Blighted Welcome

"Be ready to say hello." I said.

They nodded

I kept my stride loose, casual, hands visible. Shadowheart to my left, her fingers brushing the hilt of her weapon in a way that looked almost absentminded. Lae'zel was on my right, every muscle in her body ready. Karlach stayed just behind me, her broad frame glowing softly with the heat of her inner fire.

The buildings around us loomed crooked and hollow, shingles scattered like dried leaves across the ground and the stink of mildew and mold was thick in the air.

I knew of them before I ever saw them.

"Four on the roof," I murmured, loud enough for the girls to hear, "and one in the window to the north."

As we neared the square, the one in the open window shifted. A small, wiry frame, peeking out behind a shattered curtain.

"Shadowheart," I said with a grin and a sideways wink, "check out our little peeper."

She arched an eyebrow, but gave a quick nod and loosened her grip on her mace, readying a firebolt.

Then came the voice, loud and nasal.

"Oi! You down there! Make yerself known or we paint the square red! You with of the Absolute, or just meat?"

A female goblin stepped into view on a rooftop, clutching a shortbow, her toothy grin all threat and malice.

"I'm Tav," I said, lifting my chin. "And yes, I am."

She narrowed her eyes. "You don’t look like one."

I shrugged. "Not all of us look the part."

"Hmph. Arrows up!" she barked, and the goblins took aim

Damn.

Thinking fast, I raised my hand. "Wait. I can pay. Gold. For safe passage."

That got her attention. Her ears twitched.

"Toss it here, then," she sneered.

I let out a soft laugh. "The bag's too heavy to throw. It’d take at least two of you just to carry it."

She hesitated, then barked, "Baska! Come with me."

She clambered down a rickety wooden ladder at the side of the building, another goblin following close behind, both eyes gleaming with greed. That left two archers up top, one still framed in the window.

"Lae'zel. Karlach," I said quietly, "give the goblins their due."

In the same breath, I flicked my wrists, loosing two bolts of compelling blast. The pink bolts of eldritch energy struck both rooftop goblins, not strong enough to kill, but powerful enough to pull. They screamed as they pitched forward, crashing into the street below with a meaty thud.

Before the one in the window could react, a burst of flame roared through the frame—Shadowheart’s firebolt striking with deadly precision. The upper floor erupted in sparks and smoke, the goblin's scream brief and horribly satisfying.

Down on the ground, the two greedy fools barely had time to register what was happening. Karlach charged first. The goblin didn’t even get to scream before she cleaved it in two.

Lae'zel followed, her new Paladin blade ready for the first test, slicing the second in a brutal, elegant motion that ended with a wet snap.

Silence fell.

Then came the familiar chime followed by a pop-up.

[experience gained]

Karlach lowered her axe, panting with excitement. "That was so cool! Did you see that? Tav, you yanked them right off the roof!"

"I did," I said with a smirk. "You and Lae'zel make a good duo."

Lae’zel scoffed, cleaning her blade with calm efficiency. "They were sloppy. We were not."

Shadowheart stepped up beside me, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. A slight smile tugged at her lips. "That firebolt felt good. That was a challenging aim."

"You're a really good shot," I said, slightly surprised. She is not usually known for her high precision with firebolt.

"Maybe I'm borrowing a bit of your... clarity," she said with a wink.

We stood amidst the ruined street, the broken bodies of goblins cooling around us. The village creaked with an unnatural stillness, like it was holding its breath.

I glanced around, senses still sharp. "That was the welcome committee. Odds are they weren’t alone."

"Then let’s not linger," Karlach said, already scanning for movement.

Lae’zel nodded. "The weak die first. But the clever hide."

We pressed forward slowly, weapons drawn, alert.

We heard it before we saw it—deep, guttural voices rumbling, accompanied by the unmistakable sounds of chewing, smacking, and bones cracking. We crept forward, stepping over a collapsed beam and ducking into the shadow of a ruined house. Whatever was ahead, it wasn't subtle.

Inside, hunched around a blackened cooking spit, were three ogres. Massive, filthy, and easily ten feet tall. One tore into a roasted tiefling leg with disturbing glee, while another licked greasy fingers with a fat tongue. The girls tensed. Shadowheart's eyes flicked to me for a cue. Lae'zel's knuckles whitened around her hilt. Karlach looked utterly horrified, her lips parted in shock.

I stood up, dusted myself off, and stepped out into the open with a grin. "Hi guys!" I called cheerfully.