"Don't open the apartment door to strangers under any circumstances okay?"
Klein and Neil were ready as they were ever going to be, as the two were just about to head out. Leaving Amari home alone wasn't the best of ideas, but both didn't see any other options as of yet. For now, they'll need to go out and buy some potions, and they knew just the place.
"Stop putting pressure on her Klein, but..." Neil paused for a moment, seeing that Amari still looked worried about them.
"Maybe it'd be a good idea to listen to him, Amari..."
I don't want our first outing to end in utter failure... Neli sat with Amari explaining this to her, hoping that she'd understand why they had to go. To their relief, she understood completely, hugging Neil before Klein closed the door.
"Laters Amari, hold the fort down while we're gone!"
Luck was something they'd hardly need for this mission, just a bunch of potions in case something went wrong. Klein had already managed to borrow swords from Florence, who seemed unusually adamant on the two using them. He soon felt a tap on his shoulder, turning to Neil.
"So, where are we heading out first?"
"Not yet, we still need to buy some potions." Neil checked his small satchel to see the four potions already inserted, bought from Florence the day before. Since it was early, one of them would have to take a shift and work with the alchemist.
Florence would've preferred it be all three, including Amari. They would have to decide that at a later time, because for now the brothers were heading out on their first-ever assignment.
Killing goblins.
It's been a long time... When will they return...? Amari was starting to feel uneasy, her heart aching a bit every time she looked outside. It had been hours since the brothers had gone off on their first quest, leaving her in charge of taking care of the house.
That's the thing, what is there to take care of?
The beds were fixed, the kitchen was clean, and everything looked spotless thanks to the brothers. Did they not trust her? Amari was seated alone on the couch, feeling lonely as time seemed to drag on as she sat there. The sound of vibrations caused her ears to perk, the demi-human turning to the noise in surprise.
What is that? Her curiosity was peaked, she knew it had come from the bedroom. Making her way to the other end of the room, she saw the pillow Klein had slept on vibrate as Amari went to check it.
"The pillows making weird noises..." She picked it up and begun to shake it, a bit confused as to why when something fell out and hit the wooden floor. She crouched down, grabbing the small case from the ground before bringing it up to her face. It was a black case, with a small string tied around it as she wasn't sure what it was.
The phone vibrated in her hands, causing her to drop it as it fell to the floor once again. Hurriedly picking it up, she opened the case to find the screen lit up with two buttons at the very bottom. Clicking one, the phone went silent once again.
There were several small icons all across the screen, all different colours as Amari sifted through each and every one. She then noticed how the background had people who she couldn't exactly recognise.
She didn't pay any attention to it, as Amari was about to experience her first app.
.......
"I'm worried Neil if she finds my photo's-" Neil already raised his hand in Klein's direction, silencing him with a grunt of annoyance. He understands his older brother would be shy about it, but the risk of Amari finding a stash of lewds should be the least of his worries.
He still had to tend to his legs.
During their argument, Klein felt something in his right leg crack. Almost as if he had broken a bone, as Neil massaged his leg as they sat alone on the side of the trail. "Klein, are you sure you want to do this? I can think of something on my own."
"Don't bother talking me out of it," He said. We both know you can't handle a camp full of goblins, at least not yet..." Klein was sure to make sure their first mission would be a success. Neil didn't want to think about what would happen if blood got on him. Besides, he had never killed anyone before, and this would mark his first time.
Both were in the same boat.
"They said if we keep heading north of Graela we'll reach a tree with an X carved onto it. From there we'll head east and find a cave with the supposed goblins right outside." Neil went over the scroll that they had taken, with Klein limping beside him as they made their way to the location.
Passing the X and continuing through the forest, the brothers soon found themselves jumping behind a bush. Peeking through, they saw something very disgusting . . .
The two could hear cries coming from behind some of the tents set up, the campfire lighting up the night. At the centre of the campfire, women… Strapped to pieces of plank and being raped, several goblins everywhere as they lusted over them.
Cries and whimpers could be heard, at when Klein looked at one of the far trees laid several bodies. Observing from metres away, he could somewhat make out a male body.
Those must be the men... At least they took some goblins with them... Klein took notice of the other bodies that laid on the outer area of the tents, rotting corpses as he urged himself not to vomit. He'd make sure they'll finish what the others could not.
"This is unreal..." Neil felt so disturbed by seeing this, he knew that if he came out and attacked now, things wouldn't go as smoothly. Even more, they both could die, getting overwhelmed and suffering a very brutal death. Neil felt his insides begin to feel sick, slowly leaning forward about to puke at all the blood and gore.
Instead, he was met with a slap to his stomach from his brother, indicating not to puke right next to him.
Looking to his brother for some sort of guidance, what he found was only a perplexed expression. Klein was trying to decipher a plan of some kind. Try as he might, he couldn't think of anything to help them, unless…
"Neil, you got any ideas?"
Wha- Me?! Neil was astounded, glaring at his brother as he sat there bewildered at the sight. Judging by his disturbed expression, this mostly surpassed his expectations of what a goblin hunt would look like.
Taking note of the fact that its night-time, Neil quickly devised a plan that could work out. "Maybe... We can cause a distraction...?" He calmly answered, the two crouching down thinking about that plan. Klein didn't seem that impressed, as he disagreed with his plan.
"We're outnumbered two to twenty. Pretty sure we'll be slaughtered."
"Klein, they're just goblins." Neil sat there quietly as Klein put his hand on his brother's shoulder. His pale expression soon turned to one of irritation, his face soured as he pointed through the bush with his other hand.
"Then why is that happening?" That one line laced with such venom caused Neil to shut up. Apologetic as his older brother's face was reddened in anger. It faded as quickly as it came, as Klein released his grip as his arms drooped to his side.
Just then, an ingenious idea had just popped up into Neil's mind. Although it was likely to work, both were opposed to the idea. But it was the safest plan, so Neil watched his brother reluctantly nod in agreement as the two sat down together.
Biding their time, the brothers would sit through an hour of whimper and scorn before the goblins would fall asleep. It felt like several more, as they had to bear with the weak screams and struggles before it was time.
.......
It's time... Klein and Neil slowly got out from their hiding spots, sneaking towards the camp as they avoided the bodies surrounding them. It was time for their plan to go into action, they'd only hope things would work out perfectly.
"Over here Klein, we'll kill this one here." The two brothers were standing above one such goblin, fast asleep and unaware of them. Neil could feel himself sicken as he accidentally smelt the breath of it while crouched down.
Here we go... Klein brought out a knife, moving it towards the goblin's neck as Neil put on his gloves. The plan was to make their way around, killing every goblin inside and outside of the tents. They chose this quest because it was the only decent one for copper-plates, still being at the bottom in regards to rank.
"One... Two... Three-"
Neil's hands had already wrapped around the goblin's mouth as it woke up. Struggling to break free, its muffled screams were easily silenced by the knife plunged into its stomach. After a few seconds, Klein watched the monster slowly stop moving as it's grip on his arm loosened.
One down, nineteen to-go...
The process had remained pretty much the same, with Neil and Klein taking turns as they each got used to the smell of blood. The thought of taking a life creeped them out, but by the tenth body, they seemed more relaxed. Klein didn't ignore the motionless bodies strapped to poles near the campfire, an image he wouldn't want to see.
He'd make sure the survivors would be ok, a silent promise Klein made to himself.
"Take a look there." Klein pointed to the last tent near the bodies of the remaining adventurers, covering their noses as they headed inside. There they were met with the last few goblins, with Neil nodding to Klein as they crept closer.
Repeating the same actions as before, Klein had wrapped its arms around the goblin as it struggled to breathe. Neil was about to stab the goblin, it's knife inching closer to its neck as panicking.
Neil saw when a fire started to envelop the goblin's hand, with Klein still holding onto it.
"Let go of it-" Neil's shout was enough to alert both Klein and the remaining goblins, as it's hand soon lit up in a fiery explosion inside. The sheets covering the tent blew apart as everyone inside was sent flying out onto the ground.
One of the women had woken up, spotting one of the adventurers landing near her.
Neil had started to sweat up as he began looking around the camp, not having spotted his brother who had suddenly disappeared from the fog in front of him. "OVER HERE!" Neil heard a shout coming from the other side of the smoke, as footsteps would soon grow quieter as the seconds rolled by.
"I have to help him...!" Neil had to act fast, picking up his sword and knife as he readied himself for a fight. He wasn't sure what Klein was planning, but he was going to be prepared this time. Grabbing pulling out a match, he was about to make a fire when he heard a whisper from the side.
"W-Wait..." Neil paused, turning back to one of the poles as one of the women tried once again, to free herself from her restraints. Her body was bare for Neil to see, causing him to look away out of respect. "Please..." She said, with Neil coming to her side as he pulled out a knife.
It sickened Neil, to sit there for that time waiting for the opportunity to strike. It pained his heart as she was starting to cry, realising that she might be free. "You're going to be ok now, just-"
What could only be described as a shrieking battle-cry, was heard from the dispersing smoke. Freeing the lady, Neil dropped his satchel and turned to the sound. Two goblins had already begun charging at them, Neil was slightly shaken as he jumped back with his sword faced forward.
He was ready for a fight, albeit a bit shook.
"Oh shit-" Trying to get his breathing under control, he ducked as the first tried to dive onto him. His heart-rate was skyrocketing, as he kept his attention on both of them as he decided to rush the second. Neil gasped and flipped his body, narrowly avoiding an arrow as the second goblin had a bow on-hand.
He wouldn't give that monster any more chances, pushing himself from the ashy floor as Neil sprinted towards the second. It panicked as the hooded goblin tried to take out something from its pocket. "No, you don't!" Neil said, plunging his knife right into its stomach.
Repeatedly stabbing it, the goblin began wildly flailing attacks at Neil while any sense of life faded from its red eyes. The bow it was holding flew out of his hands and slid behind Neil as he finally stopped.
The rush of killing a person was getting too much for him, Neil sat over the corpse in silence. He was trying to get ahold of himself, as a weird sensation came over his head and down to his body. He didn't like this feeling, slowly getting up as he took his knife out.
"One down, one to-" Neil didn't have time to break as he looked back to the women, only to see a goblin inches away from his neck. He only had a split-second to force his body to the side, trying to raise his sword to block as it crawled over the blade.
Oh, shit- His thoughts were interrupted at the sound of a vicious snarl, following a sharp pain on his right soldier.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAGGHHHHHHH!!!" Neil cried out in pain as the goblin mercilessly begun clawing at his side, as he struggled to reach for his knife after getting tackled. Both were rolling around on the floor, as Neil tried to move in the direction of the knife. His sword was too long, so he could only keep bashing it against the unrelenting goblins head.
He felt his right arm was going numb, that one goblin slashed and tore through his right side. Neil screamed as he forced his left hand with all its might for one punch, striking its nose as the goblin finally let go of his shoulder. "Agh..! Frick.." Neil muttered out, he was beginning to doubt his survival.
It wouldn't be too long before the creature would get up again, and Neil wasn't sure he could go for another fight. He was starting to get fearful, grabbing the knife with his left hand, his right arm unresponsive.
"I need a plan, my arm hurts so much...!!! "Neil said, trying to move his arm but to no avail. He was getting scared, and his pale expression would've undoubtedly shown that. Gripping his knife, he felt himself stutter in his step as the goblin once again charged at the rookie adventurer.
Only for an arrow to pierce right through the side of its head, as Neil was too fixated to notice the lady from before. His fixation on dying stopped, turning to the woman who was kneeling with her hands-free from the binds. She had fired the bow and hit it right on the target.
"T-Thanks for the assist..." Neil let out, before falling to the floor himself. He was lucky he had a potion, seeing that the lady in the nude approached him with his satchel. "Hold still, okay...?" She said, bringing out one of the potions from his satchel.
"I'm gonna tip this onto your arm, you ready?" Neil whined as he heard that, assuming the worst as she helped set his body upright. The now healed woman spoke in a serious tone, ignoring her current appearance as she tended to the wounded adventurer.
"K...Klein... I have to..." Neil spoke in mumbles, the light fading from his eyes as she slowly tipped it on his bleeding shoulder. His face scrunched up as the women spoke to him one more time, the green liquid about to drop onto his open wound.
"Brace yourself."