“How much further?” A groan came from the rear, loud and breaking the silence that they had enjoyed for the majority of their trip. Things were going well so far and no one had much to complain about aside from the pain in their feet. Yet they really didn’t need the reminder that the job wasn’t done just yet. They also didn’t need to hear the answer, as it only made the exhaustion feel a little heavier.
Regardless, the response was spoken without hesitation. “Three days. Probably longer if the Goblins are active.” The question had come from the rear. The answer came from the front and a collective groan was echoed by everyone in between. Including those seated.
A caravan composed of wooden carts, covered wagons, horses pulling them along, and individuals armed with a variety of weapons and armors marched down the road, breaking the stillness of the Frontier with their noisy presence. Heading south along the only road carved through the surrounding forest, they bravely walked the trail of uncertainty. They traveled hoping for peace along the way but were ready for otherwise.
Walking on foot was the guard detail consisting of sixteen experienced Adventurers. Within their defensive encirclement, ten carts and wagons made up the core caravan. A handful of additional fighters sat within a wagon at the center but they were mostly support personnel and a few beginner level mages. The rearmost cart was full of other beginner Adventurers, individuals who hardly had any equipment at all aside from a sword or a shield and some scrap protection. They were those who had come along for the experience and safe passage through the Frontier. The other vehicles were full to the brim with supplies, goods, and much needed material that had been requested. The drivers were all Merchants looking to sell wares to those living out on the fringe of the region.
They had been traveling at a slow and steady pace for the last eight days and they were finally on the last stretch. Having left the city of Rowen with every expectation of difficulty along the way, the Adventurers were excited to get some well deserved rest. A hearty meal and good drink was within their reach now that they were on the back half of their trip. Of course, they would have to repeat the trial all over again in a few days time after they reached the finish line. But, that was a future problem. Today they had another worry to prepare for.
They were about to enter the most dangerous stretch of their entire trip. ‘Goblin Alley’ as it had been named. This was the final strip of road that was beyond the influence of the main Guild hub and was also out of reach of the destination Village’s Guild. It was an area of the Frontier that was largely left unmanaged, untouched, and lacked regular culling. Thus, the monsters living within it tended to grow in numbers usually unseen in other areas. Until the nearby Fort could suppress the problems within the Harpy’s Highlands, the Lord couldn’t be expected to send any forces here. Setting up an outpost or a simple camp that Adventurers could work from was out of the question. The number of Knights and Soldiers, support personnel, and willing adventurers to get it done was beyond what could be spared.
This singular alley was what made the trip dangerous and this is where the Adventurers would make their most coin. For the next three days, their mettle would be tested and the Goblins would remind them of how they should never be underestimated. But, this was no typical caravan. This was a Guild Caravan. One sponsored and ordered by the Guild itself to make the trip. Thus, the protection was top class and every individual within it knew that. The Goblins would have their fight, and the Adventurers would gladly give them hell for it.
Though, that fight would come the next evening. Not today. The Guild Caravan was pushing just into the Goblin territory now and would have at least twelve hours of safety until the sun began to set. They’d started early today for that exact reason and would roll ahead as far as possible before establishing a protective camp on the road. By the time night would fall, the Adventurers would have rested, eaten, and prepared for a night of battle. Then, while the merchants traveled the next day, the Adventurers would cycle through shifts of rest. Only to repeat their battle again the next evening. That was the routine for this stretch of road. Harsh and daunting, but not impossible to overcome. Just a little taxing on those who weren’t used to it.
Of the sixteen Adventurers tasked with protecting the caravan, ten had performed this trip before. This was the third time for eight of them, and the leaders had made the trip six times in total. To say they were veterans was an understatement.
Asher, the Goblin Hunter.
Bansari, the Monster Eater.
Derek, the Rageful Mage.
Three individuals well known within the Rowen Guild for their battle prowess in Dungeons, Raids, and hunting monsters of all classes within the territory. The Guild frequently called upon them for these caravans as a sort of insurance. While they didn’t always answer that call, the coin was good enough to make it hard to say no.
Asher took every opportunity to slay Goblins both out of his hatred for the creatures and for his personal vendetta against them. So being granted the chance to walk into Goblin Alley was one he rarely passed up on. Maybe this time he’d finally meet the Goblin Champion they’d heard about. Apparently there was one, lurking somewhere within the Frontier. A Champion or a Lord, one of the two. The Goblins recently had begun to show signs of developing alliances. The only known Goblins capable of performing such feats were Champions and Lords, so it was safe to assume one had cropped up.
The Lord of Rowen was aware of it and had also issued a request for information, hoping someone might look into it. But, the Frontier here was dangerous. Not even money could persuade either the Thieves or the Hunters Guild into action. Not without an upfront payment. A payment the Lord couldn’t quite make anymore now that his funds were being strained by the Harpy campaign.
Thus, Asher left it up to a roll of the dice. Maybe if they stirred up enough hell, the Goblin leader would show themself. He would have to wait and see.
“Should we stop for a bit soon?” One of the other Adventurers asked, looking over towards Bansari for advice.
Bansari was much like Asher in the sense that he lived to fight monsters. However, as a Beastkin he did it for other reasons than petty grudges. His blood boiled for battle. His family was forged in war and he became an Adventurer to seek out the most powerful of foes across the Overworld. As a sign of respect for those great warriors, Bansari ate their hearts. An old custom within his Clan as it was thought feasting on the flesh of a fallen adversary would bestow power upon the victor.
Bansari looked to the sky, then over towards the other two veterans. Derek nodded but his opinion was rather difficult to find useful. Derek may have been a skilled mage and, oddly, one of their better trackers, but he was lazy, a drunkard and womanizer, and looked for every opportunity to cut out of the hard work. If it weren’t for Bansari threatening to tear out his throat, the fucker would probably be lazing around in one of the carts right now.
The other man, Asher, was who Bansari was actually looking for the opinion of. A respected warrior that even he would have difficulty doing battle with. They stood at an even height and Asher’s build was deceiving. Though he was skinnier, the tone in his muscles was hard to overlook.
Suddenly, Asher held up a hand and called for the caravan to halt. The message echoed from front to rear and the wheels ground to a stop. The horses sputtered and spit, grumbling their displeasure with the motion but happy for a break. Then, out of instinct, the questioning eyes turned to the front. Why had they stopped? Was it monsters? Were they under attack? Was there a trap? Who called for the halt and what did they see?
Bansari and Derek both walked to the very front of the convoy and looked ahead to where Asher was staring. Bansari noticed it first, while Derek had to squint through his glasses to see. There, two hundred meters ahead of them and just inside the treeline to their right. A pair of horses were being brushed down by a man. Beyond them, another man stirred a pot and fed a flame. Two carts were tucked further in and what looked to be some kind of rock stretched out from the ground, blocking their view.
“The hell?” Derek muttered the question. “Is that what I think it is?”
Bansari snorted, his large nostrils flaring as he crossed his arms over his exposed chest. The muscles fitting of his Beastkin blood flexed as he straightened his back. “It seems to be. How are they here?”
“Not sure but they’re definitely not what I expected to see,” Asher stated flatly before turning around. He walked into the convoy and headed for the second cart. It was a private carriage with a door and privacy windows. A typical passenger cart for someone of some level of importance. Too bad the individual inside was just some annoying elf.
They were staring down at Asher as the Adventurer approached, peering through one of the opened windows. “What’s the matter, Asher?”
Asher sighed and shrugged. “Did anyone leave before us and head this way?”
“From the Guild? No. There was no record of any other caravans coming in this direction prior to our departure. At least, not recently. Why?” The Elf adjusted his glasses and narrowed them on Asher.
“Seems someone else has beaten us here, somehow.” Asher turned and looked towards the front of the caravan. A few of the other Guards had moved forward to take a look but the commotion was relatively contained. Though curious, they were disciplined enough to remain on alert. “We haven’t come across any evidence of a caravan yet so I wonder where they came from.”
The Elf leaned out of the window for a moment, but unable to see anything he simply returned to the safety of his seat. “Let us go say hello, then. Shall we?”
“You sure? They could be bandits.” Asher tapped his fingers against his greaves, uncertain of such an action. Though the individuals looked harmless, there was no telling who else might be lurking in the Frontier. They’d come across a handful of thugs already and this might just be a group pushing their luck into Goblin territory, hoping for a weak party or one that was beaten up by the Goblins already.
“I trust you can handle them, Asher. You are B-Ranked, after all.” The Elf’s lips curled into his dubious smile and Asher felt an uneasy chill roll down his spine.
A chill that made him sigh. What a guy to send to represent the Guild. Fitting of his reputation. “Fine,” Asher responded curtly then returned to the front of the convoy. He waved the rest of the Guards back to their positions then informed his fellows of the decision. The caravan rolled forward, heading straight for the small camp.
As they approached, the two visible men perked up and stared at the procession. They seemed surprised by the arrival of the Guild personnel and the men exchanged a look before both spurred into a bit of action. They collected the horses and brought them away from the road, something that set Asher on edge. Although, he didn’t panic. They were likely trying to keep the animals from being unsettled and also to make room for anyone who might step off towards their camp.
Once the horses were pulled aside, one of the men returned to the road as the convoy came to a stop. The Guild Representative opened his door, but it was Asher who approached the man first.
“Good morning,” the man said with an inviting and warm smile. As if their meeting here was nothing short of typical. Unfortunately, it was far from it. “You all must be from Rowen. Guild personnel, I’m guessing?”
Asher raised a brow and looked over the man towards the camp. That’s when he noticed a third individual, one who had originally been hidden by that rock wall. The rocks were actually a structure of some kind it seemed, and it provided protection from the elements. The individual was leaning against the rock, motionless with his head down and hidden by his hood. He was likely sleeping. Judging by the swords beside him, that man must be the muscle.
“Sorry, I cannot share the details,” Asher answered, addressing the man in front of him. “Who are you?”
The man frowned and shook his head. “You lot never change. I’m Randal, a carriage driver from Juno. That’s Bailey, another driver and also a partner. Over there, sleeping, is Jake. An Adventurer who’s our Guard. Don’t bug him please. He’s tired and would be very, very grumpy if you woke him up.” Randal introduced the trio and then waved off Asher, turning away and taking a few steps towards his camp. “If you don’t have any business but to be assholes and pester us, leave us be. I ain’t got the energy to deal with Guild brats.”
Taken aback by the brashness of the driver, Asher felt heat hit his cheeks. It felt like he’d just been slapped. “What?”
“You heard me.” Randal scoffed. “Move along, Guildie.” Randal didn’t turn around and returned in towards his camp.
“Hey-!” Asher curled a fist and took an angry step forward, but a firm hand grabbed his shoulder.
The Elf from the carriage. “Allow me, Asher.”
Asher grit his teeth and swallowed his rage, containing himself from going any further as the Elf brushed past him. The Adventurer glared towards the driver, annoyed at being slighted but not willing to cause an uproar in the middle of the Frontier. Not here. Not now. Maybe some other time he’d have argued with the man or even tried to straighten him out but not while he was on Guild business, and certainly not when they were in the midst of a dangerous and unforgiving forest.
“Excuse me, sir. Mr. Randal?” The Elf approached the center of the camp where Randal and Bailey had seated themselves. The two men looked up at him, disinterested.
“It’s just Randal, Elf. How can I help you?” Though not wanting to deal with him, Randal at least expressed common courtesies. He even gestured towards the seat, offering it to the Elf.
The Elf obliged and adjusted the log so that he could rest himself on it. “I am Rei, a representative from the Guild. We’re making the monthly trip down to Juno to deliver much needed supplies and provide goods to your fellows. I apologize for the abrasive attitude from Asher. He is an Adventurer, after all, and they can be quite rough around the edges.”
Randal and Bailey exchanged a look and shared a smile. “Yes. We’re aware. We’ve just had a really rough night and would like to be left alone. As you know, it’s not exactly smooth riding out here.”
Rei adjusted his glasses and smiled, nodding curtly. “Oh, don’t I know it. My backside hurts even with the cushion of my carriage. Bandits have attacked us plenty during our trip and we expect it to be even rougher for the last few days.”
Randal chuckled and stirred the pot, swirling what looked to be a warm soup. “Well, that might not quite be the case anymore but you’ll find out.”
Asher joined Rei by the fire and was similarly offered a seat, but he would have to find one on his own if he wanted it. They only had three logs prepared. He elected to sit on the ground.
“That brings me to my question. The three of you. Did you depart from Juno?” Rei folded his hands in front of him. “Within the last week, our convoy is the only one to have departed southward, bound for Juno. You’ll have to forgive me for being curious as to where yours has originated.”
Randal raised his brow and frowned. “You ain’t gotta use the fancy words, Elf. We left from Juno, yes. We’re headed for the Fort to deliver some much needed goods.” Randal thumbed towards their carts. Carts which were loaded with crates and boxes. On a few of them, blood had been splattered. Evidence of fighting that was very, very close quarters.
Asher and Rei shared their own moment of staring before Asher spoke out. “The three of you came from Juno? And you made it through Goblin Alley? How many did you lose?”
Bailey grinned and held up a hand. His fingers curled into a zero.
“What?” Asher blinked.
“Pardon me, but can you explain? It’s difficult to understand your situation,” the Guild representative straightened his back and looked between the men. To leave from Juno with such a small party and reach this far with no casualties was unheard of, impossible even. Maybe if there were a single cart with at least six skilled Adventurers, they might make it with minimal injuries. But these men were unharmed, their carts intact.
“What’s hard to understand, Elf?” Randal scoffed and gently added kindling to the fire. “We left Juno, rolled through the Alley overnight, and now we’re here. Resting up for the rest of the trip. Since y’all are here, I expect it to be smooth rollings from here on. Y’all have probably cleaned up any bandits.”
“Once more you’ll have to forgive me for doubting you, but to leave Juno and reach here in a single night?” The Elf’s eyes narrowed and he gripped his knees. “I think it bold of you to lie so brazenly, Driver. You may not be affiliated with the Guild but I can certainly find ways to punish you for suspicion of banditry.”
Randal furrowed his brow. “Are you threatening me, Guild Rep?”
Rei adjusted his posture. “I am. Tell me the truth. How are you here and why?”
Randal sighed and pinched his nose. Bailey chuckled.
“Guess ya gripe about it being hard to believe was right, wasn’t it?” Bailey quipped, digging at his buddy for what he’d said the previous night.
Randal glared at him with malicious intent. “I’ll leave you here.”
Bailey cackled.
Rei cleared his throat and pressed his hands together. “Mr. Randal-”
“It’s just Randal, Elf.”
“And my name is Rei, Human.” Rei snapped back. “I will not ask again. Please, explain in such a way that I can understand.”
Randal met the heavy stare that Rei sent his way, then looked out towards the road. A handful of the Guard detail had moved forward and were standing at the edge of the treeline. A menacing sight. Asher being so close was also quite unsettling, especially with that dangerous look in his eyes. However, Randal didn’t feel an ounce of fear. After experiencing what he had the prior night and witnessing what a real Adventurer could do, these men looked like the real ruffians.
“Just tell ‘em, Randy. Can’t make ‘em believe it if they don’t wanna.” Bailey huffed and rose to his feet. He then excused himself and walked away, choosing to be with the horses rather than deal with the Guild.
Lucky him.
Randal sighed again, this time more heavily and leaned down onto his forearms. He interlaced his fingers and stared down at the pot. The Elf was kind enough to give him some time to put together his thoughts but after a single prod, Randal began to share their evening. He kept it short and omitted many of the details.
“We left Juno, the three of us, destined for the Fort by the Harpy’s Highlands. Guess the Apothecary wanted to send out a delivery and Jake over there volunteered to be the escort.” After gesturing towards the sleeping man, the Adventurers turned to look at him. While most stared at him, Rei instead looked at something else. “We left in the afternoon and traveled into the night. As you’d expect, once we reached Goblin Alley, we were attacked by the horde and had to run through it. Jake kept us protected through the gauntlet and we ran all night. We stopped here a few hours ago when the Goblins gave up and have been resting ever since. Bailey and I woke up only a little bit ago and have been giving him time to sleep. He’s earned it after all the fighting he did.”
“That is the part that is difficult to believe, Randal. One man escorted two carts through the valley? Without casualty?”
Randal shrugged. “If your destination is Juno, you’ll probably roll right through it anyway. You’ll see it. He fought his ass off and we’re alive because of it. Whether you believe me or not, I don’t really care.”
Rei frowned and looked down at Asher, who was staring over at the other Adventurer. After a few seconds, Asher stood up and placed a hand on the pommel of his sword. The weapon dangled off his hip, wagging slightly as the Adventurer considered the words of the driver.
When he took a step towards Jake, Randal spoke up. “I wouldn’t bug him. He’d probably be grumpy if you did.”
Asher glanced down at the driver, then at Rei. Rei gave him a nod. Asher complied and walked over to the sleeping adventurer. Randal sighed and poked at the fire, grumbling over how things were about to get noisy.
Asher stopped a few paces away from the sleeping man, his eyes looking over the details of the individual. The hood concealed much of Jake’s face but his hair style wasn’t what Asher was looking for. Rather, Asher evaluated Jake’s gear. None of it was impressive nor did it stand out. Rather, it was bland and looked easy to overlook in a crowd. However, it was torn, cut up and coated in blood. Stains of blood, Human and Goblin, were splattered in the fabric of his clothes while the armor underneath was ripped, cut, and feebly kept together by its fine workmanship. As one would expect of an individual who’d been pushed to the limit by Goblins, Jake’s gear was falling apart.
The swords were impossible to evaluate but their composition wasn’t something Asher was used to. One was long, slender, and the handle was of spectacular dwarven work. The other, similarly dwarven, had several markings in the pommel. Evidence of a possible magical blessing of some kind. A spell blade of some sort?
Wanting a closer look, Asher took a step in and reached for one of the swords.
“Don’t.” A voice, stern and raspy, froze him solid.
Asher felt his blood chill and his hand stiffened, hovering several inches away from the handle of the supposed spell sword. He looked down at the man he thought was sleeping only to find that a pair of angry eyes was now glaring up at him.
How long had he been awake? Was all Asher could think as Jake stirred. Asher instinctively backed away, stiffening as Jake rose to his feet. The battered Adventurer grabbed his swords, sliding them neatly onto his hip where they nestled comfortably within their loops.
“Mornin’ sunshine!” Bailey whooped from across the camp. “Tried tah let ya sleep, but the Guildies showed up!”
Those harsh eyes swept over Asher in a second, then looked out towards the road. A stoic face peered out from beneath the hood, black hair dangling over a smooth forehead. The face of a young man with bronze skin but the eyes of an individual that Asher hesitated to contend with. The way he stood. The way he looked at them. The way his sheer presence exuded, no demanded, Asher’s attention. It was… unsettling.
Asher opened his mouth for a moment, only to find his throat dry. He shut it, lubricated his lips and mouth with saliva, then forced himself to speak. “Are you the Adventurer who escorted them?”
Jake looked him square in the eye as he dropped his hood. Shoulder long black hair was neatly tied back into a short ponytail. A style meant to keep the hair from getting in the way without being overly complicated. His jawline was also beginning to show signs of a stubble. He was young, very young. “I might be. Who are you?” Jake placed a hand atop the pommel of his spell blade and Asher felt that he should get some distance from that thing.
“I’m Asher, a B-Rank hunter from the Guild. We’re a convoy out of Rowen, the city to the far north of here.” Asher answered honestly, hoping to reduce the tension emanating from the other Adventurer. Maybe if they shared common ground, he would relax.
Unfortunately, he didn’t. Jake remained poised, coiled like a snake ready to attack at a moment’s notice. “You’re going to the village?”
Asher nodded. “We are.”
Jake looked away from Asher, not hiding his dismissiveness. Randal nodded to affirm what Asher had said. “They’re the monthly caravan, Jake.”
“Mm,” Jake hummed, then once more looked towards the road. “And you stopped, why?”
“Uh, pardon me, but we were simply curious as to how such a small caravan made it here.” Rei spoke up from the fire and gave Jake a wary smile, also trying to deescalate the tension that was lingering in the air.
“Did Randal tell you?” Jake snipped, setting his eyes on the Elf.
“H-He did, yes.”
“Then you have your answer. What do you want?” Jake narrowed his eyes and gripped his sword.
Asher backed up.
“Now, now! Please. There is no need for hostilities, Jake. We are simply curious as to how such a small caravan made it this far.” Rei held up his hands to try and seem as harmless as possible, but Jake only remained on edge. “It is difficult to believe you could have made it here with just the three of you, when it generally takes two to three times your number.”
“Well, we did and you have your answer. You can leave now.” Jake reached for his mana.
Within the group of Adventurers, Derek and several mages flinched. Derek in particular grabbed at his staff. Bansari similarly reacted, his hands stretching as claws extended from his burly mitts. His nose scrunched up and his lips pulled back, exposing his fangs. Seeing that, some of the other Adventurers reached for their weapons. Being so close, the hair on Asher’s neck spiked as his stomach twisted, warning him of danger out of instinct. It was as though he were staring at a monster, one he didn’t want to tussle with.
Rei stood up and looked at Randal first, but the man just shrugged at him. “We gave you what we know. If that’s not enough, I don’t know what to tell you, Guildie.”
Rei then turned to Asher, as if looking for some other form of assistance but the man refused to look away from Jake. Paralyzed it seemed, or unwilling to let Jake out of his sight for even a second. Rei curled his hands into a fist as he toiled over what to do next but found himself unable to stomach pressing this group any further. This Adventurer, whoever he was, had put the entire Guard detail on the defensive. Asher was struggling to keep his wits and was practically begging to be told to get away but refused to give up any more ground.
What bothered Rei the most, though, was not the Adventurer himself but the weapon he carried. Though the handle was dwarven, there was no mistaking the shape of the sheath.
“Excuse me, Jake. If I may. That sword, is it Elvish?” Rei stepped forward, keeping his hands visible as he posed his question.
Jake hesitated, staring at him for a handful of quiet breathes before he moved his hand to the other hilt. He pulled the blade free, revealing the silver-blue blade hidden within. Indeed, it was of Elven make. The edge and color was unmistakable, the mithril metal shimmering a soft blue in the light. Yet, the handle was very clearly dwarven. The handle must have been damaged and replaced. Judging by the handle of Jake’s other sword, the work must have been done by the same blacksmith. The sight upset Rei, as it felt like a stain on the blood of his kin, yet there was nothing for him to do. Not here.
Likely not ever, actually. “I see.” Yet, the sight of the blade spurred on another question. “Have you heard of the term, ‘Sword Singer’, by chance?” Rei asked, his eyes staring harshly to look for any sign of an expression change.
Unfortunately, Jake remained stoic. He sheathed the blade without so much as a blink. “Why do you ask?” A rebuttal.
Rei offered a smile. “I am merely curious. It is not often that I see the sword of my people, let alone in the hands of a Human. Though I am not offended by your use of it, I just wish to know it is being put to good use.”
“It is.” Jake answered, neither his tone nor face revealing any additional information.
Rei felt defeated in a way, the information battle not quite going his way. “I see, I see. And you have not heard that term before?”
Jake paused. “No.”
Rei smiled again and nodded. “I see. Well then, thank you for your time gentlemen. We’ll be on our way.” Rei gave each of the three a brief flash of his smile before patting Asher on the shoulder and heading for the road. “Let us continue on, everyone. The sun will not wait forever.”
Asher met those steady, unflappable green eyes once more before forcing himself to back off and turn away. Though every fiber of his being told him to not lose sight of Jake, he could not remain frozen there. Happy to be told to leave, the Adventurer practically fled to the road and the group dispersed back to the convoy. In haste, Asher signaled for them to continue and the carts rolled forward. Jake remained still, watching from his position as the caravan rolled by. The Guards each took their chance to return his stare, looking only as long as they each could handle before turning back to their duties.
In minutes, the strange trio was behind them and the convoy continued into Goblin Valley.
Once more seated in the privacy of his carriage, Rei stared down at the floor. The nail of his thumb was wedged between his front teeth as he gnawed on his. Beside him, a stack of papers and a single, rolled message from the Lord himself were stacked neatly.
So, he is the man.
The existence of the Sword Singer wasn’t a lie.
After the convoy departed, Jake let out a sigh and relaxed. His shoulders eased and the tension fell from his muscles. How long had he been asleep? The sun wasn’t high in the canopy so it still must have been morning, not quite midday just yet. From the smell of soup it was still early enough for breakfast, too. Or, his companions had only awoken a short time ago as well.
“Sorry for the rough wake up, Jake.” Randal said from the fire. He stirred the soup a little then let it simmer and cook.
Jake approached the fire and took his seat. Bailey did the same. “It’s fine. I didn’t want to sleep too late anyway.”
“You sure?” Randal asked, gesturing towards Jake’s body. “You took a beating last night. You don’t want to sleep it off? We can wait a little longer before stepping off for you.”
Jake frowned and stared down into the soup. “We can, but they can’t.”
Though he didn’t say who he meant explicitly, the other two men fully understood who he was referring to. They could wait, they could rest and relax, but there were men who could not. Men who were currently at their very limit that were waiting for them, though they didn’t know it specifically. Randal lowered his eyes as well and sighed.
His lips curled into a shallow smile. “Yea, you’re right.” He looked to Bailey and motioned for the bowls. The men each were given their utensils and then Randal filled the bowls, distributing the morning meal. He also provided each man with some meat and hard bread that could be softened in the soup. “Thanks for not causing trouble with the Guild there.”
Jake huffed as he sipped down some of the soup. It was still hot so he only took a taste. “We don’t have time for their pestering. Scaring them off means we can get on our way sooner.”
“I agree,” Randal stated but he poked his spoon towards Jake. “Just don’t go making enemies of them every time you meet ‘em. We still need the Guild’s support. They keep the caravans coming and they’ll keep you employed.” Randal paused then chuckled. “Not that you need it.”
Jake smirked as he blew on the soup in his spoon, cooling the liquid. “I’ll try not to cause problems for your village.” He sipped down the liquid, testing its temperature before swallowing the mouthful.
“We appreciates it,” Bailey added, biting off a bit of soup-soaked bread.
“I was surprised to see them. I didn’t think they would come through this early.” Jake mused.
Randal hummed briefly before he looked towards the road. “Now that I think about it, it is about time for them to come by. Either now or in the next couple days. We’re ahead of the schedule by a few days now that we’re this far out so we’re a bit skewed on that.”
“Naw, yer right, Randy. This is about time for ‘em.” Bailey added once more. “Reckon it’s a big one this month though. Guess all that noise about the Goblins and good money in the village is bringing in business.”
“I’d hope so. We could use it.” Randal sighed and itched his neck with the tip of his spoon’s handle. “The old man is getting cranky about that crap.”
“Is the village having a rough time?” Jake asked, but the men collectively shook their heads.
“Not really a rough time, per say, but we could be doing better. When we first started that place, we didn’t have a lot of people and could put up with a smaller space.” Randal pursed his lips for a moment, then sipped down some soup. “But the village is growing, more adventurers show up every month, and the monsters in the Frontier are noticing us more. Unless the village expands and we get the materials for that, overpopulation and resources are going to get strained. Procuring the funding for that expansion is the hard part.”
Jake adjusted in his seat and sat up a little straighter. “Couldn’t you just do it all by hand?”
“Then you add time and labor into it. Labor we’d have to pull from other places that might hurt the village, like the fishermen and stuff. They’re strained as is, trying to feed everyone, and the Hunters aren’t doing very well because the Adventurers keep making a racket everytime they go out. So the game is moving away. We could clear land for crops but the soil is soggy and there isn’t much space in the first place, so we trade residential space for farmland.”
Overall, things sounded complicated. The multiple sighs from Randal, his tired expression, and the way he droned about it all was enough to tell Jake that it wasn’t exactly an easy topic. Randal must have spent many nights discussing such topics with other villagers and was likely concealing some of his own gripes with it all. Though the village on the surface looked fine. Things were changing underneath and the growing population was going to face some turmoils in the coming seasons. Especially during winter if they couldn’t build their food stocks in time.
“We’ll make do,” Bailey quipped, sipping some soup directly from his bowl. “We always do.”
“That we do,” Randal muttered, smiling as he too drank his soup. “Anyway, back to now.” Randal stopped eating to look at Jake. “How far do we travel today? Another long night?”
“That depends. Do you have any knowledge of what’s ahead of us?” Jake met the gaze and tore off a mouthful of meat.
Randal nodded. “We made it mostly through where the Goblins run amuk. With the Guild caravan past us, we shouldn’t be attacked by them again. But, there are still bandits and brigands along the way here and there. Hard to say when and where they’ll attack us but they are out in the Frontier.”
Jake grumbled faintly as he twirled his spoon. “No monsters?”
“Nope. Not from here on. There is a roving group of Kobolds out here but they don’t often come to the road. We’re too small of a target anyway so they’ll actually leave us alone, oddly enough. We don’t have any provisions they’d be able to use and they know it.”
“Interesting. How do you know?” Jake asked, wondering where that information came from.
Randal chuckled. “Experience, I guess? This isn’t my first ride through here and I’ve been a part of some of the Guild convoys. The Kobolds never attack unless you have food, water, and those sorts of resources. When they see we only have supplies for ourselves and a bunch of nasty smelling crates, they’ll leave us alone. Hell, they might even walk right past us. Had that happen before. Scared the shit out of me.”
Bailey hummed for a moment. “Oh, I do remember you sayin’ somethin’ about that.”
“Yea. Wasn’t fun. There had to have been thirty of those things and they just waltzed right across the road in front of us.” Randal groaned and shook his head. “Craziest damned thing I’ve seen in a while.
Well, that was good to know. If the Kobolds were smart enough to pick their targets and only attacked specific caravans, then knowing they weren’t on the menu would keep them safe for now. If the Kobolds showed themselves, Jake would make sure to wait and let them decide whether to fight or not. He didn’t want to instigate a fight if avoiding one entirely was an option. Goblins weren’t smart enough to make those choices so killing them off quickly was better than letting them set up an ambush of some kind.
Which then left only Bandits as a potential threat. Since the Guild convoy had just rolled by, Jake felt it safe to assume that they had been attacked by and similarly handled the Bandits. The Bandits would have likely jumped at the chance to raid such a fine prize both for its materials and for the women within their midst. For the next few days, those groups would still be reeling from their thwarted raids. Now would be a prime time to pass through.
“We’ll push as far as we can, then. Just like last night. How far until we reach the intersection from here?” Jake recalled the map and tried to move their position forward but he had a hard time discerning their distance.
Randal shrugged. “Honestly? I’m not sure. Maybe by the middle of the night if we’re lucky? Maybe midday tomorrow but we’re still a fair way out. And if the Guild caravan just passed us, we can be sure that we won’t see any friendly faces until we reach the Fort.” He stopped and raised his spoon to correct himself. “Well, I wouldn’t expect any, at least.”
“Good enough. If we aren’t close, then we won’t rush it. For now, we’ll go until the horses start to fight us then see what time it is. We’ll decide from there.” Jake emptied his bowl, as did Bailey.
“Understood,” Randal nodded and sipped on his meal. He watched as the other two went for seconds and waited to refill his own.
With their plan decided, the trio finished their breakfast and then cleaned up the camp. Jake dispersed the Alert network around them in the forest and returned the shelter to the floor. He found it odd that the Adventurers hadn’t questioned him about the shelter, nor did they notice the sigils scattered around the trees. They must not have been very experienced with magic, or they were too worried about him in particular to say anything about it. He had hidden the Alert sigils around as well but the mana within them wasn’t exactly concealed, so he doubted one of the mages had the ability to discern his mana from the natural world. Interesting.
Putting those thoughts aside, Jake assisted the other two with getting the horses ready for the trip and helped get the carts back out on the road. He did a final check of the camp to verify that they had picked up everything, then mounted the front cart. With that, the drivers snapped the reins and the carts rolled on. Headed away from the village and continuing towards their destination. Hopeful this time of a much, much quieter rest of the trip ahead of them.
As Jake and the drivers set off for the Fort, having completed their morning ritual, the Guild caravan rolled into Goblin Alley proper. The very air changed around them, the tension thickening as the Adventurers mentally prepared themselves for the trial ahead. Though rare in most areas, Goblins here were known to occasionally attack during the day. Due to their numbers, the Dens could send out war parties all throughout the day and the night. It didn’t happen often but if a Den was feeling froggy or wanted to catch witless adventurers off guard, they were known to try.
Asher, still unsettled from his near confrontation with Jake, felt his nerves even more on edge than usual. Having seen that man up so close and practically smelled the Goblin musk radiating from his tattered clothes, Asher was struggling to imagine the scene they were about to stumble into. He didn’t have any real expectations other than to see a handful of Goblin corpses lying around but something told him there was much more than that. That Adventurer, Jake, wasn’t normal by any means. To make it through this place without taking serious injury was a feat even Asher couldn’t hope for on a regular day.
“Who was he?” The question rolled through his mind over and over, and Asher struggled to think of where he might have crossed paths with such an individual. To get to the village, Jake must have taken a Guild caravan at some point or even just passed through Rowen in general. Unless he came from the East. A possibility, as Jake definitely had the complexion of someone from the desert. Yet to travel that far and end up in the village? Why would he be there in the first place?
Questions and jumbled pieces plagued his mind, forcing him to take a back seat to his actual job. Asher found himself unable to concentrate so he moved out of the point position to a side spot in their formation. Bansari instead stepped up to lead the convoy, walking at the head of the group as they progressed. The change caused a bit of a stir at first but the caravan had since settled. Asher was now able to let his brain worms toil away in peace.
At least, that’s what he was hoping for. They didn’t make it very far into their journey forward before Bansari called for them to stop. He sniffed at the air and scowled, his nose picking up a foul stench. The smell of exposed flesh and rot. It was faint but they were nearing something that had died, something big. He gave Asher a look and frowned to see the other veteran still distracted. When he looked at Derek, the mage was in the process of yawning, showing how little he cared about their current predicament. Even after all that mess, Derek was the same disinterested bastard he always was.
Bansari ordered everyone to be on their guard and then the convoy rolled forward, its pace slower and more controlled. Eyes scanned the forest as weapons were drawn across the formation. Archers held arrows at the ready while Mages prepared to cast their spells. Fighters and Warriors kept on their toes, wary of any threats that might emerge from the trees.
The scent Bansari smelled with his exceptional nose strengthened to the point that everyone else began to catch it as well. Those with less trained noses scowled and scrunched their faces, while the experienced group only prepared themselves even more for a fight. Bansari himself felt uneasy and his stomach squeezed into a knot. The stench wasn’t of just a handful of corpses, but of dozens. That was the only explanation.
“Bansari.” Suddenly, Derek spoke up.
Bansari, surprised, immediately called for a stop.
Derek walked to the front of the convoy, taking a spot beside his compatriot. “The area ahead. There’s a lot of residual mana. And it’s some foul shit.”
“What does that mean?” Wanting a better explanation, Bansari prodded the mage for more.
Derek scowled but didn’t speak. Without a word, he walked forward. Bansari followed him out of both curiosity and to protect the mage from doing anything stupid. Seeing those two move ahead, Asher called for the formation to be ready for anything and then followed after them.
What they saw made them collectively stop in the middle of the road, their eyes wide.
“...Holy shit.” Derek spat, his arms falling limp by his sides. The level of shock almost caused him to drop his staff.
“This is…” Bansari muttered the words, the rest caught in his throat.
Though the road was fine, clean and without damage, the forest around it was anything but. Rock spikes dotted the forest floor, tearing up the landscape as the victims dangled from their peaks. Lifeless corpses were scattered in every direction. Some cut in multiple places, some cut entirely in half. Bodies missing limbs, heads, and chunks of flesh. Hobgoblins and regular Goblins alike were piled up. Trees were toppled over from holes that had been blown in their trunks. Others were damaged, burned and blown into but remained standing. Barely.
It was a massacre on a grotesque scale.
“Hey… Is that…?” Derek, standing further to the left, was the first to look directly to their side.
There, as if tossed to the side in a heap with its head kicked away, lay the massive body of a significantly larger Goblin. The corpse had several holes blown into its flesh that had effectively crippled the monster. If it wasn’t for its lack of a head, those injuries alone would have killed it in less than a minute from the blood loss and internal organ damage. What was the most shocking was how little the armor the Goblin wore seemed to protect it from those injuries.
“A Goblin… Champion.” Asher mumbled.
It was unmistakable. From its size, shape, and development, identifying the beast was simple for an experienced Goblin Hunter. This creature was the leader of the Goblins in the region, the head of the snake so to speak. A monster that would give any skilled Adventure a run for their money if they didn’t come prepared. Facing a horde like this and a Goblin Champion would be the end of any typical Adventurer party. The trio on their own wouldn’t be able to best such odds.
But here, someone else had.
Derek grimaced and he stepped forward, walking further into the center of the road and the scene. He knelt down and placed his hand on the surface of the road. His fingers brushed over the smooth rock. “The road has been tampered with. That foul mana. It’s all around us. I can’t see it, but I can fuckin’ taste it.”
“Is it a monster’s?” Bansari asked. “I feel chills just standing here.”
“It might be, but if it was, would it leave all these bodies?” Derek posed the question as he looked over the road. “There’s evidence of fighting on both sides of the road, but none on the road? That seems wrong.”
Asher and Bansari both looked at the ground, understanding what Derek was saying. The area was a disaster, but the road looked as if it had been freshly paved. There weren’t even tracks or signs of wear. If one looked closely enough, they could even see the patchwork of where chunks of road had been repaired.
“Someone fought here, then fixed the road afterwards. Someone strong enough to kill all of these Goblins, the Champion, and still have enough left over to do the cleanup…” Derek muttered, speaking softly as if he didn’t want to be caught speaking.
“Are we sure it’s not more than one person?” Asher asked, noticing that some Goblins had cut marks on their bodies, evidence of a sword being used. He also spotted a shield that had been discarded. He walked over to pick it up, showing it to his fellows so they each could see the massive dent in the center of it. Along with the blood staining the broken strap. Whoever used it took a beating.
“Maybe a party?” Bansari asked, looking at the other two.
“Was there such a party in Juno?” Asher mumbled, his voice lowering.
“Maybe, but what about the magic?” Bansari and Asher both looked at Derek.
Derek frowned and once more looked at the ground, then at the spikes. “There’s only two mages in the Frontier that I know of who can use Rock magic, and they’re both in Rowen. So there must be someone else who ca--”
The words fell from his mouth, bringing to focus the one detail they originally had glanced over. The one detail that provided the only evidence they needed to answer their question.
“That shelter…” Off to the side of the camp of those three travelers, the other Adventurer was sitting underneath some kind of shelter. An unnatural formation of rock that seemed to have been pulled out of the ground itself. It didn’t have any moss on it so it was fresh stone.
The trio looked at one another, as if they all put the pieces together simultaneously. The men shared a quiet moment of understanding.
Bravely deciding to speak what they were all thinking, Derek took a shallow breath. “I uh… I think we made the right choice not fucking with him.”
