36:

Jack hadn’t expected to earn a level from just killing two rift goblins. Last he had checked, he wasn’t even past the half-way mark to Level 6.

No rift goblin he’d encountered so far had given him such a massive amount of experience , which meant that Jack’s earlier theory about the staff-wielding goblin that was crowned in a feathered bandana was correct. It was special and the fact that it had summoned an aegis formed out of Qi to defend itself from his Qi Projection in the nick of time lended a lot of credence to that theory.

But Jack didn’t have time to gloat about his triumph. Leveling up to Level 6 had granted him an additional point in his Qi Pool, which not only pushed his total Qi Pool to 15, but also increased his remaining Qi reserves by 1 point. Normally, a single point would mean nothing, but he had gone from 4 to 5 remaining points in his Qi Pool, which happened to be the exact number required to cast Qi Projection.

Jack had swore not to deplete his Qi Pool if he could avoid it, but there were still simply too many rift goblins to give them time to arm themselves. So he let his instincts take over, feeling the hum of Qi Blade in the air as he brought it down in an arcing slash and sent it careening towards the storehouse shack, depleting the last of his Qi Pool.

Surprised cries and calls for alarm rang out from the rift goblins, but no one remaining had the ability or means to interfere with a descending arc of scything Qi.

Jack watched as his Qi Projection sliced through the roof of the wooden shed, causing it to cave inwards even as the thrumming energy carved through both supplies and stored weapons with an equal degree of viciousness. A loud crack was followed by the clattering of metal and the thudding of sheared away wooden planks along with the whistling of dust and debris.

A cloud of dust had enveloped the shed by the time Jack turned away from it and faced the chaos that had enveloped the encampment. A few goblins had split away from the gathering at the cauldron, one wildly gesticulating to the splinter group in the direction of the storage shed.

The remaining goblins near the cauldron had gotten to their feet, some heading for their personal tents in haste while others spoke in their guttural language, trying to make sense of what was happening.

A small group had collected near the staff-wielding goblin’s deceased form, their panicked expressions and exaggerated gesticulation a good deal more distressed than the goblins heading for the storage shed had been.

Letting the camp succumb to chaos benefitted Jack, but one glance to his left showed him Sarah, as she slid down the escarpment’s slope with as much grace as she could manage. While the din of stomping feed and loud, panicked conversations did drown out some noise, it wasn’t enough for Sarah to accomplish what she needed to do.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Jack needed to act.

The sound of metal clashing against metal sounded out as Jack slapped his shield with the flat of his blade, holding back the Wind Qi within from automatically retaliating against the attack.

Thrice the shrill sound echoed and Jack’s heart almost skipped a beat as the head of every rift goblin in the vicinity swivelled in his direction.

“Well, come on then!” Jack bellowed with way more bravado than necessary, as his heart started to pump blood at the pace of a runaway freight train.

Furious roars and snarls that promised violence sounded out across the encampment in response. Jack’s keen eyesight singled out a rift goblin that stepped out of one of the fourteen tents scattered within the encampment, with a longbow in hand.

Its gaze fell upon him and it reached for an arrow even as it’s compatriots ran past it in their frenzied rage.

Just as the Rift Goblin nocked an arrow, Jack ducked.

An azure blur flitted past where his head had been up until moments ago, causing his features to twist in both disgust.

There was another commander amongst their ranks, one that had been keeping to it’s tent.

The difficulty involved in surviving went up by a notch and in turn, Jack needed more stats to work with.

While Strength, Constitution and Dexterity were always valuable additions, right now what Jack needed was the ability to keep track of the numerous opponents that were rallied against him and find a way to stay alive.

All five points in perception, Jack thought-commanded with a grave expression.

The uncomfortable sensations brought on by the change lasted about half a second, which was half a second too much as Jack’s sense of hearing caught onto the frontrunners amongst the charging goblins scrambling past the now open gates, a total of four by his count who were stomping towards the escarpment’s slope.

As it turned out, 17 perception was nothing to scoff at, given that he could hear the footfall of the approaching goblins and judge how many were approaching by it, not to mention that even the minor vibrations left behind in the wake of their approach was something that he could just barely discern.

The cacophony of agitated goblins that were approaching him with the grace of a pack of starving rabid wolves was certainly loud and dissonant enough. Now, Jack could do little else but wait for their approach and hope his newly enhanced senses would let him find an opening in the mayhem.

As the first of the goblins ensued it’s climb up the escarpment, it used it’s shortsword as an ice pick, driving it into the hard packed earth and wedging it firmly for leverage to climb up, supporting it’s ascent with it’s free hand before tugging the shortsword free and repeating the process.

The rift goblin’s limber frames allowed them to climb the escarpment efficiently and probably faster than he could.

Anytime now, Jack thought, as he primed his body to be ready to explode into action.