The horde of Goblins descended upon the grassy plain with nothing but their weapons and their rage. They often shouted, screamed and hollered at each other, giving their positions away. Kiresula and Mayana were in the same trench, listening to the oncoming horde. It sounded like there were a lot of goblins that approached. Mayana still enchanted the weapons of the kobolds with a combination of synthic and regular magic, making them more sturdy and more damaging. The simple weapons made of pig iron became reasonably sturdy and, according to Mayana, almost like weapons. One of the Kobolds had offered knives to both Mayana and Kiresula and the former accepted immediately. Her Swift Blade Warrior class took to these ones immediately. She seemed to like the weapon and it seemed to glow slightly in her hands for just a moment. Kiresula shook her head, declining a weapon. Her [Fire Strike]s required bodily contact and would not work with a weapon. Mayana smiled as she enchanted her own weapon. Then, Mayana just sat there for a moment, clearly out of magic.

“Remember: Better once a coward than forever dead,” Mayana said quietly, listening to the approaching noises.

Kiresula nodded. “Not planning to die here!” as she used half of her magic ressources to cast [Enhance Attribute] on Mayana’s Agility, shaping the spell for a short burst.

The footsteps approached and then, the goblins came rushing out of the grass that was higher than them and tried to jump over what they deemed just a hole in the ground.

As they did, they were attacked from below them. Kiresula used [Fire Strike]s on legs and feet and then held on to them, pulling the goblin down. Afterwards, she used a series of kicks and [Fire Strike]s into sensitive areas of goblin anatomy to make it pass out. Mayana saw the goblin falling down and stabbed it for good measure. Then, other goblins tried to stab her but she quickly dodged and [Fire Strike]d them, all while she cast [Sunlight] on a point behind her. In that moment, the goblins were blinded and the kobolds were able to decimate their numbers. The bright sun was a distinct disadvantage to the invading side. Kiresula used body and her spells to cause carnage and in case that was not possible chaos. The [Bite of the Elemental Beetle] worked so much better with her level ups and thus higher magical control. It was far easier to target eyes, mouths and nether regions with them now and while none of the attacks caused much damage, she used those to distract them and then get either a good strike in or herself out of the way. She was able to use that to save herself from any major harm, but with the battle dragging out longer and longer, she gained many painful nicks and bruises. She saw the blood on her body. Her own reddish blood as well as the green blood of the goblins and some specks of dark kobold blood. She fought more, another strike, another [Bite of the Elemental Beetle], another reinforcement of her [Sunlight] spell. She was in a state where all she could do was continue the fight, not think, not feel the pain, not even look for Mayana, just dodge, hit with her hands, feets, or spells, and hang on. She had no idea how much time had passed. She ran out of magic and instead fought with just her body without considering any act of recovery or retreat. There was no thought, just the single minded awareness that she had to survive, fight, defeat the goblins. A kobold eventually dragged her to the back where a healer was looking after injured combatants. Only then did she realise the wound in her chest that she had not consciously noticed. Only then did she realise how difficult breathing had become.

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The kobold healer cast a healing spell that she didn’t recognise. There was a wave of pain. Of itchiness at places inside of her that had no business being itchy at all. Then she started to feel better. As the spell worked, she used Serenity to restore her own magic and look at the battlefield. Haina was fighting with a spear that Kiresula had no idea he even carried with him. The better reach of the weapon keeping goblins mostly at bay. Kju seemed to be saved only by very erratic movements of the attackers. Except, no, it seemed clear that he somehow affected these goblins to move erratically. She realised that this was probably his second class, gravitational elementalist. This was how he affected enemy movements of the goblins. Mayana was still under the effect of her [Enhance Abilities] and it showed. She was seemingly everywhere and as she weaved between attacks, seemed to be in complete control of the situation. Kiresula thanked the healer and returned to the battle. She had not restored much magic, but she was able to fire elemental beetles at the nearest greenskin and then attack by beating and kicking the greenskin. She quickly returned to the state of pure instinct and sheer reaction, into a battle trance that she had never been aware existed. It seemed impossible to defeat the immense onslaught of goblins, but the kobolds fought valiantly, their weapons sliced goblins with ease and convenient enchantments. Kiresula soon again ran out of magic and again, just used her hand and feet to cause damage. This was not like the rather formalised wrestling or boxing, but a scrappy fight in which no trick was too low and no particularly sensitive area of the anatomy was taboo. She was kicked and slashed by the creatures and responded in kind. She hit faces, solar plexuses, and throats. However, she was not able to defeat them and found herself surrounded. She could hardly keep them all away from her glitchily coloured skin. She dodged erratically. She cussed and screeched as she attempted to get away from them. Fear creeped up onto her and for the first time since the battle started, she felt as if she would die in this dungeon. She tried to desperately swing at the horrible creatures that were trying to attack her. She felt cuts and in desperation, she tried to do anything to get them away from her. Then, she saw a fast movement and the goblins fell to the ground. Mayana.

Kiresula smiled exhaustedly as she saw the greenskins go down.

Eventually, the creatures went down. Most of the kobolds were injured and looked absolutely horrible. The goblins were either unconscious or dead. Kiresula felt pain in so many parts of her body. She looked for Mayana, Kju and Haina and found Kju hidden in a ditch, it was not sure if he pretended to be deeply injured in order not attract the attention of the goblins or if he actually was. Haina was out of breath, covered in mud and sitting on the ground; his spear nowhere to be seen. Mayana was trying to help the injuries of the kobold leader.

Kiresula slowly walked towards her and helped. They had won, but the victory had been pyrrhic.