“With what sword?” I tease, smirking.
Aurelio opens his mouth to speak, then closes it, his face going pink. “Alright, fine. You can kill two birds with one stone. Please get my sword back, Alessia.”
“Of course, Prince Moonbreaker,” I say patronizingly, patting his head.
Aurelio glares at me. I can only stifle a laugh. I have to admit, it feels good, charging into my first goblin quest all by myself—and Aurelio will be waiting for me at the end of it.
I check that there are no goblins, then crest the hill, slowly approaching the nest’s entrance. Using magic to enhance my hearing, I double-check that the goblins haven’t set any more traps for me, then proceed, transitioning my magic into a pair of fires resting in my palms. The cave seems to absorb the light of the fires as I proceed, as if the cave itself is an all-consuming darkness. My heart pounds harder and harder in my chest the deeper I go; I must be six feet underground by now, and still, the nest is sloping steadily downward, right into the heart of the lair.
Unable to take it anymore, I throw one of the fires from my hand, launching it the length of the cave. It soars downward, and downward, and downward, until suddenly, it smacks into an object. That object shrieks as the fire engulfs its entire body, running around like a crazed wild animal as it slams itself against the walls in desperation. I suck in a breath as twenty or so pairs of eyes look to glare at me.
“Uh-oh.”
Summoning a constant stream of magic, I start launching fireball after fireball, hearing the shrill squeals of the goblins as my attacks find their marks. Still, the growling and screeching of angry, uninjured goblins as they run my way is getting closer and closer. I won’t be able to fend them all off this way, and if I miss, I risk collapsing their nest.
“They never said adventuring was easy,” I sigh.
I will my magic to the surface of my skin, and slowly but surely, I convert the water from my body into a layer of ice across my skin. When the first layer is complete, I punch my fist into the wall, and I absorb the water out of the soil by the gallon, increasing my armor until my whole body is encased like a frozen fortress. The goblins are nearly upon me now. I smirk to myself as I enhance my vision with the last of my magic reserves.
“Let’s dance, you stupid earth gremlins.”
I punch the first goblin in the face, sweep his buddy’s feet out from under him, and pick them both up by the back of their necks, throwing them into the rest of the goblins. They tumble over like a line of wine bottles bowled over by a toy ball. Seizing the opportunity, I slam my fist into temples, cave in thoracic cavities with a heel to the chest, and crush spinal cords with squeezes to the neck. The screech of goblins rings in my ears, and the tang of blood grows thick in the atmosphere.
“Alright, I’m bored,” I say.
Gathering up the bit of magic I replenished during the fight, I toss it all into my hands and force it out in a single blast. Fire erupts into the space before me, and the goblins I’ve gathered into a pile go up in flames. Their screams are abruptly cut off as they fall to the fire. Those that don’t fall simply run around like headless chickens until they, too, fall to the fire. I shrug.
“That was easier than I thought it would be.”
I proceed into the depths of the cave, following the metallic glint further along the tunnel. Our blades gleam orange in the glow of the flames as I seize them in my hands. I replace my sword into its sheath with a content sigh.
“Finally, back where you belong.”
With the blades secured, I search for the leader of this goblin nest—the biggest brute of the bunch, naturally—and find him closest to the entrance, conveniently. I drag him out by the ear, refusing to touch any other part of his disgusting corpse. I’m blinded by the sunlight near the entrance and take a few minutes to adjust before leaving.
The moment I’m outside, there’s a shout that rattles my bones.
“ALESSIA!”
I see Aurelio right before he crashes into me, his arms wrapping around me in an instant. I stand there for a moment, blinking stupidly.
“Uh…Aurelio? What’s up?”
“Sorry, I can’t help it,” he apologizes. Detaching himself from me, he holds me by the shoulders and searches my eyes. “I couldn’t stand waiting and listening to all the shrieking. I could never tell if that shrieking was you.”
I roll my eyes. “Aurelio, do you really think I’m so weak that I’d fall into a nest of goblins?”
“Well, no, but—”
“Then quit worrying,” I say, holding up my prize. “I completed our quest and got our swords back. It’s a good day.”
Aurelio's eyes shine brilliantly as he gazes at me, his proud smile lighting up his face even more. “Yes, you’re right. It has been a good day.”
He takes my free hand in his, and together, we walk hand-in-hand back to our camp, my heart swelling with pride. I completed my first quest all by myself, and I got my praise at the end of it. It really has been a good day.
Chapter twenty-six
Aurelio
