The soft taps of the horses' hooves echoed faintly along the empty path.
The path was worn down by time, barely visible, covered with forests on either side.
The carriage moved through the road slowly with an even pace as Alden scanned the surroundings while driving it.
The other four sat in the carriage, Edrik (Mayank) sitting at the end, gazing outside as another carriage appeared and disappeared after a while.
'I feel like they are following us. Why do I feel like—'
"Hey, Alden, how long will it take?" Vesta blurted out through the opening at Alden's side.
"We would maybe reach before dawn," Alden replied, still looking forward.
"I don't think we would reach till tomorrow at this pace," Vesta jumped.
"Vesta, sit down," Cecily said in a soft, caring tone.
"You are the one who is afraid of speed," Alden smirked, this time looking at Vesta.
Vesta didn't say anything and just sat quietly as her face turned red and she covered it with her hands.
Arthur, who had been silent for a while, giggled a bit.
Cecily followed him while patting Vesta on the head.
Arthur shifted his gaze towards Edrik (Mayank), who was constantly gazing outside and paid no mind to the others.
He slowly put his hand on Edrik's shoulder.
"Something bothering you?"
Edrik looked at him for some seconds.
"Don't you think it has been too quiet for a forest?"
"You are right, but maybe it is because it's daytime now," Arthur said with a smile.
Edrik turned his gaze outside again, finally seeing a small bird fly.
'This guy is strange. How can he smile at such a thing? It's like he is trying to carry everyone's burden.'
The carriage moved as the sound of its wheels felt louder than the forest itself.
"Arthur, you didn't properly tell us what the mission was," Cecily questioned.
"Oh, yes," Arthur cleared his throat.
"The mission is that a village in the north is regularly being attacked by goblins, and the goblins keep increasing. The villagers asked for backup, but we have to find the reason and get rid of all of them."
"You could've said it faster," Alden sighed.
"The quest has actually been there for a week, I think," Arthur added.
"What, that's too long," Cecily exclaimed.
"I just hope we are not late," Arthur said, staring at the passing trees.
Hours turned to dust as the carriage moved, and soon the party reached the village.
Alden stopped the carriage outside the village, at the side of the road, and tied the horses to a nearby tree.
Everyone got off the carriage and looked around.
"It feels weird," Edrik murmured.
"Should we go now?" Arthur asked, looking at everyone.
Everyone took their gears from the carriage and moved inside the village.
There was no sound. No voices. No chatter.
And no humans.
The doors of all the houses were broken, yet there was no blood.
"What happened here?" Cecily gasped.
"Was there some fight? Did the goblins do it?" Vesta's eyes widened.
"No, goblins won't do such things," Alden said under his breath.
"Everyone, look and see if someone is there," Arthur ordered, unsheathing his sword.
Everyone started looking inside the houses, but there were no signs of struggle.
Edrik, on the other hand, looked at the edges of the village.
"What is this thing that I am feeling? Is this due to this guy's ability?" he muttered.
After exploring a bit, he heard a faint sound behind some bushes, but when he checked, it turned out to be only a squirrel.
Soon the sun started setting in the west, its last rays dyeing the trees in an orange hue as they all gathered at the village gate.
"Did anyone find anything?" Arthur questioned in a serious tone.
Nobody replied.
"I don't think this is done by goblins. We should inform the guild," Vesta said, looking at the village.
Alden looked at Arthur's face, then added,
"She is ri—"
'Rustle'
A goblin appeared out of some bushes and jumped at Cecily with a wooden club.
Edrik lunged forward and punched the goblin just before it could hit Cecily.
'What… how did I do that? He looked at his hands.'
Suddenly, the hairs on his arms straightened.
"There are more," he clenched his fists.
Arthur tightened his grip on the sword.
"How… many?"
Edrik swallowed. "More than a hundred."
"Everyone, get ready," Arthur breathed out.
Slowly, goblins started coming out of the bushes, surrounding them from all directions.
Alden formed arrows through thin air. "You better not lay hands on the horses."
Vesta took a small staff out. "Idiot."
Cecily moved her hands, covering everyone in a faint green glow, then spoke, her voice breaking, "Don't get too injured."
The goblins rushed in.
Arthur moved like the wind as his sword radiated a serene blue glow, each strike slicing goblins, sharp and precise.
Edrik punched a goblin, sending it flying, and it hit two other goblins.
'Is that guy for real?' A chill climbed up his spine as he watched Arthur.
Alden formed arrows and shot a goblin in the head.
"Let's see who kills more," he grinned.
But he didn't notice a goblin attacking from behind.
It was hit by a fireball before it could reach him.
"Look at yourself before competing," Vesta smirked.
"Arthur, look—" Cecily jumped as a goblin holding a sword appeared behind Arthur.
She pushed Arthur before the goblin could hit.
Edrik punched the goblin in the head.
"Cecily—" Arthur shouted.
Edrik looked back to see a cut running down her left hand.
The night was silent, with two crescent moons rising from the horizon, barely lighting up the land, their faint light filtering through the trees.
Three tents were set a bit away from the village entrance near the horse carriage.
The party sat around a campfire, their clothes covered in green blood and sweat.
"Look at your clothes," Alden giggled, looking at Vesta.
"I hate those goblins," Vesta snorted looking at her own clothes in disgust.
Edrik glared at the village entrance, which was now a pool of green blood, as he could see perfectly even in the darkness.
"What do you think happened to all the villagers?" he asked in a serious tone while still staring at the entrance.
"Maybe they were all killed by those goblins and—" Vesta said, gazing into the darkness.
"Hey! Don't say things like this," Alden flicked Vesta's forehead.
"Yeah, that's not possible, as there were no signs of a fight," Arthur gazed at them, then into the darkness.
"They might have used some magic... Some of them were holding staffs," Cecily said while opening bandages on her left arm.
She used some healing magic on it, but it didn't seem to work.
"Uhh, what is wrong" She groaned
"You should be more careful. You didn't have to intervene at that time," Arthur glared at her injury while tapping his feet.
"Then why don't you try being more careful yourself instead of just rushing in?" Cecily glared at Arthur.
"Does it hurt?" Arthur asked, rubbing his neck.
"No, I feel good," Cecily said with a strained smile.
"Let me see it," Arthur moved close and held her hand, examining the injury.
"Are you some secret healer or priest?" Cecily looked the other way.
Alden and Vesta looked at each other and smiled.
"Now, now, don't fight, you two," Alden laughed faintly.
After a while, when everything settled and Cecily tied her bandage again, she looked at Vesta.
"You have something to say."
"I was just thinking, since when did goblins start using swords instead of those wooden clubs?" Vesta pointed out.
"Yeah, and their attacks felt too coordinated," Cecily added.
"Can we talk about it tomorrow?" Alden yawned as he got up.
"Vesta, Edrik, get up. Let's give them some time," he moved towards the tent in the centre.
"What—"
Cecily's face turned red as she got up.
"I am going to sleep."
"You all should go to sleep too. I will look outside," Edrik finally looked at the others.
"What about you?" Arthur got up, using his sword as support.
"I don't feel like sleeping," Edrik paused for a second. "And can any of you see in the dark?"
Nobody argued, and everyone went to their tents.
Edrik sat near the campfire, lost in his thoughts.
'I feel like I am becoming more and more like this guy as time passes. When will this end.'
He stood up and gazed around.
'Let's look around a bit.'
He walked near the village gate and looked around.
"Why do I feel like I am missing something? Is it my intuition or this guy's sense—"
'Sniff.'
He felt a faint smell, faint yet familiar.
"Human blood?" The words slipped without his knowledge.
He turned his gaze towards the forest starting just a bit away from the village entrance.
"Should I follow it?" He gazed at the tents, then his hands.
He clenched his hands and exhaled. "There seems to be no other way."
He entered the forest slowly, walking as the scent kept getting stronger and stronger.
Sometimes the scent felt farther away, and sometimes it felt close.
But after walking for minutes, he finally saw it.
"What—" His feet felt like stone as he stood behind a tree, glaring.
A group of goblins walked through the forest, dragging humans along.
There were five humans in total. Blood poured from the injuries on their bodies, yet they were unconscious.
They were surrounded by layers of goblins holding different types of weapons like swords, clubs, and some even holding magic staffs.
"What should I do? Should I tell the others or—" he mumbled in a low voice as he couldn't take his eyes off them.
A goblin from the group glared at him.
"Shi—" Edrik ducked and sat behind the tree.
He took a deep breath, then peeked.
The goblins didn't seem to notice him as they kept moving on their way.
"I will just follow them," he clenched his fist and stood up.
To be continued...