Fate Intertwining

Kouki was standing at the gate admiring the view of the vast plain. It was the true view of a fantasy world. The grass waved as it danced along with the wind.

'The area here seemed more flat, while if I looked to the North towards the castle you could see the large mountains.'  Kouki thought as he managed to recall the information from yesterdays tour.

Birds chirped as they flew by and you could even see some slimes nearby. It wasn't far but you could see the forest further down. Kouki needed to head there and accomplish the quest.

As he walked some of the slimes tried to attack but they were to slow to follow him. Not wanting to bother with them as he knew that they could be a real nagging problem from the games he used to play. So he payed no heed and left them alone. Around the area Kouki could see other adventurers who were also newbies, they looked to be fighting slimes and other small creatures lurking about. He didn't worry about them as they were in a group and only admired from a distance.

Finally reaching the entrance to the forest he could tell it felt a bit ominous. It went silent though, you could still hear the faint wind in the background. Only a bit of sunlight pierced through the trees. Trying to be cautious he still went in nonetheless. He walked further down taking out the knife since the need to be wary arose. Anything that could attack him at any moment could be lurking about. At that moment a sudden growl came from behind and then it quickly approached. What looked like a wolf suddenly lounged at Kouki as it tried to bite his neck.

The grip Kouki had on the knife slipped and it fell a few inches away from him. He was truly struggling to keep the wolf away as it kept trying to get the taste of his blood. It's saliva had been getting all over his face, but those teeth were definitely going to rip Kouki apart if he didn't get it off. Using his legs to push the wold behind him, he quickly got up and grabbed the knife as the wolf turned to face Kouki again, but it was too late for it as he beheaded it with a clean strike. 

- Level up! -

- Level up! -

The status board popped up in front and showed him that Kouki was now level three. 

'Killing that thing gave me a good amount of experience points it seems. Phew, my heartbeat was still at a fast pace.' Feeling relieved he let his guard down for a brief moment.

He then heard a few high pitched laughter's coming from the distance though, it didn't sound like humans. Kouki followed the noise and it lead to what looked like a hole that led to an underground passageway. The entrance was on the floor and it looked small but wide enough for him to fit.

"This is where the Goblins must be. Are they living underground? I have to find out."

Making his way down it was difficult to see, it was so dark and the only thing illuminating was the sunlight slightly coming from the entrance. 

He didn't have anything to make room for light but an idea sprang forth, which was to use the knife as the torch itself. Remembering he could ignite it in flames. Looking around the hilt of the knife and taking notice of the button that ignites it. As he pressed it the flames wrap around the blue steel. He could feel the heat radiating from it so he kept it away. 

Moving the knife around and it lit up the place pretty well. It was all dirt, he was surprised it was holding off well. All of a sudden he heard the laughter again as it was coming directly in front. Kouki quickly followed in that direction. He ran and continued to do so that it felt like it was a marathon. Though, the long narrow pathway ended soon after.

At the end it was completely black, it felt like he was staring at the void itself. A few rocks crumble that were on the edge of the pathway fell down, as they echoed making it seem like the area ahead was large and spacious. Kouki decided to continue and slid down as he tried to balance himself. At the bottom it was flat but even then once he looked around with the knife nothing was really there. Instead of dirt this time it felt like he was stepping on stone. 

'Was this some sort of old building?' He wondered.

Out of the blue, ahead of him around eight torches were ignited. Four on one side and four in the other. Few others began to ignite all around.

His eyes widened in shock as to what he witnessed. All around Kouki, from top to bottom...goblins surrounded him. A throne was at the end of the area directly in front, and sitting there was a large figure with a wooden crown on top of his head.

"A Goblin King?!"

"This, this must be their nest! Shit!"

'There was too many, I thought this was an E-rank quest! Wait, could they have not know there was something like this here? Did they just think it was only a few goblins lurking about?' A wide variety of thoughts had crossed his mind from the panic that arose.

The goblins smiled and smirked as the light from the torches made them seem more menacing than they actually are. With this amount he was sure there was no room for survival. They were already blocking the way back. He was staring at the Goblin King for a second when it grunted and waved his hand with a single stroke. He roared and then with a sudden order all the goblins rushed in. 

"Dammit!"

Kouki firmly grasped his knife as it was still in flames. They were getting closer and closer. As they approached slashes flew in the air from the knife trying to take them down as fast as he could but there was too many. They scratched and bit at the leather armor. Others Goblins that were high up used bows trying to pierce him with the arrows.

Kouki was still new to using this knife, or any knife in fact which didn't provide much help. He kept getting cut bit by bit as they began to surround him completely.

'I don't have any skills or spells to cover me in this situation. Am I going to die here? I was sure this was going to be the end for me. For it to end so quickly, what a waste. My second day and I was already at deaths door...'   He wanted to give up, he felt like it was useless as he knew that he didn't have the power to do anything.

"Don't give up, Kouki. You are the light, you are the hope that will radiate in this world. You are...my salvation."

"---What?!"

The Affinity orb that he had in the ring came out on its own and glowed as it rose up. It was rising as the goblins stopped as they looked upon it. They backed up a bit as the light that shined blinded them. Once it was gone, in its place a young looking girl appeared. He could hardly see her but once the blinding light dispersed it was no longer a problem.

Her short magneta hair waved as the wind from her appearing spurred out. The amber eyes were like honey and looked soft in tone and the short leather armor around her chest went along with the white one piece dress she had. She looked at Kouki for a brief moment with a huge smile, blue and golden spear in hand.

She did not utter a single word but with sheer might she looked like she teleported to various areas around and rapidly made way towards the goblins and pierced through. Her spear began glowing at the tip, she held it in one arm and raised it while the other arm was facing in Kouki's direction. A blue like force field sprung up and began surrounding him.

"Is she...protecting me?"

Then and there her spear finished charging and beams came from it at a rapid rate. As if the charged shot burst. They kept on coming. It looked like a thousand, no, a million arrows of light. Goblins falling left and right as the arrows went right through them. The light beams stopped but the energy all gathered at the tip again and it looked like a singular long beam. She moved her spear in a circle and the beam followed as everything around was vaporized. Everything, the Goblins and even the Goblin King was nothing but mush now.

The barrier that was surrounding him dispersed and he was sitting in the ground, not believing anything that just happened. The top half of the nest was torn off by everything that transpired and the sky could be seen. The rays of sunlight made its way in this place which was but pure darkness before. The girl from before appeared in front of Kouki as she continued to smile. He couldn't help but smile in return but in nervousness.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, master."