Chapter 43 The Rescue Party

As Valerius ascended the stage, an eerie hush fell over the crowd, their attention wholly captured by the man at the center of it all. To the casual observer, it seemed as if he were about to deliver a heartfelt toast to celebrate Lumi's achievements and unity among Luminecia's leaders. However, his true intentions simmered beneath the surface, fueled by a deep-seated resentment.

Valerius raised his glass high, his voice dripping with a facade of cheerfulness.

 "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed leaders of Luminecia, I raise my glass to this gathering, a symbol of unity, and the potential of our great town."

But his smile concealed a dark, spiteful intent as he continued, his words taking on a venomous tone, "In the spirit of honesty, let us address the presence of certain... elements in our town. Monsters, they call themselves, infiltrating our society like parasites. Goblins, in particular, have proven to be quite the nuisance."

His toast took a bitter turn as he openly expressed his disdain.

"Goblins, creatures of chaos and filth, running amok in our peaceful town. They tarnish our image, disrupt our order, and stain our streets with their grime."

As he spoke, Valerius' words seemed to hang heavy in the air, casting a pall over the gathering. His spiteful tirade continued, "I have long harbored these sentiments, and it is time to address this issue. Today, we shall take a stand against these interlopers, these monsters who dare to defy our way of life."

With a swift, calculated motion, Valerius activated the crystal artifact he had concealed. A complex containment shield emerged, its design intricate and formidable. The shield encapsulated the unsuspecting leaders, including Helen, ensnaring them in its impenetrable grasp.

As Valerius enacted his sinister plan and captured the most powerful figures in Luminecia, the remaining members of the council dwindled down to just Bill the Minotaur, his minotaur friend, and another council member, a scrawny old goblin named Hermit. Panic and confusion filled the air as the council members were trapped.

I knew that I needed to act swiftly to avoid capture, so while everyone's attention was fixed on Valerius, I stealthily made my way back to Goblinworth. I ducked under a table, hoping to remain hidden from Valerius before his minions showed up.

Goblinworth, his eyes wide with terror, noticed my return and whispered frantically, "M-m-master Kazuki, w-what's happening? Why does everyone go screaming, bad people?"

I hushed him, trying to keep our presence concealed, "Shh, Goblinworth. Valerius has captured the council members and all of Helen's captains. We need to stay hidden and figure out a plan."

The room buzzed with shock and confusion as Valerius' true agenda unfurled. The once-celebratory atmosphere now crackled with tension, and the fate of Luminecia's leaders hung in the balance, trapped within the confines of the containment shield.

Pandemonium erupted as the containment shield enclosed the unsuspecting leaders, leaving them isolated from the rest of the hall. Panic and bewilderment swept through the assembled guests, their faces etched with confusion in response to this sudden twist of fate.

In the blink of an eye, Valerius snapped his fingers, and a group of individuals surged through the doors on his signal. These people swiftly moved to block all possible exits, ensuring that escape was an impossible feat for anyone within.

Outside the confines of the shield, Lumi, myself, and the other non-combatant guests, along with the goblin servants and butlers, were the only ones left. Valerius' associates, a formidable assembly garbed in capes, established a defensive perimeter, effectively preventing any attempts to leave the room.

As the tension escalated, Valerius's voice cut through the air, laden with malevolence.

 "My dear Luminecians, it is with profound sorrow that I reveal the bitter truth. I, the man whom you have trusted, stand as the mastermind behind the attacks on Lumi and the conspirator against the disgusting monster residents of Luminecia!"

Gasps of disbelief reverberated through the hall, and the unsuspecting leaders found themselves paralyzed by the weight of his words. Lumi's eyes widened in shock, her gaze darting between the ensnared leaders and Valerius, who had now laid bare his true intentions.

Bill the Minotaur was suddenly consumed by rage, and I watched in amazement as his massive form sprang into action within the grand hall.

But what happened next was beyond my expectations. Instead of facing a common enemy, Bill and the other Minotaur began to act bizarrely. They shouted at each other with wild fervor, their deep voices resonating through the hall.

"Disgusting monster!" bellowed Bill, his voice echoing off the walls.

"You're the real monster here!" retorted the other, his temper flaring.

The two Minotaurs charged at each other, their heavy hooves causing the ground to shake. Thundering punches were exchanged, creating shockwaves with each impact.

The realization washed over me and I grasped the full extent of Valerius's sinister scheme. It became clear that he had not only skillfully ensnared Luminecia's leaders within the containment shield but had also cunningly manipulated two minotaurs into confrontation. It was now evident that he harbored malevolent intentions toward anyone who dared to oppose him. 

To my astonishment, Helen and Olivia remained remarkably composed amidst the chaos. Helen wore an amused expression, as though she were attending a premiere at a grand event, while Olivia clung tightly to her, finding solace in the warmth of her embrace. The other trapped members tried to bang at the containment shield walls but it looked futile. Their mouths moved but there was no sound, the shield didn't let the sound go through. 

As the chaos erupted in the hall, I watched in astonishment as Bill and his fellow Minotaur, Grand, engaged in a bizarre shouting match. Their booming voices echoed through the room as they hurled insults at each other, calling themselves 'disgusting monsters'. It was a surreal scene, as these hulking creatures began trading thunderous punches.

Bill's powerful uppercut met Grand's devastating right hook, the impact resonating with the force of a landslide. Minotaur toppled like a falling giant, his bulk colliding with a table in a tumultuous crash. Bill, wounded but relentless, pressed on, ready to keep battling. However, Valerius's minions weren't about to let this continue.

A projectile of concentrated magical energy burst forth from Valerius's forces, shaped by earth magic to resemble a massive boulder. It struck Bill squarely at the back of his head, a brutal hit that left him collapsed and unconscious.

Amidst the chaos, Goblinworth sprung into a frenzy, his voice quivering with panic, "Oh no, oh no! Bill and Grand are down! Wh-who's gonna save us now? We're doomed!" His attention then shifted to someone else who was attempting to crawl away stealthily (though not very successfully) under the closest table, Goblinworth's mood took a 180-degree turn. He suddenly beamed with joy, his quivering voice now filled with hope as he cheered, "Fear not, my friends! Hermit, our valiant leader, will save the day! Hermit is the hero who rescued all of us goblins from those dreadful breeding farms. These attackers will be no match for him. We are safe with Hermit here!" A tear of joy welled in his eye, and he quickly wiped it away.

I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the seemingly delusional goblin's unwavering faith in Hermit. The goblin leader, Hermit, looked like he could be knocked over by a gust of wind, let alone take on these assailants. It was a mystery to me how he managed to carry that oversized walking cane with his scrawny frame.

Hermit's actions did not go unnoticed. Valerius's malicious laughter reverberated through the hall as he approached the seemingly insignificant goblin. He placed his boot upon Hermit, treating him as nothing more than a reviled insect beneath his sole. His words dripped with spite as he spoke, a dark glee in his tone.

 "Well, well, well. Look who we have here! A pitiful goblin squirming beneath my boot. It's almost poetic, isn't it? Filth belongs where it's most comfortable, after all. Know your place, you wretched trash. Under my boot like a spec of dirt."

With his last word, Valerius cruelly kicked Hermit, sending the goblin hurtling across the hall until he met an abrupt stop against the wall, his body crashing into it. 

Amidst this chaos, Goblinworth seemed to be the only one holding onto hope, quietly chanting Hermit's name with unwavering faith.

Valerius then signaled his minions to gather everyone in the center of the room, walking over to the trapped leaders to bask in his perceived victory. Meanwhile, as he was distracted, I desperately tried to formulate a plan. 

Beneath the table, there were five goblins and me. While the enemy forces weren't overwhelming, consisting mainly of Valerius and his few minions, they now held hostages. We needed a well-coordinated and swift attack to succeed.

The goblins, aware of the dire situation, huddled together beneath the table, trembling and shivering in terror and fear. Their tiny heads were filled with the urgency of the moment, and they curled up in a big pile, wrapping themselves with their ears, forming some kind of cocoon of comfort as if to escape reality. They whimpered in fear, their wide eyes darting around in search of reassurance.

"Let's stay close, maybe we'll be safe together! M-maybe if we hide long enough, they go away!"

In this tense moment, I leaned down and spoke to the frightened goblins, my voice as calm as I could manage. 

"Alright, everyone, we need a plan. We can't let Valerius win. I will need your help if we want to walk out of this alive."

The goblins, their voices quivering, began to mumble and stammer, their ideas barely coherent in their panicked state.

Goblinworth nervously stuttered, "W-We need to do som-something... but I-I don't know what!"

Gog, clutching his ears tightly, blurted out, "Maybe we could throw cheese at them? Yes, cheese! They hate cheese, right?"

Snik, almost in tears, mumbled, "I-I saw in a book once... umm, it said to, uh, use a distraction, b-but I can't remember how it goes!"

Zib, wide-eyed with fright, suggested, "W-We could, uh, tickle their feet! That'll confuse them, maybe?"

Gobblar, clutching a bottle, stammered, "I-I have this... thing. A-a sock! Maybe we can put it on their doorknob and run away?"

Looking at my rescue party I facepalmed.