Ep. 55 The Goblins Den

Smiths Pov

A bigger group than we expected—at least twenty of them. While more than I'd anticipated, we should still be able to manage. Goblins are weak monsters individually, after all. Still, it was going to be challenging to deal with those numbers while protecting these damn kids. What were they thinking, wanting to be adventurers at their age? I was their age once, but the world seemed simpler then.

I was pulled from the depths of my mind by Cecilia's whisper. She'd slipped behind the same tree where I was concealed, her eyes never leaving the goblin encampment.

"Well, Smith, what do you want to do?" Her voice held none of the earlier animosity—in battle, petty disagreements were forgotten.

I studied the clearing, taking in their positions, their weapons, their movements. The decision crystallized in my mind. "We're already out here," I replied, voice barely audible. "Let's do it. Earlston, Cecilia—you're up."

They exchanged a brief glance before offering small, determined nods. Without further discussion, they moved to the front of our formation. Years of working together had eliminated the need for elaborate explanations—they knew exactly what I wanted.

Earlston crouched down, pressing his broad palms against the forest floor. His eyes drifted closed, face settling into a mask of intense concentration. I could feel the subtle vibration in the earth beneath our feet as he connected with his element.

Meanwhile, Cecilia began her preparations, summoning her magic. Small, arrow-shaped projectiles of compressed earth began materializing around her—one, then two, then six in total. Each dart hovered in perfect formation, awaiting her command. The amount of control required to maintain multiple earth darts simultaneously was impressive, even for a C-class mage.

After several seconds of preparation, they launched our assault. Earlston let out an aggressive grunt—the only indication of the immense magical effort—before slamming his hands against the ground. The impact sent a visible shockwave through the soil, disturbing fallen leaves and small pebbles.

At the same instant, across the clearing, chaos erupted. Six goblins shrieked in surprise as the earth beneath them suddenly rose up, trapping their legs in solid stone prisons. Their companions scattered in confusion, not yet understanding what was happening.

Cecilia didn't give them time to figure it out. With a fluid motion of her hands, she released all six earth darts simultaneously. They cut through the air precisely and fast, creating audible distortions as they traveled at incredible speed. Five found their marks perfectly, piercing through goblin skulls with sickening thuds. The creatures dropped instantly, dead before they hit the ground.

The sixth dart, however, veered slightly off course—perhaps due to a sudden movement by its target or a minor fluctuation in Cecilia's control. Instead of a clean headshot, it tore through the goblin's lower abdomen. The creature howled in agony, dark blood pouring from the wound, but remained very much alive.

"Go now!" I commanded, my voice cutting through the momentary stillness that followed the initial strike.

As one, we burst from our hiding places. The remaining goblins finally spotted us, their beady eyes widening in rage and fear. They bared their sharp, yellowed teeth and brandished their crude weapons—rusty swords, spiked clubs, and jagged daggers that glinted dully in the filtered sunlight.

I accelerated ahead of the group, determined to make first contact. The absence of my sword was a disadvantage, but not a crippling one. Focusing my magic, I formed a compact sphere of intense flames in my palm. The heat radiated against my skin, familiar and comforting in its destructive potential.

The first goblin to reach me swung a notched blade diagonally toward my head. Its form was sloppy, driven by rage rather than skill. I ducked smoothly beneath the attack, then drove my palm—and the concentrated fireball—directly into its chest.

Upon contact, I released my magical control. The compressed flames exploded outward with devastating force, tearing through the goblin's torso. Its internal organs were instantly incinerated, the creature's body rupturing from within as the magical fire consumed it from the inside out. The force of the explosion launched what remained of the creature backward, crashing into two of its companions.

The display of violence triggered something primal in the remaining goblins. Their uncoordinated skirmishing transformed into a frenzied charge, accompanied by high-pitched howls and streams of foul-smelling saliva. They came at us from all directions, moving with surprising speed for such squat creatures.

One approached rapidly from my left flank, a crude spear aimed at my ribs. I pivoted to face it, but before I could counter, the entire goblin was engulfed in a roaring pillar of flame. The intensity of the blast was shocking—it reduced the creature to ash in seconds, leaving nothing but a scorched patch of earth where it had stood.

Surprise overtook me as I turned to identify the source of such powerful fire magic. Standing just behind our front line was Maya, her small frame almost comically at odds with the devastation she'd just unleashed. Wisps of smoke curled from her outstretched palms, and her eyes burned with concentration.

A smirk found its way onto my face despite the chaos of battle. I'd had my doubts when she told me her classification, but seeing was believing. For someone her age to command fire with such precision and power—she wasn't just talented. She was exceptional.

"Keep formation!" I shouted, redirecting my attention to the battle. "Earlston, left flank! Lilia, support from the rear!"

The goblins were regrouping, their primitive minds processing that they faced serious opposition. This was where the real fight would begin. I summoned more flames to both hands, forming small twin spirals of destruction.