Goblin problem

I woke up and stretched. My form was a little large for this small room but I managed. I got dressed and checked over my things. It wasn't. Much just some clothes and an empty bag and my arch stave. The arch stave was starting to crumble. the gem had begun to decay do to it being held together by magic. I would need a new staff and some money soon. So I donned my human diguise. My wings folding to make a vest like garment and my tails tucking back into my back. I walked down the stairs to the guild hall to find a job board.

The job board was a well maintained structure of sturdy oak and littered with flyers for various jobs that required all kinds of things. As a lone adventurer I knew how dangerous some of these jobs could be. So I focused on one's that I could maybe pull off by myself. Ones like bounties, because I can't stand fetch quests. I found one that was for killing a group of goblins that had been terrorizing a nearby farm. It was put in as a request by a farmer named John.

I took the quest over to the counter of the guild and inquired about it. " excuse me. Can you tell me about this job?" I asked the stern looking woman in uniform. She looked at it through her slim frame glasses.

" certainly I can enlighten you about any of the jobs on that board. This is a standard goblin slaying quest. The guild pays out per goblin slain, but does require proof of accomplishment. It is common for adventurers to bring in the heads or ears of the goblins. This quest is for a farm just to the south of the city. Apparently some goblins have set up a war camp near there. "

" I would like to take on this quest. "

" are you sure goblins are usually crafty individuals and rarely ever travel alone?"

" I am certain that I will be alright. I' m just going to slay a few so I can get some money for some new equipment. " I smiled at her.

" alright sir. That's shouldn't be a problem then. Though if your in need of basic equipment the guild does provide class minimums. I see here that your a healer. We have vestments and a staff that can channel your mana that we can offer you."

I smile wider. " By my magic that would be amazing. Yes. Anything would be better than my staff that is decaying. "

" WAIT here and I will acquire them for you. " she said seeping behind the counter and disappearing into a back room.

A few minutes later she came out with a staff and a tunic. I could practically smell the magic in them from here. I took the tunic and staff from her greatly depositing the tunic into my bag for now.

She then said. " I see that you are new to the guild sir. I discovered these in the back waiting for you. This is your guild issue communicator. It is your guild identification. There was also this small pouch of healing potions left for you by Gustav. Here's a note.

I took the note and began to read it.

Dear Malin, thanks to your efficiency I now have an overstock of healing supplies. Please feel free to dispose of these for me.

~GUSTAV~ ♡

I blinked a few times before turning back to the woman. " Thanks, oh I feel like we will be working together for a while. Can I get your name?. " I inquired

" You may call me Cheshire. I am the guild clerk that attends the adventurers when the guild master is not in. "

I thanked Cheshire again and excused myself from the guild entirely. I needed income to craft a new staff.

I walked to the farm in question. As I approached I noticed the ailing crops that seemed to be worse for wear. They looked like they could use some water. AS I approached the porch I knoticed a dog slink off out of sight.

I knocked on the door. " hello!" I announced myself.

" coming!" I could hear from the other side of the door as someone scooted their chair across the ground. Heavy foot steps thunder across the interior until the door opened up. Inside was a mountain of a man. Probably as big as Gustav and he looked like he had been working for his hole life. " Wutt can I do Fer you?" He said looking me up and down.

" Hello sir. I am looking to take care of your goblin problem? Could you point me in the right direction? "

" what's a mousy little feller like you gonna do about my goblin sitiation?" He said frowning. " I asked Fer adventurer types. You know. With armor. " he said

" thank you for your concern sir, but I can assure you that I am a qualified mage. I use magic to get them rather than brawn. " I smiled up at him"

" Well I spoke it ain't no business of mine, but don't come crawling to me when you get eaten by the little buggers. They already booked mah leg. " he said opening the door and showing me the leg wrapped in an iron brace.

I reached my hand out and let my magic pour forth into the leg. Stitching the bone back together. " Well you should be happy they sent me. "

He looked at me as if I had eaten a fly like a frog right in front of him. I left him there like that. Dumbfounded as I went in the direction of a loud clang that came from his barn out back. As I rounded the corner I had my cheeks pierced by a bolt. I fell backward as pain erupted through my body. I pulled the bolt out.

There of course was no blood on the bolt and the holes in my cheeks filled in. The pain subsided almost as immediately as it started. I stood up and put up a force barrier. A plain of force made from magic. Nearly invisible.

A goblin came running around the corner and aimed his filthy little short bow at me. It released the arrow and I was never more appreciative of a spell. Since my hand was raised anyway. I shattered the plane of force into shards and sent a portion of them flying into the goblin. Blood went everywhere.

The goblin screamed in pain and fell backwards. A huge gaping hole in his chest were hundreds of shards of invisible glass like force ripped through his body.

I cast another force barrier. Defense before detection. I then looked up into the sky. If anyone had been watching with the ability to see the nearly imperceptible dust that poured out of my mouth in that moment they would have screamed that I am a dragon.

with my unoccupied fingers ai drew a spell in the air that created a little gust of wind to blanket the forest to some degree. Even from here ai could see the dust get trapped in the magic auras of the goblins.

I sent mana arrow after arrow at the filthy creepers. The little bastards had about fifteen troupes with them today.

I then worked to drag the bodies back around to the farmer. He stood there with a dumbfounded look on his face as I piled the corpse up. " um... I take back what I said... I'm sorry. " he finally managed to get out as I was cutting the goblins ears off. " I think you'll be just fine. "

" Oh, I scared your dog. I'm sorry sir. "

" hehe, that ain't mah dog yet. But it sure is pretty scared. Geuss I finally got hit by the C.D.D.S. "

" the what?"

" the country dog distribution system. It's how mah neighbor got his dog. People just come along and abandon a poor pup on your farm. It's quite nice sometimes. " he said as he coaxed the dog into his arms.

" you think you could get rid of these little pests?" He said looking at me.

" I don't know. I'd have to be able to find their camp first. "

" If you did I'd be grateful. The fields havnt been safe and now that the drought has arrived my crops really need me. " the farmer said.

" there is a drought?"

" Yeah it hasn't rained in over two weeks. "

I look at the fields and their dried appearance. I could probably help with this situation using magic. However I didn't know if I should bother to care. I was just passing through after all.

" alright. Do they always seem to come from that direction?" I said indicating the direction with a nod.

" oh yes. There is an ol' mill yard in that direction. Near the forest. I would bet my left shoe that they have holed up there. "

" oh? Yeah your probably right. I will go and check it out. "

" alright. Don't do anathin too reckless" he said picking the dog up and carrying it to his house.

I set off down the road toward the source of the goblin problem.