Kapitel 57: The Goblin Den
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Ultimately and after long hours of struggle, the search has made it to the Goblin Den.
And a skirmish broke out.
The Goblins with their terrain advantage, home base superiority, and guerilla tactics against the Humans with their unstoppable armor, magic, and formations.
"Secure the cave's entrance, don't let a damn goblin go in or out. Deploy the wooden defenses and get over with the barricades. I want it all ready in less than five minutes."
Aside from his usual cool and assertive domineer, the Crown Prince showed the ability of leadership and the understanding of tactical knowledge in this time. His assaults on the goblins were all very accurate and he expected every time they would try to launch an attack on him.
He used many Goblins as hostages by hanging them from the top of the pikes. Once the goblins try to sneak on him, the hanged goblins would act frantically and expose their kin which was both sinister and effective planning.
But that had to meet a halt. The goblin stronghold in the forest wasn't something anyone could just waltz through and the reason is Darkness.
Humans fear the Dark, every monster knows that. Humanoid Monsters with high intelligence, such as Goblins, have defensive measures installed through their Sorcery and Shamanic traditions some of which evoke a terrible spell such as Darkness.
Darkness spreads like smoke, it engulfs the light and takes away vision. Under such circumstances, humans are completely blinded while Goblins; who possess the trait of Darkvision; can see through the darkness to a certain degree. In such a situation where the Humans can't see, the Goblins will surely have the ultimate superiority.
The Darkness spell spread around the cave which is the goblins' den and extended to a fair distance of twenty feet outside the cave before reaching the limit of its range. A smokescreen of Darkness and nothing else.
The barricades were sat a fair distance from the cave while a line of tower shields was laid behind it as the students, the mercenaries, and the knights were spread behind it with their ranged weapons. Behind them was a team of well-trained knights holding several jumbo-sized crossbows known as Arbalests that can be called Hand Ballistas.
The Prince would instruct those with the Arbalests to shoot at the darkness each time the hanged goblins show signs of struggle. Still, there was trouble in his paradise.
"What do you mean my Arbalest wasn't found?" The Prince gave his nastiest glares to a soldier who knelt and cowered before him.
"My Liege! I deserve a thousand punishments. During the search, a scoundrel snuck into the Campsite and stole some of our goods. We couldn't find the Black Arbalest in the armory."
"You think I will accept such an excuse?"
The Prince could no longer tolerate what he heard. He stood up and walked over to the kneeling soldier and kicked him back.
His Arbalest was stolen, a very strong war machine that can obliterate through anything. This thing was a reward for rescuing the daughter of Count Monroe who passed his family heirloom to the Prince. Enforced with magic, that weapon can do anything.
"A hundred lashes!" The Prince said, "Fifty to the stupid guards."
He stormed away with his advisors trying to persuade him not to inflict such a punishment on the poor military soldiers but they retreated their pleas immediately when he said that they started to become annoying. Who knows what this Prince may do to those who annoy him?
"Your Highness, the preparations are ready."
"Your Highness, the cleansing spells are prepared."
"Your Highness, the Light Magic scrolls are also ready."
And in this particular moment, three girls popped up surrounding the Prince. His demonic attitude and unspeakable rage from a moment ago suddenly disappeared and he became all smiles with the three girls.
"You must have worked hard, the three of you." He said as he patted the ginger head of the shortest of the three.
"Yes, Your Highness. We worked really hard."
In this harmonious atmosphere in the middle of the critical operation, a pair of green cold eyes kept watching the Prince's every movement and his behavior in a mixture of anger and analyzing.
Archduchess Eleanor was present just behind the scenes or rather mixing herself in the surroundings without making any visible movements. Being the outstanding monster she is, this Goblin hunt can be over by the following hour but as an educator, this was a chance for the young generation to experience hardship.
Still, she doesn't like the Prince one bit. Her nephew, he might be, but he resembles her brother way too much. King August III, her half-brother whom she fought over the throne with, an entity that claims whatever he wants by any means he sees fit.
There is a problem happening in the Kingdom of Amber these days and it involves Honor. The ruling class is slowly shedding itself from Honor and acting like thugs over every little thing. They made their aims justify their means no matter how bloody it was and the reason for that is the policies of the current head of the kingdom, the King.
Getting too deep with the plots of the Temple and the fight between the Ameruse Empire and its public enemies such as the Sultanate and the Republic in the continent's mainland caused the Crowns faction to go after every opportunity and to act like rabid dogs. This behavior which caused them to forget their honor and flip the tables over the old traditions.
Honor, in particular, was in crisis and it was being systematically culled from the hearts of the people as if there's a hidden hand putting its filthy mark over everything it touches and infecting society with a dangerous disease. A disease Eleanor tried to end by becoming an educator but she spectacularly failed.
"Your Highness."
At this moment, a knight approached her. He was a member of the Academy's guards. This Knight was keeping an eye on the Prince and his guards as well as those who were involved in the latest issue.
"Without anyone knowing, take those poor guards away then return to the camp and relocate each one of them to a new post. Send some to the city guards, others to the escort service. Make sure they are well compensated and use my name if you have to." Eleanor instructed.
"By your orders." The Knight bowed and retreated.
Lashing poor soldiers for mistakes that weren't theirs was a type of cruelty unfit of a senior member of society. That's the kind of Honor that Eleanor strived to reseed in those children once again.
"Headmistress."
Yet at this time when Eleanor was consumed by thinking, a certain student approached her with a greeting full of etiquette and balance.
"Miss Nora. You need something?"
Even though Eleanor blended in the background almost perfectly, this sharp-eyed girl was still able to find her.
"Your Highness is still escorting us despite how late it has become. I have no need for anything but to admire the dutifulness of our headmistress." Nora Frye said.
That girl is Leon's friend last time Eleanor checked. She's a girl who always carries a smile which adds to how gorgeous she is. Still, she has that attractive mature atmosphere that Eleanor hoped her daughter would develop.
"It's alright." Eleanor replied and kept to herself.
"If you don't mind me asking, your Highness… any news of Leon?" Nora asked.
"Huh?" Eleanor almost had a ridiculing smile on her face.
She wanted to say "Isn't it all your damn fault?" but she only gave Nora a cold stare. Surprisingly, that girl was as thick-skinned as they can get, almost impressing Eleanor.
"I don't know." Eleanor replied in the end as she looked far towards the Goblin Den.
"Such a shame! I really had to apologize. I should have been there with him during his time of need as his friend. It is…"
"He's fine." Eleanor said, "A boy like him can survive the poisonous reaches of those with filthy hands."
The Duchess spoke some words that would never come out of a lady as she watched the expressions of Nora Frye twitch significantly before instantly putting back a poker face.
"Light be praised! Poisonous reaches? I hope Leon isn't in any trouble." Nora spoke once again with concern on her face.
"As I said, he will be fine." Eleanor smiled, "I'll make sure of it."
"I see." Nora nodded, "I hope he is happy. What about Miss Alice. I looked forward to seeing her on the Hunt but she is absent."
Nora shifted the subject from Leon to Alive as if trying too bad to get under Eleanor's skin. The Duchess, however, was silent and relaxed. Nora's family is in too deep with the Crowns faction and they gained a lot of popularity lately despite being of lower standing than most of the Second Estate members.
"I hope miss Alice is safe as well." Nora said trying to agitate the duchess into talking but there was no positive response.
"She is." The Duchess replied as she smiled and slowly looked towards the darkness surrounding the goblins' den, "My daughter is on a different league altogether."
Eleanor portrayed the picture of someone who is in total control despite the poisonous words Nora kept spewing. There was a great deal of tension between the two but no matter how Nora tried, Eleanor was very confident for some reason.
"Oh! I seem to have inconvenienced your Highness with my nervous talk. I will take my leave." At that moment, all Nora could do is to retreat.
Eleanor smiled and couldn't help but to feel pity for the foolish girl who wanted to play that girly game with her. Throwing words? Making your opponent nervous? Just the other day, spells and blades were flying towards Eleanor's face as she did which she had to do.
Today, however, is a different story altogether. Eleanor wanted to reseed honor in the hearts of those young Aristocrats but her goal changed overnight. The reason she allowed this hunt to continue this deep into the forest was for one last scheme. Instead of teaching Honor, she'll teach them Fear.
*Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh*
"FIRE BACK!"
*Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh*
An array of projectiles was exchanged between the two parties. The Goblins shooting towards the Humans using their Darkness spell as cover and the Humans shooting back using their fortifications as cover. The Goblins shot desperately and the Humans shot blindly.
"AAAH! My arm!"
And it finally happened, a desperate arrow from the Goblins flew in a flawless arc towards one of the male students resting right in the back of his arm just under the elbow.
The other students felt his agony from the grim-looking arrow but the medics came and escorted him right away.
"Don't you dare falter!" Prince Edward shouted madly as he hit another arrow with the side of his sword, "This is our chance to prove to the older generation that we are their worthy successors. Those mere monsters are nothing but our stepping stone and if you dare fall here, you are nothing but unworthy."
The Prince's words inspired power into his fellow students. He may have seemed harsh but that is the only way to lead the men.
"Spellcasters! Bring an end to that ugly curse!"
The Prince gave a command to the Mage-class students within the ranks and various beams of Mana started striking the black cloud ahead. Three of the students were users of the Light element and they centered themselves in the formation. Following them were the Fire Element users, the Water Element, and finally the Air Element. The Earth Element was practically useless against the Dark Element thus it wasn't included.
The Mana of the Darkness spell started to absorb the other types of Mana vigorously but it wouldn't be easy to break this spell with just that. The Prince knew that the Goblins would try to stop the Humans from breaking the spell thus he kept an eye on the hanged goblins and once they showed agitation, he gave the command.
"Loose Arrows!"
All the Ballistas, Crossbows, Bows, Javelins, and anything ranged was used instantly by the non-Mage students. From behind that Dark cloud, many sounds of flesh being torn and screams echoing with pain were all heard.
"Keep going! Pour in all your effort! Just a little bit fur…"
*Swoosh* *Swoosh* *Swoosh*
And as he was in the middle of all this and that, three bolts rushed exactly towards the three students casting Light Magic.
"DUCK!"
The Prince noticed them and jumped ahead, catching the first two girls while the last boy who was casting the Light Magic flew backward with a trail of blood left in the air.
Immediately, all the students stopped casting their magic and aiming their weapons to take shelter behind their shields.
"What was that?" Eleanor who saw the projectiles just now almost went pale.
Three crossbows fired almost instantly from the goblins' den. The level of the marksmanship was almost transcendent.
Seeing the student who wasn't saved by the Prince still screaming and begging for help, the medics moved under the defense of the warriors and started moving him behind the rocks immediately.
That was close… so close.
An enemy of such a level of marksmanship is without a doubt a threat that won't be handled like other goblins. If it wasn't for the fact that the Prince was right behind the two girls and he was focusing on the enemy movements, this would have turned into a much worse situation.
But Eleanor couldn't understand why this archer would miss. The last arrow hit the shoulder of the student he hit rather than a vital spot… something doesn't feel right about this.
In these situations, the Headmistress would personally step up and make sure the students are safe but the situation escalated yet again.
Something flew out of the Darkness cloud and traveled a hundred feet between the cloud and the students' barricade before rolling on the ground and turning facing them.
"Kyaaa!"
"Holy shit!"
The thing made the students shiver despite the hardship and death they saw in the last few days but this was the end of the line for most of them. A monster's corpse may be a disgusting business but what rolled in front of them was a head… a Human's Head.
And not once but twice again, two heads flew out of the Darkness and rolled down like the first.
How? When? How and When did the Goblins kill those humans?
"Your Highness! Your Highness! Terrible news!" A soldier ran inside the camp huffing for breath and breaking the cold silence.
The Prince could only turn to him with wide eyes.
"Your Highness… the supply team was hit by a raid." The soldier said as he pointed back towards the forest, "The goblins sat everything on fire."
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