Last time, on our previous tale...

Mallory tiptoed towards the enterance into the forest, hoping that she could at least see what the pup had been running from, or if its parents were close by. She didn't hear any howls nearby, save for the pup's panicked cries as Darien tried to calm it. Just as she was about to give up, the form of a wolf lying in the grass by some vines caught her attention.

She took care not to make any noise, in case the wolf would spot her and attack. But when she was close enough to see the moonlit body, she winced at the dull red, nearly brown streaks that cut deeply into the silvery fur. A second wolf lay nearby, lifeless, yet also bearing similar wounds. Her heart raced--what kind of monsters could've been strong enough to take down two wolves, fully grown?

A low cackle caught her attention, as the short greenskined form of a goblin came into view, apparently pleased by the beasts it had slain. She wanted to scream, but what if more goblins were nearby? She had to do what she could to not alert it to her presence. Not run, scream, or even draw her weapon--just remain still.

Just then, more similar cackles filled the air as more goblins entered the clearing, each of them wanting to get a glimpse of the dead wolves. One goblin chattered to another in a language Mallory did not understand, but judging from how the second goblin responded with a thoughtful look, she presumed the garbled phrase to be a question.

Suddenly, a goblin clad in a more ornate tunic than the others turned to see the girl observing their hunt, and barked what amounted to an attack order. As the goblins surrounded her, Mallory couldn't help but wonder: Where are my friends when I need them?

Episode 11: Moonlit Rescue!

Mallory's hands shook as the goblins continued to surround her. If she didn't do anything now, the goblins would just as easily kill her too. If they could take down two adult wolves as easily as they had, a human was probably just as easy to take down.

She reached for her blade and drew it, getting the lead goblin's attention. But before he could give the word to attack, an arrow zipped through the cool night air, felling the goblin closest to her. The goblins abandoned their attack on Mallory and frantically looked around, eager to attack whoever had killed their comrade.

A familiar silver cloak in the moonlight caught her eye. Darien! she smiled as her friends appeared just over the hill leading down into the woods. They came to help!

"Lady Foxheart, cast a spell to distract them! That should allow us to get close to help you!" Vince's voice echoed into the night. She couldn't make out her friends very well in the inky blackness, but she could at least follow their voices. Knowing that, she focused some power into her blade until it glowed red. "Out of the ground, raze all greenery with flame! Fire!"

The resulting beam caught the goblins by surprise. Some scrambled for cover as the beam ricocheted off the tree trunks, leaving a burning dent in every trunk it hit. Five goblins were not so lucky to escape the spell, on top of two more Lina had stunned. With the bulk of the goblins either dead or panicked, she took the opportunity to flee back to Darien's side. Just as she arrived at the top of the hill, she heaved her blade into a goblin's chest. With another casualty gone, she could return the favor by focusing on the leader, who miraculously had escaped her spell.

"Nice shot!" she wheezed as she took a postion overlooking the forest. More goblins were arriving now, and the swarm showed no signs of slowing down.

"My pleasure, but we need to take out the leader." Darien cautioned as he fired another shot at a goblin. "If the leader dies, chances are the rest of them will retreat too." He was about to eleborate on this when a goblin surprised him, leaving a small dagger wound in his arm.

"Life's refreshing breeze, blow in energy!" Cure!" Lina paused from fending off goblins to heal Darien's wound. "I think that's the last of them from my position..." she noted. Most of the goblins were now focused on trying to attack the three remaining humans on the hill instead of the white mage hiding in the brush.

"Then how do you propose we attack the leader, Lady Starwill?" Vince asked as threw off an enraged goblin from his arm, sending it barreling into three more coming up the hill.

Lina was about to answer when she heard the clattering of bones in the distance--some skeletons were now coming to join the fight! "Hang on, I'm going to try defeating the skeletons and stunning the leader, like what Mallory did with her blade earlier." she explained to Vince. With that, she focused some power into the emerald topping her staff until it was glowing white, much like the moon overhead. "Holy light, cleave through the darkness! Dia!"

Mallory watched, amazed, as a burst of holy energy flew from Lina's staff into the skeletons, then ricocheted off a tree into the lead goblin's stomach. "I didn't know white mages could focus magic through their weapons too!"

"It is doable, but takes more strength than it would for you." Vince explained, gesturing to Lina weakly climbing up the hill to rejoin the party. He watched to see what the lead goblin would do now that it was wounded. No more skeletons seemed to be coming, for any undead like them feared the light of a white mage.

Darien strained his eyes into the blackness. Most of what they had slain dotted the ground, and the leader looked clearly in pain from how he clutched his sides. He shouted what seemed like profanity in the goblin tongue at the party, then limped away into the night.

"I ask the Holy Princess that that's the last of them." Vince sighed, sheathing his blade. "Come...let us return to camp."

--
Mallory smiled as the wolf pup romped around her feet, eager to catch a share of the meat she was eating. "I think he likes me!" The pup yipped in agreement as Mallory gently stroked the fur behind his ears.

"I'll have you all know that if that pup makes any trouble, I will personally slay it." Vince growled. He was not amused that a dangerous beast like a wolf was among them.

"You won't have to...I will train it as to what is acceptable and what isn't." Darien assured the warrior from his post on the knoll overlooking the camp. He whistled for the pup, who came bounding back to him.

Lina was unnerved. "I am concerned more goblins--or skeletons--may come while we sleep."

"I'm sure Darien will alert us if he sees any." Mallory assured Lina as she relaxed by the fire. Lina just smiled and bagan tidying up the camp from dinner.

"Lady Starwill has a legitimate concern...we are close to the Chaos Shrine, where even more undead await." Vince cautioned. "So we must be on our guard." Mallory swallowed hard--was the encounter with the skeletons a taste of what was to come?

To Be Continued...