Nirvana

"So, what happened?" Douglas grunts while sipping in his tea of his own while helping himself with the baked biscuits.

He irritatedly explained that he was waiting three hours until now for us to return, with the dead horned rabbits, to the camp. Douglas knew where Elanor had gone and expected him to come back sooner than the three of us.

"The Elven village is a whisker away from where we encamped," He appended while continuing to fill himself with the homemade crackers. "I was about to tell you three, but I wanted to test you guys something out."

"Test us?" I retorted, close to raising my voice from his absurd demands. "It poisoned my friend after taking a hit against those horned rabbits!"

His expression immediately changes after hearing such tragic news. Although Markus had put a word for us, that we are exceptional creatures-intellectual goblins, we three are still unknowledgeable about this world.

"What do you mean by poisoned?" Douglas interrogatively spoke, clarifying what he had heard was reaching his ears.

"See him for yourself," Elanor interrupts while showing him to the room where Delwyn had moved Grer.

Douglas quietly follows his figure and opens the door from the other side. Everyone tags along and spots the lone, pale goblin lying across a more comforting bed with distinct leaves and herbs surrounding his body. We can also discern orbs of light fluttering around him, rejuvenating both his arcane and his energy, but not the wounds covering his thigh.

"Damn," With one word, Douglas hurriedly approach Grer's comatose body and inspects the characteristics of both his skin and the toxin invading his cells.

Because of the antidote that Delwyn provided, Grer's condition had gotten better compared earlier. However, our goblin friend has yet to open his eyes, a problem that needs a stroke of patience for him to heal.

"I will ask you again," Douglas rises from his seat and faces me once more, this time with a serious expression engraved on his eyes. "How did he get poisoned?"

"I already told you! It's because of that damned horned hares!"

All of them except Izz shakes their heads after hearing my claim. Natalia slowly walks to my side while placing her hands on my stiff shoulder.

"Horned rabbits cannot inject poison to their targets." She said, with the rest of the crew nodding their heads in agreement.

"No, it must be a mistake!" I croaked, defending what I saw with my two squinting eyes.

"Izz, you saw that too, right?"

"Yes. Brother. And I saw the horned rabbit cast an ominous spell, then the ground suddenly softened and drooped Grer's body."

My story was not dubious of their ears, but it etched an eerie mark to their minds. Eventually, they explain the topic to me that poison attributes, although rare, are the speciality for the demonic tribe, specifically the shamans and witch doctors. They are the ones capable of conjuring such dangerous spells banned by humankind. And if humans could cast them then,

"They drank the blood of the demon lord," Delwyn speaks with bitterness in his tone as he continues the frightful conversation.

They burrow their head upon listening to the word "Demon Lord" the most common name that every transfer in another world story offers. But, somehow, my body soon uncontrollably quivers in fright and shares the same darkened expressions as them.

'Maybe I should read more about the history of this world,' I told myself while staring back at the ingress. I know nothing about the depths of races and kings and lords ruling the continent, compared these local people. I am blessed to meet with the kind King, Markus, and his relatives and these Elven creatures. However, I must be wary of the dangers and chaotic beings lurking outside our territory. After all, I can smell a war coming to these lands.

A male elf garbed with a canescent robe and a bow behind his back peeks through the window whilst knocking on the front door. He shares the same chain akin to King Elanor but dyed with a greyish white hue.

"Sir Delwyn!" His deafening voice shudders the shelves where they display the rest of the potions.

"Who's coming at this hour!" The old Elven man grumbles to himself and makes his way towards the entrance door. "You better be more important than this dying patient over here,"

"Sir Delwyn, it is a wonderful day for me to see you!" The youngster knight greets him with glee while rummaging to his sling leather bag.

Coincidentally after opening the door, the soldier outside unfastens up a lengthy scroll that reaches the floor. The manuscript contains such intricate texts that even I, who have most languages included in my system, which it could not understand.

I recognised that the written language comes from the ancient tongue, one of the lowest proficiencies I have in my book of skills.

"That letter came from the Northern continent,"

"Where the King of Spades lies." Delwyn finishes his sentence and immediately grabs the coal-black, formal coat hung on the rack.

His globes glance back at us and check for our friend, Grer, one last time before hastily departing the tavern.

"I shall return to the castle," Natalia said as she sips her last ounce of tea from her cup before rejoining with Delwyn.

Elanor did the same and redresses himself with the robe he had hung from the same peg rail. Although they are on the move, Elanor makes his way and speaks to me with a worried voice.

"Do you wish to come with us?" He said while taking glances at the room far behind.

"I don't know," I weakly answered while rubbing my shoulders, anxious of what was going to happen with my friend.

"Worry not, brother," Izz, who was listening to the talk a while back, grabs me from my waist and pushes me forward outside. "You should go check with the King and visit the village if you have to! I will be here inside and keep watch at brother Grer."

Her eyes shimmer as she speaks, washing away my worries and uneasiness as she volunteers herself to keep watch for my sake.

"But Izz, I-,"

"Just go, brother," She insisted while shutting the entrance door. "Be back when you're done with your trip, okay?"

"I will."

____________________________________________________

"Here is the town square plaza!" The proud serviceman said while extending his arms, showing the buildings and skyscrapers alongside the tall trees to our guests.

The residents on the streets wave their hands upon seeing the appearance of Natalia, Elanor, and Delwyn walking on the aisle. The army of soldiers gracefully salutes concurrently, accompanied by the delightful cheer coming from the crowd.

Thousands of petals rain down the street, welcoming the three prominent people striding towards the castle. However, their expressions change at once as they see a green and small creature walking behind, following their beloved royals and King.

"A goblin is here in our village?"

"Are we doomed?"

"Look at those creatures,"

Their piercing stares sent shivers towards my direction, but, somehow, their words were not as harsh compared to what I had initially expected. Despite their unceasing blabber, their eyes show sympathy and pity rather than the usual disgusted face common for individuals such as humans.

Elanor halts his stride and turns around and face aligned elves watching from a distance.

"This tiny monster is a good friend of mine. I assure you he's nothing compared to the goblin horde you see outside," I can feel his confidence raging from his voice, allowing me to clean up my name even before they can question my existence.

Even though their doubts are yet covering their faces, most elves accepted the King's remarks and resumed cheering for them and my presence. The singing of the choir continues from afar, paired with the orchestra playing at the side.

Elanor glimpses at his side and gives me a gawking thumbs up, assuring me that everything is going to be alright. My mind believes his words in an instant, making him the coolest elf I have ever witnessed upon living in this world.

However, the image that he desperately built a while back immediately shatters at once as he bumps into a soldier and presses his lips. It took them a while to realise what had happened with their bodies until the princess violently signals them with a cough to revert them in their senses.

"You're embarrassing me, father." Natalia could only scowl at the image of his dad defiling the chastity of the person.

I averted my gaze to my right, wanting to puke the cookies inside my stomach. But then, an image of an elegant, mature lady walks down the series of steps with two of her guards protecting her flanks.

Each of them has their wizardry staff and a witch's hat pointing at the sky. The woman in the middle has a unique design carved from her accessories, making her stand out. At the tip of their cane lies a crystal sphere resonating with arcane aura and mist, beaming with the elemental colour each one has; fire, water, and wind circling their orbs.

"All Hail the Queen and King of the Elven Kingdom, Nirvana!" The buoyancy of the throng reiterates wildly even from before at the sight of the Queen.