The figure soon came into view that Karape and his friend could see him clearly. it was a freaking three meter tall hobgoblin carrying a club on his shoulder while having a smug smile on his ugly face.
"Well.well.well. look what have we here".
The hobgoblin said in a low growling voice.
Karape and his friend was shocked to see a hobgoblin near the village, for there are scouts from every kingdom patrolling the borders.
There is no way a goblin could have made it pass the scouts so easily, not to mention that there are also traps and alarm bells set. Alarm bells are small bells that a attached to a long string that is set like a trip wire, when a monster steps on the wire it triggers the bell that is connected to that wire alarming the scouts that a monster is coming.
The alarm bells are set three hundred meters away from each other, and there a five sets of them. Which means if the first bell rings, the scouts will know that a monster is one point five kilometers away or one thousand five hundred meters away from the border. It doesn't even matter if an animal triggers the line, it's a must they go check it out to prevent anything from passing through the border.
"Mind if I ask how did you make it pass the scouts without being noticed"
Karape's friend asked calmly as they both draw their swords from its sheath.
"I thought humans were said to be the most intelligent species. And If that is true then why don't you figure it out yourselves. Intelligent species"
The hobgoblin replied letting out a growling laughter.
"Very well, I guess I'll have to make you talk then"
Karape said as he took up a fighting stance.
"Hey that was suppose to be my line jerk!"
Karape's friend scolded before taking up his stance too.
"Well you could have said it"
Karape said in annoyance as they both clashed their foreheads together.
The hobgoblin just stood there in confusion as he watched them throw curses at each other completely forgetting about the him.
"What in the forest are those two freaks even doing?. At the first second they prepare to fight and the next second they completely forgot about me. How rude for them to treat me like a fool, well then. If that's how you want to play, then I'll bring your little brains back to reality".
The goblin's mind was already in mess just from watching them.
Without saying a word he raised his right hand into the air as if he was about to give a signal. Karape seeing this stopped talking as he looked at the goblin with a more serious face, which was the same for his friend also. The hobgoblin seeing that the two of them had stopped talking, flashed a wide grin as he dropped his raised hand. Once his hand was by his side multiple obsidian tip arrows whistled passed him as they headed for Karape and his friend, before the arrows could reach them they took cover behind the trees nearby, just avoiding the rain of arrows by a hair's-breadth.
After the first wave of arrows, the hobgoblin gave another hand signal that brought multiple sharp growling voices of the smaller goblins as they came running out from their hiding places running down the hill heading for Karape and his friend. They wanted to run but the wave of arrows didn't stop as they continued to fire preventing them both from stepping out to the open. The first hord was about to reach Karape and his friend as they both held their swords ready for battle with sweat running down their faces when a wave of arrows came down killing the hord that charged first. The hobgoblin was taken aback by the attack, turning around to see where his minions were, the archers were already preparing to fire another round of arrows when he stopped them just in time.
"You bastards!, watch out for your comrades!"
The smaller goblins hearing their leader words, they all shrink back in terror that he might kill them for their stupidity. Karape and his friend hearing the hobgoblin shouting at his minions they both couldn't help it and took peeks from behind the trees studying the dead goblins on the ground with their own arrows pinned into their bodies.
'Hey, I gotta say you are one of the best hobgoblin leader I've ever seen before. If you'd like, I'll personally be willing to grant you the medal of becoming The Hoblinial Goblinic General!"
Karape's friend said while laughing like a mad man which brought tears to his eyes.
Sigh..this idiot never understand. We are out numbered and at a disadvantage here, and all he could think of is making jokes.
Karape thought to himself looking at his friend with a blank face.
"Shut your mouth insect!, you'll regret ever making fun of me!"
The hobgoblin shouted in anger slamming his club on the nearby tree breaking it half.
Karape's friend just smiled and stepped out into the clearing while putting his sword back into it's sheath walking up to the hobgoblin like he was in a park. Karape couldn't help but curse at him and followed behind but kept his sword at hand. The hobgoblin seeing that Karape's friend was approaching him without a weapon he laughed lightly before approaching him. They stopped just a few feet away from each other while staring into the eyes of another preparing to attack at any moment.
It is said that if you approach a hobgoblin without drawing your weapon, it will be a sign to him that you want a dual. Know that it is in the hobgoblins blood that if a dual is asked they will never back down no matter what.It doesn't matter if their opponent is weak or strong, man or female. If you want a dual you'll get what you asked for.
But before the battle starts, both sides have to name their condition on what will happen if they win. After they come to an agreement, the battle begins and remember no one will help you so if you want to live, you got to give everything you've got to survive.
"Tell me human, what are your terms for the battle?"
The hobgoblin asked with a smirk.
"Well it's simple, you get to tell us how you got in and you are to return from where you came from".
Karape's friend said casually like he knew the hobgoblin.
"Very well I accept your terms. As for me, you are not to tell a soul of our arrival. And adding up on your term we'll be returning with this child"
The hobgoblin said motioning his minions to bring out the child he was referring to.
The sky was now clear that not even a single cloud could be seen blocking the moons light, the place was nearly clear as day. When the small goblins brought out the child, Karape charged forward but was stopped by his friend.
"If you charge now they might kill the boy for breaking the rules, so you need to calm down and let me handle this. I might be an idiot when it comes to this type of situation but don't forget, when it comes to the people I care about I will give my life to protect them. So just have some faith in your buddy man, or don't tell me you are underestimating me just because you won the other day jerk"
Karape's friend said while stretching.
Karape really wanted to charge but he knew his friend was right, any silly mistake and Quinton is dead.
"Very well. I'll shall trust you on this one"
Karape sheathed his sword while looking at his knocked out son with a worried face.
"I take it that you have agreed with my terms?"
The Hobgoblin asked in a husky deep growling voice.
"Yep. And quik question, do you have a wife?"
Karape's friend asked still stretching.
"No. We goblins do not have a wife, though we have female goblins they couldn't even stand the thought of becoming pregnant over and over so most left with a few of the hugoblins. That is the reason why we capture your women so that they can become our breeding toys"
The Hobgoblin laughed with the smaller ones joining him.
"Toys?, you'll die for calling us toys you big green bastard"
Karape's friend replied with an angry face that showed killing intent in his eyes.
"Oh my bad. I must have hit a nerve"
The Hobgoblin let out a light laughter before becoming serious.
The air became tense as they both waited for who will make the first move.
Meanwhile Tiffany and her maids were also following the same track that Karape and his friend took after asking the guards standing at the gate. She was wearing a short black jean that just stopped above her knees with a round neck shirt with a battle axe was strapped to her back. Her maids were in their maiden clothes carrying no weapons just a flaming torch each. Tiffany kept complaining about how stupid Quinton was for leaving the village without telling anyone and even planned his punishments when they go home. Stephanie and Ursula just kept quiet and followed only answering when Tiffany ask them questions.
It is not like they didn't feel like talking, no. Tiffany can be a kind hearted and soft person, but she's also a terrifying woman when she gets angry. Before she became a receptionist she was an adventurer just like Karape. She was known as the Osok(short term for one strike one kill) throughout the entire kingdom of Kesa, which is the capital of the kingdom they all come under.
When she was still single she always gets asked by many men, but she always turns them down. But still men kept chasing after her and stalking her so she decided to find a worthy partner.
She challenged any and every single men that asked her out, defeating each one with only one strike. The total of men she fought was thirty two, and from then on no one approached her. Seeing that all the men had given up on asking her out, she retired from being an adventurer and worked in the guild but just as she thought everything was going the way she wanted, there comes Karape. He happened to be returning from a quest with his party when he met Tiffany on the counter when he went to place his report about the quest at the Adventurers Guild.
After placing his party's report, he went on to asking her out and just like everybody else Tiffany challenged him to a dual.
As they were making their way to the Adventurers Guild's training ground, Karape's friends were telling him about what the other adventurers said about Tiffany. But Karape didn't mind them for all he was thinking of was how he would spend his future with Tiffany.
The training ground was already packed with adventurers and civilians, some were already placing bets on who might win the fight.
Tiffany was still in her working clothes with her battle axe strapped to her back as she waited for Karape to enter the ring. seeing that Tiffany wasn't wearing any armor Karape decided to drop all his armor but that only made a commotion among the people watching.
"Oh man. His so dead"
"I changed my mind, I'm betting on the lady"
"I don't mind, he's looking more handsome without his armor, so I'll leave it as it is"
"Mam are you crazy?, his going up against Osok!"
"Has he gone mad"
"I feel sorry for him already"
Karape didn't mind the crowd as he took his time removing his armor while humming a song, which made Tiffany more angry.
She needed to get this done quickly and get back to her work but Karape was making things complicated for her. After waiting for almost twenty minutes karape finally got rid of his armor and entered the ring walking like he was taking a morning stroll in the city.
"You know I was planning on going easy on you, but you wasted my time by just removing a few armor!. And because of that I'm gonna have my pay decreased, so prepare yourself pretty face, for I'm about to smash it!"
Tiffany removed her axe pointing it at Karape bringing the crowd to an uproar.
"I know right, aren't I the most handsome thing you've ever seen?"
Karape said while brushing his hair trying to act cool.
Those words only made Tiffany more and more angry, she just wanted to kill him from where he was standing.
If only looks can kill I swear Karape would have been killed a thousand times over. His party just rolled their eyes after hearing him say that.
"Just die!!"
Tiffany shouted as she closed the gap between them swinging her axe towards him wanting to end the fight quickly, but what came next wasn't what she and everybody expected except Karape's party.
Tiffany had a wide smile on her face for she wanted to embarrass Karape Infront of everyone just like she always do, but that all changed when she saw Karape standing with one hand in his pocket and the other was used to grab her axe handle just below the blade stopping it from reaching him. He had a smile on his face like her attack was nothing.
"You were consumed by rage that caused you to attack me carelessly which left many openings for me to kill you, but you should be thankful that I didn't"
"Well, I never asked you to go easy on me!"
Tiffany jumped back a few feet reading to go in for a second try, this time Karape removed his sword from its sheath and took up a fighting stance. Everyone watching couldn't even believe what they just witnessed.
"Please tell me I'm dreaming"
"You are dreaming"
"What I'm trying to say is that I can't believe that guy was able to block Osok's axe, you dummy!"
"Then you could have said so!, instead of, Please tell me I'm dreaming. Smart pants"
"To think someone would be able to block her attack with such ease"
"What the heck is that guy"
"I don't know what's real anymore"
"Well have you heard the name Snow Blade?"
One of Karape's party members asked after hearing the crowd talk crazy.
"Of course we do, he's the adventurer who wiped out the whole bandit group known as the Head-Takers in one single night on his first day of becoming an adventurer. And he was only 17 years old at that time, so yeah we do know the name"
A man in the crowd who was standing near karape's party replied while puffing out his chest.
"Good. Then you should know that your Osok or whoever she is, is going up against Snow Blade himself"
Karape's party member said shocking everyone.
"Now that you mention it, he does have white hair and his welding a sword. Wait does that mean?"
"You guys are the Snow Storm party!"
"I have decided, I shall bet on the man!"
"You can't change your bet now old man, the match has already began!"
"Me too!"
"Me too"
"Yeah..I think I'll pass, I'll still remain with the beauty"
"This revelation makes him even more handsome. I'll double my bet on Snow Blade!"
"Not you too miss!"
While everyone was trying to change bet and stuff, the battle between Tiffany and Karape was already coming to end with Tiffany panting heavily but Karape just remained standing calm with only one hand only holding his sword and the other still in his pocket.
Tiffany didn't seem to have a single scratch on her but she was already exhausted from the fight, not even her clothes seem to be damaged which left those who didn't watch the battle in the past few minutes confused. Same could be said for Karape but he wasn't breathing heavily like Tiffany, instead, he seemed like he was just standing there without even moving an inch.
"May I ask why you challenge every men who asks you out miss?"
Karape asked.
Hahaha. You know it's annoying that everytime I challenge someone they ask this same question.
Tiffany laughed lightly as she stood up slowly with the support of her battle axe.
"But since you asked politely I'll tell you. I challenge you dumb idiots because you guys can't leave me alone to find someone of my own choosing, I turned down many men but they keep coming. To be honest I felt sorry for every one of them, so I decided that who is able to defeat me in a dual shall be worthy of becoming my husband, it doesn't matter who you are or how you look for all I care about is someone worthy of my love and the same could be done for me. And that brings us all the way here, are you satisfied now Snow Blade?"
Tiffany explained with a hint of sadness in her eyes and voice.
"Sigh..I see. Now shall we continue, Osok?"
Karape said with a serious face but his voice was still calm.
Tiffany smiled as she dashed forward, with Karape doing the same. The crowd couldn't keep their excitement as they cheered for them both as Tiffany and Karape charged towards each other. When they were a few feet away karape's serious face broke a smile as he brought his sword to the front like he was about to deliver a powerful thrust.
Anyways we'll continue with that later, for now let's get back to the main story.....
"My lady, I think you should calm yourself"
Ursula tried calming Tiffany down.
"I agree, stress is bad for your health"
Stephanie joined in.
"Oh, right. Sigh...I don't know what would I have done without you girls"
Tiffany stopped in her track trying to calm herself.
"We know you are worried about him, but so are we you know"
Ursula said hugging Tiffany from behind.
She was about to say something when she heard a faint sound of fighting coming from the distance. The maids also heard the sound, exchanging nods with each other they hurried towards the sound with Stephanie leading the way. As they made their way through the bushes the sound of iron hitting against something was getting louder than before. But there was also the sounds of sharp growling voices too, like they were cheering the unseen battle. As they got close Stephanie signalled for them to stop while crouching down killing the torch on the damp soil of the forest. Ursula and Tiffany didn't make a sound as they also crouched down to the ground with Ursula killing the torch also.
Stephanie slowly slide her hands under her skirt leaving Tiffany confused as to what she was trying to do, but when she removed her hands she was holding two daggers. Tiffany was dumbfounded to discover that Stephanie had daggers under her skirt all this time, turning around to Ursula to see if she also saw what she saw only to discover that she also had daggers now in her hands.
"Where the hack do you hide those things?"
Tiffany asked in a low curious voice.
Ursula didn't reply but instead lifted her skirt stopping just before her pantie could be brought to the clear moons lights revealing multiple daggers strapped on her thighs, while smiling like it was a normal thing to do.
"You girls really have many secrets hidden don't you?"
Tiffany said with a blank face.
"Shhhh"
Stephanie signalled for them to keep quiet and move closer to where she was.
Without complaining they approached her, with every step the sound of battle was getting even louder. As they got where Stephanie was they could see the two figures battling in a clear open area under the full glory of the moons lights, and just Infront of them was a group of short bold people with pointed ears cheering while holding an unconscious kid.
"Is that who I think it is?"
Stephanie tried to get a closer look at the kid who was being held captive when all of a sudden Tiffany charged forward with her axe cutting anything that stood in her way. Stephanie and Ursula just let out a sigh and followed behind throwing daggers and covering Tiffany as she charged towards the goblins who were holding Quinton. Their attack was so quick and precise that the goblins didn't have time to scream as they fell to the ground dead, for a group of girls to fight like that wasn't really something you see most of the time. One of the goblin holding Quinton was able to scream before his head was sent flying, the hobgoblin was alarmed by his minion's cry and after sending Karape's friend flying with a powerful swing from his club, he turned around towards his minions only to find them all dead. And the kid was now in one of the three humans who had just assassinated his men.
"Traitors, you broke the rules of our dual you filthy humans!"
The hobgoblin roars facing Karape and his wounded friend.
"No we didn't trick you, those filthy humans came from out of nowhere, believe me"
Karape's friend tried explaining.
But before the hobgoblin could say anything, he was cut short as something seemed to hit him from behind which made him let out a mouth full of blood as he collapsed to the ground. Karape and his friend looked at each other and back at the hobgoblin before seeing an axe they knew many years ago.
Rushing over to the hobgoblin they turned him sideways and started asking him questions without even sparing the girls a glance.
"Hey don't die yet you green shit, you owe us answers!"
Karape's friend said while slapping the hobgoblin lightly.
"And you owe us answers too, father"
Hearing the voices of two young girls, sweat started running down karape's friend's face.
"Hey girls, what are coincidence running into you here"
He said forcing a smile to Ursula and Stephanie.
"Why don't we start with,Those filthy humans part?"
Tiffany said imitating karape's friend, while carrying the unconscious Quinton who seemed like he was sleeping.
"I see you guys have managed to get Quinton before us"
He said without answering her question, this time he was already looking for Karape but he was no where to be seen near him.
"And where do you think you're going dummy!?"
Stephanie said grabbing Karape's shirt stopping him from escaping into the tree's shadows. He just smiled and cracked a guilty smile trying to say something but nothing came out of his mouth when he felt the pressure coming from Tiffany.
"You both have a lot of explaining to do when we get back, especially you Snow. Blade"
Tiffany said his name clearly and slowly in a lovely tone but you could clearly see the deadly aura behind her.
"Absolutely mam"
Karape and his friend quickly replied at the same time.
"Good. Now lets head home now, father. For we too have questions for you"
Stephanie and Ursula said in union glaring at their father with hostility.
"I'm so dead"
The so called father of the girls just dropped his head while talking to the dead hobgoblin like they were close friends.
With that the girls didn't even waste time as Tiffany walked first heading to the village carrying Quinton like a new born baby with loving eyes, and Stephanie and Ursula followed behind dragging the two elderly men by their shirt.
"Pssst. What do you think will happen to you when you go home?"
Karape's friend asked digging his nose while relaxing as Ursula was dragging him.
"Trust me, you don't wanna know"
Karape whispered back with a small branch in his mouth like a toothpick.
"Wait is it that serious?"
His friend asked leaning closer with a serious face sticking a branch into his mouth also like a toothpick while crossing his hands.
If one saw them, they both were like gangsters trying share confidential information. Without even caring about the fact that they are being dragged on their ass back to the village.
"You really want to know?"
"I sure do partner"
"Before that, what do you have?"
"I'm afraid I can't tell until you tell me yours"
"Fair enough. The information that I'm about to tell you classified so listen carefully"
"Go on"
" What do you think is the most nerve wracking thing to do at home?"
"doing dishes"
(They said together letting out a sigh)
"Now your turn"
"What is that one job that makes you want to give up on life?"
"Toilet cleaning!"
This time they answered together but not in a low voice instead they spoke loudly while bursting into a laughter at the mention of toilet cleaning, as they fist bummed.
But soon regretted it as Ursula and Stephanie gave them both a hard knock on the head after receiving the go-ahead from Tiffany.