darker.
* * *
The horse neighed and kicked up dust as the reins were pulled taut. Ron and Bron dismounted in unison, their boots hitting the ground with a thud. They made their way to the cabin where they were met by Kaktag at the doorstep. A low moan escaped from her lips as Bron replied with the same tone. They conversed in their strange language and shortly after, Kaktag led them to a gruesome sight - a goblin corpse lying motionless on the ground, its stench filling the air.
Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust, while Bron was unfazed as dead things were a norm to him. Kaktag's guttural moans reverberated through the air as she began to chant her druidic incantation, her hands hovering over the goblin's body. The hair on Ron's arms stood on end as he watched in fascination, wondering what dark secrets this land held.
Ron raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the druid's unusual method of gathering information. He watched as Kaktag led them deeper into the woods, her eyes closed in concentration. The air grew thick and musty, and the ground beneath their feet turned damp and spongy.
After a few minutes of walking, Kaktag stopped and pointed to a spot on the ground. She let out a low and guttural voice as if saying the tunnel was below them. Ron couldn't help but wonder about the druid's strange abilities.
"Why didn't she just do this in the first place?" he asked.
Bron paused for a moment. "For a druid to search a monster's mind," he explained, "they need a subject to latch onto. It's like searching through a web of madness. Without a starting point, it can be impossible to find what you're looking for."
Ron nodded slowly, impressed by the druid's unique talents. “So what’s next?” he asked.
“Watch,” Bron said.
Kaktag's eyes seemed to glaze over as she emitted a low, guttural sound, drawing the attention of the others. The sound was both unsettling and hypnotic, sending shivers down Ron's spine. Suddenly, a shrub nearby rustled and Ron instinctively reached for his sword, but Bron placed a steady hand on Ron's weapon. From the shrub, a creature leaped out, catching them all off guard. It was a white rabbit, but with small horns twisting from its head like those of a goat. Ron smiled, seeing another familiar creature. A horned rabbit. Well, a variation of one at that.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Kaktag's massive hands delicately cradled the horned rabbit as she chanted in her guttural druidic tongue. A pulsing green aura surrounded the creature, its tiny body writhing in response to the magic. The glow intensified, spreading to engulf both Kaktag and the rabbit until their eyes shone like verdant emeralds.Ron watched in awe as the druid and the creature seemed to merge their consciousness. He could almost sense the rabbit's thoughts as if they were his own. But before he could ask what was happening, Bron spoke up, his voice low and measured.
"It's a druidic spell, my lord," he explained. "A way to commune with the beasts of the land and share in their knowledge and instincts."
As the horned rabbit disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel, Kaktag's eyes blazed with intense green light. She was tapping into the rabbit's mind, controlling it with her druidic powers. Ron watched in amazement as the rabbit leaped into the tunnel without hesitation, and Kaktag charged after it with alarming speed.
"Um, she's—"
"Keep up, my lord," Bron barked, taking off after Kaktag with Ron trailing behind. As they ran, Bron shouted over the din of their footsteps that Kaktag was able to mentally track the rabbit's movements and follow it from above.
Ron couldn't help but marvel at the strange abilities of these two companions. The idea of tapping into an animal's mind and controlling its movements seemed like something out of a myth or legend. But here, at this moment, it was all too real. And Ron knew that this world had more to offer.
As the miles stretched on, Ron's lungs burned with each gasping breath, his legs heavy as lead. The distance between him and the fleet-footed Bron and Kaktag widened with each step. Ron's determination faltered as his vision swam and his body protested. But in the face of such exhaustion, Ron refused to give up. Gritting his teeth, he dug deep and focused all of his remaining strength. With a mental command, he allocated ten points to his vitality, feeling a sudden surge of energy course through his veins. His complexion brightened as he began to pick up speed, closing the gap between himself and his companions.
The emerald glow flickered out, and Kaktag froze in her tracks as if jolted from a dream. Bron's eyebrows furrowed in concern as he pressed her for answers, but all she could offer were mournful grunts. Bron translated for Ron: the connection to the horned rabbit had been severed by an unknown assailant, likely one of the goblins lurking in the tunnels below.
“What now?” Ron asked, thinking they had reached a dead end.
But Bron's mind was already racing. Without a word, he motioned for Ron to be quiet and ascended a nearby tree with the grace of a seasoned acrobat, leaving Ron and Kaktag behind in stunned silence. Ron and Kaktag made eye contact for a second there before he just awkwardly smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
From his perch high above, Bron surveyed the forest with the unflinching gaze of a hawk, searching for any sign of movement or danger. The depth of his eyes glowed in iridescent blue, and his eyesight went far and beyond the human limit. Then he smirked.
Bron landed on the ground with a loud metallic clang, startling Ron. The young lord's eyes widened as he noticed the fading blue glow in Bron's eyes. The knight wasted no time in relaying what he had seen from up high. Three miles away from their current location, he had spotted a flickering fire amidst a clearing in the land.
“Goblins?” Ron asked.
“Better prepare for anything,” Bron's lips curved up into a wry grin, and he pivoted towards Kakgat, communicating with her in the language of her kind. The mighty she-bigfoot nodded her shaggy head and turned away from the duo, retracing their steps with a steady gait.
"Is she leaving?" Ron asked. "we might really need some of her big muscles you know."
"The squire was left far too long," Bron said. "We can't leave the boy with no protection."
“You sure?” Ron said.
“Both of us would be enough,” Bron said.
“And the poison-laced weapons?” Ron asked.
Bron threw a vial and Ron caught it in mid-air. He glanced and saw the purplish liquid in the vial.
“An antidote,” Bron said. “Freshly made by Kaktag. Once ingested, the effect will last close to an hour or so.”
Ron was impressed, but still skeptical of Bron’s confidence. “I don’t doubt your strength, Sir Bron. But I’m curious why you have such confidence in me though.”
"You kill two goblins on your own without a scratch on your skin," he said, his eyes locked onto Ron's. "You could even keep up running with a 3-Star Knight without losing pace. So in my eyes, you're good enough for me." The words were heavy with approval and respect, a rare commodity in this world where strength and power were everything.
“If you say so then,” Ron smiled.
Ron and Bron continued on. The tension in the air was palpable as they approached the clearing, the knight's hand hovering near the hilt of his sword. The smell of smoke and the sound of crackling flames grew stronger with each step, and as they crept closer, Bron signaled for Ron to stop.
The knight crouched down and gestured for Ron to do the same. Ron's heart pounded in his chest as he followed Bron's gaze. In the distance, they could see the outline of several small figures gathered around the fire. The flickering light illuminated their green skin and gnarled faces.
"Goblins," Bron confirmed in a hushed voice.
Ron could feel the adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was ready to fight, but he couldn't shake the feeling of vulnerability. At first glance alone, they were dozens of these goblins, and despite killing two of them earlier, he had some reservations about whether he could go against them by the dozens.
“A question though, Sir Bron?” he asked, subtly raising his hand a bit as if it was a natural thing to do.
“Yes, my lord,” Bron replied.
“We’re not fighting them head-on, are we?”
Bron glanced at Ron and smirked. A second later, the windows emerged.
[Main Quest 1: Goblin Base]
[Tier: 5 Star]
[Description: Beware, for there have been reports of goblin sightings in Thornsfield. The danger has spread to Shroudtown and nearby towns, and these are not your ordinary goblins. It seems they are being led by something or someone.][Objectives: 1. Infiltrate the goblin's base undetected. 2. Gather intelligence on the goblin clan's numbers and strength. 3. Eliminate any high-ranking goblin. 4. Free any hostages and retrieve any stolen goods. 5. If possible kill all goblins inside the base. (Optional)]
[Will you accept?]
[Accept] [Decline]