Chapter 18: Forecast
Village Outskirt, West Side
Theo and the others stood at a distance, watching. Behind them, the three demon hounds sat lazily, like none of this concerned them.
Ahead, the village defenders kept pelting the incoming goblins with rocks, wave after wave, steady and controlled.
“The defense works well…” Captain Matheo muttered. The white-haired man with a scar cutting across his cheek, didn’t take his eyes off the field. “Without even using swords or arrows.”
“Yep,” David said with a grin. “Folks remembered their training just fine.”
“Captain, what kind of casualties do we usually expect from a fight like this?” Tara asked, still watching the battle.
“At least three or four heavy injuries, ma’am,” Matheo replied. “And that’s with our strongest fighters involved.”
“Meanwhile,” Theo said, a proud grin creeping in as he glanced at the soldiers beside them, “our strongest fighters are standing here… just watching.”
The soldiers are frozen in place, still staring at the fight like they were watching something unreal.
“…Indeed,” Matheo said quietly. “Commander David’s training and discipline truly make the difference.”
“Well now, I wouldn’t go handin’ me all the credit, Captain,” David said, waving a hand. “Boss Theo here also did plenty of the heavy liftin’ on the thinkin’ side.”
He pointed toward the river, where the wooden pole markers stood planted along the flow, spaced with clear intent.
“Those markers? That’s his idea,” David continued. “Gives ’em fixed points. They ain’t gotta guess where the goblins are goin’, just throw where they’ve been trainin’ to throw.”
He let out a small chuckle.
“Keeps ’em calm. Keeps ’em hittin’.”
Then he glanced at Theo.
“You real sure you ain’t some kinda military man, boss?”
Theo shook his head.
“Nah. I just… happened to enjoy war mov—” he paused, correcting himself, “—stories in my past life.”
“The goblins are fleeing,” Tara cut in.
And she was right. Only three goblins remained. They turned and scrambled back across the river, desperate to reach the forest.
“YEAHH!” the soldiers next to them cheered.
“Well then,” Tara said, smiling slightly as she looked at David, “I assume you’re satisfied?”
“Yes, ma’am,” David nodded. “That’ll do just fine. Let’s head on home.”
---
The Village, Northern Perimeter
“Hurraaaay!”
The defense group erupted in celebration after driving the goblins off. Some hugged each other. Others raised their fists high, shouting in victory.
“Heh… amazing,” Greta muttered, eyes sweeping over the celebration. “Not even a single wounded.”
She turned, her gaze shifting toward the goblins’ retreat.
“And they barely made it past kill box three…” she added, watching the last straggler stumble across the river, barely keeping its footing before disappearing into the safety of the forest.
But one presence remained across the river, unmoving. It was the hobgoblin.
It stood there, staring straight at the village, and at Greta, who remained planted atop the earth mound, meeting its gaze without flinching.
For a moment, neither side moved. Then the hobgoblin turned. Without a word, it walked back into the forest and vanished.
“I guess you figured it out,” Greta snickered, eyes still on the treeline. “We’re not that easy, ain’t ya?”
“Look! Chief Tara and the others are back!” one of the men shouted, pointing toward the west.
The mood shifted instantly. Their excitement doubled as they spotted Tara, Theo, David, and the others approaching, waving as they closed the distance. Cheers broke out as the returning group greeted the defenders.
“Greta. Having fun out here?” Tara grinned as she stepped up and clasped Greta’s hand.
“Heheh! Sure did, sis,” Greta shot back with a wide grin. “Too bad you missed the party.”
“Well, I didn’t want to steal the spotlight from you and the others,” Tara replied smoothly.
Captain Matheo approached next.
“Captain Greta, good work.” He snapped a clean salute.
“Captain Matheo. Thanks.” Greta returned it just as sharply. “Mind handling cleanup with your boys?”
“No problem. You and your men enjoy the celebration,” Matheo said with a small smile.
He turned immediately, voice cutting through the noise as he issued orders to his swordsmen. They moved without hesitation. One by one, they descended toward the river, methodical and efficient. The wounded goblins didn’t last long.
Those too injured to flee, or too slow to escape, were finished where they lay. Steel drove down precisely until they stopped breathing. Bodies were checked, stripped of anything useful, then left behind as the men moved on to the next.
Meanwhile, Theo and David could be seen standing at a distance, watching Greta’s men celebrate and Matheo’s unit carry out the cleanup.
They made no intention to approach. This wasn’t their moment after all. They wanted the villagers to feel it, to own the victory. To believe this win came from their own effort, their own training… not from David’s guidance behind the scenes.
“But seriously,” Theo said, eyes still on the village, “what’s your assessment of their defense?”
“Ah… not gonna lie,” David replied, scratching the back of his head, “it’s still pretty basic, boss.”
He kept watching the field, tone easy, but his eyes were working.
“It holds ‘cause they’re on familiar ground. Their own home,” he continued. “But take ‘em outta here? Somewhere else?” He shook his head slightly. “That ain’t gonna hold. Not yet.”
Theo nodded faintly.
“I still need more time to train them properly for that.” David continued.
“I see…” Theo muttered. “Looks like you and the captains aren’t done yet.”
“Never are, boss,” David said with a small grin. “Soldiers spend more time trainin’ than fightin’. That’s how you build a real army.”
His gaze drifted across the village again, then he let out a long breath.
“After the main assault… I should start runnin’ them through field exercises outside the village.”
Theo turned, brows knitting. “…What main assault?”
David blinked once, then looked at him.
“Oh? You didn’t know?” he said casually. “The goblins’ main assault.”
“Huh?”
David straightened a little, like he was walking Theo through something very basic.
“Those goblins earlier had a bigger one with ‘em, right? Proper gear, different build. That’s a hobgoblin,” he said, tone picking up slightly. “Means this ain’t some random pack. It’s a structured group, likely led by a goblin general or maybe a shaman.”
Theo stared at him.
“And the ones we just dealt with?” David went on, unfazed. “Most likely just a scouting party. Testing defenses before the real push.”
“…Huuh???”
Theo’s voice cracked slightly, the shock hitting all at once—while David delivered it like he was commenting on something unimportant that happens daily.
“Real attack’s probably comin’ at night,” David added. “Few hundred, give or take.”
“H-h-how do you even know that?!” Theo shot back. “That’s not small, that’s a massacre! That could wipe the whole village out!”
“Ah, I picked it up from the others,” David said simply. “I’ve been askin’ around the villagers. What kind of monsters they’ve seen, how they move, how they fight… all of it.”
He glanced sideways at Theo.
“This world runs on different rules, boss. Last thing we need is another surprise like when we handled those demon hounds.”
David then began to walk toward the village. Theo just stared at him, half impressed-half irritated. And entirely aware that David had been preparing for something Theo hadn’t even realized was coming.
“…And how are we supposed to handle that?” Theo asked, he began to walk following David, “And how do you even know it’s coming at night?”
“Goblins are sneaky little bastards,” David said easily. “Good night vision. They like hittin’ in the dark, gives ’em the edge.”
He didn’t slow his pace.
“As for how we handle it…” David added with a small grin, “don’t worry, boss. Me and the boys already set things up for somethin’ like this.”
He continued walking toward the village. Theo followed, a step behind, his expression tightening.
“Sheesh… why didn’t you tell me any of this earlier, David?” Theo muttered.
“Nah,” David waved it off. “You and Chief Tara got bigger things to worry about, politics, expansion, all that.”
He glanced back briefly.
“This?” he tapped his own chest lightly, “this is me and the Captains’ job. Soldiers job.”
“I see…” Theo replied, though the unease in his voice didn’t fade.
David had tried to reassure him but it didn’t work. Hundreds of goblins… that wasn’t a raid. That was an extermination waiting to happen.
---
Dungeon, Somewhere
Several hours later, the hobgoblin who had led the scouting party stepped into a dark cave.
It moved deeper without hesitation, passing groups of goblins and hobgoblins along the way. The interior was rough, natural stone carved into branching paths that twisted in multiple directions. Some passages were reinforced with crude wooden barricades.
There were humans behind those barricades. Female captives being caged and bound, the goblins' breeding stock.
The hobgoblin didn’t stop. It continued forward until it reached the largest chamber. More goblins gathered there, far more than before. They parted as it approached, clearing a direct path toward the far end of the chamber.
Toward the throne. A slab of stone, draped in animal hides. Seated upon it was something larger. A goblin, far bigger than the rest. Bigger even than the hobgoblins.
The Goblin General.
Beside the throne stood a smaller figure, draped in a tattered cape, bone necklace hanging from its neck, a crude staff clutched in its hand. The goblin shaman.
And at the base of the throne, two figures sat helplessly, a female elf and a female human. Both were chained by the neck and barely clothed. Forced to kneel beside the throne like decorations. Most likely the goblin General's favorite playthings.
The hobgoblin stepped forward and spoke.
“Kraa gobak tor siiirt.” A report. Most likely about today’s event.
“Kerr… kerr… kerr…” The Goblin General let out a low, grating chuckle. “Goowrra staag suulos taarin.”
The goblin general then rose from the throne. One massive hand reached down, gripping the great axe resting beside it. The weapon lifted with ease as the creature stepped forward, turning to face its gathered army.
Then it raised the axe high.
“VRAATOR DOMAA GAARRH!”
The response was immediate.
“GAAAAAAARRRHHH!!!”
The chamber erupted with screeches, roars, and frenzied excitement.
The goblin army stirred to life. They weren’t just ready, they were eager. Eager for the bountiful plunder from a human village.
Theo’s village.