Chapter 43: Raid

As the large group of ex-prisoners made their way back to the clan's village, Rosario brought the remaining seven of his people to Cooper's Village. They had made their way walking on the edges of the road, when they had only been about an hour out of the village Andromina who had scouted ahead came flying back.

She reported that a contingent of goblins about fifty strong were headed their way, there was a few hobgoblins among them, and they were leading what looked to be about thirty prisoners. Rosario assumed that the prisoners where for the mines.

Signaling for everyone to split to either side of the road Rosario unslung his bow from his shoulder signaling the others to do the same. They had practiced these scenarios and each of them would plant a few arrows in the ground in front of them for quicker firing. Lining up with four of them on either side of the road around sixty feet into the woods they waited. They were each spaced apart by around fifty feet to keep them from targeting the same individuals. Rosario would shoot the first volley because by the time the head of the column reached him the others would be spread across the body of the column.

They waited twenty minutes before the goblins arrived where they were hiding, they walked with no care in the world and acted like they had no enemies. Rosario found it baffling especially seeing as they had killed so many goblin patrols the previous day. He waited until the hobgoblins leading the column reached even with him before firing an arrow. He didn't even check to see if it hit before he had the second arrow knocked and loosened. The cry of pain from the hit hobgoblin alerted the remaining clansmen to begin their assault.

Rosario had to admit he wasn't the greatest with a bow, he was not accurate at all, however the power of his bow helped make of for his inaccuracy slightly. His first shot hit the center most hobgoblin of the three marching at the front. He had hit its left arm with such power that the arrow had pinned the hobgoblins arm to its side. His second arrow hit the hobgoblin closest to him right in the left side of the chest. The hobgoblin dropped to the ground like a marionette with its strings cut as the arrow had embedded so deeply through its side it had pierced its heart.

Three more arrows later and Rosario pulled out his spear as he sprinted at the remaining hobgoblins and goblins. He slammed into the side of the goblins convoy knocking multiple of them over like bowling pins. Rosario spun his spear like a staff using the dual sharp blade to slice his enemies. Most of the goblins were still Evo 0, the hobgoblins had been Evo 1 but even they fell quickly under Rosarios power.

Not long after Rosario crashed into the left side of the column the remaining seven also hit the column of goblins. The goblins were more single spaced on the sides of the column as the prisoners were marching in between them and the road was only five people wide.

The fight ended after ten minutes with Rosarios people only receiving minor injures that were treated with magic quickly. As they were almost all Celestial Asuras they each had access to at least light magic that helped with healing. During the fight some of the captives had joined Rosarios clansmen in eliminating the Goblins that had imprisoned them.

A few of the prisoners had been killed but it was a small amount. Rosario informed them that he could not spare anyone else to take them somewhere safe and said he would give them directions to a safe village. To his surprise the prisoners rejected heading to a safe spot and instead asked to return with him and his people to get revenge.

Rosario later found out that a majority of these men had, had significant others taken from them by the goblins or the lord. The men had been sent to do labor at the mines to keep them from causing problems in the village.

Rosario allowed them to join his group but under the strict orders that they listen to everything he or him people say. If any of the men were to even act like they were about to not listen and ruin everything Rosario warned that they would be immediately killed without questions.

He and his people were there to help remove the problem, but Rosario would not put his people at risk for some idiot with an ego to big to listen to orders or some hot head that cant control his temper.

When they arrived at the village Rosario broke the remaining forty-six prisoners into groups that would follow each of his men. His people were given explicit orders to do everything for themselves to survive including leaving the prisoners behind.

"We are not truly good guys; this raid is for revenge for Julie and to eliminate a big rival. You are all under orders to not throw away your lives for some person you just met. Don't be a hero, hero's die. Do your job and do it quickly and efficiently and we all can sit around the fire tonight and tell our stories. Got it."

The clansmen placed their right fist over their left breast as a salute and moved off grabbing their smaller teams of prisoners that would move with them. Each of them took eight with them while Rosario took six. He would not deliberately get them killed but he did not expect much as they were all low-level Evo 0 still. Some hadn't even reached level one yet.

Sneaking around to one of the predetermined spots they had decided on after scouting yesterday Rosario prepared himself and his current "helpers" for what was to come.

"I know it might seem harsh, but I am certain not all of you will live through this if you decide to continue following me. You can wait here, and I will collect you after I have finished cleaning this village of filth."

Seeing them all shaking their heads the six younger men all looked at Rosario defiantly.

"We want to join you, sure we might not be near as powerful as you, but we know this village better than you. Through the wall are the barracks, even if we cant fight long we can still warn you if we are spotted or we could hold off someone trying to sneak up on you. We have all lost a loved one to these as*h*les, and we want to do whatever we can to get revenge."

Seeing the others nodding at the speaker's words Rosario looked at each of them before smiling behind his mask. He liked these kids, he just hoped he would be able to keep them alive long enough so that he could recruit them to his own army.

 Rosario turned his back to them as he began moving towards the unguarded section of the wall. This section was unguarded because it was part of the goblin's barracks and practice grounds for their troops. No one would think someone would be so stupid to sneak in, literally in the middle of the goblin army.