It’s been a long time since the path running through the mountain range ever had a visitor. It’s been common knowledge that monsters burrowed and thrived in this forest. There was a time when adventurers would take the job as guards, fending off the monsters along the way. An arduous path but manageable nonetheless. The story changed when the wyvern showed up and nested on the peaks. Countless ambushes from the avian beasts raised the risk higher than expected, to the point that the travelers just gave up the thought of even coming near here. After all, it’s not every time the dice will roll in their favor. As a result, settlements on each side of the mountain range suffered economic damage. Travelers were unable to visit the villages, and trade movements were crippled. The Adventurer’s Guild, together with knights of the lord of the area, banded together for an expedition. A massive force to strike at the root of the problem, they marched to the Wyvern's nest. But that ended in failure. The number of wyverns and their power far exceeded the coalition’s expectations; the battle they came for was reduced to a feast for the monsters. It was one of the greatest tragedies that was recorded, and no expedition followed since then. Time passed; unattended monsters- goblins, corpse eaters —creatures that instinctively crave the flesh of man thrived. Some say this forest became the sole retreat for any outcast of society. Bandits burrowed here as refuge for the crimes they committed against surrounding settlements. Anyone assumed the path would be forgotten as time went on. That’s why it was a massive shock when the news spread: ‘The Wyverns' nest was annihilated!’ The news came suddenly and spread like wildfire to the regions. Villages and towns rejoiced. Decades of stagnation had come to an end as travelers, adventurers, and merchants travelled once more to their humble place. The abandoned path once again welcomed its visitors… And so the monsters were more than happy to greet them. [BOOOOOM] Flare shot up from the midst of the trees. The explosion shook the forest's tranquility as it echoed into the sky overlooking the mountain range. Below its trailing red smoke was the clash of blades, mixed with angry shouts of men. Before the parked carriage, where its horse lay motionless and indifferent to the noise, a party of adventurers clashed against a pack of goblins. It was a creature with the height and intelligence of a child—a monster at the bottom tier of monsters that even ordinary people can kill effortlessly. However, these creatures were not proving to be what they were described as. “hugahha!” A humongous goblin, a hobgoblin, launched forward, swinging its sword at the waiting shield of a paladin adventurer. The paladin angled his shield to mitigate the impact, yet another dent was added to its rough, dull surface. The club slid past his shield, causing the goblin warrior to lose balance forward. A broken stance, the paladin waited to thrust his mana-imbued mace at the undefended warrior. The goblin warrior was hurled into the distance and slid across the ground. It forced itself up as the paladin strode closer to finish the job. An arrow flew past him and stopped him in his tracks. He turned to the origin. Three goblin-archers hiding in the cover of thickets and trees let loose their arrows towards him. The paladin raised his shield, bouncing the arrows off. The goblin-warrior got up. Molars ground on each other as rage intensified in its eyes. With the paladin’s eye obscured by the shield, the creature moved across the flying arrows and managed to slip to his side. He noticed too late; he attempted to defend with his shield at the last second. But with an unrefined stance— he was hurled and crashed into a tree. Coughing, he threw his helmet and gasped for air. Blood trickled down his forehead. "fuck..." The paladin fought his heavy eyelids to keep them from dropping. Other goblins charged in with their improvised stone axe, not missing the chance to kill the human that killed several of their kin. But before they even crossed the road— The leading goblin was shot by an arrow dead on the head. The two remaining goblins turned in opposite directions but immediately got sniped in the same spot. “Gunther, get up!” An archer bellowed from the rooftop of the carriage situated a little distance on his right. She had a petite build suited for dexterity, with blond hair tied up in a tail. She instinctively leaned sideways with a graceful motion, evading an arrow to her head. She cocked another arrow and fired towards the shooter, piercing its head. Another arrow was nocked, and she shifted her target towards the approaching goblin warrior, who threw his friend out of the way. But the arrows failed to penetrate as it swiped its sword, felling the arrow in mid-air. Damn! This warrior is a pain in the ass! Far behind, another pair of goblin warriors had yet to make their move, guarding a goblin mage who kept their own mage in check. For them to have been looked down from the distance by these lowest-tier monsters— What arrogance! The archer kept the momentum with fury, taking away the attention of the goblin warrior. This gave the swordsman a chance to sneak to its rear and deliver a solid slash from his broadsword. Blood spurted like a fountain before the goblin warrior dropped to the ground. “Keep it together, guys. They'll retreat eventually.” He grunted with labored breath. Looks like there wasn't anyone around this forest. We have to deal with them ourselves if we want to get out of here alive. His brown hair stuck to his sweat-moistened face. Light armor, battered and soaked with red stains, showed how hard he had been fighting. No one has yet noticed the distress flare they sent. With the forest path opened, surely there’s a traveler or two who will rush to their rescue. But it seemed they had to hold on for much longer. In the far distance from the road, furious with the fall of its warrior, the goblin-warlock is preparing a fireball from its staff. It was aiming at him The swordsman dashed towards the carriage, leaving the paladin behind. The paladin can protect himself even when immobile with the holy barrier. Plus, the tree lines obstructed him from the blast. It was up to the swordsman to defend the rearguard, who had better skill in dealing with spells. The swordsman froze on the spot, eyes darting at the blazing projectile. The witch was not idle and was already expecting it. Her staff glowed with mana, summoning a barrier seconds before the fireball hit. An explosion erupted, lighting up the surroundings. Hot air lingered as embers burned the weeds. With visibility obscured by the smoke, both forces stopped the assault. They waited patiently for the smoke and the heat to recede. In the lull of the battlefield, the surviving goblin-archer tread closer, hiding behind the trees as it moved. It peeked from the trunk before coming out of its hiding spot and shot the arrow. The arrow pierced through the smoke and found its target. “Uagh!” A lucky shot pierced the witch’s shoulder “Mili! Are you alright?” The archer cried. “You’re dead. You bastard.” Exacting revenge, she let loose her arrow and planted it through the grinning archer’s head. “Mili! Hold on!” The archer, Mili, went down from the top of the carriage and checked her friend. The Witch’s face contorted in pain as she gripped the arrow. But the archer warned strongly. “Don’t pull the arrow.” She said before she returned her attention forward. You fuckers! She vehemently cursed them in her head. The goblin-warlock’s fang bared; eyes glinted with malice. No more mage will block the spell and protect the carriage. The goblins encroached closer with wicked grins. He barked an order to the goblin warrior on its side before it recited another spell. The swordsman glanced back with troubled eyes. As much as he wanted to come to the witch’s rescue, he didn’t have the option, as he needed to guard the front. With the paladin still gathering his strength with healing magic, it fell solely on him to protect the party. “Shit… This is not good.” the swordsman cursed as he looked back at the carriage. With no one to stop the fireball, defeat was imminent. He could somehow stop it if he used mana to cut down the spell. But what came after was an exhausted swordsman against many goblins. The swordsman bit his lip as he resolved himself. He barked an order. But before he could— “Kroft, take everyone out of here! I’ll hold them off!” The paladin walked toward them and finally dragged his battered body to the group. “I can somehow block its spell and buy sometime.” He hadn’t forgotten his role as the tank of his party until the very end. But looking at his stature, it seemed he was in no proper condition for longer fights. “No! I’ll fight. It’s my duty as the leader.” The swordsman stepped forward, not wanting to be left behind, and brandished his weapon. He was resolute in fighting alongside his friend. “Hey!” “Welma, take Mili and the family away from here.” “…” Welma froze up at the order. “Adventurers, is everything alright!?” A distressed voice of a man escaped from the carriage window. “Sorry, Sir, but you have to get away from here.” The swordsman had nothing to offer his client but a pained apology. The situation is bad enough that they have to take a realistic approach. “Welma, get them to safety! I’m counting on you.” The swordsman said without removing his eyes from the goblins. Behind him, the archer stared in dazed. It was less of a command but more of a plea. Adventurers make a living by delving themselves into danger. Deaths were not uncommon in this profession. They’ve evaded death countless times. But it seems it’s time for their turn. This situation is beyond salvation. Someone has to stay for the other to leave. Even that is a gamble if they can outrun the goblins. She understood what fate awaited them. She bit her lip in frustration. She had no choice. She hesitantly tucked her bow on her back and carried out the last order of her captain. The archer Welma lifted her injured friend. But she froze up. The surroundings got brighter. The Fireball, twice the size of the previous one, flew forth from the goblin-warlock. The paladin and the swordsman brandished their weapons. Mana surged from their inner core, imbuing their weapons. Eyes gleamed with focus as they waited for the spell within their reach. But something cut in the air with blinding speed. The fireball was snuffed out in mid-air before it could even reach them. The adventurers froze on the spot, dumbfounded. Even the encroaching goblins halted their track, unable to make out what happened. It was supposed to be the opening they were waiting for. But it failed… the goblin-warlock snapped out of its daze. Enraged, he stepped forward, pushing aside the remaining goblin warrior guarding him. Its shoulder shook in frustration. The goblin-warlock pointed its staff. Mana gathered once again, and the summoned embers blazed into an orb. But before it could fully develop, the caster’s head burst open— Fell with a dull thud. Not giving time to react, the goblin warrior beside him suffered the same fate; its head exploded on its side. One goblin noticed the mushy explosion; he pointed behind and cried to its kin. The respected warlock and warrior lay there motionless. But a second later, it was his turn to drop. A headshot. Dangerously accurate. Based on the direction of the burst, someone is definitely shooting at them. But no one was there. They have a new enemy. And it’s something more dangerous than the adventurers before them. Faced with the enemy they can't see and attacks they can't perceive, the goblins retreated one step slowly before they burst into running after one goblin dropped dead. But even then, projectiles never stopped, as they reduced their numbers even further. Corpses piled up, staining the fresh sapling with blood and gore. With the figure of the last goblin vanished in the depths of the forest, silence spread once more. A contrast to the noisy thoughts swirling in the swordsman’s head. We survived… but What was that? Who was that? Words had yet to escape from his mouth or his friends’, but the same questions were etched on their faces. They all turned towards the direction opposite the head burst. But there was truly no one there. Only the empty path with passing breeze rustling the trees. He thought this silence might stretch far longer when— “You guys alright?” A youthful voice came from behind them. Caught off guard, the warriors raised their weapons haphazardly as they turned around and jumped back. A person stood near them in a white coat and a mask. But the voice gave away his young age. “You guys still lively, it seems. Except for the mage.” What is this kid!? I never even sensed him until he spoke! Kroft the swordsman screamed in warning to his head. For a swordsman who honed his senses through discipline, to just fail to detect someone near him, it just means one thing. Once again, no one seemed to utter a word. Perhaps they were busy sorting their thoughts. But it would be rude not to say something to their savior, so the Kroft snapped out of his thoughts. He was about to open his mouth when— "You better treat her quickly." The young man fetched a vial from his breast pocket and threw it to Welma. "This is a high-grade potion…" The archer whispered in surprise. She turned to the young man and nodded. "We are grateful." She then brought Mili down and tended her wounds. The swordsman realised his sword was still drawn; he awkwardly put it back into its sheath. The paladin relaxed his stance as well. “Many thanks, traveler. You really saved us there. And sorry for impudence earlier.” The swordsman wryly laughed and bowed down, but with utter caution. His coat was unseemly clean despite traveling through the forest. The person in front didn't look like an adventurer. But his appearance suggested he belonged to the upper caste of society. So politeness must be exercised. But what is he doing out here? “Is it over?” A wary man alighted from the carriage and approached the group. “Y-yes, Mr. Rhodis. Thank Sinafel this lad is here with us.” The paladin said. “He’s the one who finished off the rest of the goblins.” “I see… thank the goddess indeed, thank you so much, dear traveler.” Rhodis bowed in gratitude, his head moist with sweat. “Think nothing of it.” The young traveler shrugged. “I must say, I’m surprised that there’s still someone using this path. I thought I was alone here.” “Circumstance pushed us to use this road." Mr. Rhodis started, ”Oh right. My name is Rhodis. A merchant. My family and I are on our way to Lefora right now.” “The fortified city?” asked the young man. He turned his gaze to the furthest end of the forest path. “So this is where it leads to.” “You came here without knowing?" Rhodis asked. “I’m just letting myself be dragged by my feet. I don't care where I’m going.” The young man said playfully. "I-I see." “Mr. Rhodis, I think we can continue these pleasantries on the way. With these corpses lying around, this draws the nose of corpse eaters.” Korft said gravely, looking at his surroundings. Humanoid creatures with hideous faces peeked from the trees. They looked like malnourished, corpse-like undead but without the death aura they usually have. These are one of the scavengers of the forest that eat corpses, such as the name corpse eater. Dealing with them is easy but a hassle, as these creatures reek of a foul smell much worse than a goblin. They were probably waiting for the adventurers to leave so they could feast on the goblin. "R-right," Rhodis said, tense as he looked at the corpse eater staring at them. “W-why don’t you come with us, Sire. I’m ashamed to admit, but there might still be some monster that may prove to be too difficult for us. Don’t worry about the gold; I’ll properly compensate you, including this one.” Rhodis offered. A hint of concern was etched on the adventurers’ faces. Perhaps they too realized that they would have a hard time going forward. They all struggled against the goblins, which were said to be the weakest among the monsters. As this forest was famed for dangers, there might be other monsters waiting for them ahead. Plus, they had to consider the damage they sustained from the earlier fight; who knows what will happen if a monster other than goblins shows up. Thus, a hand from a strong fighter would be very welcome. Though they still have to convince the person in question. “My kindness is not for sale, Mr. Rhodis.” The stranger shrugged. “But I’ll welcome the ride. I’m getting tired of walking too. But..." The young man looked at the motionless horse. "It’s... okay. I just put them to sleep so they won’t panic." Mili approached with an awkward smile. It seemed the potion helped her recover her strength; she already stood straight with no visible discomfort. She tapped her staff on the ground and muttered, "Awake." The horse stirred and slowly got on their feet. "Wow." The young traveler voiced his admiration behind his mask. “R-right! Let us go.” Ushered by Mr. Rhodis, they all alighted from the carriage and resumed their journey along the forest path.