Chapter 10: Uneasy Revelations
The group emerged from the goblin nest into the cool light of early dawn. The forest was silent, as if holding its breath after the chaos they had left behind. Kael squinted against the faint light filtering through the canopy, his body aching from the battle against the goblin warlord. Each step was heavier than the last, but the open air was a welcome relief from the suffocating stench of the tunnels.
Marra led the way, her bow still in hand, her sharp gaze scanning the surroundings. Corin followed close behind, his dagger flicking in his hands nervously. Thane walked beside Kael, clutching his staff tightly. The faint glow from its runes had dimmed, a sign of his exhausted mana reserves.
Kael adjusted his grip on his spear, his mind racing with thoughts of the altar they had found. The twisted carvings and the blood-stained surface haunted him. Something about it felt wrong—unnatural. He glanced at Marra, whose expression was grim as she pushed forward through the underbrush.
"Marra," Kael began, his voice low, "you said something about that altar not being normal. What did you mean?"
Marra paused, turning to face him. Her green eyes were sharp, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in her expression. "Goblins don't build altars like that on their own. They're scavengers, not creators. Someone—or something—is guiding them."
Kael frowned. "You think there's something else behind all of this?"
Marra nodded slowly. "I don't just think it—I'm certain of it. The symbols carved into that altar weren't goblin work. They were too precise, too deliberate. It's possible another faction is using the goblins for their own ends."
"Another faction?" Thane asked, his voice tinged with fear. "Like what?"
Marra shook her head. "I don't know yet. But we need to find out."
Kael exchanged a glance with Thane, whose face was pale. The idea of another force manipulating the goblins made the entire situation feel even more dangerous. They had barely survived the warlord—what else could be waiting for them?
"Whatever it is," Corin said, breaking the tense silence, "it's not our problem right now. We're alive, and we've dealt with the nest. Let's focus on getting back to camp."
Marra hesitated but eventually nodded. "Agreed. Let's move."
***
The journey back to camp was slow and quiet. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts, the weight of the battle and its implications pressing heavily on their minds. Kael found himself lagging behind slightly, his legs dragging with exhaustion.
When they finally reached the clearing where their camp was located, Kael nearly collapsed onto a log near the fire. The familiar sight of the tents and the comforting crackle of the flames eased some of his tension, but his body still felt like it had been put through a grinder.
Thane dropped down beside him, his staff leaning against his shoulder. The boy looked just as worn out, his face pale and his hands trembling slightly. He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, as if unsure of what to say.
"You okay?" Kael asked, breaking the silence.
Thane nodded weakly. "I will be. Just… drained. Using that much magic takes a toll."
Kael gave him a faint smile. "You did good out there. That chain spell you used on the warlord—it gave us the opening we needed."
Thane's face brightened slightly at the compliment. "Thanks. I just wish I could've done more."
"You did plenty," Kael said firmly. "If it weren't for you, that thing might've taken us all out."
Thane nodded, a flicker of pride in his expression, but his gaze drifted to the fire, and his brow furrowed. "What do you think about what Marra said? About the altar?"
Kael hesitated, unsure of how to answer. "I don't know. She's right that it didn't seem like something goblins would make. But if someone else is behind all this… it's hard to know what they're after."
Thane shivered, pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders. "I've read about things like this. Old factions that use weaker creatures as pawns. Sometimes it's dark mages, other times it's—"
"Thane," Kael interrupted gently. "Let's not jump to conclusions. We'll figure it out, but right now, we need to focus on recovering."
Thane nodded reluctantly, falling silent as the two of them stared into the fire. The crackling flames offered a brief respite from the weight of their thoughts, but the unease lingered.
***
Later that evening, Marra called the group together. The firelight cast flickering shadows across her face, highlighting the determination in her expression. She stood with her arms crossed, her gaze sweeping over the others.
"We need to talk about what's next," she began. "The goblin nest is destroyed, but we all saw the altar. There's more going on here than we realized."
Corin groaned, leaning back against a tree. "Do we have to deal with it? The nest is gone. Let someone else handle whatever's left."
Marra's eyes narrowed. "If we leave this unchecked, it's only a matter of time before it comes back to haunt us. Whoever's behind that altar isn't going to stop just because we destroyed a nest."
Kael nodded, his mind flashing back to the carvings and the blood-stained surface. "Marra's right. If we don't figure out what's going on, we'll just end up fighting another warlord—or something worse."
Thane shifted nervously. "But how do we even start? We don't know who—or what—built that altar."
Marra uncrossed her arms, her expression softening slightly. "There's a place we can go. A nearby settlement—well, what's left of it. It was raided by goblins weeks ago, but there might be survivors. If anyone knows what's happening in this area, it'll be them."
Corin sighed, rubbing his temples. "Fine. But if this turns into another suicide mission, I'm out."
Marra ignored his comment, turning to the others. "We leave at first light. Rest while you can."
***
Kael lay in his tent that night, staring up at the dark fabric above him. His body ached, his mind racing with thoughts of the altar and the warlord. The fight had pushed him to his limits, and the idea of facing something even more dangerous filled him with dread. But he couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning.
Pulling up his System interface, Kael reviewed his stats.
---
Name: Kael Ardyn
Level: 4
HP: 75/100
MP: 25/50
Stats:
- Strength: 14
- Agility: 14
- Endurance: 13
- Intelligence: 13
- Wisdom: 12
- Charisma: 9
- Luck: 8
Skills:
- Skill Replication (Unique)
- Body Double (Rare, Tier: Grandmaster)
- Improvised Weaponry (Basic)
- Spear Proficiency (Basic)
- Swordsmanship (Basic)
- Predator's Reflexes (Basic)
- Domain Seed (Unique)
- Heavy Strike (Basic)
---
Kael frowned, studying the small gains he had made. The battle had pushed him forward, but not as much as he'd hoped. He needed to grow stronger—and fast. If there was something more dangerous than the warlord out there, he couldn't afford to be caught off guard.
Closing the interface, Kael sighed and rolled onto his side. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, and he needed to be ready. As he drifted off to sleep, the image of the altar burned in his mind, a dark reminder of the dangers ahead.