Back on the road ~ the same time

"Syrento I can not believe you were actually right about this guy" Mirhalim said clapping Ganner on the shoulder as they sat around a campfire "His cooking is very good. Best I've had in a while anyways."

Aela sniffed "It is adequate, I suppose." she seemed to almost be snubbing the meal. Perhaps, Mirhalim thought, Rior's comment still lay heavily on her.

"Adequate? I don't think I've had better at the fort. Even Navar seems to like it and until now I didn't even think he ate!" said Ciel

"It is rather good, Ganner" Navar spoke quietly from the far edge of the fire. Ciel had been right and even now Navar had obviously taken the least of the food amongst them.

"Your thanks mean oh so much, all of you" Ganner smiled and bowed with a deep flourish, and somehow managed to lose his hat from his head as he bowed which sent them all into laughter.

A noise came from the bushes and immediately Aela, Syrento and Navar were on their feet while Mirhalim sat and Ganner was still bent over picking up his hat.

"It's just me" grumbled Rior "However we may have a problem. Put out the fire and come with me." Mirhalim sighed and stood, re-belting his sword. He knew it would be on Rior's watch that the problems would happen. Rior motioned them to follow him as he disappeared back into the bushes.

As they trundled as quietly as they could through the bushes, following Rior, and came to the a spot where he bade them, quietly, to stop and look over a small knoll they could hide behind as well as look at the same time.

"Monsters," whispered Ciel "Goblins to be specific. An excellent chance for some entertainment". She was already rubbing the fletching of one of her arrows.

"Wouldn't it be more prudent to let them go without a fight?" asked Ganner, he was fingering his knife while he spoke. Mirhalim hoped he would not stab himself with it.

"Sadly, Ganner, that is not the case. Look at the direction they are headed. In about fifteen or twenty minutes they will stumble upon our campsite, despite us putting out the fire." Syrento whispered, quickly grasping the situation.

"Guess we fight then." Aela whispered, looking around.

"Yes that is our tactic this time," said Rior "But we have to go about it carefully. They do outnumber us and it is our first real combat. I have faith in all of your abilities. However before we get into the fight can you narrow the odds a little bit Ciel?"

"Gladly" she replied, smiling as she knocked an arrow, drew it to her ear, and let it fly striking a goblin hard in the shoulder, spinning as he fell.

The sound of the rest of them drawing their swords in unison sounded ridiculously loud to Mirhalim as all the goblins turned to where the arrow was fired from. Ciel loosed another but missed completely, muttering an oath Mirhalim was sure no one was supposed to hear. Syrento got into a fight with three of them at once, his cape twirling as he delivered crippling strikes to all of them, as well as taking a heavy punch in the head. Navar meanwhile had already made quick work of one in a jumping lunge from the hill, spearing him through.

Mirhalim had to stop watching the others as he found himself face to face with one and fighting for all he was worth. He took a spinning fist that almost ended it all when the goblin jumped on him after he was knocked down by it, but he managed to stumble back up and, when the goblin dashed towards him again, he sidestepped and laid open the goblin's back as he lunged past him. Blood spurted from the wound as it fell down, never to stand again.

The rest were finishing up the last goblin as he saw them again, Rior hurled a stone with remarkable accuracy as it ran away, knocking it down for the rest to finish. Rior had won his own match with a goblin. Aela, Navar, and Ciel had managed to take down two a piece while Syrento had defeated four. He had taken a crushing blow to the chest however, where Ganner was now rubbing a potion, watching the wound heal and scab quickly. Ganner had been conspicuously far away during the fighting itself but was now checking the others for wounds.

"You are like a true knight out there on the field Syrento. I do not think I ever had the privilege of watching you fight before, but now I can see your reputation is truly deserved." Aela said after walking towards him and clapping him on the shoulder and giving him a smile. Mirhalim grimaced. Four! He had enough trouble with one. Cape was unbelievable.

"What about the guy healing his wounds? Is he not a true knight for dedication to the injured?" asked Ganner after wrapping his side with bandage. He tightened them with a sudden jerk, making Syrento grunt in surprise.

"Perhaps if that same one were not so absent from the fight itself." whispered Aela, purposely loud enough to be heard.

Navar looked up from wiping off his spear "Well at least he didn't shoot any of us in the back of the head".

Hey I suddenly managed to gain a ton of readers while I had the flu. Hope you enjoy the somewhat filleresque chapter I managed to eke out between fevers.