Chapter 35:

Chapter 35 The Goblin Castle

Content of the Magic Box


It was already evening, not much sun was left, and dark clouds in the sky made it even worse to see. The visibility was terrible, she couldn't see the castle clearly but there was visible light shining in the windows. The fields surrounding the castle were empty, light fog was covering the grounds with no goblins patrolling the perimeter. It was still too far for them to see if there were any goblins left but the lights shining in the castle indicated that Martin's party failed. The only way they could find out Martin's party fate is by going there themself. After a couple more minutes of scouting the area, Suzuka returned to where Bill was.

"Hey Bill, so, I tried my best but I couldn't see any goblins or anything at all out there. But someone is in the castle, most of the windows have light... so there is someone there."

"Pfff! Dum girl, of course, there is. Stop talking nonsense and get some branches. We need to make a small hiding spot here, for the night. We will rest here till sunrise then we move."

"Oh wow... jeez... sorry, just saying what I saw. Branches? Okay, got it, boss."

"Boss!? Boss... Heh! Bill likes that."

It didn't take long for them to secure the place, while Bill was dropping smell bombs around the camp Suzuka gathered the small branches.

"Hey Bill, what are you throwing there?"

"Stupid girl, do I have to explain everything to you? How about trying to figure it out for yourself for once? Get back to work."

"Why so cranky, Bill? Okay, forget I ask."

It was pitch black by the time they finished, but Suzuka could see fine in the dark because of her mutation from absorbing the werewolf powers. Bill wasn't that fortunate, he couldn't see that great even on the brightest day, he was old after all.

"So, Bill. Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, whatever it is."

"Wouldn't it be better to attack goblins at night? Just boom! We barge in and kill them all."

"Goblins are night monsters, dum girl. Goblins are slower and more sluggish during the day. They don't fancy sunlight too. Why do you think goblins live in these dam rainy places, dark caves, and castles?"

Suzuka got angry with Bill for constantly calling her stupid and whispered to herself, "Why do you live in the dark cave huh? Dum bull... maybe you're a goblin. Stupid, stupid ox. Keg stick."

Bill noticed her talking from under her nose and said, "Speak up girl, I can't hear you whispering."

"Oh, no, nothing. Just talking to myself... don't mind me. It's late let's get to sleep."

"Heh! The first time Girl said something smart today. Go sleep, Bill will be on the lookout for a bit."

The night passed quietly and the sun rose above the tree line. It was time to wake up, Bill touched Suzuka to wake her up, but she wasn't sleeping. They both left the camp and walked quietly toward the castle without making much noise, keeping hidden. They moved cautiously through the forest, their footsteps muffled by the thick carpet of leaves and branches beneath their feet. They were close to their destination now, the imposing castle that loomed ahead of them, its high walls and towers visible through the trees. As they neared the castle, they slowed their pace even further, taking care to make as little noise as possible. 

After a long silence, Bill stopped and said, "Stop, I can see the castle from here. We need to look around... to see how many goblins are there."

She knew that they were approaching enemy territory, Suzuka didn't say a word back only nodded at Bill signaling him that she understood. After a good five minutes of scanning the walls for any sign of goblins, Bill said, "I think we are done here, there are a lot of them squirming inside these walls. At least 30 goblins and 10 orcs at the front of the castle gates, more inside of course."

"So? What's the plan now? Do we charge? Or do we try to sneak in?"

While Suzuka was asking questions, Bill's eye got couth, he saw something close to the bridge to the main gate of the castle.

"Girl. Now I know what fate Martin's party had."

"What? How?"

"Look at the stone bridge in front of us, you see three spikes close by? Guess whose heads are impaled on them."

"Oh, sweet Melvin's beard! It's Martins's head and two others. That's so cruel."

"Heh! What did you expect? They are monsters, but... there is a chance, that woman and the kid might still be alive. And that... changes things. Normally, I would agree to charge in and start killing all of them. But... hmmm... let's go around the castle, there is an old cemetery in the back. Goblins dump all the garbage and corpses there. We might find the corpses of his party and be sure if all are dead."

"Okay, let's go. Show the way."

The air was cool and crisp as they made their way through the dense forest, the sun was casting a pale glow through the trees. They moved carefully, trying to avoid making any noise that might alert the goblins to their presence. While staying in the shadows as much as possible, they reached the edge of the forest and paused. Looking out at the open ground that lay between them and the castle, they reached the cemetery. The grounds were well-lit, but the castle was clad in the morning fog. They didn't see any guards patrolling the perimeter.

Bill and Suzuka took cover behind a small collapsed stone shed. After making sure no one was around they start to move closer to the castle. The fog was still falling on the castle and they had a small window before goblins could see them. While approaching the castle they found a pit full of goblin bodies.

"Somewhat fresh goblin bodies... and the number is big too. All of them were killed by... sword it would seem... hmmm... interesting. Well, call me impressed... by the pile of corpses I can tell that Martin and his party were quite good... for a human at least, and with no box power."

"Yeah, it's a big pile. Maybe 40 corpses total."

"Yeah... it would seem so, maybe even more than 40... they sure did a number on goblins. Hmmm... I wonder, what happened. Why they failed."

"Maybe his party got surrounded and killed like that? In the heat of battle, till they died, they took as many as they could."

"No... the kills are too clean. It wasn't a rushed or desperate attack. The precision... the consistency... it's almost like... hmmm... they've been picking them in small groups, luring them, and ambushing them. So... Martin's plan was a 'hit and run'."

"I think we should move some bodies to see if we could find his party member's corpses."

It didn't take long till they found them, only a couple of goblin corpses away.

"This is the place, girl. I can see three human bodies without a head already. Goblins dump their bodies here. There is a chance that goblins ate the others. I see no woman or kid."

"No bodies, so? It doesn't mean they got killed. That's a good thing, right? There is a big chance they are alive, right?"

"Hmmm... If they are still alive... by now, they wish they were dead."

"Wait, what?"

"Stupid girl, let's move."

After inspecting the pit full of corpses they didn't find them and decided to go to the castle without wasting any more time before the fog lifted. They kept low to the ground, using bushes and other covers to stay out of sight as they made their way closer to the castle. Finally, they reached the wall. Bill Noticed a big crack in the castle wall, in that crack there was a big hole blocked with makeshift doors made out of iron scraps and wood. 

It was goblin-made doors. Bill pushed his ear to the door and listened if anyone was behind it. After he was sure there was no one close by he pressed his shoulder against the door and with a mighty nudge he quietly broke the door off the hinges and put them to the side. Suzuka peeked inside through the doorway and looked around, but there was no one there. The doorway was leading inside the short corridor where at the end you can see outside, the castle back yard.

"Listen carefully now, girl. You... you will look for survivors. Just run straight outside this small corridor, when outside, turn left and you should see a small crypt. The crypt is made out of stones with stairs leading downstairs, into the dungeon, well... it's more like a cellar, than the dungeon. But... that's where they keep them."

"Wow Bill, how do you know all of this?"

"I just assumed, stupid girl. Ever tried it? Thinking for yourself? It's a dam castle, where else do you think they keep prisoners if not in holding cells?"

"Okay, okay I got it. What are you gonna do Bill?"

"I will go back to the main gates and make a huge mess. I will attract the goblin's attention. So, you wait here... and when you hear screams and cries of dying goblins, you rush to that prison as fast as possible. If you find anyone alive, help them escape outside. If not, make your way up to me. Kill anyone standing in your way."

"Alright, sounds like a plan. Good luck Bill."

"Yeah, you too."

And with those words, Bill walked back into the forest. 30 minutes have passed since Bill left and still no sign of fighting. Her anxiety and stress levels started to reach their peak. She felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her heart pounded in her chest and she could feel the rush of blood in her ears. She was aware of every sound and movement around her as if her senses had been heightened to another level.

At that moment she heard two goblins coming her way. She stood up and pressed her back against the wall a few steps away from the doorway. Then she pulled both of her short swords and stood ready to attack. Not long after, two goblins saw that the doors are gone and came rushing to investigate.

The moment goblins took a step outside the doorway their heads went flying. Because of her heightened senses and battle prowess, she was able to decapitate them both at lightning speed. And before bodies hit the floor, with a spin kick to the back she kicked them far into the field towards the pit with the corpses. Fortunately, the goblin's corpses landed in tall grass and nobody will see them. Without wasting time she tosed their heads after.

A couple more minutes passed and finally, Bill Reached the main gates. He stepped out from the forest onto the main path leading to the castle. He wasn't scared or thrilled, he just slowly walked towards the gates with his axe and shield ready for action.

The minotaur stood at the beginning of the stone bridge, his powerful muscles tensed and ready for battle. Across from him, the goblin snarled, brandishing a jagged sword in its tiny hands. The two creatures glared at each other, each waiting for the other to make the first move.

The minotaur let out a defining battle shout and charged, his hooves pounding the ground as he barreled toward the goblin. The goblin let out a high-pitched shriek and sprang toward the minotaur, its sword held high. The two clashed metal to metal, each one trying to land a decisive blow, but Bill won and crushed the first goblin like a fly.

The goblins were quick and agile, darting around the minotaur and striking out with its sword whenever they saw an opening. But the minotaur was strong and relentless, swatting aside the goblin's attacks with ease. It was clear that the goblins were no match for the minotaur's brute strength.

Finally, with a mighty roar, the minotaur delivered a devastating blow, sending the last goblin at the gates flying through the air. It landed in a heap at the edge of the clearing, its sword clattering to the ground. The minotaur stood tall, barely panting and triumphant. The first wave of goblins lay defeated at its feet. Now it's the orc's turn to bite the dust.

Bill's mighty roar echoed through the entire castle. Suzuka heard the noise and began to move. While Bill was making a distraction Suzuka went downstairs deep into the prison. This underground prison could be described as a dark and foreboding place, with dimly lit corridors and cells that are cramped and poorly ventilated. Damp, cold, with a sense of despair and hopelessness.

There were no guards inside, after a quick look Suzuka saw a young man in the first cell to her right. It was one of Martin's party members, he was in rough shape. Cell doors were locked, but with her strength, she easily bent the bars and broke the lock. Suzuka was disgusted by the sight of what they have done to him.

His armor was shredded and hanging by threads, his whole body covered in bite marks. He was missing an arm and another was hanging by the skin mutilated in several spots. His face was bitten making him blind and his legs were broken in several places.

She walked inside and kneeled down. The young man was still breathing and when she touched him regained consciousness.

"Hey! Hey, relax... I'm here to help, we will help you to escape. Just hold on, don't give up."

"No... no... it's too late... for me. This is... where... my story ends. Please... save... Jazz. The woman... she's in the back cell. Take my nametag... tell the guild what happened... please."

"Wait! We still can..."

But before she could finish her sentence young man let out his last breath and died in her arms. Suzuka didn't say a word, she took his name tag, lay him on the ground, and watched over him for a minute in silence while tears rolled down her cheeks. But there was no time to waste and she step outside the cell. She checked all the cells, there were some corpses in some of the cells. As the man said the woman was in the last cell, she found the woman, but she was dead. By the looks of it, she killed herself. She was cuffed in long chains, she wrapped one of them around her neck and broke it.

After witnessing such horrors Suzuka's heart turn colder that day. Ever so slight smile she had vanished from her face. The slight guilt she felt after taking the life even of a wretched creature disappeared. The tiers she shed have dried out. Her fears, anxiety, naivety, and uneasiness were replaced by anger. That day she steps out of that underground prison a different person. 

Yuuki
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SkeletonIdiot
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Vforest
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Dracors
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