[Quest
Goblin scouts have been spotted in the area. Investigate the surrounding area and discover their base.
Reward - minimap unlocks and a new skill will be offered depending on future choices]
Well bugger me sideways and call me goblin slayer, guess iv got to get used to killing things eh? I really wasn’t sure how I felt about killing the goblins, on one hand they were very clearly attacking me and if they are anything like goblins iv ready about I really don’t want to be captured by them! But on the other am I actually okay with killing living things?
After some thought I realised that I actually was supprisingly ok with the idea, don’t get me wrong it’s not like I enjoyed killing them but I cannt deny the spike in adrenaline I felt when the fight was underway.
Pushing that line of thought to the side for now I focused more on what i need to do now to complete this quest I have been given. It seems like it might be a multi-part quest based on the cryptic ending, so I should head out with the assumption that this will end in a fight of some kind.
With that in mind I focused in on myself and got a feeling of how my mana situation is looking, seems like I used about half my total mana on the 4 vine whips that I cast. Based on how I can slowly feel my mana refilling I guesstimated I would need about an hour to top myself back up. With that in mind I think I could do with another way of fighting incase I run out of mana, after all with my current consumption I can realistically cast vine whip
Glancing down at the goblins I heft one of their clubs to see if it is viable for me to use but shake my head at how it feels. Doesn’t look like it’ll be suited for me. But looking at the crude wooden clubs I get an idea, I do have nature magic after all!
Moving over to a nearby tree with some low hanging branches I pick one that looks about right and try to imagine what kind of weapon I would like the branch to change shape into, I originally thought of copying the club design but figured I’d give a sword ago. Feeling the mana slowly envelop the branch I watch in real time as the branch separates from the tree by itself and slowly but surely moulds itself into a sword over the course of a minute.
I’m slightly surprised at how heavy the wooden blade is in my hands. Being a relatively short sword maybe the same length as from fingertip to elbow it is a flat double edged straight sword, nothing too fancy but it looks solid and supprisingly sharp. Taking a test swing at another nearby branch I am amazed as it easily chops right through the branch with hardly a scuff on the blade afterwards!
[Congratulations you have unlocked the skill Nature moulding]
With my new skill under my belt I go about trying to alter the flower dress to have a place to hold my sword at my waist, it is supprisingly easy to do so. And thankfully other than a small initial cost doesn’t take any mana to maintain the new sword loop after it has been created.
With everything I can think of prepped I begin to look around the area to see if I can spot any tracks that the goblins may have left for me to follow.
Saddly either the goblins are good at hiding their tracks or I just suck at tracking because I find no tracks or trails to speak off, probabally the latter I chuckle to myself.
With no other option left I do the logical thing and proceed to walk in a random direction and hope for the best! I do walk much slower now with care taken to avoid stepping on anything that would be too noisy or sharp seeing as I am still barefooted.
I wander around the location I caught the go line for close to an hours before I heard something, crouching down I proceeded and slowly and quietly make my way towards the blouse I heard. Approaching a bush a peak through it and can make out a particularly large tree with exposed roots that have a hole dug into them leading into a reasonably sized cave.
However that’s not what I focus on for more than a moment as I spot something that makes me freeze. I can spot 3 goblins heading towards the cave but it’s what they are carrying between the 2 larger ones that fills me with worry. For they are carrying what is quite clearly a woman, not a human I notice seeing as I can spot what looks like small horns on top of the unconscious woman’s head.
Thinking fast I wonder if I should attack now or wait till they have gone inside before beginning my attack yet I am once again interrupted by the system.
[Quest complete
Rewards - mini map unlocked]
[Additional quest unlocked.
Save the damsel - the goblins have taken a prisoner and it is up to you to save them. You can do this stealthily or go in loud and proud.
Reward - skill choice]
By the time I have read the new notification the small procession has already entered the cave and I can hear some odd cacophony of noises that I assume is the goblin language coming from with the nest. I can count maybe 10 at a guess, I am now greatfull that I took the time to create a sword or I would be in quite a pickle right about now on how to proceed.
Noticing that only 1 goblin has been left on guard I decide my best bet would be to sneak around and try to take it out silently with my sword to save on mana. Putting action to thought I do just that slowly making my way around to approach the tree cave from behind. When I have gotten to within 10m from the goblin I take a closer look at it as I await my chance to strike.
This goblin is slightly larger than the two I dealt with previously standing around 3 and a half feat tall, however this increase in height fails to impress when said goblin seems to be having a serious case of itchy bum as it is just going ham on its butt.
Mildly disgusted by this act I creep ever closer until I’m with 5m of the creature then bolt forwards with my sword in hand and swinging for the neck. The goblin quickly turn around as it noticed my sprint and sucked in a lungful of air in preparation to shout or scream for backup, saddly for it I don’t give it the chance as my blade reaches its neck and quickly and easily severs over half the neck in one go. The goblin gurgles as its hands shoot up aiming to grasp its wounds. Unfortunately for the goblin there is nothing it can do other than bleed out as it collapses onto the ground dead.
———-
Wonder who this mysterious captive may be? Find out next Chapter!