I'm so going to die here... He was getting pessimistic again, the older sibling of the two sprinting aimlessly through the forest. His heart was racing, turning around to see the goblins just barely insight as their echoing voices grew weaker. It was there that Klein thought about something: Why did he bring them out here?

Back when the goblin's hand lit in flames, it blew up right in front of both Klein and Neil. It destroyed both the tent and their chances at their first successful mission. Klein was scornful of course, their plan wouldn't work out.

He was a fool for thinking they could get past this without any bumps, as the remaining goblins were slowly coming to.

Groggily getting up, coughing as dirt and smoke went through his lungs as Klein crawled out with his entire front burnt. Touching his face, he yelled in pain as it stung immensely each time he's run a finger across. Even moving his body was a chore, his double-layered shirt and cloak now burnt to a crisp. Leaving his bare chest, Klein reached into his pocket and started pouring a potion all over his body.

This hurts... So fucking much...!!  Klein had managed to stand up when the goblins were gazing before the brother with his back turned, Neil was too occupied in being unconscious. With his younger brother out of the picture, Klein cursed as they slowly etched towards the open brother.

Only to stop as one of their kind was viciously cut through the collarbone, dropping dead as the others looked to the culprit.

Their shouts of confusion turned to cries of anger, as Klein stood over the corpse of one of their brethren. He was just glad he got the drop on one of them, now leaving three goblins to deal with.

As they brought out their bows and arrows, Klein's heart sank as he immediately bolted behind the tries and made a run for it. "COME AND GET SOME FREAKS! RIGHT HERE!" Taunting the goblins with embarrassing thrusting, phase one of his improvised plan successfully worked as they pursued.

Have they stopped following me...? Klein asked himself, running off his straight-line sprint as he jumped behind a bush. Hiding, the bigger brother bided his time as the footsteps got closer to his location. His breathing started to feel heavy with each passing second, trying to keep as still as possible.

He prayed that they wouldn't see him, he hoped to any god that he wouldn't get caught.

Klein sat there, unmoving as the goblins reached where Klein diverted from his path. The one in front was dressed differently from the other two, being slightly taller and wore chainmail across its chest. Undoubtedly, it kept a straight posture and its green skin was slightly darker. The other two, however, wore nothing but ragged cloth around their groin areas.

It's a good thing they were green, otherwise, Klein would've realized where that nose-scrunching stench came from.

So he's the one in charge, it's only natural I'd go for him... Such a plan was the norm for Klein, just go in and kill the bastard before it can do any more harm to others. However, his self-confidence was dropping every time his face changed expression. He still couldn't get the burning pain away, something he'll have to pay for once he gets back to Florence.

That alchemist... 

The goblin leader was alone, walking in the opposite direction of his location which made him scowl. "You've got to be kidding me..." Neil mumbled, he was clearly distraught as another grunt was walking his way. If he were to get caught, it'd just alert the others and he'd most certainly die.

Klein gripped the tree branch beside him in frustration, swearing as he pulled on it with all his might.

"Wait..." Klein looked up at the branch and pulled again, not even budging as he even tried kicking it. Wincing in pain, Klein had devised a new plan.

Let's hope this works out... Klein took note of the branches which lead to the top, almost like a rock-climbing wall as he sneakily made his way up a fair height. To succeed he'd need to count on two things.

He waited until the goblin had passed his hiding spot before putting his plan into action. Copying the monster whenever it'd make a footstep, Klein began to sweat as he grew closer. Before it could even notice what was behind him, a clanging sound from it's left.

The goblin jumped away from the noise, right into Klein.

Klein smirked, his arms swiftly wrapping around the neck of the goblin before doing the same with his legs.

And now... It seemed disgusting to do it, but he had no other choice. Klein didn't want to risk getting the other two's attention, and that would be a fatal mistake on his part. Gripping the goblin with all his might, he took out the knife he'd been using from before. Taking a deep breath, Klein didn't feel any better as he plunged it into its chest.

God... I think I'm going to be sick... The goblin struggled to break free as Klein kept stabbing and stabbing, not even wanting to look as it soon stopped moving. Pushing it off his body, Klein slowly sat on his side. His eyes were completely shut, unmoving as he felt sick to his stomach.

He finally gave in, puking on the spot as he got up.

"This isn't what I expected," Klein said. He wiped his mouth with the edge of his glove, walking away from the corpse.

His job wasn't over yet.

It didn't take too long before he reached the second, after retrieving his sword he'd do the same thing. Throw the sword as a distraction, sleeper hold, and then death by multiple stab wounds. Even as he forced himself to get used to it back at the camp, it didn't feel any better as he finished off the second.

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"It just doesn't get easier does it?" Klein said to himself, a rhetorical question to anything that was listening to him. Klein was about to get up for the second time, before feeling something hit his right leg.

"GAAH- FUCK!" Klein fell on one knee, turning back to find the last goblin with a bow in-hand. It had already drawn an arrow and was beginning to fire again. Klein knelt there, defenseless, as another arrow dug into his back while he tried to move out of the way.

No no no NO NO NO- His mind was dreading as he felt the combined pain from the arrows and his burns pile up. Struggling to get up, another arrow had hit his left leg, bringing him down once again. It was like someone had stabbed both of his legs with a knife. The sharp pain spread throughout his body, as blood was already leaking from his body.

He didn't know what to do.

Slowly getting up, Klein watched as the goblin had a devilish smirk on its face, drawing one more arrow from its quill.

What do I do...? Klein checked his surroundings, trying to find something to protect him, something big enough to shield him from whatever was about to happen next. Time had seemed to slow down for the layabout brother, as he could see the goblin slowly begin to pull back the arrow.

It was a test of his wit, and he had to find a way to get out of this. Otherwise, Neil would be left alone with all that responsibility. To take care of a demi-human child, alone, and to continue to live on without him. He knew that Neil would figure things out, he always did. Whether or not it involved him didn't matter, Klein was just along for the ride.

Neil knew what it was like to succeed, especially after the mistakes he made.

Maybe it was time for him to... "That..." He stopped himself, his warm smile slowly fading as he stood there.

But questions flooded into his mind as the goblin was almost finished pulling back the arrow,

How do you know he's going to be okay?

What about your promise to the demi-human?

What if he dies?

What if he turns?

Are you going to take the easy way out?

Hands down on his sides, Klein gazed to the arrow about to pierce his brain. Maybe it would be better if he had just died and let Neil take over, perhaps he'd feel more resolved to do things, unlike himself.

Wait... What the hell am I even thinking... His thoughts stopped in its track, Klein was astonished by his lack of faith in himself. His eyes widening as slowly brought his hands up to his face, light chuckling came out, almost hysterical-like. His legs strained with every movement, but that didn't matter to him right now.

I DONT WANT TO DIE YET... Taking one step forward, he felt the arrow twist the flesh in his legs causing him to fall to his knees again. But he responded by grabbing the arrow and pulling it straight out. He screamed as his calve muscles tore, weakening as Klein attempted to stand once again.

One arrow, two to go... 

the ringing went through Klein's left ear, his head tilting to the side as the goblin fire from several metres away. He wasn't sure how the goblin had missed such a great shot at his forehead, but he'd have to think about it later. Right now, a goblin was standing right in front of him.

And it needed to die.

Klein took another step forward, the goblin pulling out what looked to be a weapon of its own that mirrored his own. Limping towards the cruel creature, his vision went blurry as Klein started to sway. Cackles from the goblin were heard, as Klein looked down to his already bleeding legs.

The goblin approaching could smell a good meal.

Klein had his knife at the ready, the two only a metre away as he leapt in for a stab. The chainmail goblin easily dodged to the side, proceeding to slash Klein's leg as he fell to the floor once again. "Sonuva-"

A green foot was stomped on the back of his head, as he tried covering his head from the onslaught of stomps.

He was careless, and now he was outmatched.

"D-Dammit! GET OFF ME!" Klein laid there, helpless, as all he could think of was his brother. The years they spent together with their family, the good and bad, it all went through Klein's mind. Thinking back to the simpler times, he began to wonder what it would've been like had they not intervened.

An image of a photo flashed through his mind, as his family was all seated together in their living room. Klein sat at the front with his little brother, as bunny ears were behind him before the photo was taken.

Guess this is it then... Can't say I'd give up so easily...The goblin about to stab his face, as Klein remained motionless on the cold ground, refusing to move. He'd shrug if not for his torn muscles from his calves and back.

He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the worst to come. 

But it never came. 

A sharp-but-swift sound cut through the air, right behind Klein as he heard a painful grunt. Followed by something dropping onto the floor, the older brother checking to see the chainmail goblin dead. An arrow had flown right into its brains, with Klein soon starting to blackout as two pairs of feet started to approach him.

"Wha..." Klein muttered, as the two blurry figures picked him up and lifted them under their shoulders. "I'm done..." Mumbling out more line, his head leaned to its side as his eyes sealed shut. Klein didn't mind who it was at this point, at any rate, he might just die of blood loss thanks to the arrows.

"W...h...a..v....g..........F....r....e...c...."

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"Can't keep out of trouble, can you?" Florence said, flipping her monocle down as she scooted closer to Klein. Neil watched as she tended to his brother, the latter quietly sleeping as she brought her hand up to the first arrow. Gripping it tightly, she pulled it out as Klein screamed in pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Florence put her finger on Klein's mouth before taking out a vial from her belt, bringing it to his shoulder where the arrow used to be. Tipping it onto the wound, Klein felt his flesh burn as the wound began to dry up. The pain was extremely bad, with Neil grabbing his hand as he clutched it whenever it was too much.

"I had assumed your first quest would be something easy, but I didn't think it would be goblins... And to go so wrong..." Florence looked back to Klein, who was trying not to cry as she pulled another arrow out. Blood was leaking from his legs and arms.

Klein was silently screaming, swears thrown out each time Florence would touch any of his cuts and bruises.

"Klein, you doing okay?"

How do you THINK I'm doing?! Klein was staring daggers at his little brother, who flinched at him slamming his fist onto the table. Florence almost stuck her needle into the wrong spot on his leg, glaring at Klein who quickly dropped his anger in fear. "Sorry..."

"Do not move." Klein nodded sheepishly before turning her attention back to the hole in his leg, beginning pull out some scrap left in his flesh. It was clear that the arrows the goblins had used wasn't refined, with small shards of metal still stuck into his leg. This process would take some time, dropping some liquid from her needle to numb the oncoming pain.

"Perhaps you should go check on your new lady friend upstairs, this will take awhile." Neil agreed with Florence, about to go when he noticed her stopping him again.

"-and maybe you should make her some tea."

"Yeah, let me go do that..." After making tea for her, Neil headed to the second floor leaving Florence to continue her work on Klein. Reaching a small hallway, Neil went through the second door to the right and into a bedroom. A relatively empty room, sharing the same appearance as the room below but with one queen-sized bed at the end. 

A woman sat alone, turning her attention away from the window and to Neil as he walked beside her.