Claire shelved that thought before going back to bed. It made a lot of sense, given what Lily told her. Monsters weren't always like how they are now. The rotten smell, eating humans, and maybe the intelligence. But Firewater's kin seemed so close to human intelligence when compared to normal goblins.
Normal goblins were far more primitive. They could grunt and communicate with one another, but using armor or formations was out of the question. Comparing them to the Admiral, who could express emotions, was like night and day. He could get annoyed, show compassion, and was even kind to Claire. That wasn't something most animals could even do.
Normal goblins just cared about their next meal. They were cruel and, while weak individually, usually hunted in groups of 20 or more. The small monsters were easily underestimated due to their small size, leading to adventurers losing to them. If you saw a goblin with a sword or any similar weapon, it meant that some poor woman let her guard down. Otherwise, they used sharpened sticks or their claws to fight.
That was something Jasmine drilled into Claire from early on. Monsters are monsters, no matter how big or small they are. Do not underestimate them. It was only reinforced by Claire's fight with the troll. The moment she thought she could press the advantage, the troll surprised her with its intelligence. Claire lucked out by having a class that specialized in defense, or else she could have died, just like the previous owner of her shield.
That troll's smile and the shield she used were a constant reminder to never, ever let her guard down again. Combine that with the pain she felt after, the numbness before the state of her body dawned on her, and the look of horror on Ana's face, Claire would not be repeating that mistake. They may look like the goblins that treated her with kindness, but they weren't. They were killing innocent people and needed to be put down.
After dealing a brief discussion with the town's mayor, the Scarlet Seraphs headed out. It was roughly two hours to the cave system that the goblins used for a base, so they had time to prepare. Lily and Toni drove, while the rest were in the back discussing the strategy.
It was the first time they'd be fighting with Hannah. While she was experienced in fighting, it was with knights, not adventurers. Knights had more rigorous formations and strategies, while adventurers tended to be more open. Fighting alongside mages would also be new for Hannah, so she'd have to get used to Elsie's spell and cadence.
Thankfully, the mage learned from her first time fighting with Claire. She dedicated numerous hours back in Restol to study how Hannah fought and when best to attack. She didn't want to repeat her mistakes from their first mission, since Hannah could be far less patient than Claire was. She did still ask for forgiveness beforehand, just in case.
As for Ursa, they would let her roam. While they could endlessly drill with the warrior about what to do, she became unpredictable the moment her trance took over. It was a better idea to let her loose instead of trying to control her. Claire could rein her in, but not fully control her. If she was needed, Claire could command her.
That would fix the issues with Hannah and Ursa clashing during battle.
Claire felt better knowing that they wouldn't have any issues. It also made much more sense to have Ursa fight solo as an advanced vanguard, like in their previous fights. She'd be able to push ahead of them without worrying about abandoning Claire or accidentally harming her while in her berserker trance.
They had a simple strategy for this first fight, very similar to their fight with Reyna's crew and Astrid's crew. They'll have Jasmine scout ahead into the cave and get the goblins out. She planned on setting a fire inside the caves to push the goblins out, straight into the rest of the Scarlet Seraphs. This time, they hopefully didn't have to worry about hostages and could just focus on fighting.
If there were humans held captive, they'd have to switch up their plans. Jasmine would return, and based on the number of hostages, she'd lead another prison break or they'd have to enter the caves. If they entered the caves, they'd have to worry more about the twins' safety. Jasmine's movements would be much more restricted, but necessary to protect their backline. Elsie's magic would be heavily restricted inside the cave, but necessary to deal with large groups of goblins. Hannah and Claire would stay close by to protect them and any hostages they find, then Ursa would be leading the charge into the caves.
Claire prayed they didn't have to rescue hostages. If the goblins had hostages, they'd be in a similar state to Astrid's hostages. They'd be used to meet the needs of the goblins, either sexually or for food. Neither option would be very hopeful for the hostages' chance of recovery.
She shuddered. It wasn't a sight she'd want to see or think about.
They all hoped not to find any hostages or their remnants while attacking the cave. It was supposed to be the simplest of their contracts, which was meant to solidify Hannah in their ranks. Hopefully, there would be no divine shenanigans or hostages to free, just killing monsters.
With their plan laid out and their gear thoroughly inspected, they waited until they arrived. They were suited up and ready by the time the carriage stopped. Claire exited the carriage and directed the horses into a nearby thicket. Then, she and the rest of her companions covered the carriage with loose brush and sticks to let it blend in.
Toni and Lily would stay within the carriage, while the rest ventured out. They were well hidden from the road and any potential roaming monster, so their safety was nearly guaranteed. Hannah left them with several weapons just in case, and Lily still had the unstable potions she could use. The horses were also well hidden, with plenty of food and water to keep them occupied.
"Everyone ready?" Claire asked as she looked to her companions. Hannah had heavy steel armor on, contrasting with the rest of the Scarlet Seraphs. Claire was the closest with her hardened leather armor, but the rest had light clothing or no armor at all.
They nodded in response.
"Caves half a mile west," Jasmine explained. She pointed in the direction of the cave and looked at Hannah. "Are you able to move without making too much noise in that?"
Hannah smiled. "I can. Though I will have to go slower than you."
Jasmine pursed her lips. "That'll be fine. You can be a rear guard while we are moving. Just please, do not make too much noise. If we alert them, we lose the element of surprise."
Hannah nodded and put on her helmet. Her armor was stereotypical of a knight's. Hardened steel with her Lady's colors sewn into her underarmor. The Efreit seal on her shield and back. Her armor was anything but shiny, full of scratches and dents from years of use.
"Elsie, Ana," Jasmine turned to the twins next. "If we end up needing to enter the caves, stay close to me. You are our most vulnerable."
The two nodded.
"Elsie, your magic won't be as useful while inside," Jasmine continued. She stared directly at Elsie. "Do not feel like you are doing nothing. Being hasty with your magic could lead to a cave-in or a fire starting. Be patient. Observe. Aid your sister."
Elsie gulped and nodded. "I understand."
"Even if you aren't directly participating, you are another set of eyes and ears," Jasmine explained. She glanced at the rest of the Scarlet Serpahs while talking, "These caves are old. Some paths have already caved in, so that's a warning to the rest of you, too."
"Let's just hope that they don't have any hostages," Hannah added. "I'd rather not see that sight again."
"H-how bad was it?" Ana asked in a shaky tone.
"Still haunts my nightmares," Hannah said with a grim expression. "Just be glad I wasn't with you when you met that human goblin. I don't know if I'd be able to trust him."
Claire shuddered. She had only heard the rumors about goblins' lairs. She'd also like not to have another sight haunt her own nightmares. She had too many already.
Elsie gripped Ana's hand. 'If it's too much for you, close your eyes. I will guide you.'
Ana shook her head. She took a deep breath before replying to her sister. 'I need to be strong.'
Ursa, with her axe slung over her shoulder, let out a yawn. "We ready?"
Claire chuckled and nodded. "Let's get going. The longer we wait, the more chances we give them to spot us."