"Lyra, what the fuck!" I shouted as we ran through the forest in search of Isobel. Considering all the loud bangs and goblin cries sounding from all around us, it was a surprise we hadn't found her yet.
"I'm sick and tired of pretending she isn't grating! I'm trying to ignore it, but every time I look at her and hear her do that mind-game bullshit, I think about the Demon Queen! I can't take it anymore! You know I hate people who can't give it to me straight!"
"Yeah, well, you two can talk your differences out when we're not in the middle of a goddamn mission!"
"There's nothing to talk about. I don't like her, and I don't trust her. I know you two have that little thing going on, but I just can't see her the way you do."
"Lyra, you're the–shit!" I started, but was interrupted when a group of three goblins dressed in tattered, scavenged clothing rushed us with spiked clubs. With practiced efficiency, I unsheathed the sword at my hip and slashed at the attackers, cutting each of their heads off with a single sweep of my blade. I flicked my sword to the side, fresh blood falling effortlessly to the ground as I continued. "You're the one who said that this whole Noble House plan was 'bigger than me'. Well, now's the time to practice what you preach! We only have to deal with Isobel for a week. One. Week. You're telling me you can handle a month of boat travel to Rushela but you can't handle a week with a moody noblewoman?"
Lyra didn't answer for a while, likely due to her inability to come up with a proper excuse, though it also could've had something to do with the pair of goblins she was Eldritch Blast-ing behind us. Either way, when she did answer, her voice lacked the bassy aggression it had moments prior. "Fine, Lloyd. Fine. I'll play ball. But if this all goes south, then I'm gonna be the one making plans in our next run."
"That's fair," I answered, cutting through another group of goblins. "Now, back to the matter at–"
A series of high-pitched roars sounded from deeper in the forest. While to me it sounded like a group of angry lion cubs, to the many goblins surrounding us, it might as well have been a war cry. They responded to the roar in kind, crying out and beating their chests as a swell of aura began to gather from all around Lyra and me.
"They're entering an Engraged state…" Lyra warned, aura gathering in her hands as she sank into an appropriate battle position, gluing her back to mine. "You think it's Isobel?"
I sank in turn, readying my sword as I gathered as much aura as I could muster. "If I had to guess, I'd say it's because they can't find her. It's probably pissing them off."
More cries, more aura. The goblins weren't strong enough to be threatening to Lyra and me, but the dubious presence of Isobel meant that we couldn't let loose in the way we usually did when faced with a group of weak enemies. We had to be cautious, careful not to hurt Isobel in the crossfire and mindful of where she was to keep her from getting herself in any real danger. As much as I'd grown fond of Isobel, I was starting to understand Lyra's frustration with her. This situation was entirely unnecessary, but when the alternative was facing Isobel at her peak strength…
"Isobel, if you can hear me, we're going to start clearing the small guys out!" I shouted. "Use your Illusion Magic to keep hidden. I'll find you once we've gotten rid of this group here!"
The goblins didn't seem to take my passive dismissal of them lightly. They cried out again, indignant fury written all over their faces. That was fine. They wouldn't have to live with their anger for long.
I kicked off without warning, channeling my gathered aura into my sword and slicing down through the goblin ahead of me, cutting the creature in half. A visibly bewildered goblin to my right shakily raised its club over its head, but I slammed my sword into its chest and pinned it to the ground before it got the chance to bring the weapon down. Another goblin cried out from behind me as it attempted to strike me with its club, but I grabbed the creature's neck and squeezed before it ever could, tossing its lifeless body to the crowd of goblins ahead of me. Lyra, not wanting to miss out on the action, blasted the group of goblins with her Shatter spell, the technique like a crackling light bomb, which left nothing behind but dust and a crater.
As much as I'd like to say the two of us fell into a rhythm and finished the Quest, that wasn't the case. No, instead, just before the two of us could fall into our familiar rhythm, an even louder, more guttural roar sounded from ahead of us. If the goblins themselves sounded like cubs, then this one was from a full-grown lion. What was worse was the cry that accompanied it:
A shrill cry from a young woman no older than I was.
"Found your girlfriend," Lyra jabbed. "Guess we gotta save her before we 'fail'."
"Shit!" I cursed, turning my attention to the direction of Isobel and whatever she was facing. "Lyra, come on!"
"No, I think I'll stay here. I can handle the goblins by myself. We already killed eight in less than a minute. While I finish up here, you can take care of the Kill Order since I'm guessing Isobel found a way to piss off the boss goblins."
I winced. Lyra was probably right on the money with Isobel. Accusation was clear on her face… and I was choosing to ignore it. Again, I completely understood her frustration, but that didn't diminish the necessity to deal with her.
"This is far better than any alternatives, Lyra," I said.
"Yeah, I know," Lyra agreed. "But I'm still not letting you live this down."
I rolled my eyes. "And, remind me again: Why can't we go back to save her from whatever mess she got herself into?"
Lyra motioned the goblins surrounding us. "Too busy fighting. Can't. Sorry."
"You can be a petty asshole sometimes, Lyra. You know that?"
"And you love me for it. Now go save your girlfriend. I'll get rid of the goblins. I'll join up with you two whenever I'm finished."