We rushed toward Green Tree, entering through the West Gate.

It was a battlefield, with goblins and Enkis locked in combat in the streets. Explosions rocked the air, and some houses were engulfed in flames.

"The Gem!" Carol shouted urgently.

"We need to head for the temple!" I replied, my voice filled with determination.

We pressed forward, making our way to the main street, but we were abruptly halted by three goblins.

"They're here!" one of them bellowed, pointing in our direction.

Without hesitation, Carol swiftly swung her war hammer, crushing the goblin's head and decapitating it. I unsheathed my sword, slashing one goblin across the face, causing blood to spurt like a fountain. With a swift rotation, I sliced through the other goblin, cleaving it in half.

These were low-level goblins, I realized.

"No time to waste," Carol declared.

I nodded in agreement, and we hurried on, finally arriving at the main plaza, which connected to the street leading to the temple.

Malii's shop was engulfed in flames. I stopped Carol abruptly :

"Malii!" I called out, filled with concern.

She shook her head, her expression filled with sorrow :

"We don't have time," she said firmly.

Though my emotions screamed otherwise, I reluctantly agreed, and together, we pressed forward toward the temple, battling our way through the chaotic streets.

It was a scene of carnage, with bodies of Enkis and goblins strewn across the pavement.

Suddenly, a goblin-orc hybrid blocked our path. Towering over us, it wielded a large wooden war club. Behind it stood half a dozen regular goblins.

"YOU STOP HERE," the hybrid grumbled, waving its menacing weapon.

"No time for this nonsense," Carol declared, launching herself towards the towering goblin-orc hybrid, her war hammer poised for a strike.

Out of nowhere, the hybrid snatched a smaller goblin with one hand, flinging it into the air before mercilessly clubbing it in Carol's direction.

In a collision of bodies, the French woman and the goblin crashed to the ground.

Reacting swiftly, I rushed to Carol's aid, as the goblin who collided with her readied his sword for a lethal stab. Without hesitation, I lunged forward, swinging my sword and severing his head in a single fluid motion.

In that same instant, I caught sight of the hybrid preparing to throw another goblin. With lightning-fast reflexes, I grabbed my crossbow, took aim, and released a bolt that intercepted the goblin mid-flight, causing it to crash lifelessly to the ground.

The hybrid let out a growl of frustration.

"NOOOO! This isn't fair!" he bellowed.

Quickly reloading my crossbow, I fired another shot, the bolt streaking through the air with remarkable speed, striking the hybrid right between the eyes.

In a display of defiance, the hybrid yanked the bolt from his head and disdainfully discarded it onto the ground.

"Crap," I muttered under my breath.

"This one is considerably stronger than the others," Carol remarked, rising to her feet.

"Do you have any ideas?" I inquired, seeking her input.

"Hit harder," she replied, a determined smile gracing her face.

Before I could react, Carol - undeterred - leaped toward the massive creature, swinging her war hammer once more. The goblin-orc hybrid seized another smaller goblin with one hand, launching it through the air, aimed at Carol.

"Not again, sac a merde!" Carol shouted as she crouched and slid across the pavement, her war hammer sparkling upon contact with the stone.

The airborne goblin sailed past her as she closed in on the hybrid. Pivoting swiftly, she delivered a powerful uppercut, using her war hammer instead of her fist. The impact shattered the hybrid's jaw, causing blood to spatter in all directions.

Lifted from the ground, the hybrid then crashed down on its back. As Carol landed gracefully, she raised her hammer high and brought it violently on the hybrid's skull, obliterating it into a mixture of brain matter and bone fragments.

Carol then turned her attention to the remaining goblins and shouted at them defiantly :

"Allez, venez petite merdes! I will obliterate you!"

She looked like a madwoman, her tall figure covered in blood, her face contorted with determination as she shouted foreign words and drooled.

Miraculously, her display worked, and the surviving goblins scattered in fear.

Carol turned toward me, her eyes blazing with intensity :

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"We need to keep moving!" she exclaimed.

I nodded to her.

Finally, we reached the temple, only to find the interior engulfed in flames.

"We need to get inside," I said urgently.

"It's too late," Carol replied, her voice heavy with resignation. "But what about the Gem, Simon?"

I looked at her, taken aback by her words.

"I don't care about the Gem. I'm more concerned about Danalii," I responded.

Carol regarded me with surprise.

"We need the Gem, Simon," she emphasized, trying to be as soft as possible.

Before I could reply, four of Danalii's assistants stumbled out of the temple, pushed by a group of ten or so goblins.

We rushed toward them.

"Help!" one of the young Enkis cried out in desperation.

One of the goblins struck one of the assistants, sending her sprawling onto the ground.

"Move!" he commanded.

Acting on instinct, I swiftly shot the goblin with my crossbow. It fell lifeless, instantly.

The remaining goblins turned their attention to us, and Carol swung her war hammer, taking down three of them. I leaped forward, growing more accustomed to my newfound strength, and landed behind one of the goblins. With a swift stab, I pierced its back, using its body as a shield as I charged at another one, impaling it on my sword like a skewer.

I withdrew my sword, and the goblins collapsed to the ground. As I turned around, I was struck in the face, causing my nose to bleed. My health bar dropped to 139.

"What the hell!" I exclaimed, holding my nose.

Two goblins, one atop the other, wildly swung their maces.

Frustrated, I hurled my sword at the lower goblin, impaling its head, and the momentum to sent both goblins crashing backward. I then sprinted toward the goblin on top and stabbed it with my rusty knife.

Retrieving my sword, I readied myself for the next encounter. However, as I turned, I found Carol finishing off the last goblin.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

"Yes, and you?" she replied.

"I'm fine," I assured her.

Turning our attention to the four assistants who were now huddled on the ground, we inquired about the situation.

"What happened here?" I asked.

One of them sobbed as she replied :

"We were attacked out of nowhere. The goblins went straight for the temple."

"Where is Danalii?" I pressed for answers.

"Malii came and took her and the Gem. He tried to protect everyone... he tried..." she trailed off, her voice choked with tears.

"Do you know where they went?"

"I don't know. I was so scared!"

"Did he mention anything about the Gem?" Carol interjected.

"I don't know!" the young assistant cried, still consumed by distress.

Another assistant stepped forward, struggling to maintain composure as she spoke :

"I think he took her to his shop with the main guards. He was trying to protect her and the Gem. He mentioned something about weapons. Danalii, Malii, a few guards - they left. They tried to take us and other Enkis from the temple, but the goblins breached in. Everything happened so fast. By the time I understood what was going on, we were separated and taken away by the goblins," she explained, her voice tinged with sadness as she fought back tears.

"It's okay," I said reassuringly. "We will find them and help them."

I glanced at Carol, and she nodded in agreement.

"We need to return to Malii's," I declared.

"I agree," Carol concurred.

Turning to the four young Enkis, I observed our surroundings and asked :

"Will you all be okay here? Most of the goblins are either gone or dead. Can you stay here by yourselves? We need to check on Danalii and Malii."

The calmest among them nodded, her expression determined :

"Go, we will be fine."

I nodded back, offering a gentle tap on her shoulder, and we set off on our mission.

Carol and I hurried back to Malii's workshop, the aftermath of the battle laid out before us. The streets were strewn with lifeless goblins and Enkis, the scene was a chaotic mess. Some Enkis crouched over the bloodied bodies of their friends and family, weeping, while others wandered aimlessly, dazed, in shock and injured. We couldn't afford to stop.

Arriving at Malii's shop, still ablaze, I activated my 'Flash' ability and set a return point outside the entrance. With determination, I pushed through the flames, shouting :

"Malii!! Danalii!!"

Amidst the chaos, I moved shelves and debris to make progress. Among the charred bodies on the ground, I spotted Malii's unmistakable blue and gold hat, stained with blood and burned. Gazing at the pile, I uttered his name :

"Malii..." I said softly.

"Help!"

A voice called out from within the building. An Enki guard's body appeared to be stirring. As I attempted to reach him, the encroaching fire obstructed my path as the building was collapsing slowly.

To my surprise, the guard's body rolled aside, revealing the young Enki boy who had pleaded for help at the temple before our quest had even begun. Trapped beneath the weight of fallen guards, he cried out for assistance.

"Hey!" I shouted. "Are you ok?"

"My legs are stuck!" he replied, crying. "Help me please!"

"I'm coming!" I responded.

Despite the burning debris blocking our way, I attempted to move it, using my sword for leverage. The roof above us crumbled some more, and I narrowly dodged the falling debris, but not without consequences. I was struck on the back and arm, suffering burns and enduring excruciating pain. My health plummeted to 62.

Seeking a moment of respite, I applied a health patch, restoring myself to 87.

"Help!" the boy called out once again as more pieces of the roof were falling.

Covering my face from the smoke and ash, I approached him. The roof around him had collapsed entirely, flames raging all around. Clutching my sword, I used it to push aside the burning wreckage. With a swift slice, I cut through a thick piece of wood, inching closer to the boy.

He lay buried beneath the debris and the lifeless bodies of the guards who had attempted to shield him. Their sacrifices became evident as I uncovered them.

"I'm almost there!" I reassured the young Enki.

"Hurry!" he pleaded.

As I made my way towards him, I realized his mum's body was also there, her back burned beyond recognition. She too tried to shield him, giving up her life.

"I'm scared!" the young Enki cried.

"I'm almost there, hang on!"

Finally, I cleared the last obstructing piece and reached out to grab him.

Suddenly, another piece of the ceiling crashed down upon me. Instinctively, I positioned my back above the boy, bearing the weight of the falling debris. Agonizing pain shot through my legs.

I am stronger than I think, I reassured myself, even as my health dwindled to 54 and continued to decline.

"Are you okay?" I asked, doing my best to endure the burning wood on my back.

"They are all gone," the boy replied, his voice filled with fear.

"We'll be fine. I've got you. You just need to stand up and walk behind me, following the path I came through. I'll keep the passage open."

Defeated, he gazed at me :

"I can't," he whispered softly.

Only then did I realize the extent of his injuries. His legs were not merely trapped but broken, bloody, and burned.

"I can't move..." he continued to lament.

My health further diminished as the searing pain intensified.

21.

My vision blurred, and my health bar flashed red.

18.

I had an idea. I needed to act rapidly.

14.

"I'll grab you, and we'll teleport out of here, okay?" I proposed.

"Okay!" he agreed.

11.

Summoning all my strength, I pushed against the burning wood on my back, my skin blistering and peeling away. With a burst of determination, I moved forward and scooped up the boy, activating my Flash ability.

7.

In less than a second, I reappeared on the street where I had set my return point.

Opening my eyes, my vision still hazy, I glimpsed at Carol rushing toward me.

"Help the kid!" I urgently pleaded.

"What kid?" she inquired, confusion etched on her face.

I looked in front of me, trying to focus. There was no one there.

My Flash ability could only transport myself.

"I couldn't... teleport someone else," I murmured, the realization sinking in softly as I turned to see Malii's workshop collapsing completely to the ground.