Alderick continues walking through the Northern Plains. It stretches farther than he had thought. The sight of the Dragon Mountains seems to not get any closer no matter how far he walks. He looks up towards the sun to see its positioning, in which it is at its highest peak, signifying that it's midday. He looks around his surrounding. He could make out a few buildings scatter around the plains. There’s so many farms out here, and yet the one I need to go to is the farthest one away. He thought to himself. He lets out a sigh, and continues on the road. He eventually reaches a fork in the road.

According to the directions, to reach the farm, instead of taking either paths, you had to continued onward through the grass, until you have nearly reach the forest. Al could see a makeshift path where it looks as if people had walked on through the grass, and assume that was the way he needed to go. As he walked on the grass, a single thought came to mind. I wonder how many Bladed Grass I have step over already. Not like I can tell, they just look like grass. As he continued to walk, he notice a huge boulder nearby as he was walking by. Onces he got to the other side, he notice that there was actually two boulders, but the second one was only half as tall, and had a flat top, with a what looked like the top of the second boulder lying on the side, as if to imply someone had cut the boulder in two. After another hour or so, he could see a farmhouse in the distance, a little distance away from the forest. That looks like the farm. He thought, relieved that he reached it before evening.

As Al walks towards the farm, he notice someone tilling the field, as well as what he assumed to be a chicken coop at the center of the field. He approached the person to ask if he was the one who had sent the request to the guild. “Ex-excuse me sir?” Al said, still a little nervous around strangers. The person stood straight and looked at Al. It was an elderly man with a hard tan, surely from working in the fields all day. “Can I help you boy?” He asked. “I’m… from the adventurer’s guild. I’m here to inquire more about the request you sent to the guild.” Al replied while trying to hand the request paper to the old man, a little cautious because of the fact that the old man looks like he had his eyes closed, but his head was following Al as Al approached. The old man grabs the paper, and gave it a quick look. “Ah yes. I did send a request a few days ago."

"The other day my daughter saw a goblin ran off with one of our chickens. The following day a few more of our chickens have gone missing as well and also just this morning, so I’m sure it was the work of the same goblin. I simply want you to track it down and kill it. Bring back both its ear as proof to the guild and you can then accept your reward.” The old man says, as he turns and point towards the forest. “My daughter told me that it ran off into the forest when it stole our first chicken, so I’m sure that it had made its nest somewhere in there.” “Ok sir. I will go and deal with this goblin as fast as I can.” Al replied, as he started walking towards the forest. “Oh, and one more thing.” The old man said as Al had almost reached the forest. “I haven’t seen my daughter since yesterday as well. I’m sure she is probably playing in the forest, or got lost. It’s more likely that she's playing, since, even though I haven’t seen her, she had done her usual morning chores this morning.” Al nodded, and made his way into the forest.

The forest was filled with wild vegetations and the ground was uneven due to all the roots of the trees, making it hard for Al to walk through. After searching for awhile, he came to a sudden end of the trees. He had made it to the base of the mountain. There was a steep cliff just in front of him. Clearly, if you want to go up the mountain, this surely wasn’t the path you’d take. He was just about to turn back into the forest when he noticed a small cave at the bottom of the cliff, just a little away from his right. He walked towards the cave, and as he drew closer, he notice a foul stench in the air near the entrance to the cave. He gave a quick look inside to see complete darkness. This must be where the goblin’s nest is at. But if I go in, he’ll see me from afar, while I only see complete darkness. Too easy for him to set an ambush on me. And if there’s more than one, I have very little chance of escaping.

Al debated on what his next step to be. He looked back at the forest, and then up nearby trees. One of the tree look easy to climb and can provide a good ambush spot for when the goblin decides to come outside. Satisfied with his idea, Al moved towards the base of the tree. Took another look up and then towards the cave. No sign of the goblin, but he doesn’t know when the goblin might come out or if he was already outside and was on his way home. He gave a quick glance around, and then quickly climbed the tree. Once he reached a sturdy looking branch, he sat there, and pulled out his new dagger he had just gotten from Gendrol, and waited. After a long wait, Al notice something pops out of the cave. A goblin.

The goblin looks around cautiously, and then started sniffing the air. Luckily, Al was downwind and on higher ground, so no matter how good of a sense of smell it may have, it should not be able to smell him. Once it was finish looking around, the goblin started walking towards the forest. Towards the tree Al was waiting in. Once it got close enough, Al jumped down with his dagger aimed at the goblin’s head. It immediately looked up and saw Al coming down, and quickly jumped back, but also fell backwards to the ground in the process. Al’s ambushed had missed, but it means little, since he can still easily deal with a goblin on it’s back. He leaps forward and again aimed for the head for a quick kill. In that moment, the goblin raised its hand as if signaling for Al to wait. Al didn’t hesitate, and his dagger plugged deeped into the head of the goblin from the bottom. It struggle hard to push Al back, but to no avail. Al then pulls his knife out, and seeing that the goblin was still twitching, stabs the goblin a few times in the chest. Once the goblin stopped moving Al got up and looked down on the creature.

First quest done. Now to just cut off the ear and return to the guild. Al was just about to crouch down when he felt a sudden blow to the left side of his head. He falls down to the ground, and dazed for a second. He looks at the entrance of the cave, and there was another goblin, slinging a sling with another rock, about ready to throw it at Al again. Al rolls into the cover of the tree. His head now bleeding, his breathing hard, and still a little dazed from the sudden blow to the head. He took another glance at the cave when, THUD!. Another rock was thrown, but this time it hit the tree. The goblin then picked up another rock, loaded it, and then starting to swing the sling again. Judging from the time it took to ready the sling, and the distance to between them, Al figured that at most the goblin could fire 3 more shots before Al could reach him. He then stood up, and ready himself.

First, Al unfastion his short sword from his waist, and throws it, distracting the goblin, which had thrown a rock towards it. Al then immediately dashes out towards the goblin. Al was now halfway to the goblin when it readies its second shot, aim and throw. Al dodges it to the side and kept running towards the goblin. Starting to panic, the goblin frantically reached for a rock. But alas, there was none near him capable of doing any damage to the person charging at him. It turns and was about to run back into the cave, when Al catches him from behind and stabs him in the back with his dagger. The goblin falls to the ground. Al took a look at the goblin and notice it was smaller than the first goblin. It was a child goblin, probably a day old.

Al then remembers what the old farmer said. “I haven’t send my daughter since yesterday.” A look of horror showed on Al faces as he looks into the cave. Goblins have a high fertility rate, and a fast growth. He debated on going in to possibly search and rescue the daughter, or to return and report to the guild for if there are too many goblins, he is not capable of handling them all on his own. He had to take the chance, it would take too long to return to the guild and then come back with a party. He dashes back to pick up his short sword, and then wipes the blood of his dagger. He then prepares to enter the goblin cave.

Al stares into the darkness of the cave. He had not brought any torches for he didn’t think he would be entering a cave. He thought for a moment, and then decided he shouldn’t hesitate in this situation. Although he was not proficient in Holy magic, but was still capable in casting a few holy spells. “Spark of Light” Al yelled, as he holds his hand together as if he started a prayer. From the inside of his hands, came a bright glow. He then opens his hands and a small ball of light appeared from his hands, and started to drift upwards. This spell will light my way through the cave, but since it is a holy spell, it’ll drain my mana too fast. The longest I can activate it for is less than ten minutes. I must move quickly.

Al then started walking into the cave quickly, listening for any sounds of movement, and focusing hard on every corner. It wasn’t long before he reached a big room. There he saw three more child goblins. Much, much smaller than the other child goblin. At most a few hours old. The biggest of the three sees Al, and then grabs a nearby huge rock and charges towards Al, whilst yelling something. Another ran towards the back of the room towards a door. The last was too small, probably still too young to even walk. Al quickly kills the one running towards him, and then runs after the one who was running away, fearing that it might be running to alert other possible goblins. He catches the goblin moments before it could reached the door. He throws him to the ground and then stabs it repeatedly. Once it stopped squiming about, Al gets up and moved towards the last one.

Al hesitated a little. He knew that what he was killing were mere childrens. Monsters. But still childrends. They aren’t even a week old. The last goblin could only stare up towards Al, not even making a sound. Its face didn’t even showed fear or sadness. It doesn’t even know what Al was, or what just happen or was going to happen. Al couldn’t look the goblin in the eyes. He crouch down, cover its eyes, and then gave it a quick stab to the heart. It was a quick death. And hopefully painless. Al was about to stand up when he hears a deafening screech from behind him. He quickly stands up and turns around to see yet another goblin standing in front of the door as if it was just on the other side of it.

This one was smaller than the first goblin, but clearly also an adult. It was holding a huge meat cleaver in one hand, and a chicken on the other. There was something unique of this goblin. It had long curly hair while all the other ones had been bald so far. Before Al can analyze it any further, the goblin throws the chicken at him. He knocks it aside. Right as he did, he saw that the goblin had already gotten right in front of him, swinging down the cleaver. Al grabs the hand and then shoulder throw her down to the ground. He then got a clear look at the goblin’s face. He was shocked to see it showed emotions. Anger, hatred and… sadness. There was tears rolling down the goblins eyes. It then started yelling something. At the same time, it seems it has given up the fight as it had dropped the cleaver from its hands. It looked as if the goblin had starting wailing. Again, it shouted.

Al didn’t know what to do. In his confusion, he let go of the goblins hand. Afraid that it would take this chance to grab the cleaver again, Al took a leap back. But instead, the goblin raises its hands and cover its face, still lying down on its back and sobbing harder than before. Al could only look at this sobbing goblin. He recognised this feeling that the goblin is displaying. The feeling of despair. The feeling of having lost your family. It is a goblin. A monster. Monsters have no feeling, for they feel nothing. But… just what is this. Al could do nothing but watch as it continues to cry. It eventually sat up. It glares at Al, face full of anger and tears. And then it just keep shouting the same thing again and again to Al. It doesn’t look like it intends to fight anymore. In fact, it looks like its begging Al to kill her too. Al couldn’t do anything. He took a step closer. Monster. And then another step. It’s a monster. And then the last step in front of the goblin. It is a monster. There is no need to feel pity for it. Al raises his dagger. It is a monster that will eventually hurt humans. He strikes down.

Al stood there for a moment, lost in thought. It wasn’t until his little light source started flickering that he came back to his senses. He looked at his spark of light. I’m running out of mana. I must hurry and find the daughter and then leave the cave. He turns and runs to the door. Locked. He started kicking on the door hard. It didn’t open. He then runs to the wall on the opposite side, and then started running towards the door. He shoves the door with all his momentum. It became loose, but still closed. He does it again and manages to break through. Inside was a smaller room. Al stood up in disbelieve. Around the room was broken pieces of wood, crates, dead chickens and a few tools and crude looking nails lying around. But no daughter. No other doors. No other paths. He turns to look at the last goblin he killed, and then finally realised what it was. It wasn’t a goblin. It was a goblette, a female goblin. They haven’t taken the daughter. It was simply a goblin and goblette starting a family.

Al walked over to look at the goblette again. Al could still feel the despair from it. The anger, hatred, and sadness. Every feeling that it had shown him in its last moment. All the emotions that he had brought out of a monster.Al's light flickers again, reminding him that time was running out. He quickly cut off the ears of all four, and then made his way out. Once he got outside, he cancel his spell so that he can slowly regain his mana. He looks at the last two goblins, which he hadn’t cut the ears off of. He cuts off the child goblin then walks over to the adult. As he started to cut the ears off, a hammer fell out of its pocket. Al sees it, and picks it up to examine. Believing that the goblin had stolen it from the farm as well, he takes it with him.

Al walks through the forest, and reaches the outskirts of the farm. The old farmer was feeding his chickens when he spots Al. “Hey boy! Did you find the goblin?!” He yelled while waving his arms in the air at Al. Al quietly walks over to the farmer, then shows all the goblin ears. “Blessed divines! How many of them were there?! And you killed them all by yourself?!” Al nodded. He then reaches to his pouch and pulls out the hammer. “My hammer! I lost this hammer days ago, where do you find it?” The farmer exclaimed. “The goblin. I think he might have taken it from your farm.” Al said quietly. “Damn goblins, not just my chickens, but my tools too? Oh, by the way, did you find my daughter?” Al shook his head.

“No. I couldn’t find her.” As Al said this he notice someone approaching them from the south. “Father, I’m back.” “Lisa! Where have you been?!” The farmer yelled as he runs up to her. She knocks him down. “ What do you mean where I’ve been? YOU sent me to Trisdia two days ago to sell stuff and use the money to buy wood planks to fix the shed!” She yelled. “What? I did? But the shed is already fix. I thought you fix it this morning before you ran off to play or something.” He replied. “How can I fix it when I wasn’t even here?!” She yelled back. Al looked over to the shed. There was one question that came to his mind. “If they didn’t fix it… who did?” He walks over to the shed and examine it.

At the back he notice a part of it was a different color. He looked closely at it. The wood looks old, but sturdy. And the nails were rather crude. He remembers where he saw some similar wood and nails that look like this. Back at the goblin’s nest. No. It’s impossible. Monsters wouldn’t do this. The old man must have just fixed it and forgotten. The goblins must have just stolen the stuff that's at the nest. That has to be it. Al tells himself. But they were merely words to convince himself that monsters are monsters. “What are you looking at?” Al was surprised from this, and stood up quickly. It was the daughter. “N-nothing. I just thought I’d come check the coop for the damage you guys were talking about.” “Oh ok.” She looks down at it. “Huh… it really did get fix.” Al nods. He then went back to the farmer.

“Um… Since I have slain the goblin, I will return back to the guild to report it.” Al told the farmer. “Oh ok. Thank you very much boy. Those monsters sure are pests. If only we could get rid of them all.” The farmer says as he pats Al on the back. “Well, but then again, you’d be out of a job.” He added as he starting laughing out loud. Al just showed a uninterested smile. Al started walking back to town from the farm. “Hey.” A voice called. Al turns to see the daughter again. “It’s almost sundown. How about you stay here until morning” She ask, smiling. “It’s the least we can do for what you’ve done for us.” Al thought for a bit. “No thanks. I still have some stuff I need to do along the way. And I wouldn’t want to impose on you guys.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah. And I think I still have some time, so I might be able to reach halfway before night falls.” Al replied and showed an awkward smile back. “Ok, if you are sure about it. Thanks again. If you see me again, come say hi.” She said as she waved goodbye to Al. “Ok. I will.” Al headed out.

Al has now again started walking through the Northern Plains. But this time, his head was filled with thoughts of everything that happened during the hunt. Goblins are monsters. Monsters are bad. They have no emotions. They are no better than wild beast. Even worse that wild beasts. There's no such thing as a good monster. And as such, no such thing as a good goblin. They stole a chicken. And then some tools. Eventually their greed would have gotten bigger. It would’ve been a sheep next. Then a cow. And then… humans. I did the right thing by killing them all. Al was completely lost in thoughts that he failed to realised it was already nighttime.

When Al finally realised this. He started to look for a place to sleep. Then he saw the two boulders he passed on the way. Deciding that the boulder might be a good place to sleep, he climbs on top of it and tried to sleep. But his mind was still occupied by the goblins. How the first goblin looked like it didn’t want to fight. How the baby goblin died without even knowing what was even happening. How the goblette looked like at the end. They are monsters. I did the right thing. Monsters need to be killed so that people can live peacefully. Monsters need to be destroyed. So that a husband and wife and grow a happy family. Monsters need to be eradicated so that kids can live a life free of danger and fear… I did the right thing. The face of each of the goblins pops to his mind again. No… they weren’t the only monsters in that cave.

I'm a monster too.