The Fourth Goblin
"Where is she right now?"
"That's the problem," Elanor said while gripping his hand into mine. "But she's somewhere close or maybe inside the castle."
I nod in acknowledgement and swiftly follow his footprints, with his fingers still latch on my emerald, coarse skin. We hurried between the line of survivors passing through the trail, but our destination fell apart as we headed off to the towering monument up ahead.
"I was trying to find her along in the village where we had parted ways," Elanor continues to unravel what had happened earlier.
"You left her?!" I exasperatedly said, wanting to knock some sense to this incompetent father, slash king.
"Well, Natalia said she wanted to look around some weapons," He defensively explained while waving both of his hands, releasing me from his clamp.
"Whatever you say, old man," I ended the conversation, still hovering towards the forest with my water jets.
"Goblins these days, I swear they ain't respectful,"
As our talk had died down, we eventually reached the outskirts of the castle, still blistering with the orange and yellow flames coming from the forest fire. However, a sensation from my body realises the event that even I cannot forget.
The same tragic occurrence is in front of me once again, battling my thoughts and trauma that I have to face. My pair of ligaments tremble in fright, with my feet steadily withdrawing off from the ablaze fort.
"Lake?" Elanor glances behind and witnesses my horror-struck expression written on my face.
If I have to guess my appearance, it would be more of an abstract art hung upside down in a shabby museum. It is also a scribble, written from a well-done book, not meant for the story.
"Is everything alright?" I can hear his voice calling out for my attention, but for no avail. My mind had already surrendered, forcing me to run away from the fire.
However, no matter where I go, the scarlet and golden hues trap me in all fours, not letting me escape easily.
"No. I don't want to go," My body rejects the scene on my fore, as I ready myself to leave the woodland in an instant.
But before I can even chicken out of my way, a husky goblin girl obscures my escape, with her arms intertwined with each other. Her eyes leer at me like a tiger observing her prey, locking my every movement, and eventually controlling my entire body.
"Took me a while to arrive, brother," She said and leisurely walked towards my side, placing her brawny hand on top of my hardened jostle. "And who are you to call me fat?"
For a second, I had thought she could read my mind. A cold sweat slides through my nape, not wanting to admit what my thoughts have loudly stated to her physique.
"Izz, you're back," Both of my globes glued at her stature, strong and behaved even in the face of danger. Although there may be particles of dust-stained on her face, she had received no injuries at all.
She raises her head and snorts, proud for complimenting her, as she proceeds forward to the castle's gates.
"Are you coming or what?" Izz asks while looking at my pathetic face, with my body leaning to the opposite side where we can find the exit.
"No,"
She pouts her lips and softly whistles whilst feverishly shaking her head, displeased from what I have ejaculated.
"Beep, wrong answer." She said and forcibly carried me like a firefighter would in the middle of rescuing a citizen inside a burning house.
Reasoning with this goblin proves to be the worst idea that I can do from my situation. I am, somewhat, a watering can or a sprinkler with my abilities combined. Analysing myself with these negative thoughts made me realise my stats are just bad-utterly inferior to my party members-that can only summon water.
I tightly shut my eyes, not wanting to see the world around me, engulfed with embers and charcoals. My mind had already decided that I will stay for a while in this position, not wanting to let go from Izz's protective hands.
However, my ears rattle and rise upon hearing a familiar voice coming from the heart of the tower.
"Grer!"
Despite my fear, I jolted out from Izz's clutches and hurriedly searched for the origin of the sound. I dash from left to right and afterwards descend the stairs, wishing to see that individual's face.
In the fullness of time right across the corridor, I spot two of the same faces clashing their weapons at each other. My eyes can never guess what was happening from afar, so I had to get a closer look for me to discern their battle.
The one who is exceedingly losing the battle is none other than my injured friend, who had just gotten up from his beauty sleep. His wounds all over his body are still visible in the naked eye, making it more burdensome to engage himself into battle.
But the question lives beneath my head, wondering about the creature fighting with him, especially when the foe is also a goblin.
Despite his goblin characteristics, his speed was on par with Grer, an assassin that nearly outmatched the infamous crimson fox, Cece.
His foe has better equipment, paired with the weapon in his hand. Grer only has the sharp stick, inherited by himself back from the old cave, completely outclassing him in durability and sharpness. His opponent also has a tunic for armour like the elves wear, but has a unique design. The materials used are all made with distinct monster fur and shells, amplifying both defence and attack. The plate can also release spikes to fend off an attack, clearly seen from the skirmish.
"Grer!" I shouted while activating my water jets and speedily close the distance.
Manoeuvring my body, I use my strength to force the mysterious goblin away, creating a space for us to reset our stance. Grer, recognising my voice and abilities, snicker in delight, motioning me so I can closely study the enemy.
"That is not how a goblin moves," Grer said, moving his head from east to west, denying everything he had witnessed up from this time. "It's even faster than me, you know!"
"Before that, are you alright? What happened? Do you have a broken limb?" I threw him a series of questions before resuming our dialogues.
With a confusing look masked beneath his face, he diligently answered each of my queries.
"Yes, I am alright, as you can see. I woke up with every single thing on fire-the ceiling, the town, and the plants-I did not know what to do. No, I have nothing broken around me."
"Then that's good," I remarked, patting him with my free hand. "Then care to explain that?"
The moment I point my finger to the goblin above, its figure suddenly dives in our direction, with his blade aimed at both our heads.
Grer, being the quickest party member alive, pushes me to the side, hoping that I would catch my balance and land on my feet, as he too dodges the other way.
"Who are you, and why are you attacking us?"
With the enemy's helmet covering its face, I could not help but ask for its identity and its goal to eliminate us that did nothing wrong.
"Vile elves, humans, and animania," The goblin evenly spoke while conjuring a spell at his free hand, forming a translucent shield blocking off the remnants of the fire.
"We monsters have done nothing to anger them, yet they keep killing us-for food, materials, and even for their entertainment. I despise them all, and they shall pay for their lives."
"But I can prove the elves innocence, and even meant to guard this forest-the habitat of those monsters that you speak of," I retorted, finding a solution between his claims.
"Ah, yes. Forest elves are the protector of the woodlands," As if agreeing to my reasons, the unknown creature slightly bends his head, recognising the point of my sentence.
"But they kill the dire wolves for their toys-quiver and their bows. They murdered the grizzly bears and left the cubs out in the wilderness-starving to death. All of them slaughtered the insects who just want to live for the winter," The foe charged the magic circle on his hand and pointed the tip of his forefinger to our gaped eyes.
"Have you forgotten your kind, Lake White?"
A sudden thump apprises my brain, telling me I have known this creature for a long time. Yet, somehow, the name does not ring inside my head, despite feeling nostalgic from the sound of his voice.
Even Grer has a dumbfounded face while undergoing with the events happening to us. His will to fight vanishes from his arms, as I can see his stick descending at the floor.
"Alk, is that you? Brother?" Grer said in disbelief.
"It is I, Grer, Lake" Alk confirms our hunches, which even made me more surprised to see him here. "I am alive,"