Chapter 447: Invasion [13]
Another flask came flying through the air and struck the orc across the back.
The glass shattered on impact, sending more of the corrosive liquid across its body.
The orc let out another agonized scream, its movements becoming even more frantic as it stumbled around, desperately trying to escape the burning sensation spreading across its skin.
Locke, having seen just how effective the liquid inside the flasks was, quickly grabbed one from Talia and threw it at the orc as well.
Unfortunately, his aim wasn’t nearly as good as Flogga’s.
The flask flew past the orc and shattered against the ground, its contents spilling uselessly across the dirt. The orc had been moving back and forth in its agony, making it difficult for Locke to predict where it would be from one moment to the next.
Flogga noticed what he had done and slowly turned toward him.
She gave him a sharp glare.
Locke immediately understood.
He awkwardly lowered his head and retreated farther into the workshop.
Thok, meanwhile, saw that the orc was already struggling to remain on its feet. He moved without hesitation, closing the distance before the creature could recover, and struck both of its ankles in quick succession with his blades.
The orc’s legs gave way beneath it.
It crashed onto the ground, still screaming and squirming as the acid continued burning into its back.
Thok didn’t give it a chance to recover.
He stepped forward and drove his blade straight into the orc’s skull.
The struggling immediately stopped.
The orc lay motionless on the ground.
Thok withdrew his blade from the orc’s skull and quickly jogged back toward Flogga. By the time he reached her, his attention had already shifted toward the surrounding settlement, clearly trying to understand the situation just as much as she was.
"Are you alright, Granny?"
"I’m fine," Flogga replied before looking past him toward the chaos outside. "What is happening? Who is attacking us?"
"I’m not too sure," Thok admitted. "But I heard that one of the goblins we brought into the clan is the reason for all this."
"What?!"
Locke’s startled voice came from behind them.
All three turned toward him.
The moment Locke realized that everyone’s attention had shifted to him, he immediately shrank back, his expression becoming awkward as he slowly retreated toward the interior of the workshop.
Flogga paid little attention to his reaction and instead kept her eyes on Thok.
"Do you know how they got in...?"
"I don’t know, Granny."
"Where..."
Flogga was about to ask another question, but stopped herself when she remembered that Thok had already admitted he didn’t know the specifics. There was little point in pressing him for answers he simply didn’t have, especially with the settlement still under attack.
"No matter. I want you to go around, find the goblins in the area, and bring them here. This place will serve as a second shelter."
Thok nodded in understanding.
"Yes, Granny."
He immediately turned and left, disappearing into the settlement as he went in search of the other goblins.
Once he was out of sight, Flogga brought both palms together and quietly began to pray to Lord Drugar, asking him to let this invasion pass without becoming something that would destroy everything they had built.
But as she prayed, a thought suddenly came to her.
She remembered Eli telling her that he didn’t believe in Drugar and that the goblins shouldn’t either.
Flogga’s hands slowly separated.
For a moment, she simply stared at them before lowering them completely.
If Eli had told them not to rely on Drugar, then she wouldn’t.
Instead, she would believe in him. And herself.
She turned toward Talia.
"Gather all the acid we have, and the explosives as well. Anything that can serve as an offensive tool."
Talia nodded in understanding before immediately getting to work.
Flogga then turned toward Locke.
"What are you standing around for?!"
Locke flinched.
"Go assist her!"
Locke jumped to his feet, following after Talia.
Flogga watched him with a faint frown.
She was obviously still angry with him for wasting one of her acid bombs.
***
The second goblin who had arrived with Wes had managed to capture one of Eli’s goblins, holding him tightly by the neck as he continued his search.
So far, however, he had made no progress in finding the clan’s graveyard.
With no other option, he resorted to interrogating one of the residents.
"Where is the clan’s graveyard?" he asked.
The goblin refused to answer.
The armored goblin narrowed his eyes before his hands began to grow hot, the heat quickly becoming intense enough to burn into the goblin’s flesh.
The captive screamed as the burning sensation spread through his body, but despite the pain, he revealed nothing.
The armored goblin clicked his teeth in frustration.
He was running out of patience.
He tightened his grip, preparing to finish the goblin off.
But before he could, a massive red cleave suddenly tore through the air toward him.
The armored goblin reacted immediately.
His body disappeared just before the attack reached him, allowing the red slash to tear through the space where he had been standing.
The goblin he had been holding dropped to the ground, clutching his injured neck as he groaned in pain.
A moment later, the armored goblin reappeared through a newly formed portal a short distance away, his eyes immediately falling on the two goblins walking toward him.
Kharos and Drel.
He had been allies with the two of them barely a week ago, back when they had fought alongside him. But that had changed after they chose to leave with Caius and join the very goblin who had beaten them both.
He clicked his teeth in distaste as he looked at them.
Pathetic.
Kharos raised a hand and casually waved.
"Long time no see, Vale."
Vale’s lips curled into a smile, but there was nothing genuine about it. If anything, the expression looked forced.
"Likewise."
Kharos then helped the injured goblin back onto his feet, allowing him to steady himself before quickly scurrying away toward the shelter of the nearby buildings.
"I can’t believe this is what you’ve resorted to now." Kharos smiled with only his eyes. "Torturing weaklings."
Vale shook...