Road North of the Crossroads
As the sun began to set, a lone rider, occupies the road north of the cross roads. Traversing the rough road to deliver a letter, sealed with the emblem of House Ih Leviathan.
The direction the lone rider is heading for is the isolated settlement beside the sea, the village of Reztel.
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Reztel
Waldr and Reztel's Camp
"Hyaaah!" After parrying the recruit's attack, Hugh, took a swift step to reach his opponent and lessen their distance, then turning to his side, he rammed the side of his body towards the recruit.
Shocked by such an attack, the recruit's already flimsy hold on his sword became looser. As Hugh, took advantage of his opponent's precarious state. He slammed the pommel of his sword on to the recruit's helmet that covered his head.
The already disoriented recruit, became even more disoriented as Hugh's pummel landed on his head.
Seeing the recruit's state, Hugh, kick the knees of the stupefied young man.
Disoriented and dizzy, the recruit felt his knees gave up as he found himself lying on the ground.
"Heh, If an old man like me can beat you easily, how can you face a goblin in the wild?" Hugh, harrumphed, as he walked past the lying man on the ground. Heading for the weapons rack, to return the sword he had earlier used.
"Booo!" The audience watching the village elder put the young man on the ground booed.
The older men and the elders of the village knew of Hugh's past, he was once a member of the Saint Gerald Castle's guards.
He was also a part of the expeditionary troops that Lord Arguile once took to eradicate the monster's nesting near the edge of the forest.
People like Hugh, who lived for this long in such a dangerous profession, know a thing or two that others don't. So seeing him sweep away the recruit is a development that the men of Reztel have long expected.
Something that they didn't expect was Hugh's attitude of presenting himself to be a weak old man, and then bamboozling the recruits into convincing themselves that they were so incompetent that they're unable to beat an old man. Let alone a goblin.
This made the audience's eyes twitch.
They understand that Hugh is teaching the recruits a lesson so that they'll not be arrogant when the time comes in which they'll confront a real enemy. But such a shameless way of teaching the recruits made them change the way they look at their village elder.
Ivan's eyes also twitched, but for a different reason.
He was the one who asked Old Hugh to train the recruits, but now he is somewhat regretting it.
Seeing the young recruit's shamed faces, he fears that they'll suddenly chicken out and refuse the baron's call to arms, merely because of the humiliation they experienced having their bodies wiped to the ground by a shameless old man.
With twitching eyes, Ivan made his way towards the proud Hugh.
"Elder Hugh, shouldn't you go easy on them?" With an extremely loud voice, Hugh, let out a sarcastic quip as he answered Ivan. "Heh, easy? If I don't beat them now, they'll probably be urinating themselves when they see the goblins coming for them."
Ivan's pudgy face trembled, as he looked at the recruits and the audience that was glaring at them.
'I know, old man. But couldn't you say it more softly and less vulgarly, the recruits and the villagers can overhear you, you know!' Voicing his grievance on his mind, Ivan couldn't help but cover his face.
Just as his internal drama was about to reach a greater height, a horn sounded.
Everyone, including the surrounding volunteers and garrison men, hurried to their tents to grab their armors and weapons.
Ivan had already addressed it with the men of Waldr and Reztel.
Once the horn sounded, it means that the rider carrying the baron's signal has arrived.
By then, all the volunteers and the garrison who will partake on the incursion will begin to assemble and then march.
As the volunteers and garrison clears the way, the civilian baggage train and its guards follows.
Hugh's proud face now serious as he looked toward the south, where the noise originated. In a whisper like voice, he spoke. "So the time has come…"
Ivan, waken from his drama. Rushed to his tent to prepare. He is tasked with coordinating the marching men with the civilians who will handle the logistics.
He needed to lead the assembled force of Waldr and Reztel out of the settlement, while also supervising the civilians handling the supplies for the upcoming incursion.
The signal has arrived, the men who had been waiting for some time, now prepared.
As they said, their prayers for one last time, they began their march south of the village. To the wooden gate which leads them to the road to their destination.
The swiftly organized force made their way out of the settlement.
Under the gaze of the local populace and messenger. Their broad backs heads to their unknown future.
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The combined force of Waldr and Reztel now marches south. They're now on woodlands around the vicinity of the cross roads.
At the front of the marching men is the Black Halberds, the barons elite guards. Followed by the reserve garrison of Waldr, then the mix volunteer militia troops. After them are the adventurers and mercenaries, who came to Zalsac to seeks fortune. At the rear is the reserve garrison of Reztel.
Not far away is civilian baggage train, protected by the civilians themselves and some guards hired by Wiegraf.
As the march south continued, the senses of the marching troops heightened. For fear of looming the goblin threat.
"Elder Hugh, how long til we reach the cross roads?" Ivan's face trembled everytime his mount took a step.
Old Hugh, answered as he marched along with the men. "Sir Ivan, in an hour or so, we'll probably be able to see the camp that Ser Ecish had established."
They journeyed south at dusk. Now the sky has turned dark, only the bright twilight of stars, and the serene moonlight gave the men courage as they continue on their way.
Holding torches on their left and their weapons handle on their right. This is the only way that fresh troops from the two settlement can keep as they trudge through the dark woodlands.
The buzzing of the insects, and the howl of the wolves, sounded all around them.
The marching troop's atmosphere became more and more solemn as they neared the cross roads
This is it, the moment they stepped on the cross roads it means that they placed one of their legs on their grave.
The silent black halberds halted.
Seeing the Black Halberds in action, Ivan raised his right hand to signal the men to stop.
Old Hugh, hushed the murmuring troops, trying his best to sense everything around them.
Soon, the men heard screeches and growling ahead of them.
"Gaaah! Grrrr!"
This sound…
Ever since the recent chaos in Zalsac, its inhabitants have become familiar with this sound.
Goblins…
Ivan's eyes shrank. He expected an encounter against the goblin, but he didn't expect it to be so soon and so near the crossroads.
Waving his hands and issuing commands in low voice.
He tried to do his best to command the soldiers to adopt a defensive formation. Just as the men were about to heed his command to form a defensive formation.
Hugh, rushed in front of Ivan, as he held his shield before him along with his spear pointed forward.
Then suddenly a goblin flew out from a tree ahead of them.
Its figure passed through the bushes, landing before the marching troops.
As both the volunteers and garrisons, eyes gather on the goblin. Their eyes widen in surprise at what they saw.
The goblin which flew out from the bush has a javelin embedded onto its chest.
*Step, Step, Step*
Heavy footstep sounded from the direction where the goblin flew from.
*Step, Step, Step*
The closer the footsteps are, the colder the atmosphere becomes. They have just realized that the buzzing and howling from before is now gone, at this moment it's all quiet.
The woodland's eerie silence became deafening.
*Step, Step, Step*
Spear's pointed forward where the source of footsteps came from.
Feeling the tense atmosphere, Ivan, plump figure trembled, as his hands reached for his weapon.
The moonlight shone ahead of the troops.
A silhouette soon entered the sight of the troops.
In this eerily quiet forest, the men saw a figure wearing a bloodied scale armor, and a scratched spangle helm.
Holding another javelin in his right hand and a mace on his left.
The attire and the heraldry the figure carry, is exactly the same as those of the Black Halberds.
The heavily armored figure halted his steps as he saw the men of Waldr and Reztel, pointing their spears at him.
Tilting his head then turning the head to the Black Halberds which accompanied the marching army to on their journey south.
The figure nodded, then walked to the side of the goblin, bending down as he stepped on the goblins body. Placing his hand on the embedded javelin as he pulled it out from the goblins' chest.
The with a wave to the side, the blood in the javelin splattered on the ground.
After this set of action, he soon turned back, heading to the direction that he came from.
The men were quiet, they did not expect such a situation.
A lone Black Halberd, hunting goblins in the middle of the night in the deathly quiet woodlands.
The men swallowed, unable to comprehend the thought process that blood soaked Black Halberd had.
Ivan and Hugh took deep breaths, they knew that these so called 'Black Halberds' were special.
They are the most professional group of soldiers they've seen in the region, they're almost too professional and too elite for such a remote region in the order.
Perhaps only the blessed crusaders or the church's paladins can contend with them.
Ever since their march, all the effort to communicate with the Black Halberds fell into deaf ear.
Their eerie demeanor, and their odd behavior, became a highly sought after mystery for the men.
Guesses regarding their identities, and affiliations became a big hit with the marching troops.
Even the mercenaries and adventurers began to chime in, after all such a force is something that all noble lineages hope to possess, even the order would be tempted to have such troops in its roster.
Their curiosity about Zalsac and its baron was naturally aroused. The men murmured in silence as they began to follow the bloodied Black Halberd on their way to the temporary camp.