Chapter 12 - A Prophecy?

"A multiplying army would not function without a goblin leading them. Right, Goblin Queen?"

The two goblin generals standing beside the queen and its throne snarled as if they are trying to talk back with her. Then, they took a stance, preparing themselves to make a counter or make a move against Christa. But, the goblin between them gestured to both of them, preventing them to take further action. Then...

"I didn't think one of those high-rank adventurers who are blinded with a huge sum of money from another quest would actually take one that usually only low and weak adventurers took."

Christa was taken aback after hearing the goblin queen talk using a human language.

"You can talk like a normal human, amazing! Even if we figured out that you really are an intellect type of goblin who are able to come up with a method to give you and your followers food continuously, hearing you talk with human language is really unexpected."

Christa replied rather calm and excited to the goblin queen whose army she massacred just a bit ago.

"Also, I'm not a high-rank adventurer, I'm only a Silver. But hopefully, after killing all those goblins I might climb up to ranks."

The goblin queen did not believe the words Christa gave her as no ordinary human nor adventurer would be able to get to her throne while holding a dead goblin with a single hand. Then, Christa showed her the dog tag that proved of her being a Silver ranked adventurer. However, the goblin queen still could not bring herself to believe Christa. And so the goblin queen began to accuse her of being a false ranker.

"False ranker? Me? What's a false ranker?"

One of the few adventurers who deliberately hiding their power to get a low-rank and ended up getting a quest easy enough for them. But those adventurers' true purpose is to just kill monsters who are far weaker than them, such as slaughtering a small group of goblins in their nest. Most of them tend to be a bit cruel and doesn't have any pity towards the ones they kill. They are known to be killers, but most people refer to them as "False Rankers."

Thanks to the goblin general who wields a staff, its magic gave the queen a way to watch Christa slaughtering her army effortlessly. Hence, why she accused Christa of being one of them. Then, Christa began to defend herself of the accusation.

"Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person who only kills for entertainment."

She then points her wooden sword towards the three goblins.

"Since I can talk to you normally, I will take this as an opportunity to ask you a question."

The goblin queen frowned as Christa is about to give speak her question.

"Goblin Queen or a King. A ruler who is capable of keeping control of its goblins as they multiply in numbers, only a great leader could do such a thing. But, no matter what status of a goblin leader is, no matter how quick thinking a goblin is to turn a village into a cattle farm, monsters like you who are cruel and evil in nature cannot just decide to start a farming business and live like a normal human."

Christa glared at the goblin queen. The queen shooked her head as she felt Christa's intimidating stare with bloodlust and killing intent.

"Are you trying to invade a town or something?"

The two goblin generals who seemed to understand Christa have started to groan, as if they are trying to respond to Christa, but they can't use the same language with humans, unlike the goblin queen. The goblin queen gestured at the two to stop them. Then, she answered the question herself.

"Humans kept thinking of us as something to earn a living, they kept treating us as monsters who only think about killing humans and destroying everything we see. They thought they know everything that is happening in this world, they thought they are the most intelligent being in the world... That's where they're wrong. They can't even tell what's happening around them, nor what is about to happen in this world. How pathetic. But it's only natural, humans only cares and thinks about themselves.

Christa remained silent for the time being, while the goblin queen continues to talk.

"Not everyone can do it, but some can see the future."

A normal night to a goblin's nest, the same nest where the current queen is nesting before they turned it into an enclosed castle of the goblins. A shaman who is leading a group of only twenty or so goblins seemed to be completely exhausted and was dead asleep after dealing with its daily activity as a leader. Then, the goblin shaman began to see a vision, a dream. It stands alone in the middle of a forest and in front of the shaman is its group, being slaughtered by humanoid creatures. The goblin shaman could not see them clearly, but they continue to slaughter the goblins who are screeching in pain and are crying for help. The shaman stood there as it watched them being killed one after another.

Fear and terror hinders the goblin to make a move. After killing the goblins, the things who murdered them have started to approach the shaman. The goblin started to shake its body, forcing itself to move, but it was no use. It's like the shaman was locked with chains all over its body, preventing the shaman to move. Then, when the goblin looked forward, the humanoid creatures were standing face to face with each other. With no hope of escaping, the creature took prepares its claw-like arms and kills the shaman. After that, the shaman finally woke up from the nightmare

Out of breath, and sweating all over its body as if it just did an endless sprint, the shaman took its staff and immediately went to tell the other shamans and goblins about the dream it saw.

"A vision, a prophetic dream, the moment I saw it, I knew I had to do something, something to protect us and keep us from going extinct. And to do that, I need to learn and adapt to the ones who are killing every single one of us goblins."

And that is why the female goblin shaman studied the language of the humans, their daily lives, and how they survive, all in order to prepare for the vision she saw. Then, the female goblin shaman became the goblin queen who raised the goblins numbers, to become an army, an army who is now dead, because of Christa. The goblin queen stood up out of her throne, glaring at Christa as it spoke.

"And you who ruined everything I built till now will pay with your life!"

The queen roared, sending a powerful wind towards Christa, aside from her long black hair and clothes waving relentlessly, she did not faze at all, she stood still like a stone in the same spot she stood.

Meanwhile, outside the goblin's nest, Itsuo puts Selene's head and back on the tree to get a rest. After that, he gave each one of the women they rescued a piece of cloth to cover their exposed bodies. At least the parts they don't want to be seen by other people.

"Sorry, this is the only thing we brought."

"It's fine, thank you. And thank you for saving us."

One of the three women replied. Then, they proceeded to take a rest as well. In the meantime,  Itsuo stayed up, staring at the cave intently as he waits for Christa to show up before they move back to the village.

'Once Christa shows up, we will get everyone back in the village. That is if she decided to flee or she managed to kill all the goblins. But if Christa did not appear before long, I'm gonna have to leave her behind.'

It pains him that he can't do anything at all when the goblins confronted them earlier. Knowing his difference to Christa, going back inside to try to help her would instead just make it harder for her. And so, he decided to just believe in Christa, believing that she would come out after exterminating the goblins.

Selene who is lying on the tree, completely exhausted and unaware of the hands slowly moving towards her head, it approaches slowly to avoid being caught by Itsuo. However, when one of the women opened her eyes, she saw the face of the creature who made her into their plaything, the moment their eyes met, she shouted in terror.

"Goblin!"

Itsuo turned his attention behind him and saw the goblin close to Selene. The goblin dragged Selene who is still in a deep sleep away the instant Itsuo saw the goblin.

"You! Give Selene back!"

He shouted as he tried to chase the goblin dragging Selene away, however, three more goblins and a hob one appeared before him, more goblins appeared and targeted the three women. It was then Itsuo realized the words Christa told him meant.

"Be careful once you get outside."

Inside the cave, one of the two goblin generals moved swiftly on the attack towards Christa. And with its giant, sharp blade, it swung its sword towards her, making her dodge by flying in mid-air. However, when it saw her in the air, the goblin general jumped almost immediately to follow her, the goblin was incredibly fast despite its size, thanks to the staff wielder who enhanced the goblin's strength and speed with its magic. And with great strength, it kicked Christa down to the ground.

It then followed her and continued its barrage of attacks. After a furious and relentless assault towards Christa, the goblin finally stopped, completely out of stamina to even stand with both its legs. It really did gave every ounce of its strength just to kill Christa in that attack.

"A prophetic dream, unknown creatures killing other monsters..."

The goblins grunted in shock as they heard the voice of the girl they thought was dead. The dust slowly disappeared, revealing Christa completely unharmed as she began to levitate while being surrounded with flames. Suddenly, both arms of the goblin gladiator have been cut out of the blue.

"That sounds really interesting."

She then stabbed the gladiator through its heart, eventually, the goblin general died. The staff wielder gave out a roar of anger as it attempted to use another magic. Then Christa severed its head, she did it once again with the speed that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Shivering in fear, the goblin queen watched her two henchmen die in front of her.

"Curse you!"

The goblin queen shouted its battle cry and began to make a giant ball of lightning with both its hands.

"Die!"

The queen then throws the lightning sphere directly at Christa. After hitting her, the sphere then shoots electric currents around the room, making the walls and the ceiling crumble with every hit.

Even so, the sphere that seemed to be strong enough to kill at least more than a dozen humans, was not effective against Christa. Not even a scratch can be seen from her body.

"Lightning magic... if Angelika were to throw that to me, I'd be toast."

The goblin queen could not believe Christa's toughness, it's like she's not even a human. Once again, Christa attacks swiftly, slicing every part of the queen's body. Then blood stained her clothes once more.

"Ah... my clothes got even dirtier."

The goblin queen screeches as her body twitches from the pain she received. She then began to spit blood, slowly, she fell on her knees and could not get herself up and sit on her throne proudly. Christa then approached the goblin, kicking it to make its back lie on the ground. She then points her wooden sword closely at its heart, ready to thrust it at any second. But before she could do it, the goblin spoke in stuttering and stammering tone.

"You... You don't know... What is coming... Something far sinister... Than evil itself... Is on its way... And you humans... Will not be able to protect yourselves..."

The goblin queen laughed obnoxiously as she gave her last words. Then, with a thrust in its heart, the goblin queen meets its end in Christa's hands.

"So much for prophecies. But if those thing ever come here, I will surely fight them."