Fallen Fate Online

There were many goblins, but most of them were busy doing something. They were paying particular attention to the cauldron and the constant restocking of ingredients for it.

"Damn... This plate is several times their size, what are they even brewing in this cauldron?" Zayne muttered with a dazed look.

"Well, we're about to find out." Harald said seriously as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Fine, let's see, from the looks of it, they're not going to infect the area around them yet as they're getting ready for something." Roland said calmly with a slight nod, "This is Open Type, so we can take some time for scouting, there we'll keep the chances of casualties to a minimum."

Zayne was puzzled as he felt redundant since he was the only one who knew so little about Chaos Hearth, so he asked thoughtfully rubbing his cheek, "Since we're standing here anyway... What is the purpose of these goblins? I mean, we're not just going to kill them because they're monsters, right?"

Some of the knights immediately looked at him contemptuously, but they said nothing as they were quite disciplined. However, those who were more experienced didn't find Zayne's question embarrassing.

"Well, actually we kill most monsters because they are monsters, it's true since it's very rare to find non-hostile monsters." Roland said slowly, sighed, and pointed to the edge of the village, "However, there is another reason why we have to destroy monsters from Chaos Hearth. Look over there."

One of the goblins stepped outside the village for a while, toward a nearby tree. In his hand was a simple knife with which he cut a few mushrooms growing between the roots.

Everything was trivial until the goblin decided to touch the tree with his eyes closed as he whispered something as if reading a spell. A red rune glowed on his forehead as the tree trembled violently, then purple veins began to grow along its trunk, gradually changing it.

"What the hell...? Is that what you meant by infection?" Zayne asked looking at Roland with a confused expression.

"Yes. We'll probably have to burn that tree to keep the infestation from spreading. Perhaps that is the most important reason why Chaos Hearth must be destroyed as quickly as possible." Roland said seriously, staring intently at the goblins. There was no hate or anger in his eyes, just the cold gaze of a hunter on his victims.

At the same moment, the goblins stopped stirring the liquid in the cauldron as they paused and simultaneously began to lift their sticks up as if trying to get something.

"Damn... I sure wouldn't eat dinner at their place... I say that as a doctor." Harald frowned at the sight of a huge chunk of flesh slowly emerging from the purple liquid.

The goblins holding the meat were seriously tense as the weight was very heavy, but still, they were able to shift the meat onto the plate.

"This is strange... I've never seen something like this before." Roland muttered rubbing his chin with a thoughtful look.

"They were cooking this meat for someone? But, for whom...?" Elin frowned as she tilted her head.

"Most likely their leader is an evolved goblin." Aron said calmly staring at the goblins carrying meat to the largest hut, "It will take them hours to eat it, but I'm sure their leader can handle it in a few minutes."

Aron had a lot of experience, especially since he used to be a commander too, so Roland and the others listened carefully to what he said.

"Fine, then let's not delay. Even if there is one evolved goblin among them, we can easily deal with him." Roland became serious as he waved his hand, "Each squad will take a point around the village, we will surround them and after the archer assault we will attack, is that clear to everyone?"

"Yes!" The knights exclaimed and followed Roland.

There were more than a hundred of them but divided and moving cautiously, they were almost impossible to see among the dense forest.

"Good, we are ready. Elin, start first, that will be the signal for the others." Roland said quietly, turning to his assistant.

The girl nodded silently, pulled her bow from her back, and drew an arrow on the bowstring.

'She seems to know how to handle a bow.' Zayne noted, glancing at Elin's sharp gaze.

Crackle.

Elin released her grip as an arrow flew upward, then the rest of the archers joined her as the arrows instantly became over thirty.

Roland nodded meaningfully and moved forward with a calm look, drawing his sword from its sheath.

"Finally, we get to the action." Harald smiled broadly, clenching his palms into fists.

'This may be a first for me, but there are actually a lot of monsters here. I must take this chance to gain as much experience as possible!' Zayne inwardly exclaimed as a short blade appeared in his hand. He ran forward, keeping behind Roland, who was leading the others.

As soon as Roland entered the village grounds he was immediately noticed by the goblin guards.

"Argh!!!" The goblin exclaimed furiously pointing his sword at Roland, but he didn't seem to care about the monster.

"Good job, Elin." Roland spoke the moment the first arrow reached its target, piercing through the goblin's head as the sharp tip emerged from the monster's jaw.

The goblin's eyes went wide with shock as he wanted to shout something, but all the monster accomplished was to throw up clots of blood and fall to the ground with a blank stare.

Roland walked past the goblin, treading on the bloody ground, and quickly glanced around the entire battlefield. Most of the goblins were already fighting squads, but some chose to group together for greater efficiency.

"Hah, looks like you're not as stupid as they say you are, but it won't do you any good." Roland said coldly, heading toward a group of three goblins. One had a massive club in his hand and the others held knives, but that wasn't their only weapon.

Whoooooooooosh.

Several sharp stones thrown by the goblins flew toward Roland. They moved quickly, like deadly spears.

"Nice try." Roland smirked as he swung his sword tossing aside two stones and catching a third with his left hand, "However, throwing stones at someone who wears heavy armor is not a good idea, is it?"

The goblin shuddered as Roland clutched the stone, bent backward, and threw it with all his might. It was like a cannon shot as in a heartbeat the stone pierced one goblin's head, leaving a wide hole in it.

'Wow, so that's what the Knight Commander's power is?' Zayne muttered to himself in a daze as suddenly Gael's silhouette appeared in his mind, 'I wonder which of them will win if these two fight?'

Killing one goblin, Roland rushed forward slashing his sword in front of him. The blade was covered in dark blood as the goblins' heads flew aside, then Roland knocked the blood off his sword and headed for the next group. He acted calmly and clearly, aware of his every move.

Zayne watched him as though enchanted until he shook his head bringing himself to his senses.

'Roland is cool, but watching him won't make me any better. I need to show what I can do too!' Zayne exclaimed inwardly, clutching his blade tightly as his gaze went to the lone goblin ahead.

At the same moment, blue runes appeared in his eyes for a second, as if Fate were about to make its move again.