The forest was relatively peaceful in the morning today when my compatriots and I woke. We had gotten up and gathered our supplies, and headed out to complete our contract. Forests covered every where you looked in this beautiful mountain range. Our contract took us here to the Hamlet Mountain Range. Home to the many small villages that are spread out among here. Homes for the village folk of the Laguirrian Kingdom.
Not only that, but this mountain range held the target place of our contract. The Ruins Of Randere. We were told it might get hard going towards here from the Tasker. Which it was but we had gotten so close to the ruins now, that it was practically in sight. It only took us the better part of a week to get here on horse back, and four days from the nearest stable to get here. Due to the terrain, horse travel through here would just be redundant.
It had been challenging to get to this point, but it was an easy day from now on. Supposed to be at least. Sadly, however, that wasn't the case. We had noticed eight shabby looking goblinoids stalking us from afar. At first they observed, but then they threw caution to the wind and struck. Even though they were vastly under skilled, their unrelenting attacks and utter disregard to themselves, was a little bit more difficult to deal with.
That's alright, though. It wasn't rare to run into a goblin group like this. They were not organized, and had no skills to threaten the group. This would be good training for us. For these goblins to offer themselves as free targets... there isn't any kinder thing one could do for mercenaries. Besides free money... Back to the current time now, a glaive could be seen slamming into a goblin, and sending it to the side as the goblin had managed to sneak up on the towering man it was fighting.
"Leona's Mercy! This was supposed to be an easy day!" A man, who looked to be in his early thirties, exclaimed. Axis was his name. He's actually 24 years old though. With his beard fully grown and the stress turning parts of his hair grey early, making him to look like he was an old timer, was just part of the job.
Wearing standard mercenary gear with nothing but a pack on his back, he could be said to be traveling light. He had to be though since he lugs that giant glaive around.
Spent near all his money from the last couple contracts to get that weapon. Sword cuts along with a whole other assortment of old scars on his tanned skin made him out to be a threatening presence to most.
He's honestly just a big owl bear though. Ignoring the fact that he just cleaved through a goblin wearing chest armor, he could be mistaken for a…. Who is he jesting? He's just intimidating looking.
"Axis! Left side in three!" A female yelled. Axis hearing that ducked to his right immediately as not even a second passed by before hearing the sound of "Grrrghg," as a goblin grasps it neck where a nice deep cut appeared. Blood futilely being kept by a single green hand grasping its throat to stop the bleeding.
Standing right behind the goblin, back facing its back, our tracker stood. Hairs and face tucked away in that hood that covered her head. Her equipment was mainly just her blade that she had held in her left hand. Aside from the crossbow that is usually slung at her waist, she had not much other protection besides that singular chest plate that covered her upper back also. Her blade spun in a flourish, getting rid of the goblin blood, then steadied. Ready for its next victim.
"God Talia! I thought you said three!" Angered, Axis yelled as he readied himself against any other possible threats by getting into a patrol file that us three had ingrained into our brains.
Almost as quick as she came and sliced that goblin, she responded calmly. "You ducked before I could count to it. Not like it was your neck I got."
"I swear on Leona's Mercy, Ryker," Oh boy, he used my name. "Where'd you find this kid again?"
"I'm not a kid." We started moving forward in the forest, as Axis came back with, "yes you are."
"You're not that much older then me," she said to him.
"I'm older then you by four years. You're a kid."
"Not in maturity," and just before Axis could respond with something else, I yelled at them with my back facing the center of the patrol file.
"I swear y'all two choose the absolute inappropriate times to bicker. Y'all are BOTH kids, how's that sound."
"Right, I forgot you're the old man here, Ryker. What's it? Closing in on thirty right?" Axis laughed as he prodded at my age, looking over his shoulder towards me.
Rolling my eyes, "At least I don't look it." I could see his right eyebrow twitch just before he faced forward again.
That elicited a good giggle from Talia. I didn't look close to it actually. More similar to the type of light armor that Talia was wearing, I was wearing the same set of gear essentially, yet instead of the the chest plate, I had a shoulder guard that covered my right shoulder. In my hand, was my blunderbuss. People that see me on the side of the street would probably just believe I'm an upstart new mercenary, had they not seen the silver emblem that was pinned to my chest.
Apparently still a little sore, Axis mumbled, "That's 'cause you're a half-" His words were cut short as we heard a whistle coming from behind us.
Appearing in the tree top we had passed under, another man appeared on a branch. One that differed from everyone else here in appearance as he was Ratfolk.
"Goblin Platoon. A mighty large one, due east. Will be here in half an hour, at the earliest," his whiskers shook as the grey furred Ratfolk spat out.
"Shit."
"Leona's Mercy."
Feelings were the same all around as I looked at our furry companion. You could see the weariness in his good left eye, as he must have used all he had to get here to tell us this. Even his right eye is closed shut entirely now, completing that scar that ran down from the top of his head down to the bottom of his right eyelid.
'Platoon...' I thought to myself. When you give goblins an size element it meant one thing. Contemplating any courses of action with my head down, I heard Talia start to speak.
Voice even, "Ymar... Race and type." There was a pause before he responded. "Sigh... Hobgoblin, red skinned. Mage type."
Axis drew a sharp intake of breath as Talia faced towards me. Her green eyes the only sight you could see from her hood and mask.
Nodding my head, I told everyone, "Accept the message. We are going to need to be at top shape. We can't just be training no more."
[Talia has invited you to join her party]
[Accept or Ignore]
Seeing the familiar message, I clicked accept.