Hawk circled the square, targeting the Goblins who tried to leave the area in other directions, while seeing Karl standing in the doorway of the building, under the lights, drew more of them forward.
Dana slumped as she climbed down from her perch on the windowsill, and went to sit in one of the chairs in the break room to recover and get some energy back.
The snacks weren’t much when you were used to roasted monster meat, but there was some of that left as well, and the break room was well supplied with energy drinks and a free coffee maker.
The Goblins were hesitant at first to approach Karl, after seeing him kill so many of their own, but mostly they were waiting for more numbers. Numbers were strength to Goblins, and once they had enough, their courage was unbreakable.
Karl leisurely cast Rend at the best targets, forcing them to keep moving or become lumps of meat, while Hawk gave him steady updates.
[We are down to less than ten of them now. Most are in the square, but there are some on the other side of town who are running away.] Hawk informed Karl after five minutes of the cat and mouse game with the hiding Goblins.
[Don’t let them get out of town. If we’re going to make the area safe for the locals to return, we can’t have them sending survivors back to wherever they came from. I will keep fighting these while you’re gone.]
Karl sensed Hawk turning to find the cowards, and looked for a clean shot at the remaining attackers near the building. They were trying to sneak up on him, staying in the bushes around the other buildings, but that wasn’t hard for Karl to pick out. What he didn’t want to do was to attack too fast and tire himself out before they made a large push toward the door.
Hawk said that there were less than ten, and with the one he had just killed in the rose bushes, that should be less than six, but he didn’t know how many were still hiding somewhere nearby and how many the Hawk had found running away.
The bird was too distracted with his hunt to give updates, but there was nothing moving near Karl right now.
So, he waited, and then waited some more, until finally, one of the Goblins came sneaking around the corner of the building, and tried to jump him. Karl didn’t even turn his head as he flicked his finger and sent a blade of energy to cut the creature’s head off, dropping it on the steps with a thud.
Hawk finished his work and began to circle the town, looking for more targets, but there were none to be found. Everything in town was either dead or in hiding, which meant that all that remained was for the local police force or militia to do door to door searches and clear all the houses before the residents went back in.
Hawk landed on the roof, and Karl opened the window for him, so he could come inside when he was ready.
“I’m going to close the door and rest for a bit. Hawk, keep a lookout at the front of the building so nothing surprises us. Dana will switch with you in an hour or two.” Karl informed the bird, making sure that Dana could hear his side of the conversation.
They both needed the rest, and though they wouldn’t be getting much sleep today, just relaxing and meditating would help a lot. That’s precisely what Karl had planned. Some roasted Monster Meat to get the energy flowing through his body, and then meditation to refill his and Hawk’s energy storage.
With a bit of luck, they would feel refreshed again in a few hours, and they would be ready to face the next day, after calling someone to come find them.
For the next hour, Karl rested and meditated, regaining most of the energy that he had burned through, while Dana did the same, then they both got up to check in with Hawk and make sure that nothing had been happening around town.
[Make one more flyover of the place and if there isn’t anything changed from last time, you can return to the beast space and sleep for the rest of the night. I think that we’ve gotten through most of the threat now, and I will take care of getting us back to the Academy in the morning.] Karl informed his feathered partner.
Hawk flew off, making his rounds over the town, while Dana went to search the computers in the office to find a useful phone number and Karl guarded the door.
“I’ve got something. There is a government emergency line here, direct dial red phone. Do you want to make the call, or should I?” She asked.
“You can make the call. Let them know that we’re students sent out on a mission, the town appears to be clear, and that we could use a ride back to the Academy.”
Karl listened to the one-sided conversation and tried not to laugh as Dana struggled to get anyone to believe her.
“No, we are students from the Academy sent here to clear the Monster infestation.
Of course, I know the town has been overrun, and it was evacuated, that’s why we’re here.
We are elites from the Academy.
Yes. No.
Let me try this again. Sergeant Rita and Professor Mills sent us here on a mission, using a transport spell. We have finished clearing out the Goblin tribe, and we need a ride back.
Just contact the Academy, don’t make me take this to your supervisor.
Oh, he’s right there, is he? Put him on the phone.
This is the Awakened Rank Mage Dana, assigned with the Awakened Rank Warrior Karl, to do monster control of this town. The Goblin tribe has been eliminated, and we need you to contact the Academy to pick us up, our phone was damaged.
Yes, over fifty Goblins were found and killed, the entire tribe is dead, unless there are some that left the area entirely. There are no more signs of Goblins here.
Yes, I understand very well what making a false report and impersonating an Elite could mean. But as I’m not doing either, please send for an Academy transport.
Fine, sending for a military police unit works just as well. I will remain on the line until they arrive.”
At that point, Karl couldn’t hold it any more, and he began quietly laughing, using his arm to stifle the noise.
Not for long, though. The sound of helicopters in the air alerted Hawk to incoming visitors only a few minutes later.
[Return to the Beast Space, I don’t want any misunderstandings. They’re all idiots, and they’re not listening to Dana.] Karl instructed.
[At least it will be light soon, so they won’t be dumb and blind.] Hawk replied.