"Good, I will tell you how. First," Grom raised one of his fingers up, "you lure them into a dark cave glowing with mosses. Then you strangle them, but I prefer hitting them with a huge pickaxe, you know the type that people use in the mines."
Grom took a step forward while Joe took a step backwards.
"After bashing their brains in with the pickaxe, you leave the body; beasts would find them and then devour the body, and voila, you are clear to go; no one would suspect you."
"Hahaha," Joe let out a dry laugh as he slowly backed away, his eyes looking straight at Grom for any sudden movement.
"I... I did-didn't know th-that you had a funny bone. You have humour, a dark, unsettling humour, you know. Nice joke, by the way."
"Who said it's a joke?"
"What?" Joe shouted, his body shivering uncontrollably.
"Who said it was a joke?" Grom's face was serious. "I have done it a few times, to people who talk about my wife's body and for those trying to steal her from me."
"Uhhmm, Grom, about earlier, I was just joking. You know me, I am too dumb," by now Joe was already sweating buckets.
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really, so please, please don't bash my head in," tears were already streaming down his eyes with snort in the mix. "I don't wanna die!"
By now, his sobbing had become audible.
"Hahahaha, look at you, Joe, so scared! It was all a joke."
"What?"
"I was joking, you big baby," Grom said as he held his belly while laughing. "I can't believe you fell for that."
"You bastard, that wasn't funny," Joe hurriedly wiped his tears and snot.
"Yeah, it was."
"That was an awful joke; you got me thinking that I would die."
"Oh, come on, it's a joke, unless you keep talking about my wife, then it might come to pass, who knows," Grom shrugged.
"Yeah, whatever, creep."
....
"Hey, look, it's Ajax," a little voice said.
"Ajaxxxx!!"
"I'm here and ready to play," Ajax had his hands wide spread, a smile plastered on his lips.
A group of kids came running to him.
"What are we playing today?" a little girl's voice chimed.
Looking to the left, he saw a little girl of roughly his height, with her hair packed; beside her was a boy a little taller than him.
"Cecil, Eve," his smile turned brighter. "How about we play monsters and knights?"
Monsters and knights was a simple game; it was exactly how the name implied. Some would act as monsters, and others would act as civilians whom the monsters would pursue; then the last sect would be the knights who would save the civilians.
"Oh, monsters and knights are a good pick," Eve said.
"Like always," Cecil rolled his eyes.
This was the game a lot of kids loved; it symbolised what they wanted. All the kids here wanted to be knights in the future to fend off and fight monsters and humans and defend their people.
Above ground, in another location, a meeting was being held in a huge hall.
"Calvin," a middle-aged man in regal clothing sitting on a throne called out to a group of people kneeling in front.
"Yes, my king," Calvin responded, his head bowed down, not daring to look up.
"I am trusting you to lead this team and go exterminate those pests," the man said, his eyes cold just like his voice.
"Yes, my king," Calvin responded.
"You can rise," the king said.
Calvin and the rest of his squad stood up, a fire lit in their eyes, the need to prove themselves to the world and the king. This was especially so for Calvin, since the king was his father; he wanted to do more than just impress his father.
"I will send Eren and Armin after you."
"But my king, I don't need anyone looking after me..."
"Silence! Did I give you permission to talk?" The king fixed his cold eyes on Calvin, a cold aura spreading around him and forcing Calvin and his companions to their knees.
"I... I'm sorry, m-my ki-king," Calvin managed to squeeze those words out of his teeth.
That aura was overwhelming; he couldn't breathe or move his body.
Finally, the aura eased up. "I'm not sending them to protect you. You're going into those monsters' den, and there might be reinforcements from the lower layers; you wouldn't be able to handle them, so Eren and Armin are there to take care of them. Mind you, if you are in danger when fighting those things, Eren and Armin wouldn't step in if they are on your level; they are not there to babysit you nor anyone. Is that clear?" His cold voice rolled over them.
"Yes, my king," Calvin bowed down.
"You're dismissed," he waved them off.
"Let's go," Calvin screamed as he turned around.
After they all left, Eren and Armin turned to the king.
"My king," a man with black hair and broad shoulders gave a small bow. He was Eren.
"Hmm? What is it, Eren?"
"Are you sure that we shouldn't intervene if Calvin's life is at stake?"
"Yes, I'm sure; a warrior can only be built while undergoing trials."
"Very well, my king," Eren then turned to the blonde man beside him. "Armin, let's go."
They both gave a bow before leaving.
The king was left in his throne room.
Outside the palace, a small army stood; at their forefront were Calvin and his squad.
"What kept you guys so long?" Calvin asked as he turned to Eren and Armin.
"Ahh, little prince, we are sorry for the short delay," Eren gave a small smile.
"Each time we waste is a time those vile things keep on living and breathing; do you understand?"
"And you are wasting our time with this boring speech," Armin said from the side, his body lazily leaning on a pillar.
Calvin glanced over at Armin.
"I'm sorry, little prince, but Armin ate something bad. Pardon his bad manners," Eren chuckled.
Calvin stayed silent for a while before growling.
"Men!" he screamed, his voice travelling the distance and drawing the soldiers' attention. "Today we have a mission, a vital mission. We have been ordered, by the King no less, to ride into our enemy's caves and exterminate them. We will kill everything on sight; we will exterminate those vermin, and we will win!" he screamed at the top of his voice.
His speech made the soldiers' hearts pump fast as they got ready for battle.
"So tell me, are you ready to bring destruction to our enemy? Are you ready to lay your life down for the Kingdom? ARE YOU READY?!!!" He raised his sword up.
"WE ARE READY!" The soldiers screamed with excitement.
"Go! Now, let's ride!" Kicking the side of his horse, the animal let out a loud neighing sound; its front hooves raised up and then slammed down, sending dust everywhere.
"KILL!" Calvin shouted as his horse took off running.
"KILL!" The excited soldiers screamed as they followed behind him.
The sound of the horses' feet pounding the ground sent shockwaves as the earth rumbled and quaked.
They rode their horses toward the gate as people came out to see them off.
"Kill those demons!"
"Destroy them!"
"Kill, kill them all!"
The people shouted in excitement as they saw the knights passing through the gates
Below ground, the goblins had no idea that their rate had been sealed.
"Finally done," Kael wiped the beads of sweat from her eyebrows. A sweet smile was plastered on her lips.
"Mom! I'm hungry!"
"The prodigal son has returned," walking toward the stone door, Kael saw her son. As usual, he was covered from head to toe in dirt.
"Hmmm," Ajax took a deep breath as he inhaled the sweet aroma that permeated the house. "That smells like... is that Groolock?" Ajax's eyes twinkled.
His little feet ran into the kitchen but were stopped by an unmovable barrier: his mother.
"Ajax!" Kael called out in a stern voice.
"Yes, Mum," he looked up at his mother's face.
"To the bathroom, now!"
"But Mum!"
"No buts. To the bathroom now. You need to go wash off that grime; you stink," Kael pointed to the bathroom with one hand, the other hand pinching her nose.
"Okay," he already knew that he had lost. No matter what he said, she wouldn't allow him to eat until he had taken his bath.
Ajax rushed to the bathroom; the thought of his favourite dish made his body shake.
"And make sure you take your bath well. If you rush, I will send you back to take a bath, so it's better for you to slow down. The dish isn't going anywhere."
Ajax had to force himself to calm down as he took his bath.
"Groolock, Groolock, Groolock, oh my sweet Groolock, lalalala Groolock," he sang as he took his bath.
"I'm done, Mum!" Not waiting to hear a response, he rushed to the dining area where the food was and started digging into it.
"Ajax, slow down, or else you will choke."