"He is so cool…" Tom mumbled, unconsciously.
"The fuck did you just say?!" Jacqueline yelled, turning to him.
"Uhh nothing! I'm just happy there's someone here for us!" Tom corrected, waving his hands dismissively in front of himself.
"This guy is a psycho! Look at him! He's bloody laughing!" Jacqueline shouted.
Drake turned to the encirclement of Monsters around him, a grin on his face as he snapped his hand, two balls of lightning sparking at the motion, "Theo. Get them out of the cage, take anyone willing to come and then we're leaving, I can only do so much on my own right now."
"Yes sire!" Theodore shouted back, running to the front of the cage, "Tis a lock! It appears there is a need for the key, this one canteth get past whatever is keeping the cage together!"
Natto? Can I just blast the thing open? He asked internally, shooting forward, throwing both orbs of lightning into the crowd of Goblins, the smell of burnt flesh and fresh screams bombarding his senses.
"You could if you wish to kill them all. The Cage is a magic tool, it will collapse on itself if it is forced open. You must find the Jailer with the key," she told him, urgency in her voice.
"Theo! Goblin Jailer, point it out if you see it!" Drake shouted out, running from Goblin to Goblin taking each one, hurling it into the air and out of the vicinity of the cage.
Drake's eyes flared as he searched for the Jailer in the crowd.
[Goblin Footman] Level 15 [F Rank]
[Goblin Footman] Level 14 [F Rank]
[Goblin Footman] Level 18 [F Rank]
[Goblin Butcher] Level 15 [F Rank]
[New Quest! Subjugate 100 Goblin Butchers [F Rank]
[Reward: Experience. F Grade Weapon Box of Your Choice]
[Goblin Shaman] Level 15 [F Rank]
[Goblin Shaman] Level 17 [F Rank]
[Goblin Footman] Level 14 [F Rank]
Drake did a full circle around the cage, getting in close to each Goblin. Forced to use smaller spells and use his hands to perform killing blows.
Although they had come just for Theodore's wife, there were still other people here in the Goblins' massive camp that prevented Drake from using anything too destructive.
Drake flowed through the endless stream of Goblins moving from one to the next, his hands never stopping and his feet constantly on the move, the bodies beginning to pile up forming a small wall around the cage.
"Theo! Jailer!? I have 2 Minutes!" Drake shouted, a sliver of worry inching its way into his chest as he thought of the debuff waiting for him at the end of it.
"This one apologizes! Tis no Jailer in sight my liege!" Theodore yelled back, his eyes desperately scanning the surroundings.
Drake was making his second round around the cage, the green wall piling higher and higher, when a loud thumping came from the other side of it. One that was not the result of Drake.
Multiple thumps began sounding in repetition outside the wall quickly picking up pace. A moment later a part of the makeshift wall burst open as corpses of Goblins flew in all directions, a hulking green figure covered plate mail, an enormous ball and chain in his hands.
[Goblin Jailer] Level 19 [F Rank]
[New Quest! Subjugate 50 Goblin Jailers [F Rank]
[Reward: Experience. 1 Piece of Random F Grade Equipment]
"How the hell did we miss this guy coming in? He's like four meters tall!" Drake laughed exacerbated.
The Jailer roared behind the plated wielder like mask he donned, shaking the surroundings as it wound up its massive ball and chain above its head.
Drake took no time to snap his fingers, casting rapid fire, "On blessed wings. Guardian's Reprieve! I am the shield. I am the rampart. Bulwark!"
Sheens of green passed over Drake in quick succession, his eyes never leaving the hulking metal monster and the small metal object hanging on its neck, bouncing back and forth against its chest.
"I've been wanting to test this one out," Drake smiled wide, his right arm disintegrating, as he held out his palm with his other arm, an orange magic circle forming.
A goopy slow liquid of red, yellow, and red began turning over in Drake's hand, falling through the cracks in his fingers. "I'm going to put some dirt in your eye." Drake closed his hand, the taffy-like liquid receding back into his hand, his hair and tattoo flaring to a bright orange with his transition to his Magma endowment.
Drake bent at the knees, as the Goblin Jailer roared, throwing forward his ball of metal with a loud whoosh, the clinking of metal chains a sharp timbre.
Drake's foot ground into the dirt as he leaned forward his hand at his side, beginning to glow a more potent blue.
The massive ball of metal careened forward, the moment before impact, Drake spoke, "Marked," and shot forward, the sound of a gunshot going off as he did.
The ball shattered in an instant with a loud crash accompanied by the shearing of metal, it falling to pieces in the same position Drake had just been standing.
Appearing in front of the Jailer, Drake's hand was solidly embedded inside the mammoth sized monster.
The large monster tried its best to move its hands to wrap around Drake but was never able to close its grasp. And with a long extended grunt, it fell backwards, the ground shaking as it landed.
Drake's hand covered in blood, but a smile on his face as he opened it up to reveal the small key they needed.
[You have defeated Goblin Jailer [F Rank] Level 20] [20,000 Experience, 3,500 TP awarded]
"How'd that get in there?" Drake scoffed, the smile on his face growing wider.
"Are you impressed with yourself? That movie is like over 15 years old," Natto said, Drake feeling her eyes rolling mentally.
Hey, Bully Maguire is a legend and don't you forget it! Disrespect his name again, and I'm pulling out the dance moves on the next monster. Drake thought, chortling to himself.
"Oh for the love of.. Please no."
Drake looked back to Theodore and tossed the key to him, "Quick Theo, time's almost up for me," Drake said, changing his endowment again to his Water, his hair and tattoo going a light blue, another earthen arm forming in front of him as he slid it back into place, flexing the fingers and hand.
"With all haste my liege!" Theodore shouted, quickly fumbling with the lock, until an audible click rang and he swung the door open, rushing for Harley.
"Harley!" he shouted.
"Theodore you stupid man, why would you risk coming here?!" she shouted back but her smile was reaching her eyes that had begun to pool water.
"This one feared the very day he could not see thou. The very moment we were separated I postured the worst and believed I would never see you again…" Theodore said, his arms wrapping around her, ignoring the stares of the captives around him, "But once I saw thee I beseeched my Lord to assisteth me in saving thee as I was unable. But this one vows I will protect you from now on, never again will the world take you from me as long as I draw breath."
Drake coughed, behind Theodore, "Theo, that was absolutely touching but we need to run. Like yesterday."
Chelsea eyed Drake up and down, "Asshole…"
Drake ignored the woman his makeshift Natto ear's twitching, "Right. Listen up, anyone that wants to come can, anyone that doesnt, can sit here and eventually die or whatever horrible death is coming your way."
A woman in the back spoke up, "Why should we trust you!"
Drake folded his arms, his eyes an eerie blue instead of the gentle crystal blue they were previously, "Did you not see what I just did to those Goblins? You don't have to trust me. I'm offering a way out. Do you want out or not?"
A man this time piped up, "Who's going to go with you psycho!? We just have to wait until Shigure and Bear come and get us!" shouted the man, a few more voices shouting the same behind him.
Drake shook his head, "Look Bear isn't coming and neither is that kid Shigure. Bear and him are protecting the massive number of other people in their camp."
The man that spoke up hesitated to speak but eventually shouted, "You're lying they wouldn't leave us!"
Drake looked over his shoulder seeing the Goblins begin to crawl over the small wall of corpses that surrounded the cage.
"Look, I don't particularly care if you believe me or not. You want to be a prick and stay here fine by me, that's less people I have to deal with and protect on the way back to my outpost before I bring you all back to Shigure anyway. Susmaryosep…" Drake sighed but turned towards the incoming Goblins, "Theo round them up you have 15 seconds," he said before shooting forward the sound of shrieks and metal clashing reaching the captives.
Around the cage people gave each other worried looks, some mumbling amongst themselves. All trying to decide what to do.
Theodore gave Harley a leveled gaze, his hands on her shoulders, "Harley, my love. Lord Shot is a blunt but fair man, he will keepeth us safe until we art able to do so ourselves. Do not doubt his words, and trust in thy dear Theodore's," Theodore looked past her and addressed everyone else in the cage, "We speak no falsehoods, if thou comes hence. With him. He will do his utmost to guard and protect each and every one of you. But wary should thou be, every single one of thy is free to choose of thy own volition."
Harley grabbed Theodore's hand tight and nodded, looking behind her to Chelsea, "Let's go Chels. I trust Theodore, and he trusts the weird man. You want to get back to your group right?"
Chelsea turned to Tom and Jacqueline, her look pensive, but turned back to the determined Harley.
"... Fine, but only as far as the outpost he mentioned. And if he tries anything on the way, we are out," Chelsea explained.
With it settled the group separated into two. Those who were willing to go or desperate to leave the hellish nightmare of the Goblin camp, and those who didn't trust Drake, and weren't willing to leave. Their hope for proper rescue from Shigure and Bear, the ones they really trusted to come to their aid soon.
The latter group was the very small majority, as in one person. The gruff man who had spoken up against Drake was at the back of the cage, sitting down with his arms crossed.
A loud crack of thunder hit the surroundings as Drake reappeared in front of the cage door, "Alright passengers, this is your captain speaking. Time's up and we need to go," Drake spotted the man in the back behind the gathering group, "Hey bro, you coming or you going to just sit there and die alone? Bad leg? Can't run? Or you just like to pretend you're different than all the other scared people in the cage?"
The man's face turned red as he stood up and shouted, "Hey, asshole! Fuck you!"
Drake eyed the man, his eyes flashing yellow, "You seem like a respectably stubborn man, I think it would be a shame if you died here, so how about you come with us, and you can be all the stubborn you want to be in the comfort and safety of an outpost with your lovely cellmates? I promise I have good food."
The man shivered and froze for a moment under Drake's gaze, and not a moment later Drake had moved in front of him like he had with the Jailer, surprising everyone.
Drake leaned forward his hand on his ear, "What's that? You said you want to come now? That's amazing! I'm so glad you decided to change your mind!" Drake shouted as loudly as he could, throwing a punch into the man's abdomen, "Oh no! What happened? You're so happy you get to go with all your school friends you couldn't contain yourself and fell asleep from emotional exhaustion? Understandable," Drake shouted.
Looking around Drake spotted a very disgusted looking woman with rustic hair, and sun kissed skin, parted into two ponytails.
"Hey you, strong looking girl who keeps looking at me like she wants to kill me or spit on me. Carry this guy will you please?" Drake asked, moving to the woman and placing the man on her shoulders.
"Ugh.. Asshole…" Chelsea mumbled under her breath as she adjusted the man on her back.
"Can we leave this insufferable woman behind? She has been nothing but a rude bitch this entire time," Natto spat.
Language! Drake thought, his jaw slacking in faux astonishment, but quickly changed gears, speaking up to address the group.
"Good everyone settled? No? Too bad, let's go because we're house guests and I'm pretty sure we pissed off the host," Drake said sarcastically, moving to the front of the group.
"Do you not mean, you, angered the monsters?" Natto jabbed at him.
Hush you, what else am I supposed to do, offer them food in exchange for their food? You saw the tents, you saw everything, same as I did… Drake thought.
"You act like an asshole, but you sure are one big softy." she jabbed again.
Stop talking please. I'm trying to concentrate on channeling my inner piece of shit. Drake smiled.
"I do not believe that is very hard for you," Natto giggled.
Drake rolled his eyes, turning to Theodore.
"Ok Theo, I'm going first, I'll pull them to the south, you send out your doppelgangers to the west. You ready?" Drake asked, pulling the last of the potions Bjorn had given them.
"Indubitably my liege," Theodore said, taking the potions, handing one to Harley, then bowing slightly.
"Good," Drake looked to Theodore's side.
The blonde woman was slightly shorter than Theodore, and looked like she had a run in with a carwash without the water, much like the other captives. But Drake's eyes softened slightly, happy he found her, "Hello there Miss… or it's Mrs. Rotwood isn't it. Pleasure to meet you," Drake said, his earthen hand moving to give a handshake but he quickly caught himself switching hands.
Harley hesitated for a moment but, moved to greet him in kind, her eyes quickly glancing at the arm she now noticed was made of earth but then met Drake's
"Likewise… Mr. Shot…?"
"You can call me Mr. Asshole, seems that's what everyone is calling me that now anyway," Drake said with a toothy smile meeting her confused stare.
"Language!" Natto snapped.