The Against All Odds

CH 25 - Near Danger

Their steps sounded rushed, and their breaths stung as the four of them ran towards the center of the village which now seemed to be in chaos.

"Leo, who really attacked us?" alisha asked who was running beside her.

Leo remained silent, his face tense, and his jaw locked in deep emotion. He did not reply, but his expression already gave a hint about the source of his discomfort.

Meanwhile, Belladona felt the presence of an approaching enemy. His experience and magic ability allowed him to sense this unusual air of darkness. His mind ran, trying to identify the threat they were facing. 'It's not wrong, this darkness...'

After they reached the center of the village, precisely in the village square, the sight they saw made a real panic before them. Villagers began to scatter, running to and fro, trying to save themselves from the approaching threat. A group of men were seen crammed into each other, scrambling over equipment that looked like simple weapons, such as wooden spears and short swords. In fact, many of them only armed with a fork of soil that they usually use for gardening.

An old man standing on the wagon gave the direction in a loud voice, "Gather the women and children to the Village Hall!"

"Glinton! Put the next box there!" Balfam Gulgar, the village chief who appears as a leader who is always full of spirit, regardless of any situation.

The old man commonly called Mr Balf had brown skin, a shiny bald head, and was decorated by a thick white brewpub. His muscular body showed the strength he still had in his old age.

Meanwhile, Glint, his bowl-haired and bespectacled granddaughter, walked shyly while carrying a box of crates containing a pile of bow arrows. Although the chest was actually not too heavy, Glint's body shook and his sweat poured out. Perhaps he felt burdened by his new responsibilities in this precarious situation.

"Eh, Glint, you're so tired, you're a guy, this heavy stuff is just tired," the sharp mockery came from his older sister, Barla.

Unlike Glint, Barla has a similar nature to their grandfather, and even looks are almost the same. A brown-skinned athletic body, a burning spirit, and half-pointed long white hair. Barla easily carried two crates at once, staring confidently at her exhausted-looking sister.

Glint only scrunched his forehead, not wanting to be provoked by his brother's ridicule. Instead, she tried harder to carry the crate properly, even though her glass lenses started to dew and her thin legs continued to vibrate.

"Let me teach them a lesson!" A young man in front of Leo.

"You're right, just look if the goblins dare to step on our garden again."

Leo began to digest the word "goblin" spoken by several young men who were gathering to pick up a weapon. His mind began to concoct a riddle about who was attacking them. From the words of these youths, it was clear that this kind of attack was not a new occurrence. Despite the precarious situation, Leo could not help but admire the confidence that these villagers had.

The goblin itself is a small, green-skinned creature, standing about half as tall as an adult human, or as tall as a small child. They had ugly faces with small yellow eyes that were always on alert. Their noses were pointed down like cucumbers, and their always grimacing mouth revealed sharp fangs. Goblin ears tend to be taper like Elf ears.

The goblin's body is filled with small but powerful muscles, allowing them to jump and move quickly despite their small size. Their hands have fingers that are quite long and deft, suitable for seizing valuables, including plantation products in this village. The legs were short and tipped like chicken feet, allowing them to run nimble as we chased them away.

"So they're used to attacking villages?" leo asked after hearing the brief explanation of the two young men in front of him.

"True, that's what we know about them. They always come and steal our crops, even our livestock are also victims" replied one of the young men.

Leo played his chin, many questions popping up in his mind at this moment.

"Anu... Are you new to this village?"

"Right," Leo answered briefly.

"Oh then, forgive us for the commotion. You better get together at the village hall as we drive the green thing away" one of the young men added.

Belladona walked up to Leo and whispered between his robe and his ear, "I don't think it's a goblin, I have a bad feeling."

Leo said, "We'll stay here."

"But it's just-" said the young man anxiously.

Leo raised his right hand up, "We will repay your kindness for accepting us here, so let us help."

The young man was pleased with Leo's statement. The atmosphere in the village was getting darker with the threat approaching. The young men begin to prepare for it, and Leo and his friends are ready to help protect the village.

However, as they were preparing, a long trumpet sound rang out, like a sign of great danger. Mr. Balf, the leader of the village, shouted towards the man who blew the trumpet from the tower. "Woy! Why blow the trumpet the danger sign? He said it was just goblins?"

The man on top of the tower trembled and could not speak a word. Mr. Balf knew what the man meant and lowered his gaze.

Barla who was standing next to Mr. Balf asked curiously at the sight of his grandfather's unusual face. "What does that mean, Cake? Who comes if not goblins?" While tugging at his grandfather's muscular arm.

Mr. Balf raised his gaze resolutely, staring at the group of citizens in front of him, including the group of Leo. He took a deep breath before letting out a tense word,

"Mowldark, it's coming."