The group gathered at the adventurer's association early in the morning. The board was already crowded with other adventurers, but Bral managed to nudge his way closer, scanning the available quests with a practiced eye. The others hung back, chatting idly as they waited for him to find something worth their time.
"I'm telling you," Bral said over his shoulder, "we should try something a tougher today. We've been warming up with slimes and pigs for long enough. Time to show that we deserve our silver rank."
"Found something?" Idin asked, leaning against the wall.
Bral tapped a quest posted on the board, his grin widening. "Exploring a goblin cave. Marked tougher than the slime quest. Sounds like a challenge, huh?"
Amukelo's ears perked up at the mention of goblins. "Goblins? Perfect. That's the monster I have the most experience with."
Idin raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "You've fought goblins before?"
Amukelo nodded confidently. "Plenty of times. I used to hunt them. I think I'll do well on this one."
"Well," Idin said with a smirk, "maybe this time you'll teach me how to fight them. I don't think we've faced goblins together before. Definitely never explored their lairs."
Bral laughed, clapping Amukelo on the back. "In that case, we'll send you in first to check if it's safe. If there's a trap, you're the one springing it."
Amukelo laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
Bao rolled her eyes at Bral's antics but decided to join in. "Don't worry about him, Amukelo," she said with a smirk. "If anything happens, we'll just leave Bral there to buy us time."
Amukelo chuckled. "That actually sounds like a solid plan."
Bral feigned outrage, pointing a dramatic finger at Amukelo. "You against me now? After all I've done for you?"
Amukelo grinned. "You were the first to suggest using me as bait."
Idin couldn't help but laugh at their exchange. "I'm all for it. If something goes wrong, we'll leave Bral behind. That'll give us a solid head start."
The group burst into laughter, except for Pao, who trailed behind with a distant look in her eyes. She smiled faintly at their jokes but didn't join in. Her unease simmered beneath the surface, and no matter how hard she tried to shake it, her thoughts kept drifting back to what she had seen the day before.
Bao noticed Pao's distracted expression and slowed her pace to walk beside her. She leaned closer, her voice low enough that the others wouldn't hear. "Are you still worrying about that?" Bao asked. "Why don't you just ask him?"
Pao hesitated, biting her lip. Her gaze stayed fixed on the ground as she whispered, "I don't know. I…"
Before she could finish, Bral, noticing their hushed tones, sidled up to them with a playful grin. "What's this?" he whispered loudly. "Secrets? I want in."
Bao scowled, ready to shoo him away, but then realized that Bral likely already knew something was off with Pao. She sighed, deciding it might be better to address it indirectly. "Pao's been wondering if Amukelo—"
Pao's face turned crimson as she cut her sister off, waving her hands frantically. "Wait, wait, wait! Don't tell him that!"
Her sudden outburst caught the attention of the group. Amukelo and Idin turned around curiously. "Something happened?" Amukelo asked, tilting his head.
Pao's blush deepened, and she blurted out the first excuse she could think of. "Bral is bullying me!"
Amukelo blinked, confused. "Bullying… you?" He glanced at Bral, who threw his hands up in mock indignation.
"What did I do?" Bral exclaimed. "I didn't even say anything!"
Bao, unable to help herself, smirked and jabbed at Bral. "Yeah, Bral, don't stick your nose into other people's business."
Bral turned to her, his eyes narrowing. "You were just about to tell me what's going on with Pao!"
Amukelo's brow furrowed as he looked between them. "Wait… something's going on with Pao?"
Bao shot Bral a glare and swiftly kicked him in the shin. Bral yelped, hopping back and rubbing his leg. "What was that for?"
Ignoring him, Bao turned to Amukelo and waved dismissively. "Don't think about it. It has nothing to do with you."
Amukelo raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. But before he could press further, Bao hesitated and glanced sideways, mumbling under her breath, "Well… actually, it kind of does."
Pao buried her face in her hands, groaning softly. "This is a nightmare."
Idin, who had been watching the whole exchange with an amused smile, finally chimed in. "You guys are ridiculous. Can we save the drama for after the quest? We'll need to focus on goblins. "
"Agreed," Bao said quickly, eager to change the subject. "Let's focus on the goblins."
Pao, still blushing, nodded silently. Amukelo looked at her for a moment longer, his expression thoughtful, before deciding to let it go. The group resumed their walk, but the awkward energy lingered, punctuated occasionally by Bral's exaggerated muttering about betrayal and kicks to the shin.
The group finally arrived at the entrance of the cave. Bral turned to the group, his usual jovial demeanor replaced by a somber expression. "Okay, from this point forward, no jokes. We whisper unless something happens. Do you understand?"
Everyone nodded silently, their expressions serious. Amukelo noticed a flicker of unease in their eyes but felt none himself. This was familiar territory for him.
They entered cautiously, Pao casting a small flame that floated above her hand. It hovered like a loyal pet, casting just enough light to guide their way without drawing too much attention. Bral still held a torch, unlit for now, as a backup. The cave walls were jagged and narrow, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the soft, uneven dirt beneath them. Every so often, the faint sound of dripping water echoed in the distance.
As they ventured deeper, the tension in the group was palpable. Bao's bow was already in her hand, an arrow nocked but not drawn. Idin's grip tightened on his broadsword, his eyes scanning every shadow. Bral led the group, while Amukelo walked slightly behind him, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Pao brought up the rear, her other hand ready to summon a spell if needed.
Suddenly, the faint clatter of falling rocks broke the silence. The sound came from somewhere ahead, echoing off the walls. Everyone stopped, their heads snapping toward the source. Bral raised a fist to signal silence, his eyes narrowing as he peered into the darkness.
Amukelo, however, felt a different presence. Something wasn't right. His instincts screamed at him to look behind. Without hesitation, he unsheathed his sword and spun around just as a goblin leapt at him from the shadows. With a swift slash, he decapitated the creature mid-air, its body hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"Behind us!" Amukelo hissed.
More goblins emerged from the darkness. Amukelo took a step forward as another goblin lunged at Bral, but Amukelo was quicker. He slashed the creature cleanly across the chest, sending it crumpling to the ground.
"Watch out!" Amukelo yelled as more goblins poured into the cavern, their shrieks bouncing off the walls.
The group quickly formed a defensive line. Bral raised his sword, taking a step back to protect Pao and Bao. Idin swung his broadsword, cutting through the air in a ready stance. There were at least ten goblins now, snarling and circling like wolves.
Amukelo grinned, his adrenaline spiking. "Come on!" he challenged.
The goblins charged. Three went for Bral, three for Idin, and four made a beeline for Amukelo. Pao and Bao stayed behind, ready to provide support.
Idin engaged his group, blocking their attacks with precise movements. "They're not as strong as I expected!" he shouted, shoving one goblin back with a powerful swing. But just as he stepped forward to press his advantage, a sharp pain shot through his leg. He looked down to see an arrow buried in his thigh.
"Archers?!" Amukelo shouted, spotting the new threat. More goblins stood further back, crude bows in hand. "Bao! Pao! Take care of those archers! We'll handle the melee ones."
"Got it!" Bao replied, drawing her bowstring and loosing an arrow in one fluid motion. It struck one of the archers dead in the eye, the goblin crumpling instantly. Pao followed up, casting a white beam of energy that struck the second archer in the shoulder, disintegrating it. The goblin screeched in agony before an ice spike shot up from the ground, impaling it.
Meanwhile, Idin struggled as the three goblins he was fighting advanced. With the arrow still lodged in his leg, he dropped to one knee, his grip on his sword faltering. The goblins snarled, sensing weakness. Idin raised his sword defensively, but his eyes widened in fear as the creatures closed in.
Amukelo moved in a blur. He kicked one goblin with enough force to send it flying into a nearby wall. As it crumpled to the ground, he pivoted and thrust his sword into a second goblin's chest. With a quick pull, he freed his blade and turned to face the third. By now, Idin had regained his composure, swinging his broadsword with all his might. The final goblin stood no chance as Idin's blade cleaved through its torso.
Amukelo stepped in front of Idin, his sword raised in a defensive stance. "Can you fight?" he asked, glancing back at his friend.
Idin winced as he pulled the arrow from his thigh, his face pale but determined. He pushed himself to his feet, his movements shaky but resolute. "Yeah," he said, gripping his sword tightly. "Thanks to you."
Amukelo nodded, his gaze snapping back to the remaining goblins as the fight raged on.