Chapter 5
A bloody mess, what little bit of clothes he had were torn apart and his whole body was bruised up, somewhere even cut open. It was Jhonny lying on the ground behind some planks, I wouldn't even have noticed had I not seen his dagger broken into many pieces on the ground. I quickly lifted him from the dirt and carried him to the nearby clinic I saw in the village. I didn't know him that well, he was sometimes even unpleasant, but I couldn't leave a wounded man on the ground. Nurse told me that he was fine, no serious injuries, after some rest he should be fine, which seemed unnatural for that level of injury. I knew I had to see him tomorrow to find out what happened while we were separated, but now more important was the goblin quest as I was clean out of cash.
The forest here is different then home, it is clearer, lush trees and no dirt paths, only grass. So close yet such a different world then our own, it was calming and inviting, yet it was anything then that. In the inn I listened on others conversation, it seems that the wolfs started expanding into the goblin forest, starting a turf war. Noone knows why they have choose to change habitats or have they been forced to move, the important thing is that both wolfen and goblin numbers have been dwindling, but they have been getting stronger. They both feed on each-others meet, growing stronger or even evolving, as such two main groups were made, the wolfs led by the great black wolf and the Goblin warrior village. Wolf fangs are also wanted as ingredients, but they can be imported from Donaville, so there were no quest for those. Goblins go in groups of three, hunting lonely wolfs or leading greater groups into goblin traps, an ambush, so adventurers hide in tree tops waiting for the goblins or wolfs to pass, it is quite a sight to see. Everything before how adventurers hunt I got from a soldier in my inn, a young man who finished his shift and wanted to get a few drinks down. The part about adventurers I found out while traversing the forest, as I found a team of two adventurers hidden in tree tops on top of branches, using thick leaves as cover. As I heard footsteps coming closer, it was a perfect chance to see their plan in action, so I have hidden in nearby bushes. A group of goblins, short green and nasty, as anyone could imagine were passing directly bellow the tree where the adventurers were stationed. None of them even though to look up, all they cared about was what they were pulling, two wolf legs and some other part I couldn't recognize. Jumping down, I could finally see the adventurers fully, the first one to jump was a woman with dark hair, face covered with a bandage like a thief, using a short sword to stab the slowest goblin from the top of his head. The second one was an older man, wearing light armor and an axe on his back, he used a spear to penetrate the second goblin. The goblin who was leading the first two turned around, while the other 2 goblins were unarmed, he had a metal dagger, his reaction was quick as it seemed that it wasn't his first ambush, but that wasn't enough to save his life, as the thief struck his forehead with a knife hidden in her second hand. I don't know whether they have seen me or not, but I took to another path as to not startle them, they might attack thinking I am there to steal their loot. First day I spent just figuring out where goblins and wolfs travel, and even got lucky as I found two dead goblins and a dead wolf that fought to death. I have stored both fangs and the short spear one of the goblins had and took to the village to turn in. The few fangs I turned in as a quest to a traveling merchant and sold the spear for some small profit, not much but enough to cover a day or two of food and shelter. Next morning I had to go and visit my friend in the clinic, but as soon as I stepped outside I started asking myself since when do I see him as a friend, why did I just stop questioning his weird name or origin, why am I caring so much, but my legs continued going towards the clinic.
"He is gone" answered the nurse as soon as I entered the clinic: "He left in the middle of the night, leaving a silver coin behind". I thanked the nurse and left the clinic, I knew where I would be able to find him again, the same place I would have to visit anyways to work, the forest.
Walking towards the forest, I overheard a guard speaking to someone:"....for the blue gem...". I took a few steps back and greeted the guard and the woman he was talking to: „Excuse me, what is that blue gem you mentioned?"
„You do not know? The goblin warrior that leads the goblin village was found out to carry the blue gem artifact, it amplifies users control over mana. Two knights were dispatched to retrieve it, at least that is what they told us. " More the man was speaking, more paranoid he seemed: "To tell you the truth, those two airheads went to get it for themselves, we believe there is no royal or any kind of order, but we have to listen, as they are knights.". I thanked the guard and promised to pay for a drink, and headed onwards.