Robert assigned the troops to place the loot in leather bags as they prepared to head back to camp. "My lord, the tribesman we captured has woken up. He doesn't seem to speak our language."
"What is your name, scout?" Robert asked, surprising the young man with his interest.
"Thabis, my lord. My name is Thabis," he replied eagerly, shocked that anyone in the kingdom of Drakenmore cared enough to ask for his name. Here, he had always been just a pawn, disposable and overlooked.
"Thabis, I will assign you to interrogate the prisoner and find a way to communicate. Have the men carry Daniel's body. I'll join you shortly; I need to clear my mind first."
Robert headed for the ocean, plunging into the cold, eerie water. As he took a deep breath, he realized he could breathe more clearly underwater, moving with an almost supernatural proficiency, as if the water were his true home. His eyes adjusted, revealing bright red coral and schools of fish. Then he spotted a creature the size of a human swimming toward him at incredible speed. It had a dragon-like head and intelligent eyes, grinning at him with sharp, menacing teeth. Panic surged through Robert, and he swam faster than ever before.
The creature pursued him like a missile locked onto its target, alternating between slowing down and speeding up as if it were toying with him.
Robert's heart pounded in his chest, his strokes growing desperate. He zigzagged through the underwater landscape, dodging between coral formations and darting through schools of fish, trying to shake off his pursuer. Every glance over his shoulder revealed the creature gaining on him, its eyes gleaming with a predatory glee.
He swam through a narrow crevice between two massive rocks, the sharp edges scraping his arms. The creature followed effortlessly, its movements fluid and precise. Robert's lungs burned, his muscles screaming for relief, but the fear propelled him forward. Suddenly, he spotted a cavern and darted inside, hoping to lose the creature in the labyrinthine tunnels.
For a moment, he thought he had succeeded. The cavern was silent except for the sound of his own ragged breathing. Then, a shadow loomed behind him, and the creature lunged, its jaws snapping inches from his leg.
A surge of adrenaline kicked in, and Robert kicked off the cavern floor with all his might, shooting upward toward the surface. Just as the creature was about to close in again, a deep, reverberating roar echoed through the water, stopping it in its tracks.
Robert shivered in fear, paralyzed with terror. The creature hesitated, then fled, darting away as if acknowledging the presence of an even greater threat. Overwhelmed by fear, Robert swam frantically toward the shore, vowing never to enter the ocean again.
Robert assigned the troops to place the loot in leather bags as they prepared to head back to camp. "My lord, the tribesman we captured has woken up. He doesn't seem to speak our language."
"What is your name, scout?" Robert asked, surprising the young man with his interest.
"Thabis, my lord. My name is Thabis," he replied eagerly, shocked that anyone in the kingdom of Drakenmore cared enough to ask for his name. Here, he had always been just a pawn, disposable and overlooked.
"Thabis, I will assign you to interrogate the prisoner and find a way to communicate. Have the men carry Daniel's body. I'll join you shortly; I need to clear my mind first."
Robert headed for the ocean, plunging into the cold, eerie water. As he took a deep breath, he realized he could breathe more clearly underwater, moving with an almost supernatural proficiency, as if the water were his true home. His eyes adjusted, revealing bright red coral and schools of fish. Then he spotted a creature the size of a human swimming toward him at incredible speed. It had a dragon-like head and intelligent eyes, grinning at him with sharp, menacing teeth. Panic surged through Robert, and he swam faster than ever before.
The creature pursued him like a missile locked onto its target, alternating between slowing down and speeding up as if it were toying with him.
Robert's heart pounded in his chest, his strokes growing desperate. He zigzagged through the underwater landscape, dodging between coral formations and darting through schools of fish, trying to shake off his pursuer. Every glance over his shoulder revealed the creature gaining on him, its eyes gleaming with a predatory glee.
He swam through a narrow crevice between two massive rocks, the sharp edges scraping his arms. The creature followed effortlessly, its movements fluid and precise. Robert's lungs burned, his muscles screaming for relief, but the fear propelled him forward. Suddenly, he spotted a cavern and darted inside, hoping to lose the creature in the labyrinthine tunnels.
For a moment, he thought he had succeeded. The cavern was silent except for the sound of his own ragged breathing. Then, a shadow loomed behind him, and the creature lunged, its jaws snapping inches from his leg.
A surge of adrenaline kicked in, and Robert kicked off the cavern floor with all his might, shooting upward toward the surface. Just as the creature was about to close in again, a deep, reverberating roar echoed through the water, stopping it in its tracks.
Robert shivered in fear, paralyzed with terror. The creature hesitated, then fled, darting away as if acknowledging the presence of an even greater threat. Overwhelmed by fear, Robert swam frantically toward the shore, vowing never to enter the ocean again.
He stood on the shore, his body trembling from the encounter. He knew he had to rejoin his men, but the experience underwater had left him shaken. He wiped the saltwater from his face and steeled himself before heading back to camp.
As he returned, he found Thabis already at work, trying to communicate with the captured tribesman. The air around the camp was tense, the soldiers wary and fatigued from their recent skirmish.
"Thabis, any progress?" Robert asked, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.
Thabis nodded. "A little, my lord. It seems he understands some basic gestures. We might be able to get more information with time."
"Good. Keep at it." Robert then addressed his men. "Prepare for another march. We need to reach the goblin cave and secure it before nightfall."
---
The journey up north was long and grueling. The forest grew denser, the path more treacherous with each step. The sun's light barely penetrated the thick canopy above, casting the surroundings in an eerie twilight. The air was heavy with humidity, and every breath felt labored.
The soldiers trudged on, their bodies aching from exhaustion. Insects swarmed around them, their relentless bites adding to the misery. The weight of the leather bags filled with loot pulled at their shoulders, making the march even more arduous.
Sabas led the group, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. The memory of the goblin ambush was fresh in his mind, and he knew they had to stay vigilant. Every rustle in the bushes, every snap of a twig put the troops on edge.
Finally, they reached the clearing where the goblins had attacked. The remnants of the battle were evident—broken weapons, bloodstains, and the foul stench of goblin carcasses. Sabas motioned for the group to stop and rest, if only for a moment.
"Stay alert," he commanded. "We're close. No mistakes."
They pressed on, following the goblin tracks deeper into the forest. The air grew thick with the smell of decay, the stench almost unbearable. Sabas spotted the entrance to the cave, hidden behind a curtain of vines. He raised a hand, signaling the men to halt.
"Scout, you're up," Sabas whispered, sending the young man ahead.
The scout moved cautiously; his steps silent as he approached the cave. He slipped inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. The sight that greeted him was horrifying—a trail of bones, picked clean, leading further into the darkness. He crept deeper, his heart pounding in his chest, counting the goblins he could see. He returned to Sabas, his face pale.
"At least a dozen, maybe more," he reported, his voice shaking. "They're deep inside, and it looks like they've been here for a while."
Sabas nodded grimly. "Mark the trees. We'll return with a larger force and wipe them out."
The men marked their path and began the long trek back to camp, the weight of what lay ahead heavy on their minds. The forest seemed to close in around them, the journey back feeling even more grueling than the one before.