Arrows flew and pierced through the necks and heads of the goblins. These were the arrows that Red Rage had been told to retrieve from the archer that Skullius had killed in the hut earlier.
The poison smeared on the arrow heads didn't have any effect on the Black Scorn Clan goblins, but the pointy ends did the trick.
As death was running around with a scythe among the goblins, most noticed the assault and turned to see the silhouette of the short figure that immediately jumped down from its position and returned to the 'safe' interior of the hut.
As soon as Red Rage came down, Skullius gripped him by the head, his socket flames burning with rage-filled intensity.
"You...!"
Red Rage shrank back from Skullius' gaze.
"What were you thinking?!"
Red Rage pointed in the direction of the goblins and made a fist gesture, his arm quivering.
"You just wanted to kill them?"
Red Rage nodded.
"That's it?"
Red Rage nodded fiercely.
"BRO, GO FLESH YOURSELF!"
Skullius was extremely disappointed, not to mention enraged!
However, he didn't forget to use the staff to collect the Null Life Essence from all the goblins that Red Rage had killed.
"We're leaving...now!"
Skullius grabbed the short Apostle and ran out of the hut with him.
Vijak who was being treated looked in the direction of where the arrows came from and then turned to one of the goblins that remained at his side, addressing him.
"Go find out what's going on. Kill anyone you see."
The goblin nodded and rushed towards the direction along with a few others. They split as they sought out the enemy whom they assumed was a Bloated River Clan survivor.
Skullius weaved through the huts with Red Rage in tow.
As he ran, he couldn't help but clack his teeth in anger. He looked at Red Rage and for a moment he remembered that this guy had been a nemesis of his... for a couple of minutes.
Yesterday.
Now, he had no choice but to run for it. He knew that he would be in trouble if he were to be identified as an undead. These goblins could stop fighting among themselves and hunt him down first. VOW bro had made it perfectly clear how much undead were despised after all.
The consequences would be dire if he were to seen.
Atrocious even.
Therefore he had run away before...
"UNDEAD! OH DEAR! THERE'S UNDEAD HERE! AARRGHHHH! IT'S AN ARMY! HAVE MERCY! THEY ARE GOING TO KILL ME! ARGHHHH!"
...!
An injured goblin who was leaning against the side a broken down hut screamed at the top of its lungs upon seeing Skullius and Red Rage rush by!
It yelled hysterically with a loud voice that was unbefitting of its state.
Skullius paused for a moment, barely believing what was happening.
Red Rage acted quickly and shot the goblin in the head, but the damage was already done.
'Any army?! What's wrong with this goblin?! Gah! I hope no one heard,' Skullius thought before he resumed his sprint.
But of course someone heard.
Everyone heard.
Physics bent just to spite the Boneman.
From either side of him, weaving through the cluster of huts, came the figures of the goblins that were rapidly closing in!
'Things were going well so far! What's with this selectively atrocious luck?!'
Skullius turned to Red Rage again.
Why was it that all the highlights of his bad luck featured this partially loyal sockethole?
Skullius accelerated to his limit.
Soon, he saw the edge of the settlement where the steps were located.
The goblins that had been told to find the enemy got a clearer view of the figures of Red Rage and Skullius.
A glaring skull, flickering flame in the sockets, bony limbs.
...!
One of them immediately made a U-turn and rushed to inform the other goblins while the others paused in fear.
Meanwhile, the goblins who had been charging at the three remaining Bloated River clan members halted as they had heard the boisterous voice of the goblin who had yelled.
"Undead?"
The goblins shook and started faltering.
The mention of undead was a mortifying thing in the Tremur Forest as there was a grand history involving these malicious creatures.
Through the tens thousands of years of its history, the Tremur Forest had been ravaged by the undead an uncertain number of times. The stories from olden beasts persisted, fractured and unclear, but they were true. So true in fact, that they diffused into the very essence of the Tremur, getting passed on through more potent means than word of mouth.
The fear of these creatures was deeply rooted in every creature within the Tremur Forest as during the times of invasion, it was said that all the beasts of the forest joined forces to fight, the tradition of this occurrence being carried down as a sort of mystical treaty that was engraved in their bones and blood.
Vijak frowned and so did the other Tier 2 goblins.
"We have to pause our feud. Earlier, I had been about to lead a group of goblins to investigate a report on undead. Let us look into this first," Shirota said as he gazed at Vijak and then at the goblin he had been fighting, Tikika.
Vijak was silent for a while, deliberating on what to do.
Could it be a ruse?
There was a possibility, but if it turned out to be true...
The goblin who had rushed to inform his clan leader appeared and explained to Vijak with a terrified expression on his face.
Vijak frowned even deeper than before.
"It seems it's true. We'll hold off on our fight and chase them down. Apparently they are fleeing. There may be more of them," Vijak said hesitantly.
Shirota nodded and vigilantly backtracked to Ukur.
"It's better if you stay here. Escape with Shmeija if possible."
Ukur nodded.
Soon, the goblins who had been slaughtering each other began rushing in one direction, Shirota and Tikika included.
Three of the goblins from the Black Scorn Clan remained, Vijak among them as he would not leave a window for Ukur to escape again.
Shirota noticed but chose to leave it be. The only threat among the remaining goblins would be Vijak anyway. He trusted that Ukur would be able to take care of himself.
...
Skullius was already a distance away, running for his life when he heard the movements behind him. Numerous goblins were rushing towards him with zealous intent.
They were still far, but what scared the doomed ghost out of him were the two figures in the lead, bolting with immense speed and rapidly approaching!
"FLESH YOU, RED BRO!" Skullius cursed Red Rage who kept up his pace and then...
[Apostle 'Red Rage' has activated the skill 'Dash in Dust']
Red Rage's short figure flickered out of existence for a moment before he appeared several meters away, sprinting much faster than his master!
"Get back here, you traitor!" Skullius barked.