"[Devour]".
The air seemed to grow colder, the temperature dropping precipitously as I activated my ability.
A black, ominous mist swirled around the goblin's body, shrouding it in an impenetrable veil.
The goblin's shrieks of pain were abruptly cut off, replaced by an unsettling silence. The mist seemed to writhe and twist, like a living entity, as it consumed the goblin's body.
I turned my attention to my teammates, surveying their expressions. Instead of shock or awe, they wore rather expectant looks on their faces.
It was almost as if they had anticipated the outcome, and were merely waiting for the inevitable to occur.
I supposed it wasn't surprising, given the goblins' relatively low ranks of [F] and [G]. It wasn't exactly a mind-blowing feat to dispatch them with ease.
Just as I was about to turn away, a blood-curdling shriek pierced the air, making me spin around.
One of the goblins, its arm missing and half its face burnt beyond recognition, was stumbling towards me, a dagger clutched in its remaining hand.
I raised my sword, ready to deliver the final blow, when a projectile whizzed past my ear, striking the goblin with deadly precision.
The goblin's head jerked backward, its eyes wide with shock, as a hole appeared in the center of its forehead.
The sound of the impact was like a wet slap, followed by the goblin's lifeless body crumpling to the ground.
I turned to see Katherine on her horse, her bow already slung over her shoulder.
Her expression was as impassive as ever, her eyes betraying no emotion. "Let's go," she said, her voice as flat as a stone.
*************
As we entered Oak Town, the thatched roofs of the cottages and the bustling town square assaulted my senses.
The air was thick with the smell of freshly baked bread, roasting meats, and the acrid tang of wood smoke.
People of all ages hurried about, their faces etched with a mix of determination and fear.
Despite the town's best efforts to appear normal, the signs of strain were evident.
The population seemed smaller than it should be, and the streets felt emptier than they ought to be. The goblin attacks had clearly taken a toll on the town's morale.
As we walked through the town, I noticed that even the soldiers seemed scared.
Their eyes darted nervously about, their faces set in determined lines. They knew what was at stake if the goblins triumphed.
The men would be slaughtered, and the women... I pushed the thought aside, my gut twisting with anger.
We made our way to the mayor's office, a sturdy stone building with a slate roof.
The soldier who had been escorting us nodded to the guards at the door, and they stepped aside to let us pass.
As we entered the office, the mayor looked up from the papers on his desk. He was a portly man with a bushy beard and a look of deep concern etched on his face.
The soldier who had escorted us stepped forward, saluting the mayor.
"Ah, excellent," the mayor said, his voice warm with relief. "You must be the adventurers we've been expecting. Please, come in, come in. I'm the Mayor of Oak Town, Dreck Dingt. We have much to discuss."
The mayor's eyes locked onto mine, and I could see the desperation there.
He knew that we were his town's only hope, and he was willing to do whatever it took to save his people. I nodded, my grip on my sword tightening.
Joseph's voice was smooth as silk as he spoke, his words dripping with politeness. "A pleasure to meet you, sir. My name is Joseph, and I'm the leader of this party." He extended his hand towards the mayor, who shook it firmly.
The mayor, Dreck Dingt, was a portly man with a bushy beard and a warm smile. "The pleasure's all mine," he said, his voice booming through the room.
"Please, have a seat." He gestured towards two chairs, which Joseph and Jessica promptly occupied.
Joseph leaned forward, his eyes locked onto the mayor's. "Now then, we came here because of the goblin infestation. Apart from knowing about the hobgoblin and shaman, we don't know anything about what's going on. So, care to fill us in?"
The mayor nodded, his expression turning grave. "The goblins have always been a problem, but not a major one... until about a week ago." He paused, collecting his thoughts.
"An army of goblins suddenly appeared in the middle of the night. They numbered in the hundreds. Our soldiers were barely holding them off when... they appeared."
He spat out the words, his face twisted in disgust. "A hobgoblin, following a shaman. They nearly slaughtered our entire guard that night, if not for our strongest soldier."
The mayor's eyes clouded over, his voice dropping to a whisper. "He was a [D-] rank warrior, as strong as the hobgoblin. He bought us time to retreat behind the walls, but at a terrible cost. He lost an arm and a leg, and has been unconscious ever since."
I felt a pang of sympathy for the soldier, my mind racing with the implications.
The goblins had retreated when the sun came up, but it was clear that they would return. And next time, the town might not be so lucky.
The mayor's words hung in the air, a dire warning of the danger that lurked outside the town's walls.
I glanced out the window, my eyes scanning the horizon. The walls were already cracking, the stone worn smooth by the constant barrage of goblin attacks.
It was only a matter of time before they came tumbling down.
Haaa. How troublesome. I thought to myself, my mind racing with the challenges ahead. We really had our work cut out for us.