The team stood in the now-silent goblin den, catching their breath as they surveyed the scene. Crates, chests, and piles of stolen goods were scattered across the chamber, clearly the spoils the goblins had gathered over time.
"Well, would you look at that," Ren said, whistling in appreciation. "The goblins really went all-out with the loot. Guess it's only fair we lighten the load a bit."
Skorn grinned, already rummaging through one of the larger chests. "Looks like they've been raiding travelers for a while. Armor, potions, gold—oh, I'll take that," he said, grabbing a sturdy-looking shield.
Talos moved toward a stack of potions, carefully examining each one. "These could come in handy," he said, slipping a few into his satchel. "No sense leaving good resources behind."
Olivia was more selective, choosing a few items and weapons that looked useful for their journey ahead. She chuckled as she noticed Ren casually pocketing anything that glittered. "Save some for the rest of us, Ren."
"Hey, I'm just making sure I get my fair share." He winked, stuffing a few gems into his bag.
Once they'd gathered everything they could carry, Ren pulled out a small dagger. "Alright, last thing for the quest…" He glanced at the fallen goblins, shrugging as he got to work.
They collected the required goblin ears, counting as they went, making sure they'd have enough to prove their success.
After one last sweep of the chamber, Ren nodded with satisfaction. "Well, that should keep our bags full and our quest givers happy."
"Then let's get out of here," Olivia said, glancing back at the dark cave. "I think I've had my fill of goblins for one day."
With loot in hand and ears counted, the team made their way back toward the entrance, ready to collect their reward—and maybe share a few stories of their adventure.
As they made their way back to the guild, Ren was still grinning like a kid with a bag full of candy. He held up one of the goblin ears they'd collected, inspecting it with mock fascination.
"You know," he said, waving the ear around, "these would make a pretty disturbing necklace. Maybe we could start a trend back at the guild."
Olivia gave him a horrified look. "Ren, that's… that's revolting. Who would even want that?"
"Hey, it's called fashion, Olivia. Ever heard of 'statement jewelry'?" Ren waggled his eyebrows, dangling the ear closer to her.
Skorn chuckled. "I dunno, Ren, maybe it would look better on you. Really accentuate that sharp jawline of yours."
Ren gasped, holding the ear up to his ear like an earring. "You're right! Skorn, you're a genius. How do I look?"
"Like a deranged elf," Talos muttered, trying to hide a smirk. "Though, I'm sure you'd be a hit with the goblin crowd."
"Oh, fine," Ren sighed, tucking the ear back into the bag. "Guess the world just isn't ready for my sense of style."
Olivia shook her head, laughing. "I'm pretty sure the guild isn't ready for any of you."
The group shared a laugh, feeling lighter with each step toward the guild, the weight of battle fading into fond memory.
_____________
As they marched into the guild hall, Ren plopped the hefty sack of goblin ears onto the counter with a triumphant grin. "Four hundred and fifty-eight ears... and one big, shiny, ugly one from their king!"
The guild went silent, eyes wide as they took in the sheer size of the haul.
A murmur rippled through the crowd, with a few gasps and an astonished, "Did they really bring back all that?"
Skorn crossed his arms, smirking. "Oh, you should've seen it. There we were, knee-deep in goblins, no way out but forward! I single-handedly turned the cave into a goblin soup!"
Ren, not to be outdone, chimed in. "And then, when their king—biggest, ugliest goblin you've ever seen—charged at us with a throne made of bones? I fried him so hard he was extra crispy."
Skorn slapped Ren on the back. "And don't forget the part where you nearly got hit by the falling rocks! Olivia and I had to save his sorry hide."
In the corner, Olivia and Talos exchanged embarrassed glances. Olivia gave Talos a pleading look, as if to say, "Are we really going to let them keep this up?"
Talos sighed, shaking his head. "They're really milking it, aren't they?"
Olivia rubbed her temples. "I don't think we'll ever live this down."
Meanwhile, Ren had found an audience in the guild members, who were now hanging onto every exaggerated word. "And then, I held up this ear," he said, waving the goblin king's ear dramatically, "and proclaimed victory over all goblinkind!"
The guild hall burst into applause and laughter, cheers of "To Ren and Skorn, the goblin slayers!" echoing through the room.
Ren turned back to Olivia and Talos, giving them a playful wink. "See? Not so bad to have a little spotlight, right?"
Talos just groaned. "Next time, you're giving the quest report Olivia."
*******
After counting out every last coin, they divvied up their hard-earned reward. Ren tossed a couple of extra silver coins to Skorn with a wink, "For the flawless rock wall defense—and for not dropping it on my head."
Skorn pocketed the coins with a grin. "Consider it a discount on saving your life, lightning boy."
They all laughed, the banter softening as the fatigue from the adventure settled in. Olivia smiled warmly at them. "Alright, then. Tomorrow, my inn. Drinks and dinner are on me."
Ren stretched, cracking his back with a content sigh. "I'll take you up on that, Olivia. I might even bring a victory speech, seeing how much the guild loved my last one."
Skorn rolled his eyes. "Just make sure it's under an hour."
Talos gave a small nod, smiling in his quiet way. "I'll bring a book. For Ren's inevitable speech...and in case it goes long."
They all shared a laugh, exchanging nods and promises to meet again. One by one, they each drifted off into the night, their paths parting but already looking forward to tomorrow's gathering.
Ren and Olivia made their way back to the inn, their steps finally slowing as the day's excitement wore off. Ren stretched, glancing over at Olivia with a smirk. "So, I promised Peanut an adventure. I think I'll take a little stroll around the city with him, check out a few spots."
Olivia nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Sounds like a nice way to unwind after all this. Just… don't go getting into any troubles"
Ren chuckled, shaking his head. "Promise. Peanut and I'll keep it tame—more of a 'wander and snack' sort of adventure."
*******
as they strolled down the bustling streets. Ren grinned, patting Peanut's head. "Alright, buddy, let me tell you about today's little adventure."
Peanut chittered in response, as if he understood every word.
"So there we were, deep in this cave, goblins swarming at us like they'd been promised a bonus," Ren started, gesturing dramatically as they walked.
"Skorn's throwing rocks everywhere, Olivia's keeping us patched up, and Talos—well, he had this whole air thing going on that would've made any griffin proud."
Peanut tilted his head, eyes gleaming with interest.
"And then," Ren continued, his voice dropping for effect, "we finally found their king. Big guy, way too dramatic—sitting on a throne of bones like some low-budget villain. It was almost sad, really."
"Oh, you would've loved it," Ren chuckled, rubbing Peanut's ear. "Next time, we'll find an adventure where you can join in too. For now, let's see if we can find some snacks as a warm-up"
.....