“There’s one more matter,” Caistina said at last. Her voice was calm, but it carried the weight of authority. “Technically, you’re still part of my party. That means you’re not recognised as an independent group. If you want to take quests on your own, I’ll need to disband mine first.”
Josh frowned. “So… we’d be on our own?”
Caistina nodded. “Yes. And that means you’ll need to decide who leads you going forward. The guild requires a designated leader for every registered party.”
The table fell silent. Brett glanced at Josh, who raised his brows as if to ask ME!? Perberos leaned back, arms folded, clearly uninterested. Bhel shifted uncomfortably, his hand tightening around his mug.
Caistina’s eyes stopped on Carcan, who blinked. “Wait. You’re not all looking at me, are you?”
Brett smirked. “Well, you’re the one with the biggest heart. You clearly care for everyone here.”
Josh chuckled. “And you can be pretty bossy when you need to be.”
Perberos barked a laugh. “You’ve got that right. You didn’t have to grow up with her.”
Carcan flushed, waving her hands. “No, no, no. I’m not— I mean, I just… I like talking, that doesn’t mean I should be in charge.”
Bhel’s voice rumbled low and steady. “You’ve got fire. People follow fire. I’d follow you. Hell, I already did. You convinced me to join this party, I don’t think many could have managed that. You knew how to treat me. You were kind. Genuine. That makes a good leader.”
That silenced her more than anything else. Carcan looked down at the table, cheeks burning, then back up at the others. “You’re serious.”
Brett leaned forward, his tone gentler now. “We are. You’ve got the heart for it. And that’s what matters most.”
Caistina gave a small smile. “Then it’s settled. Carcan, you’ll lead.”
Carcan groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Stone help me. Fine. But if this goes horribly wrong, I’m blaming all of you.”
The others laughed, the tension breaking.
Caistina rose, her cloak whispering against the floor. She lifted a hand, and a faint shimmer of magic rippled through the air. “Then I disband my party. You’re free.”
The bond that had tied them to her dissolved, leaving a strange emptiness in its wake. For a heartbeat, the group sat in silence.
Then Carcan straightened, her expression nervous but determined. She closed her eyes, reaching inward. A pulse of light flickered across the table, and each of them felt it, a mental prompt, gentle but insistent.
[Carcan invites you to join her party]
One by one, they accepted. Brett with a grin, Josh with a nod, Perberos with a resigned sigh, and Bhel with a quiet, almost reverent murmur.
When Carcan opened her eyes again, the bond was there, new, fragile, but real. She looked around at them, cheeks still pink. “Well… I guess we’re official now.”
Brett raised his mug. “To the new party.”
Josh smirked. “Led by the loudest voice in the guild.”
Perberos muttered, “We’re doomed.”
Bhel lifted his cup last, his voice steady. “To Carcan. And to second chances.”
The mugs clinked together, sealing the moment.
Caistina turned to leave, her slim features turning to look at the party one last time. “Good. Then I’ll leave you to plan. Remember, scout, strike if you can, but live to return. That’s the order.”
She gave them one last nod before slipping away into the bustle of the guildhall, leaving the five of them staring at the parchment that would shape their next step.
---
The new party gathered near the guild’s quest board, doing a final check for outstanding quests that could be better, the parchment about the goblin sightings folded neatly in Brett’s hand. Late morning light filtered through the high windows, casting long shadows across the stone floor. The guildhall buzzed with low chatter, but their corner felt like its own little pocket of tension.
Bhel crossed his arms, his axes resting against his hips. “We should leave now. Every hour we wait, those goblins will be multiplying, they’re horny buggers. We get in fast, kill em, find out what’s going on and bring back some glory.”
Perberos raised an eyebrow from where he leaned against a pillar. “Or we rush in, get caught in the woods with no daylight left, and end up sleeping in a goblin’s back garden. I vote we plan properly and leave at dawn.”
Carcan tilted her head, chewing on a strand of dried fruit. “It’s only a couple hours to the eastern forest, right? We could make good ground before mid-afternoon.”
Josh shrugged. “We’ve got the gear. Just depends how much risk we want to take. I’m not against leaving now, but I’m not itching to camp in goblin territory either.”
Brett raised a finger. “Speaking of gear—” He swung his satchel around and opened it with a flourish. “Dried fruit, smoked meat, hard cheese, and even a little flask of honeyed tea. I went full prepper mode this morning.”
Carcan leaned over, eyes wide. “What’s a prepper? And is that lemon in there?”
“Lemon and ginger,” Brett said proudly. “We’re not just surviving, we’ll be thriving,” he said with quirked eye brows, ignoring her other question.
Bhel gave a grunt. “Glad you packed snacks. I packed steel,” tapping his axes.
Perberos sighed. “Snacks don’t help if we’re ambushed in the dark.”
Josh rubbed the back of his neck. “What if we split the difference? Head out now, see how far we get. If it’s looking dicey by mid-afternoon, we turn back or find a safe spot to camp.”
Carcan nodded. “That works. We get moving, but we’re not committing to a full push unless it feels right.”
Bhel’s eyes gleamed. “Good. I’d rather be swinging an axe than sitting around debating.”
Perberos muttered, “You say that now. Wait until the bugs start biting.”
Brett grinned. “I think I’ve got a balm for that too.”
Josh chuckled. “Of course you do.”
Carcan leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Alright, so we leave now. We pace ourselves, keep an eye on the light, and if it starts getting sketchy, we pull back. No heroics.”
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Bhel snorted. “I make no promises.”
Perberos rolled his eyes. “Just try not to charge anything taller than a tree without warning us first.”
Bhel gave a crooked smile. “I’ll give you a grunt. That’s fair warning.”
Josh leaned in. “We’ve got maps, right?”
Brett shrugged “er, that wasn’t something I saw at the store.”
Carcan blinked. “Do any of you know the area?”
Everyone stared blankly at her. “... I take that as a no. Ok, time for the party leader to take the lead. I’ll go ask Mich for a map, back in a moment.”
Carcan walked away to the main desk, whilst the others stayed, staring into their drinks. The uncomfortable silence extended until Perberos asked “So. Nice weather we’re having today…”
Everyone laughed, the awkward silence broken, and the table began their small talk, talking about things like their favourite weapon, plans for future, and a little bit of their background.
Carcan finally returned, map in hand.
Perberos pushed off from the table. “Alright. Let’s stop talking and start walking. We’ve got a plan, we’ve got snacks, and we’ve got Brett’s magical bug balm. What more could we possibly need?”
Bhel cracked his neck. “A goblin to split in half.”
Carcan stood, grabbing her staff from its resting place against the wall. “Let’s go find one.”
With a final glance at the quest parchment, the party gathered their gear and headed for the eastern gate. The decision was made, they’d leave now, scout the ridge, and decide by mid-afternoon whether to press on or pull back.
Josh was the first to walk out of the guildhall door, striding toward the market stalls with purpose. “I’m grabbing something hot before we go,” he called over his shoulder. “Not marching on dried fruit alone.”
Carcan perked up. “Ooh, good call. I could murder a meat pie.”
Perberos sighed, already following. “We’re going to be goblin food if we carry on but at least we’ll be well-seasoned.”
Bhel grunted. “Food’s fine. Just don’t take all day.”
Brett lingered a moment, folding the quest parchment neatly and tucking it into his satchel. “I packed for the road, but I won’t say no to a fresh bun or something.”
They gathered around a squat old vendor with a cart that smelled like heaven, that sold roasted meats, flaky pastries and something vaguely fishy that no one dared ask about. Josh bought a thick-cut ham sandwich and handed over a few coins with a grin. “Worth it.”
Carcan snagged a peppered meat pie and took a bite before she’d even paid. “Hot! Ow! Ooh this tastes good!”
Perberos opted for a skewer of grilled mushrooms and onions. Bhel grabbed a fist-sized roll stuffed with spiced sausage and didn’t say a word, just bit into it like it owed him money.
Brett, ever the planner, bought two honeyed rolls and wrapped one in cloth. “One for now, one for morale later.”
“Ooh good idea.” Josh said, buying another sandwich, though he didn’t put it away in his satchel.”
With food in hand, they made their way to the eastern gate. The guards on duty, a pair of bored-looking men in mismatched armour straightened as the party approached.
“Off to save the world?” one asked, half-joking.
“Just scouting,” Josh replied. “If we save the world by accident, we’ll let you know.”
The guards chuckled and waved them through. Carcan gave a dramatic bow as they passed. “Farewell, brave defenders of the gate. May your boredom be brief.”
The eastern road stretched ahead, winding gently through low hills and patches of golden grass. The sun was high but not harsh, and the breeze carried the scent of pine and distant smoke.
They walked in loose formation, boots crunching on gravel, weapons shifting at their sides.
Carcan kicked a stone off the path. “I wish there’d been another quest or two in this direction. Something light. Escort a merchant, pick herbs, chase a runaway goat.”
Josh glanced at her. “Goat quests are never light. They always end in bruises and regret,” he’d spent one summer working on a farm, and had not enjoyed herding livestock at all.
Perberos nodded solemnly. “And goats are evil. Don’t let the eyes fool you.”
Brett chuckled. “The board was picked clean yesterday of low level quests by our class.. I guess it will take a few days for the board to refill. We’re lucky that Caistina brought us this quest.”
They walked for nearly an hour, the road dipping into a shallow valley before rising again. Around midday, the terrain began to change, the trees grew thicker, the grass darker, and the air cooler.
Josh pointed ahead. “That it?”
A jagged rock formation jutted from the earth like a broken fang, two sharp spires leaning away from each other, with a narrow gap between them. Moss clung to the stone, and old carvings marked its base, worn by time and weather.
Brett nodded. “Splitfang Stone. That’s our landmark. The forest path starts just beyond it.”
Carcan squinted. “Looks like something out of a monster’s mouth.”
They paused at the stone, looking over the formation whilst finishing the last of their food and checking gear. The forest loomed ahead, darker and quieter than the road behind.
Brett re-read the quest parchment and then looked about his group “So about a quarter of a mile down the road, we head north into the forest - that's where the build up of goblins has been noticed, and there’s a good chance we’ll start coming across them anytime from now.”
Josh adjusted his shield. “Ok, so we keep going. But if things get sketchy by mid-afternoon, we pull back. Agreed?”
Everyone nodded.
Bhel stepped forward first, eyes fixed on the trees. “Let’s see what’s waiting.”
As the party passed through the jagged gap between the Splitfang Stone, the road behind them faded into silence. The trees here were older, tall, gnarled things with bark like cracked leather and leaves that rustled in low, whispering tones. The canopy thickened quickly, filtering the sunlight into dappled patches that danced across the undergrowth.
Josh adjusted his shield, eyes scanning the shadows. “It feels different in here. Like the woods are watching.”
Carcan nodded, her voice low. “They probably are. Goblins love places like this. Twisted roots, low light, plenty of places to hide and watch from.”
Perberos muttered, “And plenty of places to trip and die. Watch your footing.”
Bhel strode ahead, axes loose at his sides. “Let them watch. I’ll give them something to see.”
Brett paused beside a moss-covered stump, brushing his fingers across the surface. “This place is old. I can feel it. Like the magic here settled deep into the soil.”
Josh raised a brow. “You mean that in a good way or a bad way?”
Brett shrugged. “Ask me again when something starts glowing.”
They moved slowly, the path narrowing into a game trail barely wide enough for two abreast. Twisted branches clawed at their cloaks, and the air grew cooler, damper. Somewhere in the distance, a bird cried out sharp and sudden, making them all jump, then there was silence again.
Carcan broke it. “I hate that. The quiet after a noise. It’s like the forest is waiting for us to react.”
Perberos glanced up. “Or it’s waiting to see if we’re worth the trouble.”
Josh stepped over a fallen log, his boots crunching softly. “We’re not here to pick a fight. Just scout, remember?”
Bhel snorted. “I thought we would fight if the opportunity presented itself, just no heroics?.”
Brett nodded “You’re right, we are probably going to be in a few fights, but we do need to be careful. Last time we fought goblins we got lulled into a false sense of security and nearly all died. We got attacked by a troll, and at the minimum Josh was going to die, if not all of us - luckily Caistina was with us… though the tongue lashing she gave us was intense.”
“Ah, so that’s what you meant by close call” Bhel said to Carcan who nodded. “Well, I don’t want to lose any other party members, so we’ll be safe, but I’ve got to admit I’m looking forward to a fight.”
They carried on walking for a while in silence before Carcan pointed ahead. “There’s a clearing up there. Let’s take a breather, check the map Mich gave me.”
They reached the open space, a shallow bowl of earth surrounded by leaning trees. Sunlight broke through in a single shaft, illuminating a patch of wildflowers and a half-buried stone marker etched with faded runes.
Brett knelt beside it. “I think this is an old warding stone. Probably meant to keep something out. Or in.”
Josh scanned the treeline, finally able to see the sky properly. “It’s still early. We’ve made good time so far.”
Perberos crouched, pulling a strip of dried mushroom from his pouch. “We’ll keep going, but we set a hard line. If we’re not out of the woods by late afternoon, we’ll have to camp - I don’t want to risk walking through the forest when it’s even darker.”
Carcan nodded. “Agreed. I don’t want to be navigating goblin territory in the dark.”
Brett looked at Josh before agreeing “Yea… I guess only idiots who don’t know what they’re doing would do something like that.”
Bhel looked toward the deeper woods. “We’ll find something soon. I can feel it.”
Brett stood, brushing dirt from his hands. “Let’s hope it’s a small group of them. And low levelled. And no trolls.”
Josh chuckled. “Yea, if we find a troll, we run, ok?” Everyone agreed with that sentiment, even Bhel who’d not been there for their last encounter.
They moved on, deeper into the forest, the light thinning and the air growing still. Somewhere ahead, the goblins waited, stalking through the darkness, their cold dark eyes staring at the party through the trees.
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