Chapter 14

Alfred and the rest of the knights exchanged startled glances upon hearing the mention of Harold, their peer whose true visage remained a mystery to them. A sense of unease settled over them, momentarily overshadowing the news of the new goblin king. General Lance cleared his throat, as he continued, "As you know, Harold is not your typical knight. He lurks in the shadows, a master of espionage rather than combat." He paused, allowing his words to sink in. "At the first report of war, I have sent him out to collect information. "Through his undercover work, he has unearthed disturbing intelligence—a formidable goblin, the one that could have been responsible for the demise of your men, Edward."

The mere mention of the loss of twenty thousand men hung heavily in the air, suffocating any remnants of conversation. Alfred broke the silence, "What do we know of this goblin? How powerful is he?" General Lance's gaze turned grave, "Harold's information suggests that this goblin is no ordinary foe. He possesses an uncanny strength, a malevolence that surpasses any enemy we've faced before.

"Harold is still tracking the goblin. We should expect to hear from him soon," General Lance informed, his voice laced with a hint of unease. "Something is unsettling about the connection between the missing Goblin King Zarku and the sudden appearance of this new goblin."

Edward stared at Lance, his eyes filled with emotions, "When the troop stationed outside the goblin nest, none of them saw any signs of any goblins emerging," Edward bite down, trying to keep his voice from trembling. "We waited, yet we keep receiving reports from Eadgar that the goblin army at the frontline is increasing by the day." "I received the request that Eadgar sent for us to regroup." He let out a heavy sigh, the weight of the situation weighing heavily on his shoulders. "I can't help but wonder if it was just a coincidence that the killer struck after I left, or if it was deliberately waiting for me to be gone."

Aella shifted her gaze towards Eadgar, her eyes searching for answers in his troubled expression. "What do you think?" she asked, her voice quivering with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. "You've always been the wisest among us. Surely, you must have considered all of these possibilities."

"I have considered all the possibilities," the elder twin said, his voice laced with a sense of dread. He looked at the general with a steely gaze before continuing in a hushed tone, "One of our scouts has made a horrifying discovery. There is a tunnel, located two kilometers away from the frontline, from there the goblins have been emerging." The goblin king had been cunning enough to dig a hidden tunnel, allowing his troops to move undetected, and Eadgar had ordered Edward to do a strategic retreat to regroup and devise a counterplan.

Eadgar was known for his measured and calculated approach, speaking only when he possessed enough information. However, this new development with the appearance of a new goblin that killed twenty thousand trained men had unsettled even his composed demeanor. Deep down, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something far more sinister lurked beneath the surface, a malevolent force at work that threatened their very existence.

Slowly, he continues, "I have read in ancient texts that there can only be one goblin king for every generation of goblins." His voice trembles with a mix of fear and curiosity. "If there is no explanation for why we have not seen the goblin king Zarku... the only logical conclusion is that he is likely dead."

They feel a knot in their stomach as the implications sink in. The thought of a new goblin king, one potentially more powerful than any they have encountered before, fills the air with a chilling unease. The knights and the general exchange troubled glances, they knew that something bad was about to happen. This newfound information rattles their understanding of the goblin threat, leaving them questioning their ability to face such a formidable adversary.

"Let us wait for Harold to report the latest developments; he should be here this evening," the general said, trying to ease his knights' tension. He knew that when the country's best strategist gave his assessment of any situation, the results were likely to be true. Changing the subject, General Lance fixed his gaze upon Alfred, his eyes filled with pride. "Excellent job dealing with the white ogres. I have received thanks from the witch. Please, come and tell us how you dealt with them. Were there any signs indicating their involvement in the ongoing war?"

As Alfred stepped forward, He felt a sense of pride well up inside of him as he recounted the details of his men and his encounters with the white ogres, describing the fierce battle and the cunning strategy he employed to defeat them. When he had finished, Alfred says, "There are no leaders among the ogres," Alfred said, "Their levels are low. But it is also deeply unsettling to witness white ogres descending the mountain at this time of the year. I fear that Zarku may have enticed them with something sinister."

Galahad, consumed by curiosity, mustered the courage to inquire, "General, will Harold join us once the battle commences? We have never witnessed his prowess in combat." Lance smiled slyly, casting his gaze upon Galahad. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" Galahad, a sudden sense of foreboding gripping his heart, swiftly rose from his seat and assumed a defensive stance, slowly turning his head. There, behind him, stood a figure clad in dark, ominous armor. The lower half of the figure's face was concealed beneath a sinister half mask, their hair slicked back. The armor differed from the traditional knight's attire, tailored to afford unparalleled agility while muffling any tell-tale sounds.

"Speaking ill of someone behind their back is a wretched habit," Harold murmured, his voice dripping with a sinister undertone. As the seventh knight among the twelve, he held a rank higher than Galahad.

Galahad scowled and retorted, "It is you who possesses the vexing habit of stealthily appearing behind others." The remaining knights stood in awe, unaware of Harold's presence until he revealed himself, save for General Lance and Alfred, who had already sensed his presence in the room.

Harold turned and respectfully greeted the general, saying, "General, I am ready to present my report. I took a detour into the goblin cave upon discovering a new goblin, this was probably after the annihilation of the twenty thousand. The nest was eerily deserted, except for a lone deceased goblin in their kitchen." Pausing briefly, the shadow knight continued, his voice filled with an unsettling aura. "There were no other indications of violence within the nest, but I detected residual demonic essence pervading a vast area that appeared to be their training ground. I couldn't discern the source of the essence; it was dissipating as I stumbled upon it. Unfortunately, when I attempted to contain it within a magical bottle, it vanished without a trace."

Lance peered at the shadow knight, his gaze filled with curiosity. "Are there any signs of Zarku in the nest?"

The shadow knight's response sent a chill down Lance's spine. "None. The nest is empty," the knight replied, his voice laden with a sense of foreboding. "I discovered tunnels that had been dug, leading deep into the heart of the mountain. However, I dared not venture further. Something was unsettling about the presence of the new goblin. It felt unnatural, and I sensed an overwhelming malevolence emanating from it. I decided to leave the nest, hoping to catch up with it."

"By the time I caught up with it, there was a trail of mangled monsters. The unsettling aspect was that the damage inflicted upon each creature grew progressively smaller, yet no less lethal. It appeared as if the goblin was purposefully restraining its strength, using these hapless monsters as mere test subjects."

"The scene was chilling, the path strewn with lifeless and disfigured bodies, a testament to the goblin's sinister intentions. It was a path to calculate control over its power evoked a sense of dread as if it was honing its skills."

Eadgar turned his gaze towards Harold, his eyes filled with unease. "Did you see any crown upon its head, indicating it is the goblin king?" he asked. Harold shook his head in response, "none," he replied, "I share your suspicion that this might be a new goblin king, but no horns were adorning its head, not even a single one. I tried to keep my distance, but even from my vantage point, I could not discern any horns, be they large or small."

"I am certain that this is no ordinary goblin, The vanishing of Zarku and the sudden emergence of this creature must be intertwined," Eadgar asserted after hearing the report from Harold. "but there is insufficient information and this prevents us from concluding that the goblin king has been slain. We must prepare for the worst-case scenario, General." Eadgar's tone turned grave as he continued, "We must consider the possibility that there are two distinct goblin kings entangled in this war."

The comment sent a chilling silence through those gathered in the room, freezing the air around them. After an agonizing pause, Aella found her voice and broke the oppressive stillness. "General, should we dispatch urgent messages to the rest of the twelve? We need everyone back immediately." Lance, however, confidently shook his head. "No need to activate the entire group. Even if there are ten goblin kings, we are more than a match for them." The general, who had faced countless battles, exuded unwavering confidence in himself and the knights assembled in the room.