María's heart pounded against her chest as she ran through the forest. Behind her, the growls and screeches of the pursuing goblins echoed ever closer, threatening to catch up to her at any moment.
She clutched the little goblin tightly to her chest, feeling the creature tremble with fear. The baby had sensed her terror, letting out shrill squeals that threatened to give away their location to the hunters. María cursed her advanced age, her lungs burning and her legs threatening to fail at any second.
But she could not give up. The image of the dead mother goblin, lying on the forest floor, propelled her forward.
She had tried to show them the little one in the hope that they might want to reclaim it, but the infant's screams and jerky movements convinced her otherwise.
Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the air, embedding itself in the trunk of a tree right in front of María. Instinctively, she ducked down, shielding the goblin with her body.
From the shadows of the forest, emerged a dozen goblins, their yellow eyes gleaming with ferocity. They were lean, agile creatures, armed with crude bows, clubs, and makeshift knives of bone and wood. One of them, larger than the rest, carried a staff carved with magical runes, emitting a faint bluish glow.
María gritted her teeth, cradling the goblin baby with one arm while extending her other hand. Although her magic crystals were limited by her economic status, she had studied enough throughout her life to defend herself if needed. But she knew she could not sustain a prolonged fight with the 3 crystals she carried.
Quickly, she pulled out one of the magic crystals she carried, feeling the energy flow through her body as she invoked the spell. A protective barrier materialized around her just in time to deflect two arrows and a manaball.
The goblins swarmed towards her, brandishing their weapons and letting out piercing shrieks. María channeled her magical energy into the crystal, reinforcing her shield while searching for an escape route.
Suddenly, the goblin with the staff began to chant a guttural incantation, and a brilliant sphere of energy formed at the tip of his weapon. María recognized the spell, a powerful anti-barrier magical attack that could easily break hers.
Acting quickly before losing her barrier, she took the second crystal and cast a gust of magical wind that hurled several goblins against the trees, leaving them dazed on the ground. But there were too many, and soon she would be surrounded again.
The spell-casting goblin finished his chant and fired the energy sphere at María, breaking her barrier. The goblins with bows and others with rocks seized the opportunity, launching their projectiles at her.
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María cried out in pain as an arrow embedded itself in her shoulder. The little goblin in her arms shrieked when a rock struck his tiny leg, writhing.
With a superhuman effort, she used the last crystal in one final, desperate attack. A shockwave of magical force swept through the area, hurling the goblins in all directions and clearing the escape path she had spotted moments ago.
Without a moment's hesitation, she ran through the gap, her shield dissipated and her body covered in injuries. The goblins quickly regrouped, launching arrows and rocks after her.
An arrow pierced María's leg, causing her to stumble. She fell heavily to the ground, shielding the goblin with her body. The little one let out a sharp cry of pain, his skin torn by the branches.
With her vision clouded by pain, María frantically searched her bag for another crystal. There were none left.
Gritting her teeth, she dragged her injured body through the forest, desperately seeking a safe place. Finally, she spotted a small cave hidden among the roots of a massive tree. Perhaps it was best not to lead the goblins back to the asylum, which would only bring more trouble. She just needed to find a way to distract the goblins for a moment, as she couldn't hide in plain sight.
But the goblin leader would not let them escape so easily, beginning to chant one last explosive mana spell. He was determined to finish them off.
The massive mana ball flew towards them, the spell-casting goblin wearing a pleased smile. Maria had no more crystals, but the mana limit she had accumulated in her body over the years allowed her to power almost 100 crystals in a day… Maria was not defeated!
She channeled her energy into that spell that had won her some duels in her youth. Humans do more than just mindlessly throw magic balls at each other, she remembered. Our duels are more complex than that!
She barely had time to configure her counterattack spell as the perfect timing sent the mana ball hurtling back towards the group of goblins, catching them by surprise with a massive explosion.
To take advantage of the chaos, and with one final effort, she dragged herself towards the cave, pulling the little goblin with her.
In the darkness of the cave, María lay panting, her body covered in wounds and her magical energy nearly depleted from the counterattack. The little goblin curled up against her, emitting soft whimpers of pain.
With a trembling sigh, María embraced the creature, feeling her strength leave her. They had managed to escape, but at a terrible cost. They desperately needed healing magic, but her other crystals and healing herbs were back at the asylum.
As the darkness enveloped them, María clung to the determination that had driven her this far. She would not give up, no matter how difficult the path ahead. She had risked everything to protect this little being, and she would not abandon it now.
"I'll get you out of this place, little one. I'll take you somewhere safe. I swear it. But first..."
And with those words, María activated her crystal-free healing magic. The effect would be small but hopefully enough for them to survive. The healing magic enveloped them both for a few seconds, the little goblin began to glow, and María fell into unconsciousness.