The former goddess looked somewhat changed. Her hair was longer and her former dark pride was now a rich golden brown that reached down to her bottom. The already dark eyes had changed to a deep blue with sharp and thin eye brows giving her a very expressive face. She was just half a head smaller than my former self and if I wasn't completely wrong she was near my personal perfect image of a woman.
If I haven't been surrounded by beautiful ladies for the last weeks I may have fallen for her right there, but as it stood I was immunized right now by my guardians and the other elves.
She seemed to await a response from me, so I answered her, “Welcome to my humble home, Tiria. I'm glad to have you with us in our hour of need. Your knowledge and power will hopefully help us to prevent some casualties among the citizen.”
I saw her smirk apologetically and look down to the ground, “I fear, I won't be much of a help. When I fell from the godly realm most of my power and knowledge was stripped from me. I'm just a starter avatar without any of my former powers. At least I chose healing powers and some fighting powers with sword, shield and basic elemental spells. The goblin army will help to strengthen me and restore some of my abilities frpm when I was a avatar long ago, and the fact that I can revive myself if some of them happen to be able to kill me gives me a big advantage I think. At least as long as I'm able to kill enough of them to absorb enough power for my resurrection.”
My guardians and all the elves around us stood like stone figures after her speech. Most of them knew nothing about avatars and if Tiria hadn't informed me about some of the abilities an avatar possessed I would have been shocked just the way they were.
“Do you at least still have some knowledge from Earth like basic science? Or any advanced magic skills?” asked Galen after some moments. I was surprised that he was the first to come out of his shell.
Tiria turned to my oldest guardian, “Only some rudimentary information is left. When I was defeated I lost all my power and with it sadly most of my knowledge. I will help you as much as I can because you lot are my best chance for survival. I could have gone to Earth but there would have been too many of my enemies just waiting for a strike to end me for good,“She shrugged her shoulders,“I think they're more than surprised that I found a way to escape them, as Marcus' city is the only spawn point on this world for any new avatars, they will have to have his good will to survive their first hours on this planet.”
Okay, that surprised me somewhat, but right now I had other problems, “I see that you have some basic equipment, so prepare yourself as it seems that we have some company outside the walls.”
She raised her left eye brow, “So the party is starting?!”
My guardians looked disbelievingly at her, and Andarin, who until just watched the scene, said,“Party? You think that fighting for our survival is some kind of fun, Tiria? It seems, you will fight on the front line to relieve you of some strange thoughts. I see that you have a sword, so show me if it is just for decoration or if you're more than just a fallen goddess who is no good.”
I saw Tiria catch her breath to unleash her anger at him, but at the last moment she reminded herself that the young elf could now cleave her in two if she got on his wrong side. So the woman just nodded and went with him to join the fighters on the walls.
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We watched the two leaving with Ildara and the rest of the team following them and then I harrumphed to turn their attension back to me, “I still need a substantial amount of mana to create my new weapon so please gather everyone who can spare the energy to give it to me and then I will show these suckers what I can do to them if they anger me enough.” My crual smile was reflected on Galen and Kitara's face while the rest seemed a little bit concerned about me.
Following my order they left me and searched for my mana batteries, while Gillian just sent all of her mana directly to me. I looked at her asking myself if she didn't need the power herself. She smiled and said, “Right now, you need the mana more than I do. You're the first and also the last line of defence, so I thought that until the goblins reach the walls, where I will try to ensnare them with the vines, I will give you all I have to offer. What a shame that we didn't have more time to gather more mana. This fight puts us in a bit of a predicament.”
“Yeah, it'd be much easier if I had the golem ready and all of my mana at full power, but we have to work with what we've got, so let's just kick their butts hard enough that even their grandchildren have bruises left over from the fight.”
“Oh, you will leave some of them alive? I thought to eradicate them from the world and crush their bones to nurture the soil.”
I was a little bit shocked by her cruelty but them remembered that elves and goblins didn't mingle quite well. My walking mana batteries gave me all their power and my energy level shot up fast. So fast, in fact, that I could create my first golem after only 5 more minutes. I observed my borders frantically for any goblins to reach it, but Galen and the others told me that the little green suckers were just waiting at the forest line. I hate these mind games. Whoever lead them had a good grasp on psychological warfare.
On the other hand, any moment without a fight only strengthened me and not these bastards.. When I had at least enough power for my new vessel I took him outside, much to the surprise of the elves. I had had him appear outside the wall because I was quite sure that climbing with this piece of massive stone would be a hassle and leave my wall in shambles.
I triggered the spell and watched my mana drop like a stone. The stone changed before me, turning somewhat blue at some places like veins streaming throughout the body turning inwards where normally a heart would be. The crude face changed a bit too, and took a rough shape of my own face with the eyes lighting up like spot lights. The stone itself seemed to be almost liquid when the golem moved and turned its face directly to me, awaiting my commands.
Okay, let's get the party started! I sent my mind into the golem along a blueish thread that came from me and lead to the golem's head. Seconds later I was able to see again for the first time since I changed my race. It was so cool! My vision was limited before to my domain only but now I could see much farther again, watching the forest where the cries and challenges suddenly dimmed.
Well suckers, seems now your big mouths are about to be stuffed, eh? I took a careful first step and I think that my former life as human helped a lot to keep my balance. I checked my hands and the overall movement of my new body and relished in the feeling of having this new and strong golem at my command.
Whoever had held the goblins back let them loose just that moment and they came running now with the big drakes in the front directly at me. I cupped my left fist in my right hand and then gestured them to come at me. What might have been frightening in my former life, now only made me feel a rush of joy and bloodlust.
The show has begun, and the first combatants learned first hand that attacking me did hurt like a bitch when they entered the caltrop field cutting into their feet and then bodies. Spikes ran them through when they fell to the ground only to be trampled by the horde behind them that didn't realise what had happened. Screams filled with pain and despair erupted from the goblins and still they came into my trap. The drakes ignored most of the caltrops but eventually some of them found the bigger ones and shredded their feet into bloody stumps. Their cries were much louder and I almost felt pity for the stupid creatures, but only almost.
Enemies had to die and when they penetrated deeply enough for my minefield to get a nice payoff I sent my subminds to trigger the first round of the little buggers to turn the place into a gate straight to hell.
Explosions never heard before on this world shredded the bodies of goblins and drakes alike, throwing limbs and innards through the air, plumes of blood raining down on the shocked goblins that survived the first wave. I didn't recognize any lizardmen among the attackers,so it seems that my earlier epiphany about the enemie's strategy had not been without reason.
I turned around to watch the river for a moment, but until now it was still calm down there, so I began to walk towards my guests to welcome them warmly with some gifts.