FENRIR RAID PLAN

At that time Kron was busy checking things from his bear jacket pocket, before Lenader came in a hurry. His face was pale, and his breath roared from his mouth.

Unfortunately for the giant, because the floor always creaked loudly when he moved so that he had trouble sleeping. As the result, getting up the earliest of his two friends who are still sleeping on the swing is the most appropriate choice.

"You are Bayrak's brother, right?" Kron try to make sure.

"Yes," he answered hoarsely but sounded sad. "Just now a goblin came home with his arm cut off from Fenrir's bite. Years of living in the heart of the Nyx forest and preying on vraves apparently did not satisfy the creature. Now, he is starting dare to injure goblins."

"What! I-is that goblin okay?!"

"He's being treated, there's no need to worry. However, the only thing we need to worry about is Fenrir's recklessness. If he continues, he might even dare to enter this village." As he spoke, Leander's green iris eyes were teary.

"Bayrak definitely knows the best way." Kron concluded.

"That's the problem. My brother seems insensitive. He actually rejected my suggestion to attack Fenrir, even though the situation was getting more and more critical."

Kron rubbed his chin, trying to think of what to do. In a year Bayrak never liked people who crossed the line, let alone interfering the continuity of his people.

Kron suddenly huffed in annoyance. In his opinion, there must be something—the reason Bayrak was trying to hide from his people—that was his greatest fear of Fenrir.

Leander's pointed ears waved rapidly as he waited for a response from the still silent Kron, rubbing his curvy chin. Gradually he grew bored, so that his sharp teeth gritted wildly, trying to give a signal though to no avail.

"Oh my gosh! I mean, can you guys persuade Bayrak to start the raid as soon as possible?" Leander said. His voice grew hoarse.

"Can not!" shouted someone who had slipped from behind the cottage door. He was Revan who apparently eavesdropped on the conversation earlier. "Fenrir, you say? I certainly know the reason Bayrak doesn't want to fight him. The creature was created from black magic. No one ever knew when or why he was here. And, I believe that Fenrir is some kind of tool that has magical powers."

Leander growled as he glared sharply at the man in the suit in front of him, then said: "That's enough! I overheard your conversation last night, in the kitchen. That child sleeping inside is capable of making Kholoros shine, isn't it?"

"He's not the King! It has absolutely nothing to do with us," Kron said. His brows arched in annoyance.

"I don't care," replied Leander as he tiptoed to find Rio's position behind Revan and Kron. "Hoy, Future King! Get up. I need your help!" he cried, making Rio squirm lazily and then get off the swing.

Disapproved, Revan rushed to stop him for a moment wanting to get out of the hut. He shook his head—gesturing Rio to stay where he was.

"What is it?" Rio hissed.

"Hush!" he said in a half whisper.

On the other hand, Kron seemed busy arguing with the stubborn goblin, as if his skull was made of stone. He always has a way to escape the attacks of his interlocutor. In fact, now his screams were heard again, making several goblins peek out of their cottage windows.

"Come out! Come out! I know you want to prove how great you are, Future King. Didn't you previously offer to help us slaughter Fenrir?"

Rio flinched (just remembered his carelessness yesterday by saying he was willing to beat Fenrir) hoping his words were just a joke. His face was furious and his eyes were watching Leander who was pacing outside. At that time Rio's heart rate increased, too anxious, especially with all the facts he just heard last night.

"Go away, crazy Goblin!" Kron's scream was heard. "We are not interested in your offer."

"Then we are enemies. Remember it! Immediately, I will kick you out of here." Leander turned his face away and hurried away, before his feet came to a sudden stop. He looked up with his pointed teeth grinding. "And, never expect Kholoros to leave this village."

Leander's departure left silence and threatening stares from the windows of the cottage across the path. Not wanting to bother, Kron immediately went inside while pushing Revan to follow him.

"What do you think, Julius?!" he asked, closing the door loudly.

"You must have known," said Revan. "Even if you agree, defeating Fenrir is still impossible. The goblins were firebenders. However, the fact is they were not able to win."

"Leander was talking about the Kholoros light. Do you think it has something to do with Fenrir? Maybe weakness or something." Kron bent down so that his low voice could be heard.

"Indeed, really. Magic manuals say that black magic, no matter how strong it is, will still disappear when faced with the light of the holy armor," explained Revan, who in the next second seemed to be twisting his lower lip, feeling doubtful. "The thing is, in Rio's hands the armor only glows for ten seconds. I think killing Fenrir will take more time than that."

"You are right." Kron huffed in annoyance. "But I'm sure there's a way. The beasts of darkness are like Gorgon, weak to holy light and… oh, of course! Perhaps Fenrir is immune to attacks, but that still bothers him, doesn't it?"

Revan frowned, looking at his friend who was so enthusiastic: "Bothering how?"

"I mean, we can buy ten seconds of time by attacking Fenrir so his attention is divided. Meanwhile, Rio readies himself to make Kholoros shine for the next ten seconds." Kron smiled broadly. "At that rate, Fenrir will surely lose!"

"Who knows. That sounds very risky, moreover…." Revan pressed his hands to his mouth as he approached Kron's ears, while his eyes glanced at Rio who was silent in amazement in the corner of the hut. "You know, right? Rio is always anxious and afraid when faced with something he doesn't know."

Kron snorted softly as his green iris eyes closed. Glancing at the skinny young man—clad in a faded brown t-shirt and shorts that bordered his knees sticking out—made Kron somewhat doubt what Revan had said last night. He said Rio had Lord Aaron's heart: Strong-minded, honest, more than strong. However, he had just realized that there was no 'brave' in there.

"I-I can help, really." Rio said awkwardly as he approached his two friends.

"Come on, don't push yourself," said Kron pitifully.

"Re-really, I want to help. You said my job was only to make Kholoros shine, right?" Rio asked, his eyes sparkling.

"It's not that simple, Rio. Facing Fenrir would mean leading ourselves to death. I've always watched your life in the orphanage, and I know very well you're not into this kind of thing." Revan chimed in, as doubtful as Kron.

"Trust me, please. If you don't allow it, then who will use the armor?" Rio's question left the two of them speechless. "All this time, being fed salted fish and hard rice, being beaten, locked in a haunted house, all the bad things I've ever had, I don't think it's worse than facing Fenrir."

Rio's gaze looked down, immediately with a gloomy expression on his face and a feeling of heat creeping up the back of his neck. Yesterday, when he was first brought to Nefertyland, he was very happy. Finding the fact that he was the reincarnation of the King and was hailed by everyone, it was even more proud. However ….

"So bad." Rio groaned softly.

Today he realized that all stories, whether from the mouth of a trusted person or not, about the story of a lucky man who was accidentally sent to another world and asked to become an important person is a big lie.

He should have known (even though Revan insisted that his heart had inherited Lord Aaron) that this young man didn't seem to meet the requirements of being a leader at all.

"There is one thing that distinguishes, and becomes a great barrier between humans of the wizarding race and non-magical humans. Do you know? The answer is confidence level. Your people, they have too much confidence in their own abilities, so they become puffed up—ah! Simply put, the humans of your class don't believe in things that smell like suggestions or imagination, and this is slowly erasing their potential." Kron gave a long explanation. "In the end, the humans from the non-magical world are nothing more than brain worshipers who they think can create a civilization beyond us, the wizards." He finished his sentence while holding his arms proudly.

Rio's face grew gloomy, as if there were dense clouds looming there. Kron's words just now, which seemed to compare himself to the people from Nefertyland, made Rio's flames of spirit shrivel.

Rio was uneasy just because of the incoherent chatter of the giant who had recently been cold to him, especially after knowing the fact that he was not the chosen one.

However, they have already plunged into the abyss of conflict. Die at Fenrir's hands or return to the orphanage and receive a painful intake, Rio felt the two things were not much different.

"Not. I still want to help," he said after gathering confidence again.

"Tell me, Rio. What makes you this stubborn?" Revan asked.

"Who knows." Rio sighed. "I guess because I had no choice, and maybe since I was born. What do I deserve other than death or torment, huh?" In the next second Rio knotted happily, even though it couldn't cover the sadness on his face.

After hearing that, Revan immediately opened the door of the hut, checking dozens of goblin eyes that were now gone. A moment later, he looked at Kron and Rio.

"We should ask Bayrak's opinion. This issue concerns the area of ​​his authority. Maybe the goblins have their own considerations," he said.

Kron shrugged his shoulders then said, "Up to you. The presence or absence of Kholoros in our hands is not a big problem anymore. In fact, I think this journey is like a body without a head. Got it, right? There is no king in charge."

Ignoring the chatter of the giant with long bangs, Revan immediately grabbed Rio's arm, then took him to a tall hut to ask Alpha. Rio's skin felt cold in his hand, as if when their skin touched, Revan could imagine how bitter Rio's life was. His heart could feel Rio's cry when he was ostracized, lamenting his fate which was plagued with misfortune.

At that time Revan could only close his eyes. A bar of neat teeth gnashed and unexpectedly a drop of water slipped from the man's eyelids. A moment later, he opened his now teary red eyes. After that—in the sadness that ran through his dignified look—Revan let out a long breath.

"Rio," he said sadly. "You don't hate me, do you?"

Rio continued to walk in silence, provoked Revan to glance back and found the cheeks of the young man in question were already drenched in tears.

"W-why?" Revan suddenly stopped.

"I'm sorry… for failing to be the person you hoped for. I-I failed to be the brave Rio, the Rio who protected his friends. Revan! I'm really sorry," he sobbed.

In the confusion that plagued his mind, Revan tried to calm the young man who was already in tears. In fact, he had difficulty speaking in this condition.

"What happened, Rio?" Revan held Rio's shoulder while wiping the tears that were still flowing.

"Your hand!" Rio glared at him with teary red eyes. "My mind was suddenly taken to a scary place. I could hear the evil laughter, the crackling of the fire, and the moans of the poor. Also, I saw you picking up human corpses, Revan."

It's no wonder Revan was surprised when he found out what the young man had said. All of that, all of the images that Rio told were of his past, when Tarnath's army invaded the city where he lived—Nepheel.

Revan's blue iris eyes widened and still didn't blink. The only reason why Rio was able to steal the memories he experienced was because their souls were connected. How is that possible, thought Revan doubtfully.

"What is it, Revan?" Rio started to ask, his heart couldn't help being curious for too long. "What happened to you that day?"

"We call it the day of misfortune. It happened so suddenly and so brutally that we didn't have time to fight back. On that day, all the anti-Tarnath wizards had packed up their things to get away from Nepheel. What you saw, Rio, was an ambush that took place before we had a chance to escape out of the city."

Rio's sobs began to subside thanks to the explanation Revan gave. Still etched in his memory of how loud the screams of the people. Everyone screamed as they forcibly pulled everything they could get their hands on, be it friends or treasure.

The longer he reminisced about it, Rio's memories slowly led to the gloomy look he glimpsed. The young man's eyes suddenly widened, and his crying stopped and was replaced by a trembling feeling that ran through his body.

"Someone peeked behind the chaos that day, Revan," he said very frightened. "I see it! A pair of headless eyes that accompany the destruction of your city. Those eyes are as red as blood with a thick line in the middle."

Revan's brow twitched in surprise. He didn't know whose eyes Rio was talking about. Red eyes, he thought confusedly. However, the thin young man's face did not hint at a lie. Rio's tan skin was deathly pale, and cold sweat started to well up on his chin.

When Revan wanted to discuss the topic more deeply, he then thought about its main purpose; met Bayrak for an opinion. Forced, without much to say, he immediately guided Rio back to his feet, past a row of old cottages that were slowly starting to stretch their distance.

Exactly twenty steps ahead, there was a tall hut with a group of anxious-looking goblins swarming around it.

"I swear! They're just take advantage of my brother's kindness." Revan could hear Leander's chattering behind the crowd of green and gray goblins. "Then, that pitiful brat, they say he is the reincarnation of the King."

"King reincarnation, he said? Ah! It must be bullshit," said a big goblin. His thick lips quivered.

"What nonsense?" Revan's question suddenly froze them all. "I want to see Bayrak," he continued which was irritated by Leander.

"He was checking the forest borders, or maybe regretting his cowardice. Listen to me, Wizard! You no longer have anything to do with my brother, and neither does this village," replied Leander scowling. "So, hurry up and go!"

Revan's thin lips squirmed, thinking about what treatment would be appropriate for a goblin who likes to talk casually. However, that is not what he came for. Since Bayrak wasn't around, they had to wait while arguing with Leander and his gang.

"What? So you've changed your mind, huh?" Leander smirked haughtily as soon as he knew the purpose of the two humans coming here.

"That's just a plan, and we'd like to ask your brother's opinion. Alpha's thought may be more brilliant." Revan smirked, not out of the way but his ugly smile was aimed at Leander's attitude.

"You stupid! It's useless! My brother won't be starting the hunt any time. His brain is smart, but his intuition is very blunt, you know?" Leander's response seemed pushy. His voice was so loud that the goblins across the hut were attracted to eavesdrop.

The sound of a thud together suddenly entered the ears of Revan and the others. They knew that it wasn't a goblin or a human who stepped on the ground, but a large, thick-haired creature.

The corner of Rio's eyes found a stocky rhinoceros with sixty centimeters of horn above its snout. The animal is also covered in thick brown fur, like a natural coat. They are called cornibus, mounts typical of the goblins.

"Who has blunt intuition?" Bayrak who was sitting on cornibus spoke fiercely. His teeth gritted with anger. "Who, Leander?!" the noise is unbearable.

"I-I!" Leander answered resignedly, but insisted on lying. "I am the most stupid and the loser, Bayrak. However, I just want you smart goblin to take care of your people. They need a follow-up from you."

Bayrak dashed down cornibus, followed by a few goblins in the rear. They have a bit of difficulty getting down from an animal that is three times the size of its own body.

"I know you're worried, little brother. We've just been tracing Fenrir's tracks in the forest. Turns out Rouv was attacked that night." Bayrak turned to Revan and Rio who were breathing heavily after hearing the bad news. "It would be very honorable if Your Highness Rio would consider his proposal yesterday. To be honest, I feel proud to have such a brave king."

Rio suddenly glanced at his friend, trying to ask for an answer to the Alpha. They had already discussed this at the lodge. He and Revan agreed to be open to decisions that arise, no matter bad or otherwise. But Kron, the giant looked half-hearted. Either want to fight, or maybe just curled up on the old floor. Really confusing.

"I wonder how?" Rio looked down worriedly.

"Hmm… actually we have a plan to take on Fenrir. However, Rio needs Kholoros and I need all your best soldiers. Do you agree?" Revan squeaked.

"Tell me the plan, then we'll arrange your terms." Bayrak took the two humans up the steps to his hut.

They were invited to sit on boarskin chairs in the living room. After that, Bayrak and a number of bodyguards focused on paying attention.

Revan explained the stages one by one—more or less what they had been talking about in the previous hut. Regarding Kholoros' light, physically attack Fenrir. Right at Fenrir's weak spot, he paused for a moment.

"It was just a lucky plan. Every ten seconds, our fate can be anything. In fact, even the worst. If Fenrir isn't bothered and prefers to attack Rio, then it's over." Revan ended.

"Ten seconds is not the ideal time to slaughter a monster. Moreover, he is ineffective against physical attacks," complained Bayrak. "But this opportunity rarely comes to my village, and perhaps there will never be another king after this. So, when can we start?" His doubtful gaze instantly brightened like the morning light.

What an unexpected response. Revan couldn't help but be happy because after this battle—when they were treated to delicious food as a celebration of victory—Kholoros could definitely be taken away from the goblin village.

Leander was seen standing in the doorway, eavesdropping on the conversation inside. Once he chuckled a little when he knew his wish could come true.

"Tonight is the best time, because Fenrir likes to appear under the full moon," Bayrak leaked the important information he had gathered so far.

"Well. I'll check his activity with a transfiguration spell. After I give the signal, you guys move quickly." Revan spoke with enthusiasm. "Do not forget! Order all your best soldiers to shoot the monster with fire. He must be disturbed, I assure you."

"Then what about me?" Rio replied.

"You have to hide, wait for our precious ten seconds. If possible, Kron will guard you against Fenrir's unexpected attacks. We have to minimize all the bad opportunities that exist, right?"

"Oh, the giant! Where is he?" Bayrak curious.

"In the hut. It seemed that Kron was in a bad mood. You know, right? Since last night, he's been doubting me," Rio replied, feeling guilty. "But I'm already join this journey. Even though I'm not a king, at least my presence here should be useful." His gloomy gaze was replaced by a confident smile.

"It's okay, Rio. I'll try to persuade Kron as best I can." Revan patted his partner's shoulder. "Most importantly, focus on our ten seconds. Because you are the winner tonight."

The deal is unanimous. The fear that had been buried in the thatched-roofed huts would disappear. They finally decided to attack the predator.

Even though the leaves were still holding back the dew, the goblins were already busy making preparations. Even if they had prepared ahead of time though, the taste would still be lacking. Because this is the biggest moment. Great and sacred.

(To Be Continued)