Chapter three

Clearing my head as I rode toward Hendrick farm. The fact Alice kisses him keeps his mind occupied until he reaches Hendrick's road. The Old Fart owns about ten thousand acres of land compared to Alice's six hundred and forty acres. Over two thousand head of cattle and nine deckhands, he ran a tight ship. All the help live on the farm at two bunkhouses.

Hendrick is old school. He grew his own food for him, his family, and his animals. Ran horses instead of ATV like he still living in the wild west, and for his seventy-six years of age, I hope I am as active. His wife, Martha, is a kind woman and has a submissive nature, and her daughter Kimberly and her children Ash and Freddy live on the farm. Kimberly's husband ran off with some floozy when he realized Mr. Hendrick wasn't going to let go of the farm or the money. The Old man also has a son Harry, and the boy's wife, Jenny, and their two children, Lela and Beth. The son is a piece of shit, Lives off his old man on drugs. If not for Jenny keeping the family together, who knows what would have happened. God bless the woman.

They live in Fulton, a population of two hundred people that is only three miles away by the crow fly and about four miles by road. The Silo is south of the town, employing about twenty people in the summer months and about half in winter. The Silo sits on the west side of the road before you get to piney creek, a small creak that you can fish and swim in but is unsuitable for canoeing.

The old man does not speak to his son. Martha sends money to the boy, but it goes to his habit while Jenny works at the Silo to barely survive. Overall, Mr. Hendrick is an ass and mean on top of that. He runs his spread like a cattle baron of old and not above stealing a foot or two of his neighbors land. He would not stop at anything to take Alice's place or Patrick's place if he could get away with it. You might say that Mr. Hendrick is not Jason's favorite person.

Turning down the road, he came upon the ranch with bodies of goblins spread out on the ground and the people standing around. The old man Hendrick came walking toward him as he rode up.

"Anyone hurt?" Jason asks, looking around and not seeing one of the men that work there. Two female deckhands stood over a goblin body with pitchforks. Looking around at the men all holding shovels and hoes. Not seeing any hunting bows or machetes.

"Clark dead, the bastards swarm him first, he gave off a yell to warn us all. After that, a strange fucking screen appears." Hendrick spats.

"All I know, there are more of these goblins." Pointing at the dead goblins. "Alice and I took care of fourteen of them. If you touch them, you get some loot." Hopping down and walking over to the Hobgoblin and touch it. It asks me if I wish to loot and seeing the Kingdom orb. I grab it. Seeing twelve copper bits and an arm bracer on it. I left them and only took the orb. Stepping back and wave the old man forward, he touches the Hobgoblin, and it fades away.

"Say stats to get to see your stats sheet like a game and if anyone level. You can add stats that you have unused." Watching everyone's eyes go unfocused for a few minutes, the old man shook his head.

"Jimmy cricket, I have not felt this good in years." Turning to his wife, "I put it in mostly physique and a little into dexterity and man I feel younger." in fact, he looks like he had turned the Ccock back to when he was in his early sixty.

As his wife's eyes went unfocused for a moment, the age on her face turned back to when she was in her fifties. The moving of her shoulder as if looking for the pain she looked surprised when it didn't show. Thinking she dump most into the physique.

Hopping on the horse. "Hendrick, I need to check out your field between us and see how many groups came through.

One of the cowhands steps forward. "Four groups came through, two of them headed your way and one toward the Patrick place. I backtrack the creatures back to the spot they appear. Only four creatures are heading to Patrick's place. The prints are about the size of that big one Mr. Hendrick killed." pointing at where the Hobgoblin was.

"Right, I head that way, you might want to get your horses and follow encase I fail, and they come here." Not ready to talk about Alice bunker or the orbs. Not trusting Hendrick as far as he can throw him. Considering they knew two groups of goblins were heading toward Alice's place. Shaking his head. Who needs enemies when you have neighbors like that.

Turning the horse around and headed off down the road as the night was coming on. Ten minutes riding, I slowed down as I saw four creatures yelling at the house, waving swords. Another arrow slams into the lead Hobgoblin, which holds a wood shield with several arrows are pinned into it. Three of the Hobgoblin look like warriors, but the fourth one has a wooden staff waving in the air. And wearing bones and feathers in his hair. Pulling out the loaded crossbow and taking aim at the creature's head, I pull the trigger. All the years of hunting with a bow or crossbow allow me to get both turkey and deer and once even a duck. Shooting a person not moving is easy. It is when the rest start to move that will become a problem. The crossbow bolt hits the back of the creature's head just as his staff lit up, and he fell forward as his staff caught the Hobgoblin in front of him on fire. Slipping my crossbow back into my storage and grab my saber. I nudge my horse into a gallop as another arrow slams into the back of the Hobgoblin that turns in surprise at his buddy catching fire. The look of horror on its face as he fell forward. The last Hobgoblin never heard me galloping toward him over the screaming of his burning friend until my saber bit down upon the back of his neck. After a few feet, I stop and turn the horses and rush forward and slash the now stun Hobgoblin again, knocking him back into the burning Hobgoblin.

You have killed a hobgoblin! Exp. Gain nineteen exp!

You have killed a hobgoblin! Exp. Gain nineteen exp!

You have killed a hobgoblin shaman! Exp. Gain twenty exp!

'Quest: Save your neighbor. Check on your neighbor and kill any creature attacking them.

Save or check on the Hendrick (1/1)

Save or check on the Patrick (1/1)

Reward 100 experience and a Kingdom Orb.

100 Honor.

Reaching down and touching the hobgoblins with arrows, he saw a Kingdom orb in the list. Looking over the rest of the items, that seems to be another arm bracer on the warriors. The Hobgoblin he sliced had an orb also and skill book called Thrust. He checked the other brunt-smoldering creature with his glove hand and looted the orb and the one bracer. The Shaman has four books. Two of the books are called Flame Strike, another has Minor heal, and the third has a Light spell and a fourth orb. Grunting as he put them away. All total, there is fifteen copper and one silver on the Shaman. Alice will get the healing book. The two hobgoblins both had bracers and ten copper bits each. Still hate the goblin ears, but he holds them to see if they have a use. Out of the group, he ends up getting two short swords and two shields. Three leather armor and two daggers.

"I guess one was a thief. Poor one at that couldn't sneak around to get them from the side." shaking his head. Staring at the dagger.

Dagger

Low

Damage 3

Backstab Damage 6 + skill

Durability 13/15

Not bad for a starter weapon. I have not yet look at the shortswords yet putting the dagger away and pulling out a shortsword.

Shortsword

Low

Damage 6

Durability 13/15

Better than the dagger, it must be because it is low quality. So far, I saw Poor, Low, and Good quality. I'm guessing they're a few between low and good. Maybe something lower than poor,