With the element of surprise now passed, the Goblins filled the air with their guttering squawks and Gibberish language as they launched into a full-scale attack.
Rone risked a glance over the top of the rock only to see a dozen or so greenish-brown figures racing towards them.
“Here, they come!” He shouted, releasing his own arrows now. His first couple of shots found their marks, dropping two of the goblins before they could duck out of the way. But there was no time for more as the rest of the patrol were already within melee range.
Trisha sent a fireball hurdling at the ground in front of the rushing goblins, scattering them and buying enough time for the companions to brace themselves for the attack.
Traijen sent one of his throwing knives flying at the closest one. Lodging it into the goblin’s chest, killing it instantly.
As the rest of the Hobspawn circled the companions, Rone drew his own blades and called forth the magic in the one called LightVein.
Instantly the brilliant light flared to life, washing the area in its glow. The sudden flash temporarily blinded the goblins, causing them to shriek in fear as they shielded their eyes and scrambled to withdraw from it.
As the Hobspawn scurried back across the rocks to regroup, Rone rushed forward. His dual blades quickly cutting down one of the fleeing goblins as a ball of mage fire struck a second one. Igniting its tattered clothing and burning its exposed flesh. Causing the goblin to squeal and shriek with pain as it ran several yards away then collapsed in a charred heap.
As Rone became distracted with the goblin, he was locked into combat with. He failed to notice one of the attackers had managed to slip around the side of a large rock and now had him squarely in the sights of its crude short bow.
Just as the goblin was about to release its arrow, a dart of pure magic energy struck it square in the chest. Pinning it to the rock face and holding it there for several seconds.
The purple energy of the dart flared and crackled as it pushed itself like a drill through the goblins leather chest plate and finally the flesh beneath it. Killing the goblin and leaving a charred smoking area on the boulder.
Fang had brought one of the goblins down and now was blinking from enemy to enemy, leaving painful wounds as he bit them and blinked away again quickly. Keeping them unbalanced and scattered.
Finally, realizing their intended victims were more than they bargained for, the remaining goblin bandits broke into full retreat. Stumbling over each other and clawing their way over the rocks in an effort to escape.
The companions considered giving pursuit, but not knowing if there may be a larger band of goblins nearby, was enough to convince them not to.
Instead, they hurriedly collected their gear and set out towards Katrina’s village. Hoping to put some distance between them and the Hobspawn before they could regroup and try again.
After they had been walking for a bit, Trisha finally unable to resist asked Katrina.
“Where did you learn the spell for magic bolts?”
“From a mage I knew,” Kat answered honestly, but couldn’t help noticing the suspicion in Trisha’s voice.
“That’s an advanced level spell, what mage would teach that to someone who wasn’t an initiate?” Trisha asked, sounding almost prude.
Trisha’s tone both angered and surprised Katrina.
“DokalFae do things differently than most Trisha. Not everyone has the privilege of learning magic at some high-priced academy. When you’re an exile living in the badlands, you learn anything you can that helps you survive.”
Feeling the tension building between the two women, Rone decided he should intervein.
“Well, wherever you learned it, Kat, I, for one, am glad you did. If not for you, that goblins arrow would have got me for sure.”
“Well, I couldn’t let him make you a pin cushion, now could I?” Katrina asked, flashing that brilliant smile at Rone.
“Oh, I don’t know, I think he would make a fine pin cushion,” Traijen chimed in with a wink as he smacked Rones shoulder.
“Nah, I’m just glad we made it out of that unscathed,” Traijen added with genuine relief.
“As am I,” Rone acknowledged. Glad to see the conversation growing lighter.
“How much further to your village, Kat?” Roan asked, not wanting it to slip back into Trisha’s questioning. Trisha had wanted to say more but seeing the others intentionally avoiding her question. Decided to let it go for the moment.
“Not far, maybe an hour or so,” Katrina replied with a smile.
“It’ll be good to be home. I have not been there in a couple of months now. If we have time, there’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Sure, since we are passing through anyway, I don’t see why not.” Rone said with a shrug.
“But we can’t stay long. Once we get the supplied, we need, we need to get going again.”
“Yes, we do,” Trisha said, making a circling motion with her hand.
“You will be safe once we reach your village, Katrina. There will be no reason for you to continue traveling with us.” Rone looked at Trisha, a surprised look coming over him. He had not thought of that, but she was right.
“She’s right, Kat, you will be home. There really is no reason for you to put yourself in further danger following us around.”
Katrina could not hide the disappointment in her voice as she responded.
“If you truly wish for me to stay behind, I cannot force you to let me come.” She said, looking directly at Rone, who couldn’t even look her at her now.
“It’s not that I don’t want you to, it’s just that this quest is vital. A lot of people are counting on me to get it done.” Rone said in a tone that pleaded for her to understand.
“Then wouldn’t it make more sense to let me come along? I know these lands and can help you avoid some of its dangers. There is much worse than Hobspawn out here, Rone.
No one else will help you out here. If you want to reach the Voidspine mountains, you’re going to need my help.”
Her mention of their destination caused Rone and the others to stop in their tracks. All of them looking at each other then back at Katrina.
“How exactly did you know where we are going?” Trisha asked first. Her tone sounding both suspicious and demanding of an answer.
“Easy, you’re heading into the badlands on a quest for some powerful artifact. You are led by a half-elf of DokalFae descent. That can only mean one thing. You’re after the Dragon’s Heart.
You are not the first to come looking for it, and there is a good chance you won’t be the last. Every exile in the Badlands has heard of it. Supposedly it’s guarded by the last golden dragon or something and is only usable by HoloFae’s. Personally, I think it’s a myth told by old mages and history keepers to keep the stories of the sky wars from being forgotten.”
Rone and the others all looked surprised at how much she did know, and at the fact, she so easily discovered this own her own. Something that seemed to Trisha as much too convenient to be a coincidence.
“You expect us just to believe you figured all this out on your own?” Trisha asked, looking at Katrina, her suspicion showing openly now on her face.
“How else could I have? I’ve never seen or heard of any of you until you found me in that wagon. Out here, you learn fast to get to the truth of things. Those that don’t tend not to live very long.”
Even more of a reason to leave you in that village then,” Trisha replied, sounding, almost angry.
“The fewer people we have in our business, the better off we are. Rone, you know as well as I that we were warned not to let this knowledge be discovered. Too many would seek to take the heart from us otherwise.