Mage by LJ Swallow

Author:LJ Swallow [Swallow, LJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-01-06T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Four

Our loose alliance meets up outside the city gates close to sunrise, but people already wander the streets. Zara meets us too, which is a welcome change. Perhaps she’s starting to realise this will be quicker and easier in a group.

Aidan wears a silver band and I can’t decide whether I’m relieved or disappointed for him. "Who gave you the silver band?” I ask.

"I woke with it on."

"Oh," is the best response I can manage.

"I hope your backpacks are empty ready to fill them with goblin loot we can sell," interrupts Zara. She lifts her short sword. "I'm counting on finding a weapon upgrade."

She leads us along a path to a small settlement a mile or so away. The small village we arrive in holds an eerie stillness; nobody in the cobbled streets or signs of human life behind the dirty windows. A bone crunches below my foot and I leap back. My last encounter with bones on the ground didn't end so well.

"Are the bones human?" asks Aidan.

Zara nods. "There aren't any bodies around, and I presume the goblins have respawned since a couple of days ago. They've piled their loot in there." She points at a larger building. A village hall. "And a few patrol the town in groups."

Jay nods and the bobble on his ridiculous hat wobbles. I'm in my delightful bonnet. Why don't the others have embarrassing fashion items?

"What level are they?" I ask my knit-hatted friend.

"Low. Level 5. We're all level 10 now, right?"

“I’m level 12,” puts in Zara.

"I intend to be 15 by the time evening falls," replies Jay. "Let's go."

The first goblins we encounter patrol the opposite edge of the village and are quickly dispensed before they can make a noise. Pockets rifled, their low-level weapons stashed to trade, we move on.

Quest (repeatable): Goblin Problem

The small village of Moreton recently fell at the hands of goblins and the population was decimated.

Kill 20 goblins

Reward: 200 XP

"Yes!" Zara grips her sword. "We keep going until they're all dead and as a bonus we can repeat the quest until we've gained enough levels."

"That's a lot of goblins," I remark. "Surely there can't be enough in the settlement to repeat the quest more than once."

Jay shakes his head. "They come in from the north, as if they detect what's happening. We're good."

"We have a healer and I brought food," says Zara and shakes her bag. “The bread gives bonus health points when we eat. There's no excuse to stop."

"And I brought my um... candy." This time nobody mocks me, and each takes a handful with thanks. "These are my last ones."

"We can buy more. Do you have salve?"

"I bought some." Jay produces an impressive-sized pot.

"Nice. Aidan?"

He scratches a cheek. "I haven't had a chance to trade, y'know."

"All good," Dean says. "How about training? Have you chosen a skill path yet?"

He casts his eyes down. "I told El. I have a spell that infects enemies’ blood and slows them down. Plus the transformation... thing. I've been told I'll make a good Summoner.

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