PATHFINDER: ERA OF THE LOST OMENS
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Chapter 5 - A Day In Sandpoint
Glassblowing was one of the foremost activities in Sandpoint, and the glassworks owned by the Kaijitsu family was one of the oldest manufacturing establishments in the small town, dating back to when the Kaijitsu had founded the Sandpoint Merchant League along with the Valdemars, the Scarnettis, and the Deverins, more than forty years earlier. Even back then, Sandpoint's glass artifacts were highly regarded in the Varisia region.
The glassworks itself was a large stone building that joined the actual store with the glassblowing workshops. On days when the glassworks was operational, one could always see large swirls of smoke rising from the furnace chimney. But that night, the glassworks was clearly deserted. With the exception of one lantern still glowing by a window...
Tsuto absentmindedly stared at some stained glass figurine, which was clearly pulled out of the furnaces only that evening and was not yet displayed for sale. Soon it would be time for his appointment... and if there was one good thing about Lonjiku Kaijitsu that Tsuto would be willing to admit, it was his punctuality. The man held himself in such high esteem that Tsuto was convinced he would not tolerate even a trifle like being a few minutes late - he would consider it a personal disgrace.
The half-elf sneered bitterly at the thought. Of course, his old man's concept of honor was... peculiar, to say the least.
Tsuto checked around himself once again, wanting to be sure that everything was in its right place in case his suspicions proved true. The very "honor" that Lonjiku was so proud of made him predictable... and if he had to be honest, he really hoped for Lonjiku to go for the "final solution".
"That way," the half-elf thought. "what few scruples I still have left will go away. I don't think Ameiko will mind so much either. "
A sound of footsteps caught his attention. Confident that he had the situation more or less under control, Tsuto stood up from his bench and straightened his shirt. It was time...
"I can hear you coming, old man. Don't think you can sneak up on me like this." he finally said with a sarcastic smile. The footsteps sped up a bit, and Tsuto could feel the anger in each one. So much the better for himself, Tsuto thought. It was more likely for daddy dearest to step out of line or make a foolish mistake.
Finally, after a few seconds, the figure of Lonjiku Kaijitsu appeared in the doorway. Tsuto could see in darkness well enough to recognize the grim expression on the man's face. The current patriarch of the Kaijitsu family seemed to be quivering with indignation, barely restraining himself from jumping on the half-elf... who nonetheless did not even flinch, and began to speak as if trying to make some pleasant conversation.
"Right on time. Not that I expected anything different, Lonjiku Kaijitsu." he stated.
The man was not about to be mocked. "I'm warning you, Tsuto. You're playing with fire, and you're going to end up getting burned." he stated, his hand twitching into a fist at his side.
The half-elf snickered briefly. "You ask me for a meeting this late at night, in the very glassworks you're so proud of... and then you greet me in such an uncouth way? Perhaps I should ask you to show a little more consideration for your illegitimate son, but I suppose that ship has sailed by now." he replied.
As he had predicted, Lonjiku's expression turned into a mask of barely restrained anger. "Don't remind me of your slut of a mother's escapade with that damned elf who impregnated her with you!" he exclaimed furiously, and his hand began to rummage through his elegant Minkai-style robes. "That was one of the greatest insults to my honor I have ever received in my entire life, and I'm here to correct it!"
"Just like you corrected my mother's infidelity, huh? By killing her and throwing her off that cliff to make it look like suicide?" Tsuto asked point-blank, his voice suddenly cold and direct. "Or maybe your honor has nothing to do with it? Maybe you just want to make sure I can't tell anyone that you helped my goblins infiltrate Sandpoint. Or more simply, you don't want to pay what I asked. Is that it?"
"You blackmailed me, Tsuto! You threatened to publically announce my dishonor!" Lonjiku retorted, drawing a curved, thin dagger from his robes. He held the blade straight in front of him, pointing it at his illegitimate son. "And now you're threatening to reveal the part I played in the attack on Sandpoint! But you and I are the only ones who know... and now I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago, and redeem my honor by killing you!"
Lonjiku threw himself at his illegitimate son, who nevertheless had expected that move and dodged the slash by rolling nimbly over a table. Lonjiku lost his balance for a moment, and looked up to meet Tsuto's gaze silently mocking him. It was all too easy for Tsuto to fuel his stepfather's anger, and the old man raised his dagger to lunge again.
But once more, Tsuto avoided the slash and struck Lonjiku's wrist with a quick, powerful and precise chop from his bare right hand. Lonjiku lost his grip on his weapon and cried out in pain, his hand numb... a moment before a cacophony of high-pitched shrieks assaulted his ears, and four small figures threw themselves at him with curved knives in their hands! Before Lonjiku could fully realize the situation, one of the goblins had already reached him and embedded his knife into the Kaijitsu patriarch's stomach.
Lonjiku stiffened from the tremendous pain, and coughed up blood as he fell to his knees... and the other goblins caught up to him and began laying into him.
A stab to the the side.
One to the back.
One to the left shoulder.
The Kaijitsu patriarch's elegant robes quickly became tinged with blood as Lonjiku slumped to the floor in agony. He tried to get up, to reach for his dagger again, but Tsuto forced him back down by putting his foot on his chest and pushing him down. Even through blurred vision, Lonjiku could see the vengeful grin on his illegitimate son's face.
"Well, Lonjiku Kaijitsu. I'd like to say it was nice to meet you." Tsuto concluded, enjoying the last moments of his stepfather's life. "But that would be a lie, and lying is dishonorable... right?"
"D-Damn... you..." Lonjiku muttered, a moment before the goblins pounced on him like ravenous beasts...
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Sandpoint, the next morning.
"Hm? Did I... get that right, miss? You would like... for me to help you and your father chase away all those rats from your father's store?" Yan asked, looking with some surprise at the pretty, curly-haired redheaded girl, dressed in a green shirt and neutral colored skirt, who had come right to him with what seemed like a small job offer.
The young woman, who certainly couldn't have been much more than twenty years old, smiled shyly and fixed her hair. "Yes... we actually have a bit of a problem with rats, mister... Yan, right? Those little beasts gnaw at the supplies and ruin my father's goods. Just the other day I saw one of them - one as big as a dog mind you - sneaking behind a barrel in our cellar. I heard your name from some of my friends... And since I saw your skills at protecting us from those horrible goblins, I figured it would be easy for you to get rid of a few rats. Clearly, we intend to pay you for your work."
"Well... I'm all for a simple cleaning up job, but does your father know about it?" asked Yan. "I mean, it's still a matter of bringing a stranger into your house..."
The young woman gave a short laugh, though Yan felt it was a little nervous as well. "Oh, that's not a problem... don't worry, Mr. Yan, my father already knows everything. And he's not at home at the moment, as he had to go do some chores on his own. Honestly, he's so busy keeping up with my sister's personal life that he has almost no time left to take care of our store's problems." she stated, and her voice seemed to carry a bit of bitterness towards the end. "Oh, by the way, where are my manners... my name is Shayliss Vinder!"
"Vinder?" Yan asked, recognizing the last name, having heard it several times before during his childhood. "Oh, but of course! Does your father happen to be Mr. Ven Vinder, the owner of the Sandpoint General Store?"
"Yes, of course! One of the most important stores in our town!" Shayliss replied with a radiant smile. "So, you understand that rats are a big problem for us. If they ruined the merchandise, it would be a big loss for us."
"Yeah, I guess. That's okay, no problem for me," the young man said, turning to Shayliss with a consenting smile. "If you could walk me over there, I'll take care of the rats."
"Oh, thank you!" the relieved young woman exclaimed, her smile getting even wider. "You have no idea how much I'll be grateful for that!"
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The trip to the Sandpoint General Store had been a short one. Within five minutes, Yan and Shayliss had arrived at a particularly large and solid-looking building that stood near the center of town. The two youngsters immediately headed for the stairs leading to the cellar, and Yan kept a dagger at the ready, intending to use it to kill off any rat he might come across.
"Do you have any idea of how many rats there are in your cellar?" the young man asked, sharpening his senses so as to try to catch every little movement in the darkness. He had to admit that if there was one thing he envied the goblins for, it was their darkvision, the ability to see heat-emitting objects in the darkness. Such an ability would have made this job, as well as many other things, much easier...
"Oh, there aren't that many, thankfully. That's why I turned to you. I didn't want to take away your colleagues' time." replied Shayliss, using a lit candle to shed some light. "Anyway, we're here now. Please come on in."
Yan held his dagger at the ready and carefully opened the door to the cellar. By the light of the candle, the young swordsman could see quite a few non-perishable goods and boxes neatly stored against the walls, some cobwebs in the corners, and a couple of barrels placed on the other side of the cellar. Trying to make as little noise as possible, Yan entered the cellar and strained his ears, trying to catch any noise the rats might make...
And he heard the cellar door snap shut behind him.
He jumped in surprise and slowly turned to Shayliss, who for some reason had entered along with him... and at that moment, he realized that she seemed strangely eager. "Um... Miss Shayliss... where... where would these rats be? I don't see any here..." he asked.
The answer was a short, silvery laugh. "Oh, there were never any rats in the first place," the redhead promptly replied, rewrapping her hair and resting the still lit candle on a nearby crate. First doubtful, then somewhat alarmed, the young swordsman watched as the young woman approached him with a seductive expression, loosening her shirt just a bit to show a white bodice beneath it, leaving little to the imagination. "On the upside, there are two of us here. And we're alone. My father and Katrine won't be coming to bother us."
"M-miss?" Yan asked, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. "What... what does that mean? It... it was all a trick to lure me here, wasn't it?"
"Oh... 'lure' is such an ugly word. It could be misinterpreted." Shayliss replied with a jovial laugh, as if she was simply a schoolgirl playing a joke on a classmate. "Let's just say... I thought it might be an exciting experience for the both of us. I saw how you fought, Yan, and I was fascinated by your skill, your courage... and, if I may be allowed to be a bit shallow, your charisma and looks too! Any woman would be lucky to find a companion like you!"
"And that's why you made me come all this way?" Yan rhetorically asked.
"I have a right to have my escapades with a handsome young man, too!" Shayliss went on, now taking on the tone of a petulant child. "Everyone here in Sandpoint is blabbering about how beautiful Katrine is, chasing after her and making those dope faces as she walks down the street. What does my sister have that I don't? I have my charms, too, and Katrine needs to realize it!"
Going back to being all smiles and sweetness, Shayliss approached Yan, who kept staring at her with an unconvinced expression. "And I'm sure it'll be a good experience for you, too!" the redhead practically meowed. "So let's not waste any more time... let us indulge our passion!"
Shayliss leaned forward to french Yan... but the young man, not at all willing to play along, raised a hand and placed the tips of two fingers in front of the young woman's mouth, which kissed nothing but his fingertips. Surprised, Shayliss opened her eyes to meet Yan's calm but determined gaze.
"I'm sorry, miss, but this game seems to have gone on long enough. I have my duty to the people of Sandpoint, and I can't fulfill it while I'm here in your company," he replied. "So, unless you have a genuine emergency for me to take care of, I need to leave."
After a brief moment of confusion, Shayliss's playful expression turned to one of irritation and reproach. For an instant, Yan thought that the girl wanted to pull some other excuse to make him stay... but before the discussion could go any further, a series of heavy footsteps began to ring out, accompanied by a powerful voice calling to the young woman.
"Shayliss!" a mature voice exclaimed, and the girl grit her teeth and shuddered. "Shayliss, are you in the basement? What are you doing down there?"
"Oh dear..." the girl murmured in alarm. "My father... he mustn't find you here, or you will know pain! I still remember when Katrine told him and mom that she had gotten engaged! He was shouting so loud, I'm positive the house was shaking!"
Yan gulped nervously. "Bit of an overprotective dad, is he?"
"You better hide! If he finds you here, I can't guarantee you'll get out with all your bones in one piece!" Shayliss muttered. She cleared her voice and gave an answer to her father as he kept calling her. "Um... yes, dad! Just a moment! I was... um... I was doing some inventory! It seemed to me that something was missing!"
"Again? Fuck, and here I thought that scoundrel of a supplier had stopped trying to rip me off on quantities once and for all!" Ven Vinder, known for the quality of his wares, the strength of his fists, for being overprotective of his daughters, and above all, for his quick temper, thundered angrily. "Wait for me, I'm coming down to check!"
Yan had wasted no time and hid in the place where he thought there were the least chances of being discovered: behind some barrels in the back of the basement, while Shayliss quickly put her shirt back on. Just in time, since a moment later, the door opened, and a tall and sturdy man entered, dressed in simple but practical earth-colored clothes, with a wide-brimmed hat on his head and a long but well-groomed beard that framed a dark-skinned and weathered face. Judging by the man's height and musculature, Yan had already figured out that it wouldn't be a good idea to come to blows with him...
"What's the matter, Shayliss? Did those wretches try and cheat us out of some stuff again?" the man asked, his voice still rough but now a little softened.
Shayliss smiled nervously and tried to play innocent. "Er... well... no, no, daddy, it's just that I thought something was missing... but I've checked now, and it's all in order!" she said with the best nerve she could muster. Yan, well hidden behind the barrels, waited with no small amount of trepidation for the man to leave, praying that Shayliss would be able to convince him to leave soon enough.
"Hm. If you say so, I guess I can trust you." Ven replied, wrinkling his nose. "I wouldn't want that scoundrel to try and trick me again. I'm already on edge because I went to talk to that prettyboy who's trying to charm Katrine. You know, the one who works with those damn Scarnettis."
Shayliss swallowed, once again trying not to show her nervousness. It was hardly a secret that her older sister Katrine was dating Benny Harker, a worker at the sawmill owned by Titus Scarnetti, the current head of one of the four most notorious families in Sandpoint - and they were not notorious for the right reasons, either. "And... um... how did it go, Dad? I hope you didn't lay your hands on Benny..."
"No. I'm not a savage." her father replied with a shrug. "I simply told him that if he hurts Katrine in any way... I'll break his arms!"
With that said, Ven picked up a fairly large piece of wood for a nearby pile, and snapped it in half simply by bending it with his arms, splinters and wooden bit flying everywhere! Yan barely held back an exclamation of fear and swallowed saliva, praying even harder that Ven wouldn't think of looking over there.
Shayliss laughed nervously, staring nervously at the wood scattered everywhere, and shuddered to herself. "Er... um... heheheheee... I'm... I'm sure Benny got the picture! You'll see... he'll be a loyal boyfriend and won't do anything to hurt Katrine!" she commented.
"He'd better," the man affirmed, as he wiped the wooden dust from his hands with utter nonchalance. Thankfully, his anger subsided a moment later... and Ven gave his youngest daughter a friendly, toothy smile. "So, dear, if you're telling me that everything is all right, I can trust you. Is there anything else that needs to be checked here in the basement?"
"Ah, it's... it's okay, Dad!" Shayliss promptly replied, hoping with all her heart that her father would believe her. "We can... we can go back upstairs! There's... something to check in the storage room, I think. Come on, I'll help you out!"
"Hey, hey... what a rush, Shayliss! I don't remember you ever being so eager to help out in the store..." Ven commented.
Father and daughter resumed their climb up the stairs... and Yan breathed a sigh of relief and waited a couple of seconds, to make sure he could leave without being seen by the overprotective father. Thanking all the gods he could think of, from Cayden Cailean to Norgorber, for allowing him to go unnoticed, the young swordsman slipped out of the basement, sneakily went up to the ground floor and disappeared through the back door he and Shayliss had used. When he was finally sure that he was no longer in danger of incurring Mr. Vinder's wrath, Yan drew his breath... and kicked a pebble, sending it into a nearby gutter.
"Shit. What an utter waste of time." he muttered to himself. "Better get back to searching. I hope at least Eli and Misia had better luck."
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Reji, for her part, was finding the hunting trip in Tickwood Forest to be quite enjoyable. Aldern was proving quite the enjoyable company as well as a brilliant conversationalist, and had been quite inquiring about the young girl and her past.
"So it was your father who taught you the arts of self-defence, miss," Aldern was saying at that moment, as the duo - accompanied by Jolan, who was acting as their guide through Tickwood Forest, and a small pack of hounds held on a leash - walked down a barely visible road between two patches of tall grass and bushes. Up to this point, the young monk had been alert for anything that might resemble a clue to the presence of goblins or other potentially dangerous beings, but luckily, nothing that resembled a genuine threat had shown up. This hunting trip was turning out to be simply a pleasant walk in nature. That said, since they were expecting to run into wild boars, Aldern had given both her and Jolan some specially-forged spears, relatively short and heavy, with a pair of iron spurs at the base of the tip, used to stop the beast from charging along the length of the shaft - which was something the ferocious beasts were more than capable of doing.
"Yes... my father was an adventurer as well, and had learned martial arts from his sensei, back when my family still lived in Minkai." stated Reji, smiling wistfully at the memory of her parent. It had been... how many years now, since her father had died during an expedition to Hook Mountain? At least three or four... had time really gone by so quickly? "He taught me all he knew, so that I would be able to take care of myself if anything happened to him. Which it did, unfortunately."
"I'm... sorry about your loss, milady." Aldern nodded, as he held back a dog that seemed to want to wander off on its own. "Hold on... wait up, Carbone!" the young nobleman said, and then resumed his talk. "And... if I'm not being too indiscreet, Miss Reji... may I ask you why your family decided to leave Minkai?"
"I would be... curious to know, too." replied Jolan. The halfling tapped the ground with the handle of his spear, so as to scare away any poisonous snakes. "After all, Minkai isn't exactly a stone's throw from here."
Reji nodded in assent. "The thing is... right now, the situation in Minkai isn't very good." she replied. "When I was born, it was in a period of relative peace... but then, many of the smaller islands that were once ruled by our emperor declared independence and plunged Minkai into civil war. The emperor was deposed and imprisoned, and a temporary ruler, Soto Takahiro, also known as the Jade Regent, took the throne in his place, but he proved very unpopular. The nation has sunk into chaos and misery, and many families, including my own, have decided to leave and seek their fortunes in other parts of Golarion."
"I see..." replied Aldern with a sigh. "I'm sorry that you've already had these misfortunes in your life, milady... and I hope that your stay here in Varisia has allowed you to put the past behind you and live more peacefully."
"My family and I sure are glad we made the choice to settle here," Reji replied with a slightly strained smile. A few moments later, the young monk and the halfling felt something moving in the tall grass... and the hunting dogs began to frantically sniff the air. They had clearly just caught a new scent...
"Looks like... something's getting closer," Aldern commented, keeping his focus. He let go of his dogs' leashes, and the hounds stood beside their master, barking and growling in the direction of the impending danger; then, he took his bow and held an arrow ready, while Reji and Jolan tightly gripped their spears. The rustling grew closer and closer, and the two adventurers could see an imposing, hirsute quadruped proceeding towards them at high speed...
"Look out! It's coming!" Reji exclaimed. The brave female monk stepped forward just as the beast emerged from the tall grass with a high-pitched grunt of rage. A large boar, covered in shaggy gray fur, with a pair of terrifying curved tusks protruding from its mouth, lunged at the hunting party, screeching furiously before charging headlong! Aldern was scared out of his wits for a moment, but he recovered his cool quickly enough... and while Reji held the terrifying animal at bay with her spear, the young nobleman shot an arrow, took aim, and struck the beast in the neck! The giant boar screeched in rage and pain, and shook its head furiously, threatening to pierce Reji with its sharp, dagger-like tusks.
"Mr. Aldern, restrain the dogs! This beast would tear them apart!" Jolan exclaimed. As the boar tried to reach Aldern, Jolan approached the beast from the side and lunged with his spear. For a moment, he thought he has struck true, but the wild swine turned away at the last moment, and the point of the spear only inflicted a superficial wound, scraping against some of the stronger bones. Aldern nervously stepped back and fired another arrow, which missed its target and lodged itself in a nearby tree trunk.
Trying to distract the beast, Reji stepped forward and lunged twice with her spear. The boar squealed with rage and dodged the first strike, but the second caught it squarely in the left foreleg, further fueling its fury. With a sudden burst, the ferocious swine threw itself at the girl, who luckily had expected that - she threw herself to the side, still holding the spear in her hands, and struck another blow, which this time pierced the beast in the chest, just below the ribs! The boar let out another screech of pain and tried to launch itself at Reji, even at the cost of climbing back up the spear shaft, but the metal prongs held it back and kept it from advancing, keeping Reji safe.
"Now, Jolan!" Reji exclaimed, ass he tried to hold the boar back. "Do it now, while I can still hold this beast!"
"Alright!" the halfling shouted. Jolan sprinted towards the boar and stabbed it in turn with his spear, trying to force it to the ground. But even though it was badly wounded, the beast was determined to fight to the last, and it furiously broke free, threatening to shake off the two young adventurers. Aldern seized the moment to intervene, and fired a couple of arrows that struck the boar, in an attempt to weaken it further. Finally, after what felt like forever to Reji and Jolan, the beast collapsed, still shrieking in impotent fury. It writhed for a few more seconds, and finally lay still as its blood mingled with the grass.
Finally, when they were sure that the boar had died, the young adventurers pulled their spears away from its body and gazed in awe at their prey's lifeless body. There had not been time to observe certain details in the heat of battle... but it was indeed a formidable animal, well above average in size. A terrifying opponent, as well as a coveted prey...
"Gentlemen, is everything all right?" Aldern asked as he approached the two friends and the downed boar. "That was... a very heated fight. You were impressive, I mean it. Sure, we were hunting boars... but I didn't think we'd run into such a beast."
"We're...we're fine, Mr. Aldern," Reji said with a relieved smile. "That's right... still, we got it. And I do believe... that miss Ameiko, at the Rusty Dragon, will be more than happy to turn this beast into a delicious dish."
"I must admit I am greatly impressed by your valor, Miss Reji." Aldern replied. He gave her an admiring look, which Reji couldn't help but notice... and appreciate. "You skill and courage are truly uncommon. Not to mention your beauty. You are truly a rare gem, Miss... And I am honored to have been able to hunt in your company."
Reji's face turned a pinkish hue. "I'm... I'm really flattered, Mr. Aldern! I didn't... I didn't think I could impress you to this extent! And... thank you very much! It's been an honor and a real pleasure for us, too... to accompany you on this hunting trip!"
"And I would greatly appreciate it if you would join me on the next one, should the opportunity arise!" the young nobleman replied. He approached Reji and gently took her hand, which further embarrassed and excited the female monk. For his part, Jolan smiled wittily, already imagining where Aldern was going with this. "For now... suffice it to say that I will gladly accompany you even as we take this coveted prey to Sandpoint."
"I have a feeling our brave little monk is nursing a crush..." Jolan said to himself with a knowing grin. Reji seemed too excited and happy to comment...
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Eli took off her glasses for a moment and rubbed her eyes, feeling a mixture of satisfaction and weariness. She and Misia had spent much of the day researching the areas surrounding Sandpoint, looking for a few more clues and potential information on Thistletop and the surrounding goblin tribes. It hadn't been such an easy task, but they had found enough to report back to Sheriff Hemlock. Along with the information they had been given by "Tup the Terrible", the bizzarre goblin the day before, Eli held out hope that soon they would be able to infiltrate Thistletop and throw some mud in the plans of the puppet masters who maneuvered the goblins.
"It has been a good day, don't you think, Eli?" Misia asked rhetorically, her hands folded behind her neck as she looked around and admired the spectacle of Sandpoint and its citizens immersed in their daily lives. By now it seemed that the fear from the goblin attack was just a memory, and the two Magnimar girls were regularly receiving greetings, thanks, and compliments for helping save the town. "I think we'll have quite a lot of things to tell Yan and the others. Who knows how it went for them afterwards?"
"I don't like to make a lot of assumptions about these matters, Misia. When we meet them, we'll get them to tell us what they found out," said the half-elf. She put her glasses back on, feeling reassured now that the outlines of her surroundings appeared sharper. "That said, I think it will be helpful to consult Mr. Quink later on. We need someone who can provide us with more details..."
"Ladies! Ladies, please, help us!" a woman's voice suddenly exclaimed, interrupting Eli's musings and causing her to abruptly turn that way. The nearest citizens turned their attention to a woman in her late twenties who was holding an infant girl, seemingly a few months old, and was closely followed by a frightened-looking boy who was clinging to his mother's skirt as if his life depended on it. The little family caught up with the two adventurers, and the woman stopped beside Eli, holding her by one sleeve of her dress as she caught her breath. "Ladies! Good thing...that I found you! Help us! My husband...my husband..."
"The goblins! There are goblins in the house!" exclaimed the child, visibly trembling.
That word immediately set off alarm bells in the minds of the half-elf and the female gnome... not to mention the Sandpoint people who just happened to be in hearing range. "What? Goblins?" Eli exclaimed in shock. She quickly recollected herself and tried to regain control of the situation. "O-okay, ma'am... boy... what's going on? Where are these goblins?"
"They're... they're in the house!" the child exclaimed. "I... I told daddy he was under the bed..."
"This... this night... my little Aeren had a nightmare..." the woman murmured, trying as best as she could to calm the little girl she held in her arms, who had begun to scream. "When... when the goblins attacked us... Aeren saw a goblin set fire to a dog... and he has been frightened ever since! That night... he started screaming, and his screams woke us up. We found him crying... and our dog, Petal, was barking at a closet. My husband... thought Aeren was just having a nightmare, and stayed with him... we thought it was all over, but then... this morning... we found Petal dead!"
"What?" exclaimed Misia, as she and Eli followed the woman through the narrow streets of Sandpoint. "Why didn't you call us sooner, then? You could have called the sheriff as well..."
"My husband... my husband wanted to solve the problem himself... I know you... are very busy... and so is the sheriff..." she tried to say. "But... but now... he went back into the house two hours ago...and I don't see him anymore... please help us! If... if we walk back in our home... that goblin will kill us!"
The boy, Aeren, rolled up one sleeve of his shirt to show the skin on his arm, and the two friends from Magnimar were shocked to see tiny bite marks. And from the shape and size, Eli quickly realized that they were goblin bites. That family was in a very serious situation... And as much as she and Misia weren't exactly the most physically accomplished of their adventuring party... if nothing else, they had some chance to help out.
"It's... it's fine! Please take us all the way to your house... and we'll take care of eliminating that goblin and saving your husband!" she replied. The small family seemed to calm down at least a little as they reached the house - a small but comfortable single-story dwelling with a sloping roof and white walls.
"Here... this... this is our home... please be careful... find my husband... save him, please!" the woman begged them. The child, Aeren, held on even tighter to his mother, while Misia curtsied, so as to reassure the woman, and Eli carefully opened the door, pushing it in with a slight creak. Trying to make as little noise as possible, Eli and Misia entered the house, and the wizard adjusted her hat and began to look around.
The interior had been left in shambles. The family had evidently been forced to flee in a hurry, taking only the bare necessities with them. Not that the two could blame them. A few items were left on the floor, and the atmosphere inside was marked by a tense silence.
"Shit... I have a bad feeling about this..." Misia said to herself. "Eli... we better stay together..."
Eli firmly grabbed her crossbow and made sure it was armed and ready to shoot. Misia did the same, and the two friends began to explore the desolate house, weapons aimed in front of themselves. They passed through the living room, where traces of the family's hasty escape were left behind... and reached the small room where the traces seemed to start. A few muffled sounds came from beyond the door... and as Eli approached, she realized to her horror that she had stepped on a rivulet of fresh blood flowing from inside the room! She repressed an exclamation of fright, and approached slowly, using one foot to push open the door...
"Oh, merciful Desna..." Misia whispered in horror the sight before them. A medium-sized dog was lying on the floor, clearly dead, his head pierced by a serrated knife blade... and on the other side of the small room, a man dressed in neutral clothing was kneeling on the floor, his head buried in an open wardrobe. Blood was coming from both of them... "This... this is..."
"It's... the lady's husband... Misia, prepare a healing spell! I hope it's not too late..." Eli exclaimed as she walked over to the man and tried to move him…
And the man fell lifelessly to the floor.
Eli jumped back and shuddered, staring in horror at the places where the flesh had been eaten away from the man's face and torso. A moment later, an inhuman scream echoed through the small room, and something small and green lashed out at Eli in a blind rage!
"MEEEEEAAAAT!" A goblin clad in patched skins charged in, eyes wide with madness, hands angrily wielding a long curved knife! Eli frantically tried to raise her crossbow and fire a shot, but the goblin was faster and landed on her, forcing her to the ground with all his weight! Eli's crossbow fell noisily to the ground, and the half-elf desperately tried to hold back the maddened goblin that was spraying her with foul-smelling saliva. The creature looked terrifying and animalistic - eyes wide open, face matted with blood, furiously trying to bite Eli's face, jaws snapping furiously inches from her nose! Eli was frozen with horror - she didn't believe a goblin could be so frightening, and she couldn't concentrate to make use of her spells.
Misia was paralyzed with horror as well... but seeing her friend in danger shook her out of it, and the female gnome grit her teeth and fired a quarrel at the goblin, just as it seemed about to sink its teeth into Eli's face. The projectile sailed through the air and struck the ravenous goblin in the left arm, piercing it from side to side... and the little green creature shrieked in pain and rage a sit was forced to let go of Eli's grasp, who snapped back up and immediately called upon all her self-control to cast a spell.
"M-Magic Missile!" the half-elf exclaimed. She pointed an index finger at the goblin, and an energy projectile shot out, hitting the green monster squarely in the chest, causing it to stagger back into the closet. An instant later, the goblin recovered and leapt to the side, trying to launch itself at Eli again. For a split second, the half-elf and the goblin stared at each other, and the sorceress shuddered again as she saw the hatred and blind fury in the little monster's eyes. That goblin was reduced to little more than a rabid beast, thinking of nothing but mailing and killing.
The goblin screeched furiously and charged again, wielding its knife furiously... and Eli reacted instinctively, casting a new spell!
"Shield!" the half-elf exclaimed, one hand raised in front of herself. Before the goblin could be on her again, a semi-invisible barrier of pure energy appeared in front of her, and the goblin crashed into it, only to slide to the ground and be dazed for a moment. More than enough time for Eli to attack again.
Throwing all caution to the wind, gripped by terror and self-preservation instinct, the half-elf hurled herself at the goblin and managed to push it against the wardrobe. Before the little green monster could recover, Eli grabbed it and started slamming its head against the edge of the cabinet. With a furious cry, the young girl redoubled her efforts, and the goblin's skull crashed into the wooden structure once, twice, three times, four, five, six...
Eli had lost count by the time the umpteenth impact caused a chilling crunch... but by then the sorceress was so lost in her panic that she didn't even notice it and continued to strike, without even feeling the fatigue. Eli was physically rather strong for a wizard, and fear, anger and desperation multiplied her strength...
"Eli! ELI!"
Misia grabbed her friend's arm and madly shook it, trying to bring her back to reality. With a jolt, the half-elf let go of the goblin, who slid lifelessly to the floor, his face disfigured and his skull caved in... and Eli's eyes cleared, wide in an expression of fear and horror.
"Eli... it's over... he's dead..." the female gnome murmured as she stared in shock at the goblin's body, which lay on the polished wooden floor in a pool of blood, mixing with that of the partially devoured man. A chilling silence fell over the room... and the half-elf, pale and trembling, turned away from the horrific sight.
Eli took two steps... then, she swayed and grabbed the edge of the nearby bed. Misia was immediately beside her, trying to support her. "Eli!"
Eli put a hand in front of her mouth... then she shakily stood up and caught her breath. "I'm... I'm fine... Misia..." she replied, though that was blatantly not true. "Please... let's get out of here..."
"Shit..." the half-elf thought to herself. "Now... what am I going to tell that woman and her kids?"
oooooooooo
TO BE CONTINUED…
