17 Chapter 17

"Kabba, are there any more hobgoblins like you in the ruins?" Aerwyn asked.

"Y-yes master, Kabba was weakest. Velk is strong and Bon uses fire magics, he does."

"Weakest... Will they both come out to fight now that your force was defeated?"

"Kabba thinks only Velk come. Bon lazy mage, he will stay."

Aerwyn turned to Tylin for confirmation but the damned elf was gone whenever he was needed as per usual. With a sigh he turned back to Kabba and asked.

"Is there a way for us to sneak past the army and get to Bon before we fight Velk?"

"Yes! Yes! Kabba knows a way! Follow! Follow!" The hobgoblin began to jump up and down excitedly motioning him to follow.

The group took a wide birth around the ruins heading northeast before turning west and arriving at the northern section of the ruined city by dusk. To the west was a large river that traveled from north to south and he could make out a destroyed stone bridge that was now half submerged.

The grey stone walls of the city were crumbling, the many breaches from wars long since past were haphazardly filled in with wood and rubble. No doubt it was the goblins attempt to fortify the ruins.

Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.

Kabba led them to a breach that wasn't completely filled in before climbing up it.

"See! See! Kabba brought master. Follow! Follow! Kabba bring you to Bon now."

"Wait! We must be sneaky Kabba. I do not want to attract more goblins than necessary. Can you capture Bon and bring him to me alive?"

"Kabba can! Bon very slow... Kabba will sneak, hit Bon on head with rock and bring him to master."

"Ok Kabba, we'll wait here. Be careful, if it gets too dangerous just come back ok?"

"Kabba serves master. Kabba will listen."

The hobgoblin took off leaving Aerwyn and the rest of the undead to climb over the dilapidated walls. Once inside Aerwyn took a look around with his protectors Rin and Ren. The city was no better than the walls, the few buildings still intact were overgrown with weeds and vines. In the distance he could see the base of a large spire that seemed to have been washed away by the sands of time.

"I wonder what it looked like before it was destroyed..." Aerwyn spoke watching the city as the sun dipped below the horizon.

"KWEE! KWEE!"

"Oh? Does my little Rin think it's pretty too?"

"KWEE!"

"Hmm.. Maybe we can fix it up. With the way our group is growing we wont be able to stay at Setrhyn village much longer anyway, plus it's only a days journey away. I'll ask Tylin the next time he appears behind me when i least expect it!" Aerwyn spoke before abruptly turning around hoping to catch the dark elfs secret movement technique but was met with the disappointing sight of empty space.

An hour flew by with no sign of Kabba and Aerwyn began to get nervous. He wished he had whatever magic Tylin used to view the city from far away so he could check on the hobgoblin. Just as he was getting about to head out after him an explosion echoed throughout the city.

"BOOOM!"

"Damn it Kabba! Rorik, Rin, Ren, stay close to me. Direwolves and trolls take the lead, Teek and the goblins stay behind me and be ready to attack. Let's go!" Aerwyn commanded his troops before taking off in the direction of the explosion.

The city roads were covered in rubble and overgrowth making it difficult to move his group quickly especially with the goblins short legs.

"We need to hurry! That explosion will probably attract the army that's looking for us and we can't fight four hundred goblins head on even without adding two hobgoblins to the mix." Aerwyn's urgent words seemed to invigorate the goblins as they picked up their pace and continued on to the center of the city.

Another explosion rung out as they entered a wide avenue leading to the dilapidated spire. Kabba was fighting a dozen goblins while the hobgoblin mage hurled fireballs at him seemingly not caring at all for the lives of the goblins in the explosions path.

Bon's skin was covered in white paint that gave him a shamanistic look. He wore a crude leather jerkin over tattered brown robes and was firing magic straight from his hands. The hobgoblin didn't seem to notice their arrival allowing Aerwyn enough time to charge his flame lance, take aim, and fire.

The purple projectile flew out and pierced through Bon's chest. The hobgoblin didn't even have a chance to respond as the explosion behind it sent it's body tumbling forward. Aerwyn didn't want to risk it surviving that blow and began to charge another flame lance all the while aiming at the unmoving body.

The flames were already snaking up the staff as he saw the hobgoblins soul leave it's chest. He panicked not knowing what would happen if he fired a flame lance at the body during the resurrection process and aimed his staff up to the sky as fast as he could discharging it. The sky high above the city exploded in purple light as if a second sun had come into being.

"...Shit. If they didn't already know where we are they do now... Capture the remaining goblins, were going to need more to fight Velk and his army." Aerwyn commanded as the purple soul began to exit his chest. The pain caused him to flinch, it wasn't as bad as it used to be but he could tell his soul was getting weak.

"I-I'm sorry master. Kabba failed.." Kabba spoke pleadingly.

"Damn it why now... It's fine Kabba go and harvest the mana cores from the goblins killed by Bon's attacks." Grumbling in pain he moved towards the closest goblin that was being held by Teek. The blade of his staff met with the flesh of the struggling goblins throat before sliding across and opening it like a flower. He repeated the action for all seven of the goblins and the pain in his chest only got worse.

Tylin had told him that it should be fine to resurrect one goblin per three he killed but Aerwyn didn't think the drain from firing his flame lance would amount to so much. 'I'll have to take it easy in the next battle, at least until my undead get me more souls.'

"Kabba and Bon where is Velk going to enter the city?"

"I believe they will enter through the front gates, master. Velk is stupid he will rush in without thinking." Bon spoke before Kabba had a chance and his voice took Aerwyn by surprise. It was deep and articulate, the complete opposite of Kabba's screechy voice and childlike way of speaking.

"Show us the way, we need to set a trap."

Bon led the group down the avenue towards the main gates. The avenue was littered with small thatch huts that got more and more shoddy the closer they got to the gates. The old wooden gates had long since rotted away and the goblins had built a gate akin to the gate of a cow pen. It was a bunch of logs held together flimsily by rope that sat on a swivel. It looked as if a strong wind could blow it over let alone a predator looking to eat goblins.

Taking a closer look at the area, Aerwyn decided on a plan and looked to Bon.

"What is your strongest spell? And how many goblins can you kill with it?"

"Fire blast, master. Five if they're close together but it takes time to cast."

"Ok, you're coming with me on the walls. Trolls you are to wait until Bon fires his first fire blast then rush out and defend the gates, kill all the goblins that try to get through. Kabba you are to make up for your failure with Bon by keeping Velk busy with the direwolves until he is tired. Do not kill him. I need him alive. Do you understand?"

"K-Kabba understands, master." The hobgoblin said with a frown.

"Good don't disappoint me again. Teek, you and the goblins will be dealing with the ones we let through. Kill them quickly so they don't overwhelm us. Rorik, guard the steps leading up the walls. Don't look for fights your soul is already weak i don't want you dying on me."

Rorik went to howl in displeasure but seemed to remember they were trying to stay hidden, letting out a deep growl instead. Aerwyn ignored him and began pointing out places for the undead to hide. When they were all hidden as good as they were going to get he went up the walls with Bon, Rin, and Ren.

The area outside the gates was still fairly open despite being unkempt for nearly eight hundred years. Aerwyn had a clear view for a few hundred meters in all directions. It was now dark and he could see the lights from torches moving towards him in the distance, Velk was here.