One thing Zeltara appreciated since she started working at the caravan was the cozy evenings around the campfire. After a hard day’s work, the comfort of spending time with her friends while relaxing her weary muscles brought a unique joy she hadn’t experienced before. Perhaps when she was younger, dinners with her father had been similar. But in recent years there had been an ever-growing tension between them, as it became apparent that their views on her future differed. One could say much about how few physical traits she inherited from her father. However, if there was one trait he did pass down to her, it would be a stubborn streak a mile wide.

  Zeltara found herself relaxing with Kaztos and Saiya at their camp one evening. She pondered what her father would think if he saw her now. Would he be proud that she got a little closer to her dream every day? Or would her continued defiance disappoint him? He’d probably make a joke about how she wanted to inherit the workshop so little that she took advantage of the literal apocalypse to get out of it. For not the first time, Zeltara missed her father. They may have had their differences, but they truly cared for one another. She promised herself that she would find Urada someday and show her father how much she’d grown.

  “If you think any harder, we’ll start seeing smoke leaving your ears,” Saiya said, breaking Zeltara out of her thoughts. “What are you thinking so deeply about?”

  “I’m sure Zeltara’s thinking about one of her inventions. With how much she creates, she probably thinks about them all the time,” Kaztos added. His teasing tone broke Zeltara out of her melancholic mood.

  She smirked and responded. “No, I’m just having to think enough for the three of us. Everyone knows nothing complicated goes through those empty heads of yours.” Kaztos sputtered at her teasing while Saiya silently tried to contain her giggling. Zeltara smiled at the sight. At least she still had these two.

  “Having fun without me? You should have waited for me, yes?” Pence said as he approached their camp.

  “There's nothing wrong with having a little fun, Pence. Take a seat. It’s been a few days since you’ve been over.” As Pence sat down across from them, Kaztos side-eyed her.

  “Having fun at our expense, that is. I’ll have you know that my mind is as trained and sophisticated as any noble’s. I could run circles around all of you in a formal setting.” Zeltara gave him a pat on the knee.

  “Sure, Kaztos. Whatever you say.” Pence chuckled, pulling their attention to him.

  “That’s more like it. You’re always good for a laugh. It helps to keep my spirits up.” The three of them noticed the glum expression he wore.

  Kaztos asked, “What’s wrong, friend? I hope nothing happened to you today.” Pence waved off his concern.

  “I’m fine, really.” He relented at their skeptical looks. Pence sighed as he stared out into the darkness outside of camp. “This place is just getting to me, is all. It’s been over a month, but there haven’t been any signs of life. Not a blade of grass or rodent to be seen. There hasn’t even been a drop of rain. Just an empty wasteland.”

  Zeltara nodded. “I know what you mean. Sometimes, I still wake up expecting to see the green forests of Urada outside my window. I can’t help but feel disappointed every time that isn’t the case. Are you feeling homesick as well?” Pence shrugged.

  “Somewhat. It’s more about the scenery we find ourselves in. I thought living with the caravan would be more exciting. That, even when traveling in the middle of nowhere, there would be beautiful sights only the untamed wilderness could produce. To find undisturbed lands few living had seen. Being trapped in this place straight from hell, it’s rather depressing.”

  “I know that it’s dreary, but you can’t let it get to you,” Zeltara said. “Is there anything you like to do when you're down? Maybe you can do that to cheer you up. I like to tinker to get my mind off things.”

  Pence grimaced. “I liked to stargaze. It helped me relax, but I can’t exactly do that anymore.” Zeltara cursed her big mouth as she glanced up at the now empty black sky. Ever since the sky stopped burning, night meant complete darkness up above. There wasn’t a single star to be seen. Nether had there been any sign of the moon. It was still rather disconcerting to think about.

  Kaztos grinned at him and said, “Not to worry! You can come see us if you’re ever feeling down. It wouldn’t do for us to abandon a friend in need. We’ll cheer you right up!”

  “Thank you. I’ll be sure to make use of that. Not like I don’t already do.” Pence smiled and rubbed the back of his head. “I guess I’m just concerned, is all.”

  “Is your father worried?” Saiya asked. Their gazes shot over to the until now silent blond girl. She stared at Pence, waiting for his answer.

  Looking slightly flustered, Pence said, “Ah, no, he isn’t. Father still seems confident that we’ll find something soon.”

  Saiya pressed. “Are we in danger of running out of supplies? Does the caravan have enough food and water?” Pence nodded.

  “We were hauling back a shipment of food and water to our homeland. With how few of us there are and it being kept in storage enchantments, we have enough to last us for a few years.” It reassured Zeltara that they had that much. For not the first time, she was thankful for their luck in finding the Al’Yanda. Another group may not have made it this far. She tried not to think about how many groups could have perished out here.

  “If someone so experienced thinks it’s fine, then you have nothing to worry about. So stop whining,” Saiya said. Pence seemed surprised by her forceful demand, but smiled.

  “You’re right, thank you. I guess Curn’s death is just getting to me.” Zeltara saw something pass through Saiya’s eyes. An emotion she wasn’t able to decipher. “You and Mother did everything you could, right?” Saiya paused for a moment and then nodded.

  “We did. His injuries were just too severe.”

  Pence said, “I just wish I could have seen him one last time. I just woke up one morning to the announcement of his being gone.” A somber silence overtook the camp. Zeltara felt a desire to ask Saiya more about the situation. She remembered Curn from that dreadful night. But, from the look on her friend’s face, she knew now wasn’t the time.

  After a few minutes, Pence shook his head and smiled. “Enough about that. I didn’t come here to ruin your guy’s night with my issues.” He waved her and Kazto’s brief protests off. “I want to know how your training with Dollanti has been coming along. I’ve gotten a few peeks for sometime and it’s apparent that you’ve all improved.”

  “It’s been going great,” Zeltara said. “We’ve started teamwork drills recently. It’s actually been fun. My favorite has been hand sign communication.”

  Pence looked excited. “Really? How much have you learned? Can you teach me?” Zeltara smiled at his curiosity.

  “Maybe in the future. We’re still trying to learn about it ourselves. So far, we only know a few words.” She then crossed her first two fingers on her right hand and gestured left. “That means left. It’ll be useful for when we need to talk in a situation that requires us to be quiet.”

  “That sign isn’t correct,” Saiya said. Everyone looked over at her. “For left, you need to do this.” She formed an L shape with her left hand and gestured left. “You cross your fingers for right.”

  “But wouldn’t it make sense to have the same hand sign for either direction?” Zeltara asked. Apparently, she needed to practice some more. Saiya shrugged.

  “Maybe it’s a way to avoid confusion. If they’re both the same, then you could misunderstand it. Either way, that hand sign is incorrect.” Zeltara waved her off.

  “Yeah, yeah. No need to lord it over me.” Saiya smirked.

  “Well, someone has to deflate that ever-growing ego of yours.” Zeltara prepared to fire back for that remark, a smile growing on her face.

  “Alright!” Kaztos cut in before they could get going. “There’s no need to argue. Besides, Pence is still wondering about how our training is going.” Zeltara and Saiya turned to Pence.

  The Al’Yanda boy had a big grin on his face. “Ah, please keep going. It’s fun to see you two squabble from time to time.” Seeing that they weren’t going to start back up, Pence relented. “Alright then, what else have you three done?”

  “We’d be more than willing to share, but I have to ask. Why are you so curious? You train with your older brother. It’s probably similar to what we’re doing,” Kaztos said.

  Pence glanced down, a faint blush dusting his face. “I do train with my brother, and that’s fun. It’s just...” He looked back up at them, admiration in his eyes. “It’s just that you three are so cool. You fought those monsters better than any of the adults. Now, you're training with Dollanti. That guy almost never does anything, but he’s a sixth crisis veteran. You three are all my age, but you’re awesome adventurers already. I just want to know more about you guys.”

  Zeltara wondered if this was what having a fan was like. It felt pretty good to have a friend’s admiration. Someone to appreciate all the hard work they’d put in so far. A smile spread across her face, one matched by Kaztos’ huge grin. Even Saiya seemed affected, if the small blush she had was any indication.

  “Thank you!” Kaztos exclaimed. Fortunately, it was early enough in the night, or that might have bothered someone. “I’m touched that you think so highly of us.”

  “Yeah, thanks for the compliment. We’ll be happy to tell you this stuff. I’m sure before long you’ll be doing awesome stuff as well,” Zeltara said. She looked over at Saiya to see if she would add anything. The blond girl seemed happy to stay silent, so she decided to tease her. “That being said, you shouldn’t measure yourself against Kaztos and me. Try comparing yourself to Saiya. After all, she’s twelve like you.” Hopefully, that might fluster Saiya into joining the conversation.

  However, her reaction wasn’t what Zeltara had expected. Instead of getting annoyed, Saiya stared blankly at her. Clearing her throat, she said, “I’m thirteen.” Silence overtook the camp.

  “Since when?” Zeltara asked. Had she lied about her age or something? She couldn’t see the need for it.

  “My birthday is September second.” Zeltara did mental calculations to figure out what day it was. When she figured it out, it left her almost stunned.

  “It’s September fourth. Your birthday was two days ago.” Saiya nodded. “And you just didn’t say anything?” She responded with a shrug.

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  “It wasn’t important,” Saiya said. “I don’t really celebrate it.” Zeltara didn’t know what to feel. Should she be annoyed? But it wasn’t her birthday that got skipped.

  Pence jumped up and said, “We should celebrate it now! I’m sure we can get some presents and a dessert together for you.” Saiya leveled a glare at him.

  “No.” Pence wasn’t the only one surprised by the harshness in her tone. “I’m not interested in celebrating. Just leave it be.” Zeltara opened her mouth, but something stopped her.

  Saiya had the closed-off expression she was familiar with. It didn’t appear often anymore, just when they touched on something sensitive about her past. For not the first time, Zeltara was curious about what happened to Saiya. What made her refuse to speak about anything from when she was younger? But like all those times before, Zeltara reigned herself in. Saiya would tell them when she was ready.

  “But...” Pence started but was stopped when Kaztos raised his hand.

  “She doesn’t wish to talk about it. Let’s just leave it be.” It surprised Zeltara to see Kaztos be the one to cut Pence off. Usually, she had to be the one to do it, whether that be to herself or Kaztos. Maybe the teamwork training had another benefit.

  “Sorry,” Pence muttered. Saiya nodded with a small smile. It helped cheer Pence up, who returned the gesture.

  “How about we share our birthdays so this doesn’t happen again?” Zeltara asked. While Saiya may not want to celebrate, she didn’t have such hang-ups. This might provide some much-needed levity during their future travels. “My birthday is May thirtieth.”

  Pence said, “My birthday is on January 22nd. You'd better remember it if you stick around that long.”

  Kaztos grinned and pointed a thumb at himself. “I was born on March eighth. It seems like I’m the eldest.” Saiya rolled her eyes.

  “Don’t get a big head over it.” Zeltara smirked and started making her way over to Saiya. Seeing her approach, the blond girl got up. “Don’t you dare, Zeltara.”

  Before Saiya could run away, she pounced on the younger girl. Zeltara put her in a headlock and started lightly grinding her knuckles against the girl’s blond locks. “If anyone has a big head, it’s you. You’re the baby of our group, after all.”

  Saiya struggled to escape. “Let me go!” Zeltara did after another few moments. She was quickly met with a heated glare. If looks could kill, then Zeltara would have likely dropped dead.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” Her insincere tone didn’t help matters. Neither did Pence and Kaztos’ laughter. Seeing that she was unrepentant, Saiya sighed and started straightening her hair.

  “You’re such a tomboy. Couldn’t you have at least some decency?” Zeltara snickered.

  “What about me says ‘feminine’? I work as a tinker full time and dress like a boy. It’s not like you’re any better. Besides your long hair, you’re almost as bad as me.” Saiya looked offended at the accusation.

  “At least I care about my appearance.” If Saiya was hoping for a reaction, she would be disappointed. Zeltara didn’t really care about how she looked. Too many messy days at the workshop made sure of that. “Unlike you, I dress like this because it’s practical. The orphanage didn’t have the means to give all the girls dresses to wear. Everything is hand-me-downs or made as cheaply as possible.” Zeltara seemed almost surprised at the answer.

  “Would you like a dress?” She asked. Saiya said nothing and looked away, blushing. Interesting, Zeltara would keep that in mind for the future.

  Pence called out to them. “Are you done having your cat fight?” Zeltara and Saiya turned their attention toward him. The twin glares they gave him shattered his bravado. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “And how exactly did you mean it?” Zeltara asked. Pence stuttered, trying to give a sufficient answer. It amused her to see him squirm after mouthing off like that. She relented after a few moments. “It’s fine. Just watch what you say next time.”

  Kaztos then yawned. He started to stand up and said, “We should go to bed. We have an early day as always tomorrow.”

  Zeltara nodded, beginning to feel the day weigh on her as well. “Sounds good.” She then turned to Pence. “Thank you for coming over. It’s always good to see you.” Pence smiled.

  “Of course. It’s fun spending time with you guys.” He stood up. “I’ll be going to bed myself. Goodnight.” The three waved him off as he left. They then exchanged their own goodnights before climbing into their own tents. As often happened, the fatigue of everything Zeltara did today allowed her to fall asleep.

  The night passed quickly, and so did training that morning. It had been Saiya’s turn for personal training, so Zeltara was stuck doing laps. Dollanti recently raised the intensity of their workouts, not that she had minded. The results spoke for themselves. Zeltara could now do twice as many reps as before and not be as tired as when she first started out. Still, the morning proved unremarkable, and soon she found herself in the tinker wagon for the day.

  Over the past month, she had become an expert in multitasking. One moment, Zeltara would repair a broken sword. Next, she would work on her next invention. In the beginning, she had thought that there wouldn’t be much to do in a caravan this size. Reality proved to be a much more annoying endeavor.

  “Damn it! This is the third time in two weeks I’ve had to fix this.” Zeltara worked on a wagon wheel on her workbench. It belonged to one of the storage wagons, and it kept breaking down, despite her efforts to fix it. A part of her wanted to commend the Al’Yanda for fixing and reusing damaged equipment. The problem was they took it too far. Even during the wheel’s first repair, Zeltara noticed that someone had already fixed it countless times. Now, it was barely hanging on, no matter what she did.

  No wonder the Al’Yanda had a dedicated tinker. They used everything for as long as possible, hoping to get maximum mileage out of it. The guy who used to work here must have had almost no free time. Zeltara was a fast worker, and sometimes she barely got through everything in a day. It slowed her personal progress a great deal. Frustrating, to say the least. And here she thought she could get one over on the others by inventing while she was working. The reality was that it took most of her workday to keep up with the caravan’s needs.

  That wasn’t to say Zeltara made no progress. Because of the repetitiveness of her job, she could now diagnose and fix the broken wheel in minutes flat. There was nothing else in the wagon, so Zeltara turned back to a personal project. She might only have a few minutes before someone threw in another broken tool, so needed to make the most of it.

  There, held what would become her newest invention. If her journey showed anything so far, it’s that she lacked the firepower to take down opponents. Her marbles may be a good distraction, but that’s all they were in the end. Zeltara had to rely on Kaztos’ brute strength or Saiya’s fireball. That was dangerous. If she ever found herself in a situation without them, it would be hard to defend herself. This invention set out to change that.

  It looked like her black marble, but with two major differences. The first was the size. With a diameter of about three inches, the explosive was several times larger than her marbles. Where Zeltara could easily hold over half a dozen marbles in her hand, this new invention filled up her hand. It wouldn’t be practical to hold more than two at a time.

  The second difference was the fuse coming out of the top. Unlike her marbles, this explosive wouldn’t rely on impact to detonate. Although she’d avoided any mishaps with her marbles so far, the risk was too high for something this large. It turned out that a sufficient flame ignited the back powder as easily as water did. The traditional fuse didn’t sit right for her either, but she’d think of another detonation method later. Too bad it didn’t work on the white powder. A larger flash bomb would have been fun to test out.

  Zeltara wasn’t able to come up with a fitting name yet, so she just called it the hand bomb. An apt description, even if a little boring. There hadn’t been a chance to test it out yet, so she didn’t know just how large the explosion would be. Zeltara would just have to be careful with it until then. The last thing she wanted was to hurt any of her friends with it by accident. However, if the test proved successful, she planned to make plenty more of them. If there’s one thing Zeltara knew about herself, it was that she loved explosives. Or it could go horribly wrong and she’d end up with singed eyebrows or missing fingers. Could go either way, really.

  The abrupt stop of the wagon interrupted her thoughts. It caused her to stumble, and she bobbled the hand bomb. While she logically knew that it wouldn’t explode on impact, it was better to be safe than sorry. Fortunately, she didn’t have to test that, as she secured the explosive with a relieved sigh. Zeltara wondered why the wagon had come to a stop. It was far too early in the day for them to set up camp. She became worried when shouts from outside carried into the wagon. Was the caravan under attack? Zeltara grabbed her gauntlet and pocketed her new invention in her satchel. She hurried out to see what was going on.

  Exiting the wagon, Zeltara could see people milling around. The entire caravan had stopped. Fortunately, there didn’t seem to be any panic indicating an attack. Instead, everyone appeared just as confused as she was. She walked to the front of the tinker wagon, where the driver sat.

  “Hey Cron, do you know why we stopped?” Zeltara asked. Cron scratched the stubble on his chin in thought.

  “No, all I got was the stop order from the front. Make sure to tell me when you figure out what’s going on.” Zeltara raised an eyebrow. “Don’t give me that look. We both know you're too curious for your own good. So, get going already.” She waved goodbye and headed out. Along the way, she passed people mingling with each other. Though this stop was unplanned, everyone was taking advantage of it.

  As Zeltara reached the front, she saw Dinaro, Euronar, Dollanti, and Kaztos all gathered together. The former two whispered while the latter listened in. Kaztos, seeing her approach, called out, “Zeltara! Saiya! Good to see you.”

  “Hey, Kaztos.” Wait, Saiya? Zeltara turned to see the blond girl a step behind her. “How long were you behind me?” Saiya only responded with a smirk. Zeltara decided to get back at her for that later. For now, there was something important going on. Both girls closed the distance to the group. “I just wanted to know why we stopped. It’s nothing dangerous, I hope.”

  Dinaro smiled around his lit pipe. “Ah, Zeltara. Good to see you. Couldn’t help but get in on the action, yes? Well, it’s nothing too bad. We’ll just have to take care of a minor problem before we can keep moving.” A minor problem? Zeltara wondered what that could be. Before she could ask, Dollanti cleared his throat.

  “Chief, might I make a suggestion?” Dinaro chuckled.

  “Of course, old friend. But I think I already know what you are going to ask.” Dollanti nodded.

  “Yes, I was wondering if you could have my students handle the problem. It would be a good test to see how they’ve progressed.” Dinaro nodded thoughtfully. He puffed his pipe a few times.

  “Ah, so you want to give your students a test? Already wanting to see how far your kids have grown, yes?” Dollanti didn’t respond to the teasing. He kept his gaze on the chief, waiting for an answer.

  Euronar stepped forward. “Excuse me, sir. I thought I was going to bring some guards with me to take care of it. It’ll be too dangerous for the kids to take care of.” That piqued Zeltara’s interest. What was out there that impeded their path? And it needed the caravan guards to take care of.

  “Not to worry, sir,” Kaztos said. “We’ll be more than enough to handle the problem.” So Kaztos knew what it was? It made sense. He usually patrolled with Euronar during the day. They must have found something.

  “What are we dealing with?” Zeltara asked. She couldn’t bear being in the dark anymore. Euronar turned to her.

  “There’s an entire pack of goblins in the forest nearby. They're close enough to be a risk to the caravan the next time we stop for the night. They need to be dealt with before they become a problem.” Zeltara’s mind drifted back to that day at Urada Caves. Last time, goblins almost overwhelmed them before they escaped. Would there be as many as last time? Could they handle it?

  “How many?” She asked, trying to get more information. Everyone seemed content to let her ask questions. Interestingly, Dollanti looked almost approving at her questioning.

  “Eleven in total. The problem is that one is a hobgoblin.” Zeltara winced. That would be more trouble then.

  Kaztos asked, “Sorry to interrupt, sir, but what is a hobgoblin?” It didn’t surprise Zeltara that he didn’t know. Hobgoblins were rather rare. That and his education didn’t seem focused on monsterology. She only knew because the subject interested her.

  Dollanti was the one to explain. “Because of natural predators and harsh conditions, goblins rarely reach their full adulthood. They mature later than most species, so a goblin must be long-living to become a hobgoblin. They differ from normal goblins in their stature and strength. While a normal goblin is only just larger than an average child, a hobgoblin is slightly larger than an adult man. They’re also much stronger and dangerous than a normal goblin. They become leaders of whatever tribe they’re a part of.”

  That was about what Zeltara knew, so she didn’t feel the need to add anything. Kaztos seemed to take the news in stride. If anything, he seemed eager at the prospect of a challenge. Zeltara had the same feeling. This was another chance for them to prove themselves. To show just how far they had advanced.

  Saiya seemed to think differently as she asked, “Couldn’t we just go around them?” Dinaro shook his head.

  “No can do. If we left them behind when they’re this close, they’d likely track the camp and attack at some point. Better that we ambush them, yes?” Saiya nodded. Zeltara could see the reservations she still had, but seemed willing to go along with this.

  “It’s unfortunate that we’ve encountered them. The caravan has lost enough people. Now, we have to risk more,” Euronar said. Dinaro chuckled as he shook his head.

  “On the contrary, this is great news,” the chief said. Seeing his son’s confusion, he explained. “It’d be impossible for a group of goblins this size to survive out here for long. That is, unless there are natural resources nearby. Do you know what that means?” Realization washed over the group.

  “That means that we’re almost out of this place,” Zeltara said breathlessly. To think they were potentially a few short days away from salvation. Out of this hellscape and into a place with trees, grass, animals, and maybe people. It could even rain there if they were lucky. Zeltara never thought she would miss rain, but over a month of dry heat changed her tune.

  Dinaro chuckled at their astonishment. “Perhaps. It’s just a theory, yes? Maybe there is only a source of food and water nearby. But there’s only one way to find out.” He turned to Dollanti. “Very well. I’ll allow your students to fight these goblins. That is, if they want to.”

  “Of course we do!” Both Zeltara and Kaztos called out. They turned to each other and grinned. The promise of being out of this wasteland if they only kill a few goblins? Zeltara was ready to sign up.

  “Idiots,” Saiya muttered under her breath. The blond girl facepalmed over their excitement. “You don’t have to sound so excited about it.” Zeltara ignored her complaints. She was probably the only one able to hear them anyway.

  “Very well,” Dollanti said. “Line up, you three.” Zeltara and the others scrambled into their now familiar formation in front of their teacher. “Your mission is to destroy the goblin encampment near the caravan. This is a test to see how ready you are to being real adventurers. Thus, we’re going to treat this like an adventuring quest. Any questions? It’s best to get as much information as possible. It’ll save your life one day.” The veteran adventurer gave a shallow nod to the three of them. It seemed like their earlier questioning had impressed him somewhat.

  Zeltara turned to Euronar. “Where is the encampment?” Euronar pointed to the southeast, into a forest of incinerated trees.

  “It’s about a fifteen-minute walk that way. You can’t miss it.” She nodded thoughtfully. Guess they were close, after all.

  “What about the encampment itself? Anything noteworthy about it?” Best to get as much info as possible. Zeltara turned to Kaztos. “You were with Euronar. Did you notice anything?”

  Kaztos shook his head. “Sorry, but Euronar asked me to stay back for safety. I wasn’t able to get a good look.”

  Euronar said, “Well, they set up camp in a naturally defensible position. They’re camped under a large tree that is used for cover. However, there are several boulders around the tree that make an enclosed space. There are only two easily accessible exits on opposite sides.” Zeltara started to get a picture in her head. A frontal assault would be difficult under the circumstances. But an ambush would be easy with all that cover.

  “How about the goblins themselves? Do they have any lookouts or anything like that?” Euronar huffed in amusement.

  “Nothing like that. They’re only dumb beasts. All of them are lazing around a bonfire. They’re either eating or sleeping.” That made things much easier. Zeltara smiled as a plan formed in her mind. She turned to Kaztos and Saiya.

  “That’s all the questions I have. Do you two have any?” Kaztos shook his head.

  Saiya asked, “What if we get in over our heads?”

  “I’ll follow behind you,” Dollanti said. “If things look bad, then I’ll step in.” He glared at the three of them. “However, I better not need to. If I have to help you take care of a few pitiful goblins, then you three have no right to be adventurers. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir!” Kaztos exclaimed.

  “Yeah, I got it,” Zeltara said.

  “Whatever,” Saiya muttered.

  Dollanti nodded and turned to Dinaro. He had been looking at the proceedings with more than a little amusement. The chief said, “You three head out now. I’m sure to hear of your success soon, yes?” Zeltara nodded and turned to her friends.

  “Do you have everything? We’ll be in for quite a fight.” Getting their affirmatives, Zeltara smiled. Taking in their expressions, Kaztos seemed rather enthusiastic while Saiya was apprehensive but resigned. About as expected then. “Alright then, guys. Let’s go goblin hunting. Follow me!” She began heading southwest. Kaztos and Saiya followed half a step behind.

  “Be careful,” Euronar called out. “I’d rather not have to tell Pence that you three died.”

  Kaztos turned his head and waved. “Of Course! We’ll be finished before you know it.” He then started jogging ahead, passing Zeltara and Saiya. The two raced to catch up with him.

  “Slow down, Kaztos! You’ll give away our position,” Zeltara said. She smiled despite the circumstances. It was strange. She felt anxious about the coming fight. They had barely escaped with their lives the last time they faced a group of goblins. But she had faith that they would pull through. After all of that training, how could they not? It was time to prove to themselves that they were ready to be adventurers. It’s not like anything would go wrong, right?