The next morning,
the loud crowing of a rooster pierced the quiet air, jolting Skorn awake. He groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Who even lets these birds scream like that? Talos! Get up and do something about it!"
Talos blinked awake, confused. "What am I supposed to do, Skorn? Negotiate with the chicken? Apologize for disturbing your royal slumber?"
Skorn crossed his arms. "You're the nature guy! Just... charm it or whatever!"
Talos sat up with a huff. "I don't charm animals, I work with plants. Maybe you should talk to it; it might understand grumpy lizards better."
Their bickering escalated, each throwing petty insults back and forth, which finally woke Ren. He rolled over, squinting at the two of them. "Are we seriously doing this? It's too early for a comedy duo audition."
Skorn turned to him. "Well, it's your fault, Ren! If you hadn't taken so long hunting rabbits last night, I'd have gotten proper sleep!"
Ren rubbed his face. "Right, blame the guy who made sure you didn't starve. Next time, I'll let the chicken handle breakfast, Kung Fu Panda style."
Both Skorn and Talos paused, baffled. "Kung Fu what?" Talos asked.
Ren sighed and stood up. "Never mind. Let's just get moving before the chicken decides to start a band."
--
After freshening up, the group headed to check on Olivia. The healer had just finished his second session as they entered the room.
Olivia was sitting up, looking much healthier, her usual warmth returning to her face. As they gathered around her, Skorn clapped his hands together dramatically.
"Well, well! Look who's back to gracing us with her radiant presence!"
Talos joined in with a mock bow. "Truly, the hero of our hearts returns. Shall we chant her name?"
"Olivia! Olivia!" Skorn and Talos began, their voices rising in playful unison.
Ren crossed his arms, shaking his head with a faint smirk. "You two are impossible. Let her breathe before you scare her back into bed."
Olivia laughed softly, her cheeks flushing. "I'm glad to see you're all still ridiculous."
Ren leaned against the doorframe, his gaze softening. "Ridiculous, sure. But we're glad you're okay, Olivia."
Aghhhhh....
Suddenly, a loud scream echoed through the village, piercing the quiet morning air. Everyone froze, immediately alert.
Without hesitation, they rushed out of the house, hearts racing. As they reached the village square, they saw a woman sprinting toward them, eyes wide with fear.
Ren was the first to step forward, his tone calm but commanding. "Hey, don't worry, we're adventurers. What's happening?"
The woman stopped, her breath coming in frantic gasps. She clutched her chest, trying to steady herself. "Goblins! They're attacking! They've surrounded the village! Please, you have to help!"
Talos frowned, exchanging a quick glance with Skorn. "Goblins, huh? This is starting to feel like a bad sequel."
Ren sighed and looked to his companions, shaking his head. "Seems like we're the only ones who can do something about it. Alright, we'll handle it. Just stay out of the way."
Skorn's eyes lit up. "Goblins? Finally, something with a bit of fight in it!"
As the group began to move towards the village's edge, they all suddenly stopped in unison. Ren, Skorn, and Talos turned to Olivia, their faces stern.
"Olivia," Ren said, his voice soft but firm. "You need to rest."
Skorn nodded, his usual humor gone. "You're in no shape to fight. Let us handle this."
Talos, usually more reserved, added, "You need to recover fully. We'll take care of the goblins. You can't push yourself just yet."
Olivia opened her mouth to protest, but before she could speak, Ren gently placed a hand on her shoulder, his tone brokering no argument. "We mean it, Olivia. Rest. We'll keep you safe."
For a moment, Olivia just stared at them, her eyes softening as she understood they were right. With a reluctant sigh, she nodded. "Fine. But only because I know you'll all get yourselves into trouble if I don't stay back."
Ren gave her a small smile. "Exactly. Now, stay here and get some rest. We'll be back soon."
With that, they all turned and moved swiftly toward the village's outskirts, leaving Olivia behind to rest, knowing she would be in good hands.
----
As Ren, Skorn, and Talos moved toward the village's edge, the air grew tense. The sounds of distant shouting and clashing weapons could be heard faintly as they neared the trees. Ren glanced back at the village briefly, his instincts telling him that this wouldn't be a simple skirmish.
"Stay sharp," Ren muttered under his breath, eyes scanning the forest around them.
Skorn, his usual humor replaced with a steely focus, spoke up. "Goblins don't usually cause this much trouble unless something's stirring them up." He clenched his fists, ready to move earth at a moment's notice. "I've got your back."
Talos, who had been quieter than usual, seemed to be deep in thought. "They're probably more organized than we think," he said quietly. "Goblins don't act like a proper threat unless they're part of something bigger. I've seen it before."
As they reached the tree line, the first goblin appeared, its wild eyes glowing with malice. It grinned at them, baring its sharp teeth, but before it could make a move, Ren raised his hand, a crackle of electricity sparking in the air.
The goblin lunged, but Ren was faster, his fingers snapping to release a burst of lightning that struck the creature dead in its tracks. It collapsed, twitching, to the ground.
"We need to keep moving," Ren said, his voice low and controlled. "There's more."
True enough, as they ventured deeper into the woods, more goblins emerged from the underbrush, some with crude weapons, others looking like they'd been scavenging. They didn't hesitate to attack, snarling and screeching as they charged.
Talos was the first to react. He waved his hand, and a gust of wind swirled around him, pushing the goblins back as they tried to overwhelm him. "These things are everywhere," he muttered, his voice filled with frustration.
Skorn didn't waste time. With a grunt, he slammed his fist into the ground, and the earth around them trembled as massive stone barriers shot up, blocking the goblins' path. The goblins crashed into the rocks, and some were knocked out cold by the impact.
Ren's eyes darted around, assessing the situation. "That's not all," he said. "These goblins are being controlled, pushed into a frenzy. They aren't just attacking for food."
A particularly large goblin, larger than the rest, emerged from the shadows, holding a crude staff. It began chanting in a language none of them understood, and the air grew heavier, thicker.
"Great," Skorn said, narrowing his eyes. "A shaman."
Talos stepped forward, an idea forming in his mind. "If we don't stop that shaman, it's just going to keep calling reinforcements." He glanced at Ren. "We need to take it out, fast."
Ren nodded. "I'll take care of the little ones. You two handle the shaman." He extended his hand, lightning crackling to life around his fingertips. "Let's end this quickly."
Skorn and Talos charged forward, taking on the goblins that had gathered around the shaman. Ren stood back, waiting for the right moment. He could already feel the surge of energy building, the tension in the air growing thicker by the second.
The shaman raised its staff, and a bolt of green energy shot toward Ren, but he was ready. In a flash, he dodged to the side, letting the energy pass harmlessly by. With a smirk, he thrust his palm forward, releasing a concentrated burst of lightning straight at the shaman.
The bolt hit its mark. The shaman screeched as the electricity coursed through it, and it dropped to the ground, convulsing.
With the shaman down, the remaining goblins seemed to lose their coordination, their frenzy dying down. Skorn and Talos made quick work of the remaining goblins, their teamwork effective and swift.
Breathing heavily, Ren glanced back at the village, making sure there were no other surprises lurking nearby. "All clear," he said, his voice steady.
Skorn wiped the sweat from his brow. "That was... too easy."
Ren chuckled, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he scanned the clearing. "Of course it was easy. Did you forget our last encounter with them? Goblins, in all their craziness, are no match for us."
Talos, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "Still, we had to take precautions. They weren't acting like your typical goblins."
Ren nodded, keeping his eyes on the surrounding trees as if expecting more goblins to spring from the shadows. "True.
But for now, we've dealt with them. We'll keep our guard up." He paused, his gaze sharp. "This could be just a test... or the beginning of something worse."
Skorn snorted. "Well, whatever it is, we'll face it like we always do—head on."
Ren smirked, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah. But let's make sure we don't walk into another surprise. We're not as invincible as we like to think."
Talos shot Ren a sideways glance. "It's never the fights we expect that get us, is it?"
"Exactly." Ren sighed, feeling that familiar weight of tension settle on him. "Alright, let's head back. Olivia's probably getting impatient."
The group turned and made their way back toward the village,
"Let's just hope the next surprise isn't bigger than we can handle," Ren muttered under his breath, though he doubted anyone else heard.