Serena glared at the twenty some odd goblins that knelt in front of her with growing ire.

How dare these idiotic creatures try to force themselves under my protection. Do they not realise that I understand what they are doing? The shaman may have use, but the rest are worthless.

The Void seemed to boil within her. Pulling on it she moved the shaman into it, sheilding him while she did. While she she did that, she drew her sword.

She snarled and lunged at the terrified goblins. Her wings shined blue at the edges, a dark Halo appeared over her head, and for a split second, one particularly (relatively) calm goblin saw a strange tree that pulsed with might.

POV: Hiemal

Serena wasn't home when they had checked, which was a shame. She knew the wilds better then anyone.

Talsira had found a mission posted by one of the priests of Tiamat to capture goblins for "testing" to see if a new potion would be effective. They failed to say what type of potion, but five silver per goblin was far better paying then everything else.

When Serena was with them, she always knew where to find something, it at least where to search. Not having her was a painful reminder of how slow tasks could be without knowing where to go.

Though after that last market day, he could stand to have her around town a little less. She was a bad influence on Talsira.

* * *

After several hours of searching, he saw Talsira tense as her tail coiled around her leg, something she did when a problem arose. He pulled his sasumata of his back and moved closer to her.

Spoiler: Spoiler

https://images.app.goo.gl/htM4jC3XRg5FNMdc6

Should've put this last time.

That but sharp. Sasumata are still used for non-leathal takedowns in some countries. The one that Hiemal has is a bit more dangerous, and much wider than the ones used by police.

PS if anyone can tell me how inserting an image works that would be great.

"I hear screaming ahead."

Nodding at Talsira's whispered comment Hiemal moved in front of the girl.

They soon spotted a poorly constructed palisade. It was falling over and barely a meter and a half at it's tallest.

Now closer Hiemal could hear head the goblins scream too.

Frowning he cocked his head.

"Hey Talsira."

"Yeah."

"Do you hear someone laughing?"

"Yeppers."

".... Does it sound like Serena to you as well?"

"Absolutely!"

Serena quickly cooled off from her rage and found herself enjoying killing them.

She soon made a sport of it, trying to kill each one differently.

The first one she cut head off.

The second she split in half. (ohhh that looks cool.)

The third she reached out with a Void wrapped hand and pulled the heart out of. (aww you think your still alive... Never mind.)

The fourth she got creative for, moving a rock into the Void then out into it's head. (It popped!)

After that last one she started to laugh. Dancing around, she cut the legs from another.

Jumping with a short flap for distance she cut off one that made it to the entrance.

A Void empowered kick from behind turned it into a pretty crimson flower. (You look so much better like that)

Giggling to herself with a smile she moved to the rest of the horrified faces.

With the last of them dead, Serena moved back to the remains of the shaman's hut to see what he had. His ability to use Void magic mentioned he may have the ability to give her some understanding of her own powers she figured; casting her mind back to her lessons.

"Just because they are goblins, you should not underestimate the shaman's. While they may have little to no knowledge of magic theory, their fundamentals are on par with, or exceeding," the instructor turned to glare at a young man who was sinking into his chair, "your own. This is very much the case in more unusual elements or styles of magic."

If that was the case then he could be there teacher she needed.

Lost in her contemplation, Serena missed Hiemal and Talsira moving into the camp.

Talsira's enthusiasm at realising Serena was there had faded and her have was pale as she looked around.

Hiemal was much more stoic. Years of adventuring had hardened him to blood, even if this was one of the first scenes he had seen.

Finally noticing them Serena turned and smiled.

"Oh! Hi. Do you tell have a mission in the area?"

Hiemal had an annoyed look on his face, "Well we were looking for goblins to capture, but they needed to be alive."

Serena pointed to one she had removed the legs from, "That one isn't dead yet."

Talsira rubbed the base of her horns, "That's... Look let's go to the guild and we'll talk."

Ragthur looked like he had been chewing lemons. "Look, I understand that you like having Independence, but if your actions are interfering with official missions then it could cause animosity with some of our more volatile members. All I'm asking is that you at least look at the task board two or three times a week so that you don't step on any toes. If the church found you had delayed one of their orders then they would slap a bounty on you faster then you could blink."

Serena fumed to herself. Who do these people think they are to be able to force something on me? I don't even have the slightest connection to them. And I don't need one.

"Fine. Twice a week. And if someone puts a bounty on me then never expect me to help anyone again."

Ragthur sighed, "Fine, your funeral."

Serena moved to the deepest part of the dungeon she called home, and the most secure.

Reaching out into the Void, she pulled out the shaman she had shoved in earlier that day.

He curled in on himself the moment he appeared, and started hyperventilating.

Serena smiled beatifically at the shivering goblin.

"Now, you seem to be quite knowledgeable about the Void. So here's what's gonna happen...."