The Weinan Boy (3)

The clanging sound of metal against the earth wall could be heard on the other side, dozens, maybe hundreds of goblins could be heard screaming and chipping away at the wall.

Approaching the sealed entrance, Marcus inspected it for a moment.

"This is no fun." He said with a smirk on his face while averting his gaze towards his steward. "How am I supposed to go home on time at this rate?" He continued before chanting and casting a fireball spell, launching it towards the earthen wall.

Boom!~

The earth wall exploded and crumbled into pieces, killing anything directly behind it.

Rufus and his men shared a silent nod with a hint of annoyance, yet prepared for the inevitable confrontation that awaited them within, almost as though they had already expected for the boy to take down the wall due to his brash-like nature. 

With weapons raised, they cautiously entered the goblin-infested cave. Their footsteps echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the stone walls and alerting its grotesque inhabitants to their presence.

The sight that greeted them was overwhelming—a horde of goblins, their yellow beady eyes gleaming with malice and hunger. The cramped confines of the cave seemed to overflow with their presence. They chattered and snarled, their voices mingling into a cacophony of chaotic anticipation.

Rufus' men formed a defensive formation, bracing themselves as the goblins surged forth, their sheer numbers causing the ground to tremble inside the cave.

"Hold!" Rufus ordered his men.

A sea of green-skinned creatures, armed with crude weapons and driven by primal aggression, charged at the mercenaries as well as Marcus and Alfred.

"Fire!" Rufus ordered his archers.

The clash that ensued was fierce and frenzied, blades and arrows meeting the onslaught of goblin attackers. Steel clashed against steel, cries of pain and battle cries blending into a symphony of chaos. The mercenaries and Marcus fought with fury, striking down goblins with every swing. 

Everything seemed to be going smoothly until a loud bellowing roar echoed throughout the cave's walls, as heavy footsteps caused the ground to shake. "ROAGHHHH!" It screamed. It was a hobgoblin, likely the leader of the goblin nest.

It was massive, its body was covered in thick muscles, its hair was greasy and tangled. Its eyes glowed with a sinister yellow light, making it appear even more menacing than the rest of its un-evolved counterpart.

Its power was unlike any other goblin, as if it was a walking breathing furnace capable of killing a man in one singular blow. Rufus jumped out of the formation to face it, the hobgoblin prepared itself to deliver a mighty blow by holding its axe above its head.

Alfred readed his rapier just in case he had to intervene. A hobgoblin was at least a D-rank monster after all, a step above what Count Weinan's mission for his son was meant to be.

Swoosh!~ The hobgoblin unleashed a powerful blow.

Rufus ducked the attack, then countered, thrusting the end of his sword towards his opponent. The hilt hit the hobgoblin right in the gut, forcing air from its lungs. Stepping back, Rufus disengaged as he was instructed to let Marcus face off with the toughest opponent during their mission. It was now or never.

"GRAHHHHH!" The creature bellowed in agony, clutching at where it had been struck, losing sight of Rufus in the process. Readying itself to swing its axe once more, it realised Rufus was no longer there.

Charging quickly from the side was a young Marcus, his sword already mid-swing aiming for the hobgoblin's neck. The boy was fast, fierce and his killing intent could be felt by the monster.

Slash!~

The boy had used one of his family's sword techniques to slice the back of the monster's neck. 

The hobgoblin screeched as Marcus' blade had cut through flesh and bone. Blood sprayed all over the floor as the creature fell backwards with a big thud. Atop the rubble, the hobgoblin chief writhed in pain, his body shaking from the agony.

Marcus rushed past him, his sword held out ready to strike again.

Slash!~

This time the boy had made sure to finish the job, claiming its head.

Noticing the death of their leader, the goblins soon fell apart. Through the chaos, the mercenaries gradually gained the upper hand. Their disciplined training and superior combat skills began to thin the goblin ranks. As the last goblin fell, the cavern fell into an eerie silence. Rufus' men stood amidst the aftermath of the fierce battle, their breathing heavy, wounds stinging, and weapons bloodied.

With the battle finally subsiding, Marcus took a moment to catch his breath. His young face was smeared with dirt and sweat, but his eyes sparkled with a mix of exhilaration and determination. He turned to Rufus and Alfred, who stood by his side.

"Well, that was rather easy," Marcus said, his voice filled with a nonchalant tone. "I guess we can call it a day and head back home now, right?" He continued, breathing heavily. The techniques he had used to annihilate the hobgoblin had taken a lot of his mana to perform.

***

Before they departed, Marcus turned to Rufus and the remaining mercenaries. "I have something for all of you," he said, reaching into a small satchel his steward, Alfred, had carried throughout their journey.

With a smile, Marcus revealed a collection of pastries, carefully wrapped and preserved. "I bought these before we set off on our mission," he explained. "I thought it would be a nice treat for everyone once we succeeded."

The mercenaries' tired faces brightened at the unexpected gesture. Grateful nods and appreciative murmurs filled the air as Marcus distributed the pastries among them. It was a small but meaningful gesture, a token of gratitude and camaraderie in the face of danger. In their minds, perhaps the young noble boy wasn't so bad…

As the carriage rolled away, leaving the forest behind, Marcus couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. He had proven himself not only to his father but also to himself. In his mind, he still had a lot to learn despite his false bravado that exuded confidence, but for today he had done well.