Chapter 438: Demon city
After the first village, the group came across a handful more along the winding dirt paths. Each one was a little different, one tucked into a ravine with crude bridges stretched across, another nestled around a bubbling spring, another little more than a circle of shacks huddled around a smoking pit.
Everywhere they went, the result was the same. Stalls overflowing with oddities, goods sold for a fraction of their worth in human lands. Soon, everyone’s packs were stuffed full. They were just about to enter the next village when Damon’s warning came true.
A group of goblin brutes stepped out, blocking their path. Their green skin was thick and scarred, their jagged tusks glinting in the dim light. Each one carried crude iron weapons, spiked clubs, rusted cleavers, and even a chain with a hook dragging in the dirt.
The leader, taller than the rest and missing an eye, grinned widely. "Heh. Travelers... and well-fed ones at that. Looks like you’ve been shopping. Why don’t you hand it all over, and maybe we’ll let you walk away with your limbs attached? Oh, and leave those two women behind."
The goblin’s one good eye fixated on Kate and Ellora, and his intentions were clearly visible. It was not just his, but every single goblin’s gaze was locked onto Kate and Ellora, unable to contain their lust.
Kate stiffened, her staff half-raised. "Let me take care of this trash." She snapped.
The goblin leader laughed, loud and cruel. He took a step forward, hand already reaching. "Pretty words. Let’s see how pretty you look with no—" Before he could finish his words, his eyes suddenly became cloudy.
He looked around in a daze and then unexpectedly swung sideways with the jagged cleaver in his hand, not at Damon’s group, but straight into the chest of the goblin standing beside him.
The other brutes howled in shock. "Boss?! What the hell are you doing?!"
But the leader’s face was blank. His chain-wielding comrade tried to pull him back, only to be smashed in the jaw by a savage backhand. The sound of cracking bone echoed through the path.
And it was not just him. All of a sudden, one by one, goblins here and there started fighting with each other. All of them seemed to have completely forgotten about the vampires they had wanted to rob. Instead, they were tearing each other apart in madness.
Kate blinked, staff lowering slightly. "What... what just happened?"
Blood sprayed in the air as the goblins hacked into one another, snarling and screaming like rabid beasts. Weapons clanged, tusks cracked, and bodies fell to the dirt, the once-organized band of brutes collapsing into chaos.
Damon watched calmly with his arms folded. A satisfied smile curved across his lips. "Sorry," he said lightly, almost as if he were apologizing for stepping on someone’s shoe. "I wanted to test out one of my skills."
Kate’s mouth fell open. Since when did he have such a powerful skill? Even Mark looked shocked. Only Ellora and Kaelthorn did not seem surprised at all.
The final goblin stumbled forward, one arm dangling uselessly from his torn shoulder. His cloudy gaze flickered toward Damon for a brief moment, as if recognizing the puppeteer behind his frenzy. But before he could speak or even scream, his throat opened under his own blade. He collapsed face-first into the dust, twitching once before going still.
The path was silent again, littered with bloodless corpses.
"Ughh." Damon winced. "Goblin blood hands down tastes the worst." He turned away from the carnage and started walking casually, his cloak brushing against the dirt. "Come on, guys. We don’t have all day. I want to reach the closest city before the reset."
Everyone started walking again, quickly forgetting about the goblins and focusing on what they could buy from the markets. The shopping spree began again, and the group went crazy, buying everything they could.
Damon had half a mind to send Riven and Kaelthorn around to bunch more demon villages to buy up everything, but he then decided against it. These things could wait. They had to keep their eye on the main prize. Otherwise, all they would have gained here would be a bunch of gold coins.
Another couple of hours went by in a jiffy, and the group finally arrived at the first demon city. "Alright. This time, we really have to keep a low profile. You guys can still buy things, but make sure that you buy only a small quantity. Hit different shops at different times and so on. We will be staying here for a couple of days, so you have time."
Everyone was surprised. "We will be staying here?" Kate asked. "Weren’t we in a hurry?"
Damon smiled. "Well, if we are lucky, then our two days here should shorten our journey by weeks. So it will be worth it."
Kate did not understand.
"Let’s go somewhere private before continuing our conversation." Damon ushered the group to the city gates, where a few demon brutes were standing.
One of them, a hulking creature with tusks jutting sideways and half his face covered in burn scars, sneered as the group approached. "Why are you bunch of bloodsuckers here?"
"Just crossing by. Will leave in a couple of days." Damon smiled politely.
The brute snorted, lifting his spear lazily. "Entrance fee is ten copper for a bloodsucker." He said it slowly, savoring the words as if he’d just named an impossible amount. His fellows snickered.
Damon did not laugh. He allowed the little demon to have his day. He simply tilted his head, eyes gleaming faintly crimson, and handed over the coins without protest. The copper clinked into the brute’s clawed palm.
Damon then walked forward along with the rest of the group. The bunch of demon brutes snickered amongst themselves and shouted a few threats, but they did not bother them anymore.
"Now, let’s find a nice little inn and try the local cuisine, shall we?"