Warlord Travis had started to explain that the exploration mission was actually the mission for Simon and Thomas to get to Dakota Springs and set up what eventually would destroy the castle. They had been waiting there for at least a week by that point by Travis's explanation.

"And they were waiting for me?" said Kurt.

"Yes, you were supposed to give a signal when the trap was to be sprung, we hoped to give a strong message. They are on their way back by now, the mission was to destroy the castle and come right back," said Travis.

"I don't understand, it was a long time ago when they went off," said Kurt.

"Yes sir."

"Kurt," said Sara, "those outposts I've been building, she's been talking about thise for a long time."

"What about them?"

"Where do you think she is going?"

Kurt thought about that, Layla and Joe had flown away fairly quickly. Somewhere, she said she was going to be back as soon as she could, then they would deal with the gate. But it was only two outposts, theoretically, she would still need another.

"So you're telling me that Layla has been planning this the entire time?"

"I'm afraid so," said Travis.

"And no one thought I should know?"

"Well," said Travis, "the way I understand it, she thought you would have given it all away if you knew. And it was better for you to actually think they caught you."

Kurt was staring at them both in disbelief. The whole time, did Layla set up her own capturing, how in the world would she have even known. Then he saw it.

"She knew, she told you the day it would happen. Cindy has been spying on them since, since Arthur."

"She was fairly certain, we were a little worried it would happen at Lake Longbow if it didn't this time, that would have complicated things. We didn't know everything. But, she figured they would wait until a gate was on the ground before they would do anything, the dinner seemed like an obvious place for them to do it as well."

That's why she was so calm, that's why she was nervous, not because she was afraid of them, but of doing the whole thing, and making sure she pulled it off. Not even for a second did Layla actually think she was captured.

"Kurt," said Sara, " I swear they told me after they took you. Since you were gone, I sort of was put in charge of everything until you got back. And I think Hank, Tom and Joe were in the dark as well."

"Yes, those three wouldn't have known anything until the end," said Travis.

"And? What now?" said Kurt.

"Well there are still the Fire Clan members on the other side of the gate, I wouldn't think they could possibly know what happened a town over so quickly, but that will change. We are at a stand still, we would have to take the gate back by force. And like you and me, not like everyone else," said Sara. " I could try to pull some to this side, but that's still risky." Kurt grabbed the hilt of his sword, the whole reason he decided to go back to his house was to get it; he knew a sentence like that was going to be said.

"But we've managed to keep them on their side," said Sara.

"For now, they seem to be waiting for something," said Travis.

"They thought we would submit to them, and the goblins would too," said Kurt. Warlord Travis scoffed at the idea they would do that. "They are waiting for you to be commanded to welcome them."

"So they really did just fall right into it." said Travis. "They had no idea at all, I didn't believe Layla that humans would be so reckless."

"So it's likely we have a day or two, but not much longer to do anything," said Kurt.

"So what do we do?" said Sara.

"We eat and we wait."

"Eat?"

"Yes I'm starving, I was recently released from imprisonment, minus the prison really."

"And what are we waiting for?"

"I thought that was obvious, we are waiting for Layla, because she has to explain herself a little here it seems. As Travis was following orders, and you were just as clueless as me."

Kurt's head was swirling, how, why? This was going to be her response before they even made a move, she had been ready. What else was she planning here? And why not tell him? Kurt thought about that last question for a long time, what would have even said? He didn't like that he wasn't even given a choice in what happened. The goblins' tactics seemed to work very effectively, and somehow the entire plan seemed to go off just as Layla wanted mostly.

"This is going to change a lot, like the whole thing was on display, Dakota Springs both sides of the gate know."

"I advise we fall back and regroup," said Travis, "we had a win but the pieces are going to start moving. And that is the plan with the raid party as well."

"I can't believe it still," said Sara, "the castle just toppled over."

"Yes, it was not structurally sound after the attack."

"Blowing stuff up again here aren't we."

As they went down to the mess hall Kurt had noticed that the waterfall seemed to have turned off. And wasn't producing any water at all. That made the entire area much quieter as they went down.

"How long has the waterfall been off for?"

"I'd say not long before you appeared, it was running for much of the time," said Sara, "I thought it was because something had gone wrong, it's strange that it is not back on though."

"She most likely needed to have all her power for now," said Travis, "turning off the waterfall would free up a lot of mana for her. I'm not sure how you restart it, she may have to be here."

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