The group was stunned.
They all look at Clara as she was their angel.
They slowly walked towards and thank her for saving them.
"Yes. We're glad you saved us..."
"That was cool..."
"Are you single..." Lee asks with desperation. While Jacob smacks him in the head.
Clara said, "Good. I'm glad you guys are fine," her words filled with formality and grace.
Then Clara asks them, "Are you guys adventurer by chance?"
The team looks at each other with quick glance.
"Yes." They all respond together.
Clara said, "Are you guys here on quest as well?"
They all nod.
"Yes."
"We're here to kill a few goblins."
"However, we didn't expect that we get surrounded by thousands of goblins."
"If we knew about it. We wouldn't be here, in the first place. This was beyond bronze quest level."
They knew something was not right.
But they shove it off, thinking it was nothing. They never thought they almost got killed by a simple mistake. Now, they know never again make that mistake once again.
Clara noticed their emblem.
"By any chance? Are you with the chameleon guild?" She asks with politeness.
Tyrone replied with a nervous tone.
"Yeeaahhh..."
The group didn't want to admit it. Knowing their reputation of the guild, for being the bottom last.
Elizabeth said, "Which guild are you from?" She was curious.
The group is all thinking the same thing.
They wanted which guild she is associated with. They even thought it was one of the big leagues. But to they surprise, they didn't expect her next word.
"I'm also a chameleon guild member." Clara said with a smile.
The group was even surprised.
"Whaaa!"
They never thought she joined their pathetic guild.
"You lying!"
"Are you serious!?"
"There is no way, a hottie like you joining our bottom as guild."
They all refused to acknowledge it.
Clara giggles, "It's true, here take a look."
She shows her emblem on her hand. Now, they believe her.
"Haha... she really is..."
"Our guild finally got another baddie."
Edward slowly bowed his head, "As a member from the same guild. We give you our humbled thanks." He said with a respectful tone.
The team also bowed, knowing this was the right thing.
Endless slowly walked in.
"Clara. Now, you're done playing the hero. Let's head towards the mountain cave." He said with firm tone.
The other group didn't notice his presence before.
"Is he... a companion of her," Jacob said.
Edward noticed one thing towards him. He wasn't an ordinary person if he came with her. Then it's obvious that he's strong.
"That guy? We didn't even notice his presence when he got close to us." Edward murmurs. "Was he a high rankers?"
Edward was curious as well.
Clara said, "He's also a member as well."
The team looks at endless with curiosity.
"Really? Is he aslo strong as you," Elizabeth said.
She assured that he was.
"Far stronger than me," she said with a straight face.
Endless said, "Quit yapping... let's head towards the goblin layer and get this over with."
Clara responded, "Alrighty... you don't have to be an ass about it." She said with a sarcastic tone.
The two head first, but Edward stops them.
"Hey, wait!" He shouted.
Both stop and look behind.
Edward was a little bit nervous.
"May I also come as well?" He said.
His team was a little bit surprised.
"Wait, what?"
"What are you doing, man?"
They didn't know why Edward would ask them if he could join their quest, knowing it was above their level. Edward, he didn't think much about it.
When he saw how, Clara effortlessly took down dozens of goblins alone.
He knew if he stayed with her, he'll probably grabbed the chance to hold on to the big leagues.
He already imagined the fame he would get if he went along with them. His true purpose was to join the strongest group in the guild but watching her perform.
"If I help them on this mission. And show of my skill, and once they seem me going all out. They will eventually ask me to join on their adventure." Edward murmurs.
This was the right opportunity for him.
But it seems he wasn't the only one who thought that idea.
Elizabeth, step forward.
"I would also like to join if you don't mind?" She said.
"Count me in..." Tyrone said.
Jacob with frustration.
"Augh... I might as well join."
Zumi said, "It's settled then... we all go."
They all step forward. Edward shows a dark expression, it seem it was unpleasant to him. He didn't want his team to take his chance away, like how Tyrone took the girl he likes, and now they want to take his place in the big leagues.
Edward wasn't having it.
Tyrone wrapped his arm around Edward and smiled at him.
"Don't worry. I got your back, " He said with a nice way to help a friend.
Tyrone was unaware of Edward dark expression. However, he hid his expression by deceiving them.
"Thanks, buddy..." He force his smile towards Tyrone.
Tyrone replied, "No problem. I can't just leave my friends on a dangerous quest."
Edward was disgusted by how he's showing his friendly gesture. But he didn't have a choice now. He didn't want to make a scene in front of the two big shots.
He held it within.
To their unaware, endless.
Could read their emotions and mind with ease. He sensed, Edward. Had bad intentions while Tyrone was being straight, forward.
Clara said, "Alrighty then. Let head towards our destination." She was glad they volunteered to help.
Endless said, "Since you all joining. I might as well take an easy way to get there or else. You might slow us down."
Clara slap his shoulder, "Hey! That not nice. Sorry guys, he's not the type to work with groups. So don't listen to him. I'm happy that you're all coming."
Edward was nervous, "No problem." He force his smile.
Endless raised his hand.
Crumbles! (Shook)
The ground started to shake.
Crack!
The team suddenly stumbled back on the ground with surprise.
"What's going on..."
"Why is the ground shaking!"
Edward already knows what is happening. He didn't take his eyes off on endless when he happened to raise his hand.
The ground slightly lifted.
"Whoa...!"
The team saw how they floated on the air on top of pieces of the ground. Now, the shape of a rock.
Endless said, "Hold on tight."
They are now floating higher in the sky.
Clara was holding on tight.
"IS THIS NECESSARY!!" She screams with fear. She wasn't good with heights.
The rock slowly heads towards the mountain.
***
The dark spooky cave.
The entire cave swarmed with goblins.
The goblins minions cower in submission as godling stare down on them. One goblin in the group volunteers and approaches, bowing repeatedly while trembling. The bones of godling enemies form an imitating display around his seat.
Giving out a frightened terror.
Godling sharp teeth clench as realization dawns - his collection of captured female humans has lessened than before.
The throne room chamber grows colder with his mounting rage.
"Why is there less! Tell me, how should I deal with your defiance," his anger was shown. He grips his throne.
Crack!
His throne seat slightly broke down.
The goblins scatter further, fear evident in their beady eyes. One brave goblin scout scurries forward with a report.
The goblin scout said, "M-my chief, humans attacked last night! They freed the females before we could... before we could bring them to you." He was shaking with fear while bowing.
"Is that so..." godling wasn't satisfied with his answer.
The scout quivers, ore intensely, his green skin paling as he realizes his chief was displeasure.
The scout said, "P-please forgive me, great godling! We tried to stop them, but the women were too much for us. Even with a dozen of us—"
Godling didn't want to hear the rest of his excuses, but he only hears the word women.
"A woman? Do tell..." He said.
The scout perks up slightly, seeing a chance to appease him. He licks his lips nervously.
The goblin scout said, "Y-yes, chief! There was female among them - tall, with strange marking on her hand. She wielded a sword and magic like nothing we'd seen before!"
The other goblins chime in with excited whispers about the mysterious woman, their fear momentarily forgotten.
The scout explains in detail.
"She moved like lightning, striking down our warriors about with glowing sword. We've never seen magic like that before..." He said.
One of the survivors escaped, leaving his brethren to die while he carried the info about the strange woman. His priorities were to tell their chief about her strange ability.
While they were chatting.
A mysterious figure appears in their cave.
"Hehe..." His dark laughs echo through the cave.
Letting others notice his arrival.
The cavern entrance suddenly darkens as his messive Oni enters, his towering form casting a long shadow.
The goblins fell silent instantly, pressing themselves with each other while backing up and led the Oni to their chief.
They show their terrified expression.
Their earlier excitement turns to frozen horror.
The Oni glowing red eyes scan the room, lingering on godling and his throne. The Oni armor bears a strange marking that pulse with magic energy.
Godling was already familiar with these Oni.
"And what may I help you with. I'm guessing you're here to remind me of something," godling wasn't sure of. Why would an Oni like him doing in his territory.
But godling had one thought of why he was here personally.
Was to take his captive away.
Godling was nervous and sweating. The Oni gaze locks onto the chief on the throne, a knowing smirk spreading across his scarred face. He takes a heavy, deliberately steps forward.
"Well, well, well, little goblin junior or should I say chief." Oni deliberately mocked him.
Godling was too scared to even look at him while facing down. His sweating was dripping on his face.
Oni continues to say, "I hear you've been causing trouble lately once again. Stealing human women, are we? I just happened to be nearby. So I came to visit my favorite gobly."
Gobly: meaning a pet name that was given to him.
Godling, the chief of goblin was shaking in fear while not making eye contact.
He could feel death staring at him.
His instinct was telling him that he was in danger.
The Oni chuckles darkly, clearly enjoying his fear. He reaches out casually and picks up one of his skulls from his throne.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here on another business." He said towards godling, who is still shaking in fear.
The giant Oni stops before his throne, his messive from casting an imposing shadow over godling. His scarred face remains impressive.
Oni said, "My master sends you a message. The human women you capture will be collected tomorrow at the end of sunrise, but if there's less from before. A little warning from me. Don't displease him any further or else."
He crosses his arm, muscles rippling beneath his red skin. Clearly, he was threatening him.
He walks away while giving him a final regard.
"Consider this your only warning. Next time, we won't be so... civil about it." Oni said.
Tsk...
Godling bites his teeth with frustration and nervousness.
This was an impossible task from the beginning. He clearly came to kill him.
The air grows thick with tension as the sun first rays begin to filter through the cavern entrance, casting long shadow across his bone throne.
Godling said, "That dawned red-skinned giant... the nerve of him, threatening me in my own lair!"
He kicked an empty skull across the floor, sending it clattering into the darkness.
Then he had a second thought.
He was showing his twisted wide grin. A dangerous glint appears in his eyes as he stands up towering over the goblins. He was radiating defiance.
"Screw it! If this is how they repay me! Then I might as well go against them."
The other goblins nod agreement, their expression a mix of fear and recognition.
If he was going to die by sunrise.
He might as well fight to the end.
"Screw the women! I would no longer take orders! Tonight! It will be our last." Godling was furious.
Godling is preparing to face the red giant himself.
The scout shivers in fear.
"But chief... if we attack the Oni directly, we'll lose everything. They'll slaughtered us all!" He said towards his chief.
Godling replies, "Hehe.. he's only one Oni. He didn't come with the others. So this should be a nice opportunity. We'll surround him, and I'll kill him right in front, everyone."
The goblins burst into exciting chatter, and their fear was replaced with hope and battle fever.
The goblin scout said, "We'll strike when he least expects it. Keke... with surprise and numbers, we might stand a chance!"
The cavern echoes with a sound of weapons being sharpened and armor being donned as their loyal goblins prepare for battle.
________________________________________
Next chapter...