Hearing Ardent, the guards quickly surround him, their back to him as they scanned the area for threats. None of them, not even the oldest question Ardent. After all, Mages are renown to have better ability to detect presence of other creatures and Ardent is no different.
As their eyes wander, they quickly spotted what Ardent was talking about.
"W-what are those?" Frank asked, his eyes on the creatures surrounding him. No guards answered. After all, they are just as clueless as him.
Ardent's eyes squinted. To be honest, he might have a clue of what the creature is. However, how do one say about suddenly seeing literal goblins in this world.
"I'm not sure." Ardent decided to say. For now. "Whatever they are, they are not friendly." he exclaimed.
The guard could not agree more on that assessment. After all, if they are friendly, they will not be looking at them with hunger and brandishing their weapon.
"Get ready! Here they come!" Ardent yelled, few seconds before the goblins charged towards the group. Seeing the numbers, which likely reach the double digits, the guards with him will be overwhelmed and Ardent did not think he would be able to escape unscathed himself.
At least if he did not intervene.
"Protect one side! I will make sure they can't come in the other directions!" Ardent yelled before pushing his palm to one side.
"Earth Wall!" a wall of earth of two meter height formed, blocking the goblins in that direction. However, he was not done yet.
"Earth Wall! Earth Wall!" more Earth Walls formed, creating a barrier for the goblins, preventing them from attacking in the other directions. This force them to attack in direction, allowing the guards not suffer any casualties.
However, Ardent did not let his guard down. Climbing is still possible in other direction, but he was prepared for any attempt.
'So, there are some that try to climb.' he put his palm on one of the Earth Wall as a Magic Circle appeared on the wall.
'Earth Spike.' sharp spikes of rocks stabbed the climbing goblins, impaling them in an instant. The goblins let out cough before dying. Ardent could feel how the goblins body dissipate.
'What are they, and where did they came from?' Ardent pondered before shoving the intrusive thought away for the moment. He has more important things to worry about. Namely the other goblins that decided overwhelming the sole unblock path is the best option.
Ardent smiled. The single path is not only for the guards; preventing them from being overwhelmed from all side, but also for him. After all, as a triple-attribute Mage, Earth Magic is his latest, and weakest attribute, or so he told others.
"Get behind me!" Ardent ordered. The guards obeyed as he created an Earth Fence, one shorter than the surrounding Earth Walls. However, it was meant to be that way for he planned on just inconveniencing the goblins.
As the goblins tried to climb the Earth Fence, with some trying to destroy it with clubs, Ardent let out a wicked smile as a new Magic Circle appeared. Red in color, it is as large as the Magic Circle for Earth Wall.
"Fireball." he whispered. A standard spell in any game with Mage Class, he poured more Mana into the Magic Circle, allowing the Fireball to be as large as a grown man before flinging it to the goblins.
The goblins, still trying to climb the Earth Fence, stopped before looking at the Fireball. They could only let out a squawk before being burnt alive.
Ardent watched as the Fireball blasted the Earth Fence to smithereens before continuing its destructive path. Any goblins behind them face the same Fireball, being destroyed in utter oblivion in a single shot.
Ardent let out a sigh before scanning the area for any more goblins. Unfortunately, there still some. Fortunately, the number are on the lower scale, and with how the goblins are smaller than most adult, only slightly taller than children, they should be an easy opponent to the more well-equiped guards.
"There are 12 more. I will crumble the Earth Wall, and then, you will finish the rest." he ordered before destroying the Earth Walls.
The guards did not argue, and instead complete his order. With the oldest one leading the charge, Frank and the other one quickly slaughter the rest of the goblins, his destructive attack causing them to flee in fear.
-x-
After the guards finished the last of them, and Ardent could not detect anything else in their vicinity, they regroup.
Frank decided to start the impromptu meeting.
"So, any idea on what is that, Mage Ardent?" even if they are friends, Frank knew he could not greet him as usual, at least when in duty. Hence, calling him Mage Ardent.
"No clue. I never seen such creature before," a truth and a lie, "I never heard of them either. Whatever they are, the creatures should be a newcomer. But where could they come from?" he asked outloud, not expecting any answer.
Sure enough, the rest were just as stumped as him. For one of the village's strongest Mages to not know anything, the creature should be new to the area.
The guards then looked at Ardent. While the oldest guard far out-experienced him, the guards still under Ardent, hence why they are looking for him for order.
"One of you, go back to the village and informed the higher-ups. Tell them of what we discover and asked for more reinforcement." Ardent ordered.
The other young guard nodded before running towards the village.
"As for us, we will look around and try to find anything that might lead us to the creature's lair or something similar." the two guards nodded as they followed him, their hands gripping on their weapon even more tightly.
Ardent let loose his senses, trying to detect gatherings of the monsters, and hoping to find anything useful. He did not find a large gathering of goblins, but he did found a large gathering of Mana, which is just as good.
"Follow me!"