The Understanding

We were at a loss over to do at that moment as we left the charred streets of Carverstead, unsure if we should wait around by the vanquished town for help to arrive, or to merely head on our way.

"We could rejoin with our group," Dirx suggested, with Krissy nodding in agreement. "I spoke with them sometime after you knocked Gogrin out. They've been camping out in the nearby woods waiting for us to return." 

"Shouldn't we wait around until someone comes?" Darotha asked. "I mean if the army arrives, they're going to want to know who did all this."

"Sweet cheeks, the military are technically the ones responsible for this," the portly goblin snorted. "This incident is going get buried deeper than the poor people that were murdered here."

"He's right, I already know that we won't get justice by trying to talk to the crown," Lyka added. "As much as I don't want to leave daddy behind, I know he'd want us to get as far away from danger as possible. He entrusted us to a corncob, that's how much faith he has in Master."

"Yeah, don't worry guys, I'll figure something out next," I explained confidently, feeling much stronger now that I was slowly siphoning kernels from my unwitting group. "I think we should make camp somewhere safe, make a little temporary home of our own."

"You want to found a city state? Excellent idea, corn man, it could be a refuge for other goblins and just those that have ills against the kingdom!" Dirx exclaimed. "I've been thinking of the idea for myself for a while now, but always being under that hobgoblin's thumb really stopped me from going all out."

"…that's not what I said," I said flatly.

"Oh my goodness, Master can be ruler and I can be queen!" Lyka exclaimed as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "Daddy would be so proud."

"H-hold on…"

"Nah, I wanna be queen, Dirx and I are actually decedents from gobin aristocrats," Krissy argued.

"Guys…"

"A sovereign city state? Franturro's government is not going to like that," Darotha warned. 

"I didn't say anything about—

"Alright, we'll figure out the logistics later, let's just return to our encampment first," Dirx proclaimed. "Let's get everyone to safety."

I decided to quell talks of a "city state" later, as everyone seemed so set on this fantasy at the time. It had been a grief-stricken, traumatizing night, I could hardly blame anyone for trying to focus on something else, especially the two ladies. With my mayfly body hovering over them, I used my newly acquired energy to transport my corn body right into Lyka's hand, who let out a surprised shriek as the yellow vegetable suddenly appeared in her palm.

"Wow, Master, you're really getting good at this!" she exclaimed as she looked my kernelled body up and down.

I was. Teleporting myself was getting easier every time I did, giving me hope that I'd be even more adept in combat the next time I was forced into a fight. While I figured that I had more time to prepare, the following hurdle was already right in front of us.

Beginning to walk along the road towards a distant forest just as dawn was beginning to crack on the horizon, a sudden stream of dark orange flame washed over the grassy hills in front of us. Using his scythe like a flamethrower, Lysander slung his weapon over his shoulder after blocking our way with a wall of fire.

"Huh, I guess the Captain was right to have me wait around in case you somehow survived," the dark-armored man remarked, before looking to his side at the destroyed town. "Well then, a lot of people died for nothing…"

"You bastard!! You're the one who did this!?" Lyka screamed as she held me up towards him. "Master, KILL him!!"

"W-wait, Lyka, he was against what happened to Carverstead," I intervened, nonetheless suspicious of the mage. "But that said, what the hell, man? You're still following orders even though your boss committed mass murder?"

"Don't take me for some kind of softy, Tino," Lysander warned as he spun his scythe in his hand. "If I let you escape, you might just continue to grow more powerful. What Dryden did here was wrong, but I still serve the kingdom at the end of the day. Now unfortunately for you, I still have a job to do."

"C-corn man, you take the ladies and run," Dirx explained as he pulled out a tiny, rusted dagger. "Krissy and I will try to hold him off."

"Hahaha, don't make me laugh, goblins, I shall vanquish you all as well just by your association with the cultivator," Lysander laughed as he reared his scythe back. "Now, prepare for a quick, fiery death, and because I'm a fair man, I'll give you a thirty minute head start."

"W-what?!" the entire group stammered.

"Yes, because I enjoy the thrill of the hunt, I will give you a measly THIRTY MINUTES to flee as FAR AWAY from me as possible," Lysander reiterated as he clasped his weapon. "If I were you, I'd RUN right now."

"B-but, huh?" I asked.

"Umm…I think he's letting us go," Dirx whispered to me.

"No I'm not, I'm merely giving you the TINIEST of head starts," the mage repeated again.

I was very confused. Despite sounding dutiful, Lysander was essentially giving us ample time to get far away, knowing all about my teleportation abilities. Unsure if he was doing this because he figured that he owed me one or just wanted to stick it to his mass-murdering boss, I wasn't about to argue.

"Everyone, grab onto me now," I said.

Once I could see the hands of the two human girls and two goblins on me, I used the mayfly's compound eyes to look at the distant forest and taking one final look at Lysander's grinning expression, teleported us all in that direction.

"See you next time, Tino," he laughed behind him.