Chapter 62: Chains of the Forgotten

"How much farther?" Asked a tired young woman in her early twenties. Her short ponytail of bright pink hair matted with dirt and other nasty things that inhabit gates. One of the newer recruits to the Silvermane. Although, she was quickly proving herself as a talented fighter.

"Close... The boss should be around here." Haruto replied with a hushed tone. He didn't know how he managed to go from retired ranker to leading the dailies, but to maintain your guilds license, gate clearing was required, thrice a day. But Haruto certainly didn't mind, it pays well. Gave him plenty of time to spend with his beloved daughter.

Haruto led a party of 5. Himself, the up'n coming young girl, and three... Standard rankers. Three young men. Truly they weren't that special. Just standard.

"Silence, you wench. We will be there when Mr. Nagai says so." A puissant voice spoke with expected command. Yet it belonged to a weaselly looking man. Low statue, eyes behind thin glasses. A receding hairline for a 22-year-old male.

"Shut it, four eyes." The girl snapped. Her patience with her 'guild mate' worn to the bone. She didn't like the man, and he her. Both from two sides of the tracks, a young punk and a man who perhaps spends too much time in the wrong spots on the internet.

"Hey! Enough." Haruto snapped; the argument had gone on long enough.

'Kids these days, I'm getting too old for this.' He thought, a sigh escaping the man.

"Sorry, sir." They both replied. There was one thing they could both agree on; Haruto was respected. A man of skill, and a man of wisdom. Although in their eyes, for different reasons.

This gate had little going for it in terms of materials, the monsters were sparse and the loot had been terrible. A perfect low effort gate to finish one's quota.

A boring cave system; boring dark grey rock. Moss and mushrooms were growing in abundance, lighting the place up with a mix of blues, and greens. Even the smell was bland, nothing but the earthy smell of dirt and stone.

"Here. The boss should be around here." Haruto muttered, entering a wide-open room. A small lake in the middle, a glowing blue mushroom that towered over everything in the room, but no big bad monster...

"Where is it?" The pink haired girl called Yua asked, her bright green eyes darting around the room. She could see no signs of any life.

Nor could the others, this was an odd occurrence. Where was the boss?

'Somethings wrong.' Haruto's ends stood up; something was off. Very off, where could the boss-

*Thud*

*Whack*

Haruto and the two others were knocked out in an instant from a surpise attack from behind. A large brute of a goblin; its skin a dark green and a hulking physique. Piercing blue eyes that glowed in the dim light.

Very soon; from the shadows came more. Dozens of the little monsters. Far smaller than the one who stood above the fallen guild members, yet they were still strong.

*Smack*

Yua was struck across the face, blood spraying out from the corner of her lips as she fell to the ground with a thud. The little green creatures swarmed over her, pinning her down.

"Get the fuck off me." *Fwoosh*

She used her power; a burst of air to push the creatures away. However, as quickly as they flew off, more replaced them. Her hands were held above her head, her legs spread, and mouth stuffed with mushrooms.

"No... No! I didn't sign up for this!" The weasel called Hayate attempted to run.

*Whack*

*Slam*

The same brute, who was more than twice the height of this weasel, grabbed Hayates' receding hair line. Nearly pulling away the few strands that were left.

"You... Live... Send message to your master." The gruff voice of a green brute said. It spoke in broken Japanese, yet it was clear enough that it got its point across.

"Bring the thumbstick. And guild will return."

With a quick kick to the gut. Hayate was released. The little man scrambled up, and ran for the gate.

'Please God... Don't let them catch up.'

The thought of what they would do to the poor weasel if the goblins were to catch them gave great motivation. He didn't stop to check on the others. They had no hope anyway.

"What ya think boys n' girls... Should we have some fun?" One of the goblins that mounted Yua asked. The girl was helpless, she was pinned and the mushroom tasted disgusting.

*Whack*

The brute hit the little goblin on the side of the head. Sending the little green pervert flying across the room. Lying dead amongst the mushroom stalks.

"No. Only mother can decide what to do with them. Besides, this one will be a great gift for her." The brute stood over Haruto; softly patting the man's hair. A soft smile on the big monster's face.

"Take them home."

"Y-yes boss!" The goblins squealed, tying up the humans, and then dragging them away.

***

"Move those legs!" Eren shouted, the boys of Kaname high were training their martial arts skills. Their bodies, whilst improving, still had much to be desired.

It was like watching trees swaying in the wind, hands moving without direction, legs rooted in one spot and the lack of finesse. 'Dear god, these kids are going to get themselves killed at this rate.' He lamented to himself, watching the boys practice.

"Toshiro, your stance is too wide. Kenji, you're strikes are sloppy, tighten your form. Dai, you're swinging your stick like a baseball bat. You're not in the yakuza. Yuri... You're doing fine."

"But sir, it's easier like this." Dai whined.

"I don't care. You well have that weapon knocked out of your hand and left defenceless if you fight like that."

*WHACK*

Erens stick struck Dai's, the force sent it flying into the air.

"Y-yes, sir!"

Training a cohort of around 20 boys is already hard enough. Training a cohort of around 20 delinquent boys; many of whom barley hung onto civil society with their fingernails, and trying to get them ready to join the guild was a challenge in of itself.

If Eren wasn't already white haired... he might have turned it by the time they were ready to take on gates of their own. The idea of this group of boys being competent enough to take down even a blue gate is a nightmare that kept Eren up at night.

"How are my favourite boys doing?" Lady Emiko arrived through the school gate. Bag of treats and warm smile upon the face of a kindly grandmother.

"Lady Emiko!" They all shouted; a chorus of joy. "Were doing well." One of them added.

If Eren was a sour prick. Then Emiko was a sweet angel that graced the boys. Her kind and motherly nature, with an old woman's wisdom. It was what most of them had lacked up until this point.

"You boys are growing so strong. I'll have to take you for a gate visit with me, so you can show me all you've learned."

"Here, to keep you warm and fed." Unveiling a basket of Onigiri, rice balls. Steaming, hot and stuffed to perfection. It was a gift that was given with the tender love of a kindly old lady. The boys were all putting down their sticks and running towards the kind old lady.

"Oi! I didn't say stop. You're still traning." Eren commanded.

"But sir-"

"No, back to training." Eren wasn't going to give in so easily. The boys had to learn discipline, responsibility, and teamwork. Those three skills alone would carry them far beyond anything else.

Then they can be rewarded for their efforts.

"You are a good man, Mr. Heart. A good influence on the boys. What you are doing here is admirable."

Eren was a strict teacher. A sour leader and a grumpy bastard. But, to these boys who didn't know a real fatherly figure. He was the closest they would get. A pillar of stability, authority, and wisdom.

"Yuri, Sora and Renji, grab some Onigiri and go sit over there. The rest of you, keep working till I call you over."

The boys were happy to be getting some food. But they knew that the strict and stern nature of their teacher would never allow them to slack. If they could go home with sore arms, sore legs, and a full stomach of Onigiri. Well, they couldn't complain.

"Thank you, Lady Emiko. You didn't have to do this." A soft smile crept onto the faces of the boys. Manners were once something that had escaped them, but, with the combined efforts of Lady Emiko and Eren's heavy hand, a little bit of manners had begun to show itself.

"Of course, you boys deserve a bit of food for all your hard work." She replied.

"Mr. Heart, please take one too." Lady Emiko offered. She was well known throughout the guild for both her loving nature, and badass hammer.

"Thanks." A barley warm voice, for a barley warm day.

*Bzzt* Bzzt*

'Eren, I need to speak with you urgently. A matter of great importance.' The message came from Baelor.

"An emergency quest? What's happened?" Emiko quizzed as she too got the message.

"Don't know. Can I leave the boys in your capable hands Lady Emiko?" Eren asked, and it was an easy answer.

"Of course, Mr. Heart. You go see what that lovely Baelor wants. I'll look after the boys."

*Clap*

"Oi. You're all to eat, but, once you've finished your food, I want you all training until Lady Emiko dismisses you. Am I clear!?" Eren boomed, a powerful voice that carried the throughout the school grounds.

"Yes, sir!" The boys shouted, running over to sit with their rice balls. Lady Emiko watched with an amused smile and a shake of her head.

Eren arrived at Baelor's office. A dour look wore across the fair skin of the elf.

"What happened?" Eren asked, a slight worry crossing into his voice. Another man sat in the office. This one looked far more ragged. Thin and gaunt. A receding hair line, and a set of thin glasses that rested on the tip of the nose.

"Please tell Mr. Heart what you just told me." Baelor spoke with the gravitas that was uncharacteristic of the usual warm and caring tone.

"Y-yes, boss!" Hayato spoke up, bowing slightly towards Baelor before speaking. "W-we were ambushed... In a blue gate by g-goblins. I-I was the only one that managed to escape. The other four... I don't know what they did to them. But, the big green one... He said to send a message to the master. 'Bring the thumbstick. And our guild will return.' I-I didn't understand. Please forgive me for my failure." He bowed again, this time a full 90-degree bow. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his face an expression of terror.

"It's alright, Hayate. You didn't fail us. Please leave and recover in the barracks." A gentle smile from the elf. Gentle words and a soft hand gesture.

"Thank you, boss." Hayate bowed before leaving. His legs still trembling.

"Goblins? In a blue gate?"

Eren was unfamiliar with the species of goblins; outside of what fantasy media had told him. Were they a common monster in blue and green gates?

"Yes, foul creatures, born from a pit of deep despair and nettle. A thorn in my people's side for countless millennia. They are one of the most numerous and widespread races. Their breeding cycle is like that of rabbits. Mating with other species gives them boons unique to the other races. Elves, dwarves, trolls, the list goes on. I fear that our guild members may be in line for a dark fate if we do not hurry."

"But they want a thumbstick? Why would they ask for something like that?" Eren was puzzled; why a thumbstick of all things.

"I suspect they would like this one." From within Baelor's desk drawer, a black case thumbstick was retrieved.

"Furthermore..." He loaded it into his computer.

"...What is within the drive is their goal."

Baelor loaded it onto the monitor in front of Eren. A video began to play.

"Is this...?" Eren's eyes went wide. Anger boiled away within himself. Evidence of barbaric crimes and a mountain of evidence of corruption and conspiracy.

"Turn it off."

"I assume that the goblins are middlemen. They must be working for someone else."

Eren was perceptive enough to know that the goblins wouldn't care about this information. So, the conclusion that these little green creatures were sent to retrieve the drive made more sense. Whoever gave the order to retrieve the drive, and then somehow knew the location of the drive. That was a mystery that would be explored later.

"Agreed. I suspect that they would want this to prevent their secrets from being leaked. Perhaps something to ask Reiji. But, Leave him to me. For now, I need the Reaper. I need you to bring our members back." He spoke; a serious expression, one with a dark shadow that hung over the handsome elf's face. His eyes grew cold, and a fire raged behind them.

"It will be done."

"Thank you. Remember Eren, if we want to save them from a grim fate, you'll have to be efficient in recovering them."

Eren took his leave. The Reaper will have to spread his shadow beyond the realms. Fear would come for the goblins.