Chapter 21: A Tragedy

The goblin guard laughed and cackled as it smoked a crude pipe, bashing a club against the ground. The skeleton soldiers had already surrounded the entire area around the cave, blocking off any possible reinforcements. The goblin just sat their completely ignorant to the fate that it would suffer; death. Atlas aimed his crossbow towards the guard, prompting the brothers to quietly draw their weapons in preparation for the assault.

"No." Atlas spoke.

"This one does not deserve the honour of dying by my arrow."

Atlas walked forward and grabbed a small pointy branch from the ground, gripping it like a sword. He phased 40 metres toward the goblin, appearing right in front of the hideous green creature.

"...?!?"

STAB

Atlas buried the branch in the goblin's eye, pushing it deeper to ensure the latter's death.

"Come! Let the battle begin!"

The Junior brothers rushed towards the gate, instantly stampeding through the flimsy gate. The senior brothers followed from behind, guiding their respective units to a flawless assault. Atlas followed slowly from behind the wave of skeletons, observing their fighting capabilities closely.

The skeletons easily pushed past the guards positioned on the other side of the gates, slaughtering the goblins without error. The soldiers then split off into 2 seperate groups as they encountered a large split path in the cave. Atlas went to the group moving to the left path, continuing to observe their fights. Eventually the left group made their way into a large damp room full of goblins.

The room was damp and contained many uneven rock formations, including a small ledge that the goblins seemed to be encamped at. The skeletons at the front placed their large shield down, forming a blocking formation. Immediately after, the goblins at the ledge shot a volley of arrows which did not even scratch a single skeleton even when hit.

"SHAKSOUDAUEBB!!?" A Goblin yelled.

None of the brothers had a single ranged weapon on them, except for Atlas. Atlas drew his crossbow and aimed it at the archers.

"Horde Breaker!"

A single arrow flew out of the crossbow, splitting into tens of arrows which all had the same speed and mass. The arrows flew through the air like a volley, flawlessly hitting the goblin archers. The goblin archers failed to fire back as they had all died. The skeletons proceeded through the room, making their way to the largest door of the cave. The door was made out of iron, and seemed to be at least 10 centimetres thick.

Before Atlas could break down the doors, a very audible sound of screaming came from the path behind him.

"AAAAAARGHE!!!"

A small wave of goblin warriors rushed towards the skeletons, but they all fell before they could reach the brothers.

"Brothers, I, Red, and the right group have finally regrouped with you all." Red announced as the other skeleton group emerged from behind the goblins.

"Did we suffer any losses?" Atlas asked.

"No, these animals are to weak to cause us trouble, Eldest Brother." Red responded.

"According to intelligence, there is an entity of higher level than a senior brother behind this door." Atlas spoke.

"For this battle, I will personally put down this animal for standing in the way of Nazarick."

Atlas summoned his red sword, pointing it towards the metal door.

"Greater directed blast!"

A large cone of powerful energy blasted from the tip of Atlas' sword, ripping through the thick metal of the door. The surrounding metal turned a deep purple colour and came somewhat thin. The hole that Atlas left, was large enough for a 5 figures to walk through. Atlas walked through first, letting his brothers follow afterwards so they could watch his battle.

Inside the room, was a large arena-like setting with cages scattered around the stage, with a single figure in the middle of it. The figure was none other than the goblin lord, a towering figure dressed in somewhat noble clothing and wielding a large greatsword. The goblin stood tall as he watched his opponent enter the arena.

"Hehehehe... HAVE YOU COME TO SAVE THE WOMEN??!!" The goblin asked in a malicious tone.

"I have come here to cleanse this cave." Atlas responded.

"THAT IS SOME MIGHTY TALK FOR A HOOMAN!" The goblin shouted.

"Human?"

The goblin lord clicked his fingers and a group of goblins dragged a small number of naked human females from a cage in the arena. The women were all in a sort of lifeless state as they could only shiver and shake in a fit of trauma.

"Have you not come to save them?"

Atlas looked to the humans, spotting a female that seemed familiar.

"Narberal?"

It was not her, it was just a human.

"..."

"Animal, I will give them a Merciful end later, but you will receive an agonising death, worthy of an animal such as you." Atlas spoke.

Atlas felt a sense of anger, cause by his flesh form. He felt like he had been tricked, and Lady Narberal, who had saved him; had been disrespected.

"FINE!! HOOMAN DIE!"

The goblin charge at the still figure, attempting a powerful horizontal slash.

CLANG

The greatsword was effortlessly parried by Atlas, leaving a large dint on the goblin's sword.

"Brothers, you may deal with the other animals, but swiftly." Atlas spoke.

Atlas removed his blade from the goblin lord's greatsword, launching a flurry of slashes and pokes. The skeleton lowered his centre of mass, and jumped forwards, pushing the goblin lord to the ground.

"FRAHK YOU!" The goblin screamed.

"Scream, shout, yell. We can all hear you, but we do not care."

Atlas jumped off of the goblin, allowing the latter to get back into a suitable position.

"I WILL FRAHKING KILL YOU!!!"

The goblin drew a large contraption from his back, a crossbow of sorts, but with many arrow slots.

"FEEL THE WRATH OF 'BOLTENSTURM'!" The goblin laughed.

The goblin pulled the trigger, sending forth at least a hundred bolts.

"THIS CAN EVEN KILL A DRAGON LORD!!!" The goblin boasted.

The bolts closed in on the skeleton.

[the pity of a pet that grew up in a cage is that they only know the depths of the room they were stored away in. This creature is no different; unable to comprehend the tremendous power of Nazarick. Pitiful animal, die in sorrow.]

The arrows all hit the skeleton, piercing into the armour. A large puddle of blood pooled from the armour, prompting it to fall down. The helmet fell off of the armour, revealing a disturbing truth.

"GOBLIN?...!!!"

The body inside the armor was a goblin.

STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB...

The goblin lord felt a hell of tremendous pain coming from all over this body. He fell to his knees as his nerves finally kicked in, releasing the full extent of the pain that he should feel.

"AAAAAAAAAARGGHHHH!!!!"

The goblin felt like his body was in fire, being cooked alive by a furnace.

Atlas appeared before the skeleton still in his green armour, without revealing his face. He drew his bloodied sword, pointing it towards the suffering animal.

"Damn...you..."

"Guilty."

The name 'The Knight Of Grim' would soon be spread throughout the region.