EARLIER
"Where did everybody go?", Helena found herself alone by the sprawled roots of the large fig tree they stayed in for the night. The campfire Stellan made have already been completely blown out, must be because of the misty cold breeze blowing nonstop. With Stellan's coat still on her, Helena savored the chills of the wind at the very early dawn. His scent is all over her as if she is one of his own.
Last night, Helena swallowed her tongue as Stellan spun the thread of her heartstrings. All the time that she spent with Stellan, Helena was completely and undeniably charmed in his allure, sweeping her off her feet as he come too close for her to reach. However, she sat frozen when he led the conversation to something unbelievably rapturous, to the point that it was so hard to believe.
When Stellan turned Helena down before, he gave her an ample of hope that he could appreciate the real woman that she really is. However, looking in his eyes, the tables have turned unbelievably once again. If he does like Helena as a man that she's pretending to be, Helena thought that he would then never like her as a woman that she really is. How frustrating, she pondered.
Noticingly, Andrew isn't right where he slept. Where could they be? She kept thinking with a wrinkle on her stuffy nose. She stood up and found Areon standing nearby. Stellan surely haven't left yet as well, but where are they? She continued to wonder. Along with her scepter, Helena decided to search for the two. The little glow from the sky gave her a glimpse of more fig trees and black willows on the dull grey ground. Black crows fly across the sky, toads keep rolling by.
"Stellan!! Andrew!!", her voice echoed but no one answered. Maybe, they hunted for food before they could continue traveling, she assumed. She huffed the cool air as she feel a slight tingle at the back of her neck. Even with the clouds blocking the clear skies, she can still somewhat sense an obscure presence of peril at hand. Walking by on soft soil, she listened closely to nature. Then, she started to hear a growing slurping and smacking sounds as if someone is eating something very tasty.
She followed where the bizarre sounds were coming from. As she walk through the moors, the light drizzles started to fall just in time she started to feel more danger getting nearer. She was about to go back when she heard a couple of guttural sounds, one with whimpering and another with much grunting. She started sweating buckets knowing that she's defenseless alone, especially with the rain pouring. To her surprise, she saw a pair of tiny greenish creatures about the size of three apples right ahead of her. They have sharp pointed ears and a patterned loin cloth tied on their waists.
Goblins.
"Hi", she greeted the goblins with a small wave. When they turned to her entirely, she was baffled with their cuteness, along with their short smile and a glint of rose blush on their cheeks. They had an innocent look in their dark eyes giving off a harmless vibe. They continued licking their long candle-like fingers which seemed to gleam in gold. In a split second, their eyes turned bloody red, and their mouths opened showing off a set of razor-sharp teeth ready to pounce.
"Great", it felt as if cold water was poured over Helena's head. With haste, she ran away as these creatures trailed her at a terrifying speed. These goblins are surely fast, even with their tiny feet. Not minding Stellan's coat that Helena dropped behind, she flee without daring herself to look back or even take a glimpse of their frightening smug.
From two goblins to five or six, these crazed creatures multiplied like rabbits. Goblins are usually docile and hostile, but never aggressive. She wondered what made them lose their minds. Probably, from the gold that they were devouring? How odd to find such mineral so easily in this kind of wasteland, she puzzled over.
The goblins caught up to her as they clambered up on the trees. One even landed on Helena's shoulder, and got a taste of her right through her thick clothing. Then, another caught her leg and bit a chunk of her meat. She screeched in pain when those tiny bastards' teeth sunk in her skin. It was a kind of pain that she would never want to repeat.
Helena grabbed the goblin on her shoulder and tossed it away, then kicked the other as she escape once again. As she dash away from the goblins' snare, she noticed a bunch of those tiny green rogues licking some more gold that appears to be scattered everywhere. They creeped in from behind the trees, then through the grass. Stumbling on slippery ground, Helena frantically spurred more courage as she watch a couple of more deranged goblins chasing her away with bloody crazy eyes. Some reached her for more bites - on her arm, thighs and back to the point no more voice could come out from the tearing torture she obtained.
Limping and gushing over the trickling blood on her limbs and torso, Helena finally found her way back to Areon. And with a blare hiss and sharp whistle, the great stallion ran to her rescue as if it knew she was in dire need of help. With the strong adrenaline running through her veins, Helena was able to hop on its back in one leap, tucked her staff in Areon's pack, and dashed away from the swarming deadly goblins.
Meanwhile, Stellan and Evandrus hurriedly went back to the camp after hearing Helena's screams and shouts. They both repeatedly called for her name but heard no answer, just some more guttural shrieks and loud hums. As Stellan go further along, he found his coat trampled with small foot prints on the ground. He hardened his jaw and yelled, "Haelan!!!", louder than the drops of rain falling down.
Then, he found a trail of Helena's shoeprints followed by seemingly smaller barefoot traces leading to the camp. Stellan's heart started to race when he continued to tread the bloody trail. When they reached the empty camp, it gave him a hint that Helena and Areon must be together, definitely in a rush. He bit his lip as he look ahead, terrified what may have become to Haelan. As he face Evandrus who looked worried as him, Stellan unsheathed his sword and gave it a glow from his core beam.