Chapter 133: Raided

"They got Malik!" cried Rickart. His hood was tucked out while fluttering in the midst of the raiding monster beasts. The twenty-year-old Rouge went persistent under the shadows of the trees. He was determined to get away from beasts. "Sidric!"

Sidric was with Darwyn beside the riverbed checking for unseen herbs. Keesha, Erin, and Ned tagged together harvesting the Olive Zest Herb.

Ned held Boom hearing Rickart's shout, perhaps a cry for help, and recalled the mechanical bow he had in his pocket dimension.

Ned stood at the edge of the grassy swamp, it was difficult for Erin ( standing far his right) to notice that Ned called out his wrist bow. Keesha on the other hand moved forward, between Erin and Ned, as if she was shielding the two companions, or maybe protecting the loot.

They stood in the hollow of a forest, surrounded by trees and grasses, above a muddy ground. Green moss crawled out in every tree Ned could see.

As Rickart stopped beside Keesha, Ned's combat system went online. The red holographic display came into view as dozens of butrikis, and swamp goblins burst into action following the surprise rouge.

Erin slipped to his butt seeing the butrikis and goblins nearing them. He pushed himself with his feet, the herbs he gathered scattered beneath the muddy ground. Grass cut his arms as he forced himself away from the magical beast. Erin was a Looter, he was trained to search for valuable and hard to find resources scattered. Perhaps, it must be the reason why he could see under the dimming shadow of trees.

He wasn't a Hollow. Ned thought, gazing Erin with his hands shone yellow light, seconds passed the yellow light scattered; vanishing in the air. He looked pale while sweat formed his forehead.

Under his hood, Rickart positioned his dagger across his shoulder, while the other hand seemed to gesture a spell. Beside him was Keesha.

Ned nodded seeing Keesha calmer than Rickart. She was used to this. Ned thought. Perhaps used to hide her emotions.

She threw a glance at Ned then raised her hands towards the rushing beasts.

At almost a whisper, Keesha conjured a spell with a simple gesture of her hands. Wiggling her finger, the wind behind her came into a sharp whistle: "Wind Cutter."

The wind whistled as the unseen spell Keesha conjured traveled midair.

A swamp goblin shrieked and fell with its legs cut to half starting from its knees. Another goblin fell cutting its body to half. And a butriki scuffed as the spell scratched its neck.

Keesha tsked seeing one out of the three wind cutter spell didn't kill the reptile.

"Where's Sidric?" Said Rickart. He flicked his unarmed arm like a whip and three of the Goblin died headlessly.

Ned frowned. He's fast and good. But why is he flustered.

Rickart flicked another arm, two goblins died, one missed. He cursed.

"Calm down," Keesha said. The furry coat on her waist flapped, tapping her tush along the way, and distortion at the end of her fingers revealed as another spell was conjured. Without saying the name of her spell, she raised her hands and the spell rained at the beasts.

The group of humanoid beasts went toppling as the rain of wind spell came from above. Tiny, like a bullet, wind bore a hole from the heads of the goblins and some butrikis.

A handful of swamp goblins died with a green lump of meat oozing out their tiny heads.

"They were at the banks," Keesha said after she spun behind Rickart. "Darwyn is with Sidric—cover me for now." She said those words with a slight pause.

Erin grabbed the fallen herbs, some leaves, and grass came along the way but his thoughts seem to wander off.

Keesha stared at Erin and shook her head. "Erin," she said. "Be a good boy and call Sidric."

It took a moment before Erin realized he was being called out. His adam's apple moved up and down swallowing lumps and lumps of saliva.

"Erin!" Keesha cried. "Move, now! Before they flank us."

"Yes… yes... " Erin muttered. "I… move now."

Erin's probing eyes; gone. What was left were the eyes of a kid looking for a way to survive. It was a relief to him that he was asked to call Sidric. After he recovered from his blanked thoughts, he stood, uncaring about the mud sticking against his butt, and run towards the riverbank, tripping along the way.

"Here they come," Rickart said gripping the darkened dagger with his left. "Of all the time, Darwyn wasn't here."

Ned listened to the two. Right hand held Boom, the short sword, left hand raised to aim. The bag was light with four kilos of herbs and a tin of rations. They weren't flanked—yet. Ned waited for the moment to strike. Must conserve arrows. Ned thought. He got a single box of ammunition left on his mechanical bow, which was composed of at least three dozen of short arrows.

"They'll be here, soon," she said. She looked weakened after conjuring spells, rapid breathing, and squinting eyes. Slightly focused, a trait every party needed. "I need to rest, hold them for—"

She held her breath. Standing in two, the lizard-like beasts stopped their tracks, the Swamp Goblins followed suit.

Spread of light showered the Fogroot forest. Butrikis and goblins were armed with crude weapons. Axes, blades, wooden spears tipped with rusty iron, some even held stones, and slingshots, while at the far end of the group, hid behind trees preparing their bows—only Swamp Goblins held bows. Butrikis carried heavy blades and shields.

"They stopped, why?" Rickart said under his surprised breath. He gripped his dagger fiercely. His other arm tensed.

Keesha stood stunned. "They weren't… supposed to do that."

Goblins and Butrikis weren't supposed to be together in the first place. Ned thought.

Goblins in general were territorial, especially during the birthing season (which was, almost, every month). The lizard-like humanoid on the other hand never left their territory, unless migrating or hunting for food, and butrikis doesn't have a taste on human flesh.

"Rickart," Ned said, dropping the sir.

Another thought surprised Rickart and Keesha, it was as if they have forgotten about Ned. Both spun their head hearing Ned's sharp voice.

"Was Malik killed?" Ned continued.

"Answer him, Rickart," Keesha said. Her near to calmness tripped with shock.

It took Rickart guts to answer Ned. "They… " he said, tensing his hands. "We were… a human trail... Then… they... Out of nowhere… as if… expecting us… "

"Then what? Rickart!" Cried Keesha, her eyes squinted at the goblins and butrikis standing neatly side-by-side.

Must be his first casualty. Ned tried to read Rickart's shaking eyes.

"They took Malik… they stabbed Malik… blood... Everywhere… "

"He's alive," Ned said.

"Kid, how did you know?" Keesha asked, her eyes filled with relief.