Sol continued to run through the forest, lost in thought despite being pursued by a quasi-hobgoblin. From what he’d observed of the three young goblins, there was a leader. The other two mostly followed it around, very rarely resisting it’s whims even when those whims were very often reckless.
Sol didn’t know about the other quasi-hobgoblins, but the one-eyed one, at the very least, cared about the leader young goblin. Since goblins lived in tribes, then the one-eyed hobgoblin also likely knew about it’s temperament and tendency to rush head first into things. By throwing the heads of the two follower goblins, it’d grow concerned about the fate of the missing leader.
And since goblins weren’t known for their intelligence, Sol bet that the one-eyed quasi-hobgoblin at the very least would chase after him, too stupid and emotional to think about it’s actions.
He strained his head to look back, as the distinct roars of goblins resounded and reverberated throughout the forest. With his having killed one quasi-hobgoblin with Flame Shot and successfully luring the one-eye away, he would have effectively eliminated two of the six threats he would have to face.
Sol came to a stop, reaching a clearing. Quickly, he retrieved his crossbow, bolt quiver and buckler hidden by a line of bushes, before diving behind them. He stared out at the clearing. The two heads he’d thrown were only some of the preparations he had made in advance.
Kneeling down, he placed his hands in front of him. He began the chant for Flame Shot once again, only he made sure to speed up this time. Sol risked the spell breaking down, but he was confident in being able to complete it. His three days of near constant practice hadn’t been for nothing after all.
As he just barely finished the chant and the construction of the magic circle, two quasi-hobgoblins, one-eye and another, crashed into the clearing. Their wooden stone tipped spears pointed out, they gnashed their teeth in anger, roaring out. As if calling out to Sol. But they stopped, as they looked at his handiwork spread out over the grass.
Sol released Flame Shot, letting it shoot out into the normal quasi-hobgoblin. Somehow, most likely dumb luck, the spell lined up perfectly, directly piercing it’s eye socket and exiting out the back of it’s head.
The secondary effect of Flame Shot wasn’t even needed, as the quasi-hobgoblin immediately died. Slumped over, it’s spear fell to the ground.
Staring down in horror, the one eye immediately shot back to look at Sol, it’s face contorted with such rage he had seldom seen in his life. But the goblin still kept a certain level of rationality, backing up, and warily circling Sol.
That was of no matter however.
Sol relaxed his stance, stepping over the bushes. He walked to the center of the clearing, on which the head of the young leader goblin was placed upon it’s skinned pelt. Sol had done the very best job he possibly could in the short time he had, but it still came out looking horribly. He’d started by making an incision at it’s chest and then trying to peel it’s skin back. Almost like an orange.
However, the skin had torn in so many places, such that it looked horribly rough and uneven. But he still got the effect he intended; to so thoroughly shock and alarm the one eye he’d be able to shoot off a Flame Shot.
Only, he hadn’t expected there to be an extra quasi-hobgoblin.
If there had been three,
Sol shuddered at that prospect. He’d kill one, but then he’d have to fight two. He’d likely survive the encounter, but at a cost. Afterwards, too injured to proceed, he’d probably have to abandon his plan of killing the fully evolved hobgoblin.
Exhaling, Sol stood over the young goblin’s skin, observing the one eye’s reaction. Nothing.
You aren’t real. You aren’t human. You are the enemy.
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He immediately stomped down on the young leader goblin’s head. Even as the skull audibly cracked, it’s nose becoming visibly smashed in, he continued on, until finally,
“RAAAAAAAGH”
The one eye finally reacted, charging at Sol with spear pulled back.
Immediately, Sol stopped stomping on the goblin’s head and jumped to the side. Raising his crossbow, he shot a bolt directly at the one eye’s body, to which it just barely dodged, though as a result, it lost it’s momentum from abruptly dodging.
Sol threw the crossbow to the side, hoping that it wouldn’t break from the impact, before unsheathing his sword. It wouldn’t make sense to use his spear, as not only would he not be able to properly use his one handed buckler, his opponent also used a spear, so he wouldn’t have any sort of range advantage. But if he used a sword and shield, although he wouldn’t have the range advantage, he’d have an increased defense. And, admittedly, some part of Sol thought the one-eyed quasi-hobgoblin as too stupid to make proper use of the spear’s long range.
With his shield raised in front, he charged the one eye. Deflecting it’s attempt to stab him to the side, Sol charged as close as he could, slashing out with his sword at it’s stomach. But despite it begin, in Sol’s opinion, a blow as near to perfection as could be possibly achieved by a human, it was like he was cutting a top quality leather armor. All he was able to leave the goblin with was a shallow wound that blood just barely leaked out of.
Cursing, Sol jumped back. If slashing wouldn’t work, then he’d try stabs. But as Sol raised his buckler again, about to charge at the one eye again, it suddenly roared out. Throwing it’s spear to the side, the goblin pounded it’s chest. Sol swore that he could see steam escaping from it’s nostrils as it puffed out, before it suddenly ran straight at him. It was so fast that he could just barely dodge it’s attack, but as a result of his sudden movement, he landed wrong.
Sol grit his teeth, feeling his ankle twist just the slightest bit. Heart racing, he focused on the quasi-hobgoblin, as it continued watching him. Suddenly,
It charged once again, just as Sol blinked, and he was a beat too slow to react this time. A thousand different choices flashed through his mind at once, before he ultimately decided to try to directly block it’s attack.
But it was of no use. The quasi-hobgoblin immediately threw out a punch as soon as it got close enough, it’s fist slightly denting the shield. Shards of wood exploded out from where the goblin’s punch met Sol’s shield as his eyes widened in disbelief.
Biting down on his tongue, Sol forcefully calmed himself, before stabbing out with his sword at the now closer quasi-hobgoblin. Landing on it’s right midsection, where a human’s colon would be located, Sol felt his blade tear through the quasi-hobgoblin’s insides. As his sword continued traveling through the quasi-hobgoblin’s body, he felt it scrape against the goblin’s ribs, nearly getting lodged inside, before he forcibly stopped and pulled his sword out.
It would do him no good to become greedy.
Jumping back, Sol watched in horror and disbelief as the hobgoblin seemingly just shrugged off his attack. It’s expression stayed enraged and determined even as a stream of blood leaked out of the ten inch puncture in it’s chest. He’d heard and even seen the effects of adrenaline on the battlefield, but nothing to the extent of what he was currently seeing.
Sol shook his head. It didn’t matter. All that meant was that the goblin would need to be stabbed a few more times than normal to be killed.
He charged at the green skin, disregarding the slight pain in his foot, to which it frantically punched out. Bobbing underneath the goblin’s attack, Sol stabbed directly under it’s armpit, before jumping back once again.
Repeating a total of ten times, the goblin’s body was littered in wounds. Bathed in it’s own green blood, it was only now that the one eye showed the any sign of it being hurt, as it began to breathe more heavily. Panting, the goblin’s chest slowly rose up and down as it strained to even meet Sol’s gaze. Somehow, Sol thought the goblin looked lonely, bathed in the moonlight.
Sol sighed, resheathing his sword. Reaching behind for his spear, he steeled his gaze. He still had to deal with the actual goblin cave and the sun had already set.
Gradually speeding up, Sol approached the half-dead goblin. But even as his spear entered through it’s eye socket and into it’s brain, the one eye didn’t move.
Sol looked down at the dead one eyed goblin. His thumb ring already filled up to about sixty percent by those blue flowers, he wouldn’t store the one eyed goblin’s relatively intact corpse. He had to save room for the hobgoblin. As Sol limped to where he threw his crossbow, he forcefully stepped down on his injured foot. If it was only for a little longer than half a day, he’d be able to deal with it.
Other than the pain at his ankle, he’d come out of the battle relatively unscathed. His buckler was slightly dented, but as long as it was still able to block or parry, he didn’t care.
After reloading a bolt into his crossbow, Sol closed his eyes. Judging from the amount of mana in his stone, he’d still be able to fire Flame Shot three more times. If he were to do that however, he’d completely empty his stone of it’s mana, and as a result, he’d be weakened for a time.
But it was unlikely that’d happen.