Chapter 62: Storming the Frost Goblin Citadel (2)

Ebony stared at the improvised Frost Goblin citadel, fear in her eyes.

“(This is shit… How do they have numbers like this? There are so many I can barely count their presences… There have to be over a hundred, easily…)”

The blonde and her elderly companion stood atop a hill at the entrance of a rocky passage they had emerged from.

Carefully, the girl began making her way down, trying not to make noise and hiding behind rocks, until she reached a poorly built stone house and managed to conceal herself behind its walls.

“Psst, old man, hurry up,” the blonde whispered.

As the soldier followed, he glanced sideways at the path leading toward the center of the citadel.

Once both were behind the house, they began moving to survey the terrain, speaking as quietly as possible.

“Hey, girl… Where are you planning to go? Why are we sneaking into the city like thieves?” the old soldier muttered.

“We’re already here, old man. It’s true, if they find us we’re dead, but even so we have to do something about this… If I’m right, they must have magic crystals for their forges. If we get some, we might stand a chance.”

Ebony crouched as they crossed the streets stealthily, which was hard to do because of all the trash the creatures had thrown around. Despite their apparent intelligence, they were messy and filthy.

“And what are you planning to do with magic crystals? Collapse the mountain on top of the citadel? Ha,” the old man said with a small laugh, underestimating her.

However, his smile vanished when the girl turned to him with an affirmative grin.

“Are you insane? You want to bring down a mountain? For something like that we’d need tons of magic crystals, and we’d die along with them!”

At that moment, they reached the back of a forge where a goblin with a thick beard and hair covering its eyes hammered red-hot metal into the shape of a sword.

“Shhh, stop whining already. This is what we have to do if we want to win this war. Weren’t you a soldier? Where’d you leave your balls?” Ebony said before peeking her head around to look at the forge.

Inside what looked like a pit were several red magic crystals placed close together, emitting a bluish flame from their proximity.

“Now listen, old man, we don’t need many crystals for what I’m planning. Just a handful is enough to fill a bag, after that this whole place will turn into hell.”

Ebony watched as the goblin blacksmith took a break, using the opportunity to sneak in and steal a few fire crystals piled beside an empty potato sack.

“Perfect!” the blonde said as she returned to the back of the ruined house with the old man. “Listen, we just need three or four more of these and that’ll do.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re planning, woman, but if this gets me killed, don’t count me in,” the soldier said, uneasy at the reckless look in her eyes.

“Well then what’s your plan, idiot?” the blonde snapped, grabbing a couple of square stones that had once been part of the house’s wall.

“In this situation, the best option is to challenge their leader to a duel. That way their numbers won’t matter, we just defeat one and that’s it.”

Ebony rolled her eyes as she began crushing the crystals between the smooth stones. They were tough, but with enough force, they started to give.

“Your idea isn’t bad… If only those idiots understood our language!” the blonde said as she finished grinding a couple of fire crystals into reddish powder and poured it into the sack.

“Hey, stop that! The crystals could explode and all the monsters will find us!” the soldier whispered urgently, peeking out at the crowded streets full of enemies.

“I know those little ones don’t speak our language, but the boss does… I saw him at the summit before the bastard entered this lair…” the old man said, his expression darkening.

“Mmm…” Ebony noticed the look in his eyes and sensed something was off, but without his help her plan might fail, so forced to trust him, she decided to ask directly.

“Tell me something honestly, old man, and I’ll go with your plan… What the hell are you doing here? The Colonel said no one entered, just that a handful of soldiers died guarding the tower… But you’re here, and you said you had friends with you… What were you doing here?”

The old man looked away for a moment, he hadn’t expected such a direct question. But like her, he had no options if he wanted to survive, so he answered.

“I was part of the first guard posted at the tower… Like you said, many died… But fifteen of us survived, only to be captured…”

His gaze turned sorrowful as he looked at the cavern ceiling where magical clouds let snowflakes fall.

“The tower’s ruler ordered his right hand to use us as food for his troops… At that time we were at the top of the tower, but one night they brought us here. First we arrived at the forest, and at the first opportunity we managed to escape.”

Ebony paused her work to listen carefully, she felt she owed respect to the pain in his broken voice.

“Days passed, I don’t even know how long anymore… But the five of us who were left wanted revenge, so we climbed the mountain… Now I’m the only one left… The oldest and frailest…”

The blonde took the old man’s hand to comfort him, he returned the gesture as tears rolled down his cold-reddened skin into his white beard.

“That must’ve been hard… But tell me, old man, what kind of creature is the boss of this floor?” Ebony asked seriously.

“It’s a Frost Ape… Judging by its intelligence, it must be Rank D, maybe even C… If I face it alone, I’ll die, but with you, maybe we have a chance,” the old soldier replied, wiping away his tears.

“Good… Then we’ll go with your plan. But first help me fill this sack. I’m not saying we’ll use my plan, but it’s better to have insurance,” the girl said with a smile.

And so, with faint smiles and the truth laid bare between them, they patiently crushed the crystals they had gathered.

.

.

.

After several hours of hard work, the sack was tied shut with improvised ropes and filled with fire crystal powder.

They hid it inside an old broken chest, then both walked calmly toward the center of the citadel.

The goblins, seeing the two humans approach so boldly, didn’t know how to react, it was impossible to imagine someone willingly walking toward death with such confident expressions.

At the center stood a throne made of elk bones, its antlers decorating each side, and upon it sat a Frost Ape.

It stood four meters tall and devoured an entire lamb as if it were a fried chicken leg.

Ebony, wearing a worn wooden shield and holding a rusty longsword, stepped forward with a confident smile to speak to the creature, but the soldier’s hand interrupted her.

“We have come to challenge you to a duel for the leadership of this sacred Tower’s level… Brother,” the old soldier declared, leaving the blonde staring in shock as the goblins around them began shouting in anticipation of the fight.

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