The next day, early in the morning. It was dim, cold, and Gilreg was deflecting blows from Zaploc with his shield. The warrior was pivoting the shield with his wrist, allowing the heavy strikes to slide to the sides. However, the older, more experienced goblin could switch direction and attack again, causing Gilreg to back peddle and stumble to his knees.

“Better, but you need to counterattack when you create the opening. Your body needs to move as one,” Zaploc observed.

Gilreg rose. His arms were very sore. He nodded and held his axe and shield at the ready. Zaploc hefted the two-handed club and prepared to attack. The grizzled warrior’s head tilted as if he heard something. A faint sound.

“Shaymus, come out!” the one-eyed goblin barked.

Slinking from the shadows, the petite pale-eyed goblin emerged. Shaymus was holding the sword she found from the human adventurer. It was sheathed in its leather scabbard.

“I want to learn to use this,” she hissed, holding up the weapon.

“The side sword? Well good. About time you showed up,” Zaploc grunted.

Shaymus jogged over to the other two in the training yard. Zaploc took the sword. Unsheathed it and tested it out.

“This is well made. Let me find a similar training blade,” the old warrior said and departed.

“Where have you been?” Gilreg asked.

“Practicing my trap-making on children,” Shaymus said with a devious snicker.

Gilreg showed a shocked expression.

“Relax, no one got hurt,” Shaymus said, and after a pause, the demonic goblin added, “Much.”

There was a screech as the younger goblins showed up from their morning hike up the hill. They saw Shaymus, and she grinned mischievously at them.

“Form up!” Ordered Zaploc as he handed Shaymus a practice sword.

“Can’t wait for sparring time,” she said evilly to the terrified younger goblins.

LATER THAT DAY

“For your size, you should parry only as a last resort. Evade and lunge,” Zaploc instructed Shaymus.

The smaller goblin, despite her sarcasm and perchance for mischief, was actually a good student. Gilreg figured that was because her desire to kill in combat was greater than her lack of regard toward authority. He was working with the younger goblins on their axe throwing. They stood in rows and threw hand axes at a heavy wooden log. He enjoyed this because he could get some throws in as well. A skill he rarely used.

“Can I get close and use my knife?” Shaymus asked.

Zaploc pondered a moment as he observed the pale-eyed goblin execute flawlessly the sword movements he instructed her on. Goblins tend to be slightly smaller than the other races, and for melee combat, they need to rely on their speed and agility. Shaymus was small, even by goblin standards. As a result, Zaploc was hesitant to teach Shaymus to engage in close-quarter combat. However, he recalled her speed. Her craftiness in utilizing her entire body when grappling and how scrappy she was. He decided that Shaymus, in close quarters with a knife, could be effective for her.

“When your sword connects with your opponent, keep your wrist loose to close the distance. Bind them, and this will allow you to strike with your smaller blade,” Zaploc said and demonstrated the movement with her.

Gilreg had a moment to catch Shaymus practicing binding with her sword to get in close and then gleefully practicing stabbing and slashing with her knife. It was terrifying to watch. Zaploc disengaged and gave Shaymus some drills to work on her own, and the old warrior came over to check on Gilreg.

“Good thing she is on our side,” the teacher said.

“I’m ready to spar!” Shaymus called out. The younger goblin warriors all huddled away from her, none of them wanting to spar with her.

Zaploc looked at the sky to gauge the time of day and nodded. He gave Gilreg a look with his one eye.

“Partner up! Gilreg with Shaymus,” he ordered. The younger goblins immediately grouped into pairs giving Shaymus a wide berth.

Shaymus cackled as she held up her sword and dagger. Gilreg faced her, turning his body sideways and keeping his shield between them. He held up his axe over his right shoulder, ready to swing. Shaymus lazily shuffled over toward the warrior. She angled and stepped toward his axe side and away from the shield as Gilreg circled to face her.

Suddenly, without any indication, Shaymus charged. She lunged low with her sword aiming at his unprotected knee. Gilreg lowered his shield to intercept her strike and launched an overhand chop with his axe. Shaymus suddenly stopped her lunge and circled out of the way of Gilreg’s chop. The warrior lost balance and was now vulnerable. His shield was on his left, and he tried to recover his axe on his right. In a blink of an eye, she was on his exposed right side. She attacked with a flurry. He was able to knock aside her sword thrust with his axe, but she rotated her wrist, and her lunge was not slowed. Shaymus struck Gilreg soundly in the abdomen with her wooden dagger. This was close to his bruised ribbed, and the warrior gasped in pain.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“I win!” Shaymus cackled in glee as she brought the edge of her wooden sword to align across the warrior’s neck.

Gilreg knocked her sword away in frustration. He stepped back from her and banged his axe against his shield.

“Again!” He challenged.

The first time he underestimated her. This was a lesson that his bruised side painfully reminded him of. He was also impressed at how quickly she picked up the sword skill. All the goblin warriors were trained in it, and Shaymus mainly focused on knives and stealth. But, her sword skill improvements were nearly unimaginable. He would not go easy on her from now on.

Shaymus made the same lunging attack, and this time Gilreg rushed in to meet her. When she shifted to the side, he pressed her by punching with the edge of his shield. She tried to change direction, and he caught her with his training axe. The blow sent her spinning to the ground. She squealed in pain and lay in a fetal position. She was nursing her shoulder. If the axe was real, it would have been a mortal wound.

“Shaymus! I’m sorry!” Gilreg said and rushed to check on her injury.

He realized too late that he had made the same mistake twice in a row. He underestimated Shaymus. As he came close, she spun and stabbed him painfully in the chest with her blunted sword. This was on his previous wound, and the pain nearly caused him to black out.

“I win again,” she cackled and then grimaced in pain.

GILREG (WARRIOR)

leader of the small group of Goblin Guardians. Head shaved on the sides, hair growing along the middle of his skull in a mohawk common among the warriors of his tribe. He did not waste time on the oils to have his hair stand straight, instead he has it tied back. Wiry corded muscled build, green skin, and yellow eyes.

Stats:

Toughness

Above average (3)

Speed

Average (2)

Mind

Average (1)

Combat Skills

Defense

Proficient (4)

Resistance

Novice (2)

Melee Combat

Proficient (4)

Skills:

Singing, Diplomacy, Leadership, Stealth 1

Talents:

Two Weapon Fighting, 1H Axes 1, 1H Swords 1

Gear:

Low quality Hand axe, Low quality Scimitar, Stitched Padded armor (torso, Limbs).

SHAYMUS (ROGUE)

Small, even by goblin standards. Long agile fingers, slender, favors a buzz cut style haircut. She has pale eyes, which is unusual for goblins which tend to have black, red, or yellow eyes. A metal nose stud, and a wicked smile.

Stats:

Toughness

Average (2)

Speed

Above average (3)

Mind

Average (1)

Combat Skills:

Defense

Novice (3)

Resistance

Novice (2)

Melee Combat

Novice (3)

Skills:

Stealth 2, Mechanical, Trapmaking

Talents:

Discern Vitals 1, Daggers 1

Gear:

Low quality daggers x2, Stitched Padded armor (torso, Limbs).

NULROK (MAGE)

He is the shaman in training. White hair, cut short and spiky. Rings on his fingers, and full black eyes that mark him as tainted by magic. Favors lore, and ice magic. He has pale green skin with swirling tattoos on his arms.

Stats:

Toughness

Average (1)

Speed

Average (2)

Mind

Above average (3)

Combat Skills:

Defense

Novice(2)

Resistance

Proficient (4)

Magery

Proficient (4)

Skills:

Stealth 1, History, Botany

Talents:

Ice Magic 1

Gear:

Stitched Padded armor (torso, Limbs).

RAINE (EXPLORER)

She is both an archer and a sword fighter. She favors her hair in braids. Patient with her archery, and if needed can use the longsword as good as any warrior. Light grey skin, and blue eyes. Daughter to the chieftain.

Stats:

Toughness

Average (2)

Speed

Average (2)

Mind

Average (2)

Skills:

Defense

Proficient (4)

Resistance

Novice (2)

Melee Combat

Novice (3)

Archery

Proficient (4)

Skills:

Mechanical, Trapmaking, Awareness, History, Stealth 1

Talents:

Bows 1, 2H Swords 1,

Gear:

Low quality shortbow,Low quality longsword, Stitched Padded armor (torso, Limbs).