As several long, black lines of smoke stream into the air. Wizard, along with her comrades, quickly ran through a tiny row of trees that separated the open field from the now burning village. Though, she hated running in her robes. Considering it often slowed her down, and made her sweat. There were other pressing matters. After a few seconds of running, the village came into view.
It wasn't at all what she expected. Some of the houses were already on fire. Multiple arrows lodged into the rooftops. Multiple people: men, women, and children. All of them panicking and some running past her, trying to escape the carnage. Wizard quickly darted her head all around her. I don't see any goblins. She thought double-checking as to not jinx herself. After a few seconds, she concluded the attackers were perhaps more north infront of her, attacking the opposite end of the village.
However, she realized that Goblin Slayer and StossTruppen were not around. Cursing under her breath. She tried to evaluate the situation. Looking around once more, she made a quick headcount of her comrades. Making sure they didn't go running straight into the fray.
"Alright, guys! Listen up!" Wizard shouted, grabbing her teammates attention and away from the chaos in front of them. "They haven't pushed up enough to attack this side of the village," she said. Turning to Knight and her party. "Knight, take your group to the left side of the village. Make sure to push in, only to get as many of the villagers out as possible. Other than that, hold your ground." Wizard ordered. Her mind feeling a bit focused and clear.
The Female Knight nodded and ordered her friends to follow through with the wizard's command. As they trudged to the position, urging the passing villages to make haste as they ran past them. Soon more screams in the distance, along with what sounded like a boulder cutting the wind, before quickly smashing the ground erupted. As more and more villagers fled, some ranged between minorly wounded, and...severely wounded.
Wizard couldn't help but blink multiple times in disbelief. Many of the villagers had arrow wounds. As it seemed like the most common. But soon she spotted one of the villagers with a fist-sized, hole through their chest, as two other villagers carried the poor soul. Her eyes followed them as they hastily moved past her. A trail of blood dripping down to the dirt floor, giving off the metallic smell blood gives off. Feeling her hands shake, Wizard began to clutch onto her staff. Feeling everything around her move in slow motion.
"..wizard...Wizard! Are you alright?!" The fighter said, quickly shaking Wizard's shoulder, grabbing her attention.
Looking back at Fighter. Wizard shook her head, trying to think with a clear head. "I'm fine," she said, trying to calm herself down. "Okay. High Elf takes your group to our right flank, and do the same thing I said with Knight," she told High Elf, who was slightly taken back from the casualties as well. Noticing the elf's frightened face.
"Come on, Long-Ears." Dwarf Shaman said, slightly tugging on her arm to snap her out of her trace. Like Wizard, she shook her head and looked back at the dwarf with an unsure face. "Don't give me that. We need to go and get these people to safety." he urged. Slowly, she looked back at the dirt road in front of them, the crumbled village houses on either side slightly burned, with pieces of the roof still tumbling down.
High Elf turned her head away, "Y-yea! Yea let's get going!" she said. Getting a nod from the dwarf, as her small group made their way to the left side of the village.
Wizard exhaled, "Alright...if we hold the center, we should be able to stabilize our whole front," she told her remaining comrades. "Fighter, Warrior. You'll be our tanks," she looked back at Priestess. "We'll stay behind you and provide support," Wizard ordered, quickly giving Priestess a nod.
As loud Boom!, was heard in the distance. Sounding closer than last time. Quickly, the Greenhorns then pushed up the dirt path. The village, rather a pretty big one mind you, was mostly in turmoil. The houses continuously looking worse and worse as the party passed by. People still fleeing past them, in complete horror. Still, the party pushed on.
After a few seconds, the Greenhorns stopped at a crossroad. The houses around them, completely in the rubble, with the fire still blazing inside. Wizard looked at her surroundings. Noticing the dirt floor beneath her feet had several large cracks. Some even elevated to the hip or shoulder level. What the…? , Wizard thought. Following a long cracked trail, leading behind her. Her eyes widen, noticing the large boulder on the house that was completely caved in.
Wondering what caused this. She remembered back in school, that goblins weren't known for building. Hence the reason why they went to ravage and pillage nearby villages...among other things. Nevertheless, she returned her attention to the front. Hearing several sounds of shrieks, mix with laughter approach. "They're coming..." Wizard quickly warned. Getting the group into position for the upcoming attack.
With Warrior and Fighter up front, and Wizard and Priestess behind them on an elevated spot, overlooking most of the area. The party waited in silence. Then, through the smoke from the fire, a few goblins charged forward. Wizard could tell they were just scouts, considering there was only about seven. Even then, if the horde had a shaman, and the scouts went back...I need to trap them. She thought to herself.
Since there were about four to five houses on each side of the dirt road in front of them. Wizard quickly conjured up a spell, "With a wind wall, come forward and trap our enemy behind a wall of flame! Fire Spin!" she shouted. Pointing her staff out towards her with one hand, as a small flame shot forward. Glaring. Wizard guided the thin fire past the goblin scouts. Landing and creating a small wall of fire behind the green monsters. Luckily the spell didn't cost that much to use. So Wizard had about three..maybe four spells left.
Oddly enough, one of the goblins stopped, turning around and observing the wall of fire behind it. Realizing it was slightly taller than the goblin. Frighten. It turned around, instantly getting its neck cut clean off. "Got one!" Warrior exclaimed. Wiping the stains of blood on his sword onto his shirt. Looking to his right, he saw two more goblins dashing towards in, only about 10 yards in front of him. Grinning. Warrior got into a defensive stance, waiting for the goblins to get into the perfect range.
As a dagger-wielding goblin pounced towards him. While its comrade continued to dash forward with a spear. Quickly. Warrior swiped left. Cutting the pouncing goblin in half, while it was in midair. Shrieking. When its upper and lower body flopped onto the ground. Ending the goblin's yelling.
However, the spear goblin used this opportunity to jab at Warrior's chest plate. Causing the adventure to stagger back. Smiling at the adventurer. The warrior looked up. Glaring. Before slamming the bottom of his sword's handle, downward. Breaking the thinly made spear, and shoving his sword into the goblin's skull. Then Pulling the blade out, as the goblin fell backward into a pool of its blood.
Seriously, screw these goblins! Warrior thought angrily to himself. Glanced over to his left, and saw Fighter send one of the goblins flying into the air with one of her famous high kicks. Reminding himself that Fighter's recent training had amplified her skills and experience. He admitted she was probably stronger than him. But didn't want to think about it too much, especially since he felt that he wasn't too far behind. Sighing. He turned his attention to the Wizard's firewall, now slowly decreasing to perhaps half a goblin's height.
Then as if on cue, a woman with a cloak over her head ran out of the smoke debris, hopping over the fading fire. Grabbing his attention, Warrior shouted, "Hurry! You're almost there!" Reaching out a hand, as the woman ran towards him.
As she inched closer, Warrior quickly shot a look behind her. His eyes widen, seeing a large silhouette, running forward through the color smoke. It didn't take long before realizing it was a hobgoblin, wielding a battle-ax.
Once the woman got into Warrior's arms. He firmly, but not too aggressively, pushed her behind him. Telling her to ran to safety. Returning his attention to the large goblin. He gasped. Ducking, the hobgoblin's ax swung over his head. The hobgoblin grunted in annoyance, before it began winding its axe up, in a position to swing downward. Instinctively, Warrior barreled roll to his left, as the large goblin's ax slammed down onto the ground. "Gotcha yea!" Warrior exclaimed, swinging his sword down and slicing one of the goblin's hand. Its blood spraying rapidly onto Warrior's uniform, with several of its fingers falling down.
Shrieking. The hobgoblin used its uncut hand, to smack Warrior in the chest. Sending him in flying two feet in the air. Before landing hard onto his back. Groaning in pain. Feeling more like the air was knocked out of him than any pain like last time. "Son..of a bitch!" he mustered out. Laying a hand over his slightly cracked chest plate. At Least...it's not as bad as before- his thoughts were cut off when the hobgoblin approach over him. Raising its ax high in the air, ready to slam it down as vengeance for getting its hand almost cut off.
Warrior closed his eyes. Forming his arms in a 'X' shape, to shield himself from. Shielding his eyes for the incoming pain…... *Ting!
...what the ? Opening his eyes, Warrior saw the hobgoblin with a familiar sword into its skull. The goblin, making a small creaking noise, slowly fell to its side. Soon, two gunshots rang out from Warrior's right. Turning. He spotted two of his teammates. "Goblin Slayer!...Stoss!" he mustered out, slowly getting up.
Goblin Slayer slowly walked over to the deceased body of the hobgoblin. Kneeling down, and pulling out his sword from the creature's head. "There will be a larger force approaching," he stated. Quickly setting up a long tripwire trap, four houses down. As goblin Slayer set up, Fighter ran up to Warrior.
She sighed. "I knew you couldn't handle it by yourself.," she told him in a fake, disappointed voice.
Warrior was about to reply, but when he opened his mouth...he couldn't say anything. Even though he knew he was stronger after their first adventure. He knew it was still a while before he could handle situations on his own. Looking around. He spotted his sword...or what was left of it. Getting up. He walked over to the now broken in half sword. Picking it up by the handle as shards of metal fell back down.
"I guess..swords were never your style?" The fighter said, awkwardly scratching the back of her head. She Felt a bit bad for her friend's recent misfortunes. Especially since most of his funds went specifically to swords, that resembled the ones he heard from the stories his father told him.
With a somber look, Warrior dropped the broken weapon back to the ground. Glancing over to the hobgoblin's battle-ax. Reaching over to it, and picking it up. He examined the weapon. Welp...it's not a legendary sword. But it's better than nothing I guess. He thought disappointed. But he figures it wasn't all bad. Considering he often chopped wood back home for firewood, and was quite good at it. What difference was it against goblins, right?
"Set up position. I'll be back." Goblin Slayer said. Picking up a dead goblin's spear, and began walking ahead of the group.
Sighing. Wizard's eye follows the party's leader until he was out of sight. "Stoss?" she asked, suspiciously. Grabbing the team's second-in-command, as he turned his head to face her. "What took you guys so long? We could have been overrun," she asked questions.
Stoss, to her frustration, gave her a grin. "Just setting something up." he quickly continued, " Plus I knew you would be able to handle the situation. Why else do you think, you're my second-in-command?"
Wizard raised both her eyebrows in surprise. Feeling her heartbeat, like before. Second-in-command? She thought, confused. Looking back at Stoss. She could tell he sorta knew what she was thinking. "J-just..shut up and prepare our line." She said, looking away from him . Causing Stoss to chuckle, as he was getting into a defensive position.
/…
A goblin wearing a small cap-like helmet, ordered its horde to charge forward: archers behind and anyone else up front. After destroying the eastside of the village. Nothing was heard from the scouts sent prior. Frustrated. The helmet-wearing goblin started to make its way to the front of the horde. Thinking it was best to change tactics if someth-.
The leading goblin stopped. Causing it's fellow comrades to halt their advance shortly behind. Through the slight debris smoke, a large figure in knight armor came into view.
Gasping. The goblin was about to declare an order. But its thoughts were instantly impaled. Literally. As the goblin's corpse flew back and made a loud thud, with a goblin-spear stuck into its face.
"..2." Goblin Slayer said. Quickly turning around and sprinting back to his party. Hearing the quick stamped of small feet, and even louder shrieks follow in pursuit. As some arrows flew past or bounced off his armor.
StossTruppen was aiming down the iron sights, the minute he heard the distance shrieks grow louder and louder towards him. "Get ready Wizard," he said, gaining a nod from the party's spellcaster, as she focused her attention down the dirt road.
Once Goblin Slayer came into view in almost break-neck speed, as the large goblin horde followed behind him. Wizard began to chant her spell, "Sagitta..inflamarae..radius...FireBolt!" the mage shouted, firing a large fireball at a house on her left, behind the tripwire Goblin Slayer had set up. Lucky he had hopped over his tripwire several seconds before Wizard used her spell, and slid into the improvised dirt trench. Once the projectile had slammed into the house she was aiming at, most of the goblin force had been engulfed in the red leaping flame, along with any goblin archers who were foolish enough to take position by the fire's radius. The blast, creating a tall wall of fire, trapping two-thirds of goblins that had successfully jumped over the tripwire, or just fell over it and were lucky to not be burning alive like their friends. Wizard grinned, as the fire's blaze reflected off her glasses. "There goes their support," she exclaimed.
Immediately after, the group's close-quarter classes went over the dirt trench and began to cut through the goblin ranks: Fighter taking the left flank, Warrior taking the right, and Goblin Slayer handling the center. Stoss took aim and started to gun down the remnants of the goblin archers behind the horde.
He swung the gun's muzzle towards the goblins attacking his comrades below. Firing and working the lever of his rifle, as the green demons fell and collapse to the ground. Stoss realized how smooth his weapon was, and how steadfast it fired. Gott...this is almost unfair- *Cling!. The gun made. Stoss groaned annoyed. Pulling the rifle's lever, and noticing the gun was out of ammo. Scheiße... He thought bitterly. Plugging another clip.
Watching her comrade. Priestess look up to the fighting in front of them. Since it was on a slightly widen dirt road with houses lined up on the road. It was almost perfect for close engagements. As Fighter layed a fury of kicks and punches at incredible speeds, sending the goblins flying into the nearby houses. While Goblin Slayer dashed through the goblins, slicing and ripping the unlucky goblins near him. Surprisingly, Warrior was actually keeping up. It seemed like every time he swiped his ax, it left a goblin in two.
Luckily, Wizard, Stoss and her were on one of the elevated parts of the road that overlooked the area. Perfect for spotting targets and having an edge in high ground. Nevertheless, this advantage proved vital, when Priestess glanced to her right and saw a group of goblins running to a nearby house on the right.
"Guys! They're moving to our right!" she shouted, pointing to the nearby house the goblins were entering. Causing Stoss and Wizard to shoot their attention in that direction.
Glaring. "Wizard! Blow a hole into that house." Stoss ordered. Receiving a nod from his comrade, as she began to conjure her spell.
"...radius.FireBolt!" The spellcaster shouted. Firing the flame, projectile into the house and completely blowing it up. Sending debris flying into the air, and causing the ground around them to shake slightly. Since it was in close proximity.
As the area in front of them was block by the dirt, color smoke. A few moments later, several silhouettes of the goblins came staggering out of the direction of the house, screaming in deep pain from the fire that was currently burning them alive. "Nien," Stoss told Wizard, who looked like she was about to prepare another spell to finish them off. "Let them burn.."
Wizard glanced over to Stoss, who was currently observing the burning goblins as they stumbled forward. In all her years at school, she saw some of the guys there as easy to generalize. Considering some made attempts at her (often times ending badly for them), she could tell the way they were, based on how they looked and acted. She had been mostly right. Yet, despite this, StossTruppen was different. He had the typical characteristics of someone who wanted to do good. But at the same time, would act different in combat. Why? She thought. It had been bugging her, ever since their quest together. It fact...she would felt something different too, when she was around him.
"Los! Let's get going!" Stoss said.
Snapping Wizard from her thoughts. She watched as he hopped off the small pillar, and help Priestess get down. See! It's crap like that! She thought to clutch her staff. After a moment, she calmed herself down. Figuring it would be a terrible fate to get boiled up in the middle of a fight. Climbing down as well and receiving the same help Stoss gave to Priestess. God damn it!
Once they got down, the party gathered up. As smoke was still radiating off the corpses, filling the air with the smell of burned pork. Making Stoss pulled his scarf up, from the familiar smell. "How'd we do?"
"77 dead." Goblin Slayer said. "Many were killed from the two explosions." he stood quiet after, looking over his shoulder. "Strange.."
"What is it, Goblin Slayer?" Priestess asked in concern.
He didn't answer right away. Just kept looking over his shoulder. After a moment of silence, Warrior was about to ask for Priestess. Only for High Elf to come out shouting from between one of the destroyed houses.
"Orgbolg! Dreaded Trooper! There's something big coming!" she shouted at the group, pointing northward.
"Guys! I spotted something big coming this way!" Rhea Ranger said almost on cue, as she emerged too, from the opposite side the party.
*Boom! *Boom! *boom! the party heard what sounded like large stomping, slowly moving towards them. After several seconds of this, the Female and High Elf group came out their respectful positions, to see what was going on. Goblin Slayer was the first to spot the beast, "Gobl-..no." he said, trying to make out the creature was, as it that came into view. Whatever it was, it completely towered over the group.
"I knew it was suspicious when my goblins hadn't returned back!" The large, club-wielding monstrosity stated through its sharp point teeth.
"A-an….an ogre!?" High Elf blurred out in dismay.
Note: Happy New Years everybody! Thank you all for reading. Huge thanks to everyone who's been along for the ride, I never thought this story would make it this far. Special thanks to Totong, for always leaving a review on almost every chapter I posted, since the Nov. 25. Make sure to favorite/follow the story for updates. Leave your thoughts, it really goes a long way! And as always, have a good one guys!