Chapter-7:The Cave

The dense jungle pressed in around Edwin, the heavy foliage making each step more difficult as he ventured deeper into the forest. Through the thick branches, he spotted it: the massive goblin with the sword that glowed a faint red. It stood at a distance, its large frame visible through the trees, watching him with a ferocious glare.

Edwin cursed under his breath, his heart racing. He turned and bolted, hoping to gain some distance, but the goblin was right behind him. The ground trembled with each step of the monster as it closed the gap between them. The air around him felt thick and oppressive, the atmosphere charged with an eerie tension as the goblin's footfalls grew louder and more rapid.

With a roar, the goblin swung its massive sword with brutal force. The blade glinted red as it arced through the air, and Edwin barely ducked in time, the sword slicing through a nearby tree trunk like butter. The tree split and fell to the ground, the impact shaking the earth beneath his feet.

Edwin's heart pounded in his chest as he scrambled to his feet, trying to stay ahead of the relentless creature. Every fiber of his being screamed for him to keep moving, but the goblin was gaining. The forest seemed to narrow around him, the trees pressing in, creating an almost suffocating barrier.

He glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the goblin's grotesque face twisted into a cruel grin. It was enjoying the chase. The sword glowed brighter now, its malevolent light casting long shadows across the jungle floor.

Edwin's legs burned with exhaustion, but he pushed forward, weaving through the underbrush. He could hear the goblin's massive footfalls thundering closer, the sound of its sword cutting through the air as it prepared to strike again.

A clearing ahead. Edwin's eyes locked onto it. If he could just make it there, maybe he could lose the goblin in the open space. But the goblin was faster than he anticipated. It swung its sword again, and this time, Edwin didn't have enough time to dodge. The sword's edge sliced through the air, cutting into the tree next to him and sending splinters flying in every direction.

Edwin gritted his teeth, feeling the sting of pain as the wood splintered against his skin. But he had no time to dwell on the injury. His focus was solely on survival now.

With a final burst of speed, Edwin reached the edge of the clearing. But as he turned to look, he realized he was trapped. The goblin had closed the distance, and the clearing offered no cover.

The goblin smirked, its eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure as it raised its sword high above its head, preparing to strike down.

"No way out now," Edwin muttered to himself.

The goblin's sword came crashing down, and Edwin closed his eyes, bracing for the inevitable. The sound of the blade slicing through the air was deafening.

Pain shot through his body as the sword sliced cleanly through him, splitting him in two. The last thing he felt was the searing heat of the blade before darkness consumed him completely.

When Edwin awoke, his surroundings were different—he was back in the past. The familiar sight of Gavan standing nearby brought some comfort, but it wasn't enough to calm the anger and frustration gnawing at him.

"Are you alright back th-"

Edwin didn't let Gavan finish. He interrupted him with a sharp demand, "If you want to live, give me that sword and turn tail. There are goblins up ahead."

Gavan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you trying to rob me?!" he exclaimed, clearly frustrated by the sudden shift in Edwin's demeanor. The merchant stepped back, holding tightly to the sword as if he didn't understand the urgency of the situation.

Edwin stood up, towering over Gavan. His height and presence were enough to make the merchant hesitate, but Edwin's tone left no room for argument. "I asked. Do. You. Want. To. Live?" Edwin emphasized each word, his voice growing colder with every syllable. Gavan stood frozen for a moment, the weight of Edwin's words pressing down on him. After a long pause, he reluctantly handed over the sword, his reluctance evident, but the fear in his eyes was undeniable.

"Good. Stay out of my way," Edwin muttered, and with that, he turned and left without another word. Gavan stood there, watching him disappear into the woods, his hand still gripping the sword hilt as if in disbelief.

Edwin's heart raced as he moved deeper into the forest. His instincts screamed at him to be cautious, but he didn't have the luxury of time. He had a job to do. The goblins were his target, and he wouldn't fail again. The sword in his hand felt heavier than before, its weight grounding him, reminding him of the challenge ahead.

He ventured through the dense undergrowth, making sure to stay as quiet as possible. The forest was eerily silent, save for the rustling of leaves in the wind and the occasional snap of a twig beneath his feet. The thought of the goblin's massive sword flashed in his mind, and he felt a surge of determination. This time, he wasn't going to be caught off guard.

Edwin's journey through the jungle was longer than he anticipated. He had no real plan other than to find the goblin's base. He knew it would be a cave, tucked away somewhere in the mountain range. It wasn't long before he spotted the narrow pathway that led to a rocky outcrop. He followed the path carefully, keeping his senses sharp.

The goblin's lair was less grand than he expected. The cave was simple, just a narrow path leading to a hollowed-out space. Edwin crept forward, his heart thumping as he neared the entrance. He peered inside and spotted the goblins—at least fifty of them, their malformed bodies huddled together in the dim light of the cave. They were smaller than he had imagined, their bones thin and frail, their faces twisted in grotesque expressions.

Edwin crouched behind a boulder, watching them carefully. Most goblins were not as weak as these, and it didn't make sense to him. These goblins were malnourished, barely able to hold themselves upright. It was as if they were remnants of a larger clan, survivors of some brutal massacre.

His eyes then flicked to a nearby corner, where a large wooden door-like opening stood. Intrigued, Edwin crept closer and peered inside. What he saw made his blood run cold. Humans. Chained to the wall, some of them barely alive, others showing clear signs of torture and starvation. There were fifteen women and six men, each of them beaten and broken in their own way.

One man, in particular, caught Edwin's attention. He looked like he had once been a warrior, though his muscles had wasted away from lack of food. His eyes locked onto Edwin's, and he spoke, his voice weak and raspy, "A-are you a human?"

Edwin's heart sank, but he couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. "Yes," he replied, keeping his voice steady. "I am a human."

The man's eyes widened, and he struggled to sit up. "R-really! Are you with a rescue team?"

Edwin shook his head, not wanting to reveal the truth. "No. I just... got lost in these woods and ended up in this cave."

The man's hope faded instantly. He lowered his gaze, coughing weakly, as the others around him did the same. They had all heard stories of rescue, but none had come. "Then go... Notify the guild. They'll know what to do."

Edwin hesitated for a moment, but then turned away.

He didn't really come down to save them.He came here to kill goblins.

The quest didn't say which 10 goblins to kill so he came here to kill the weakest 10 goblins he could find.

He wandered through the cave eventually coming across a group of three goblins,maybe on the verge of adulthood.

Quickly he sliced of the head of the first one.

The steel edge of his sword stained with black blood blacker than even It's own blade.

"GRUGHH!!'. The other goblins screamed.

He quickly stabbed the other one in It's chest and moved my blade upwards slicing its shoulder.

He cut It's heart in the process so it died while bleeding.

The other goblin ran but Edwin caught up and sliced It's legs and as it fell to ground stabbed It's heart.

He got up and started searching for other goblins.

It didn't take long to kill 10 goblins.

But whenever he killed one after he had killed 9 of them the same message popped up.

[A certain goblin must be killed in order to complete this quest]

A certain goblin?. Could it be sword wielding one that killed him before?.

Must be that one.

Edwin sighed and made his way to the cave entrance.

He started walking up the narrow entrance and finally got out.

Looking at the sun,he was probably in there for around 2 hours.

He walked into the forest.

Suddenly he felt a giant shadow looming over him.

He looked back at the massive goblin.

It's sword glowing with a faint red light.

It was breathing menacingly and looked angry,really angry.

"Well,is this good luck or bad luck?". Edwin said.

End of Chapter-7