"Thank you sir!" Harvin clasped both of his hands as if doing a prayer. Still, he wasn't sure of their capabilities as he hadn't seen them fight, or an impression of one.
After all, if you see someone with a sword, you'd already imagine how they'll fight a monster? Same goes with the mages with their staffs and archers with their bows.
Their weapons were peculiar and had odd design but if they can do the job, there's no reason to reject help.
"Goblins…" he began. "Vile, cunning little beasts. Not strong alone, but dangerous in swarms. They fight like scavengers, always ambushing, always in groups. Individually, one could be killed with a single clean strike or an arrow to the heart. But when a horde gathers, even veteran adventurers think twice."
Albert leaned slightly closer, elbows on the table. "So they're physically weak, but rely on numbers and tactics."
"Exactly," Harvin replied. "They make up for their size with sheer ferocity. They're faster than men in the woods and fight without fear, especially at night. Some wield crude weapons — chipped daggers, rusted swords, even bows made from sinew and bone. They steal arms from the dead and use them poorly, but enough to wound."
Ward frowned, crossing his arms. "So more like a mob than a trained force."
Harvin nodded. "Yes, but don't underestimate them. They swarm and overwhelm, using the corpses of their fallen as stepping stones to breach defenses. They're beasts, but clever beasts."
Albert's brows furrowed. "You said 'some'? You mean not all of them fight the same way?"
Harvin hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Aye. Some of their kind… are different. Goblin Shamans, they're called. They can cast spells, dark magic, as the Guild calls it. Fire, lightning, and worse. There are even tales of chieftains blessed by evil spirits, leading hordes ten times stronger than usual."
Albert sat back, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the wood. "Alright, let's step back a bit. You said 'magic.' How does that work here? Is it something everyone can use, or is it… something else?"
Harvin's brow furrowed deeply, clearly struggling to find the words. "That… I can't truly say. I'm no scholar, Commander. What little I know is from hearsay. Magic is something tied to mana, the life energy of the world. Some are born with the ability to sense and control it, others aren't. Most common folk like us can't use it at all."
"So you're saying it's like a natural gift?" Ward asked.
"Yes a gift…"
Albert narrowed his eyes, processing the explanation. "So it's a force that manipulates natural elements, fire, air, lightning, through energy called mana. And not everyone can use it."
Harvin nodded, relieved that the foreigner seemed to grasp it so quickly. "That's the best way to put it, aye."
"Okay, when are they going to attack?"
"The goblins attack periodically and it will be later in the evening," Harvin rubbed the back of his neck, his expression uneasy. "When the moon reaches its peak," he said gravely. "That's when they always strike. They wait until darkness cloaks the fields, then come from the treeline in waves. You'll hear them before you see them, screeching, snarling, banging on shields made of bone and wood. It's… a sound no man forgets."
"Well it's still morning so we have lots of time to prepare," Albert said.
"Also, there are other disturbing facts about them…" Harvin added, his expression grim.
"What is it?'
"Those goblins, their species only has male…"
Albert tilted his head to the side. "So? If they are only male in their species, how the heck do they reproduce?"
Harvin's expression turned more grim.
"They… possess an ability unlike any other creature. Goblins can breed with any race, human, elf, beastkin, it doesn't matter. Any female they capture can be… used. And the child born from such an act is always a goblin."
Ward's face hardened, disgust flickering in his eyes. "You're saying they can force reproduction across species?"
Harvin nodded solemnly. "Aye. It's what makes them such a cursed race. Even one survivor taken alive by a goblin horde can spell disaster. Within a single week, that poor soul can be forced to birth several new goblins."
Claes let out a sharp exhale, muttering under his breath, "Jesus Christ…"
"So they are raping women?"
"Which is why when they attack a settlement or a caravan, they kill the males and then kidnap women to their lairs which…I can't say."
A heavy silence fell over the hall. The fire crackled in the hearth, the only sound breaking the stillness.
Claes's jaw clenched. "That's sick," he muttered under his breath. "They're not just monsters, they're animals."
"Do you know where they are camped? The goblins? Perhaps we can do a preemptive strike on them given their capabilities to be killed by swords and arrows," Albert asked.
"I'm afraid I don't have the answer for that," Harvin answered. "But I believe they are nesting inside caves or burrows."
"I see, the only chance for us to completely eradicate these goblins is to let the attack happen in the night and then find out where they are squirting from. And once we locate their base of operations, we will raid it and perhaps, rescue the kidnapped women," Albert said.
"That's a feasible plan sir," Ward agreed with the plan. "We will set up defensive positions around the village. Our men adding Claes's marines should be enough to counter the threats of the goblins."
"Still we are going to need air support if there are too many of them to handle," Claes added. "Also, we are going to need a supply drop on our position, our small-arms may be enough but for contingency, we are going to need the heavy guns."
"I'll contact Command and have those weapons delivered to us through a supply drop," Albert said and turned his eyes on Harvin. "We are in."