María woke up with a start, her body aching and throbbing. The cold air of the small cave enveloped her, reminding her of where she was and the dangers she had just faced. Slowly, she swallowed, feeling the dryness in her throat as a reminder of the intense battle she had fought.

With trembling hands, she felt her wounded shoulder, feeling the arrow lodged in her flesh. Gritting her teeth, she broke off the protruding end, stifling a cry of pain. A thin thread of blood seeped from the wound, but at least the arrow would bother her much less this way and wouldn't move around as much.

She continued exploring her body, finding another arrow in her thigh. With an agonizing effort, she repeated the process. She breathed with difficulty, sweat pearling on her forehead.

She knew she had to act quickly. The wounds could become infected if she didn't treat them properly, and her only hope were the healing herbs and crystals she had left at the asylum.

She needed to return soon, for if her companions at the asylum realized she wasn't there, they would surely go out searching for her. Most of her poor elderly friends would probably die, as they had no attack mages among their ranks.

A soft moan made her remember the little goblin she had sworn to protect. Carefully, she felt its body in the darkness. The creature shuddered at her touch but made no sound.

"Shh, little one," María whispered, gently stroking its head. "We'll be safe soon."

Gathering what little strength she had left, she peeked outside, swaying slightly. The magical exhaustion hit her hard, making her stagger. She had used almost all of her mana reserve in that last healing, but at least neither of them was still bleeding.

She exited the cave, the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. An unsettling silence reigned in the forest, broken only by the occasional chirp of an insect in the distance.

María looked around, searching for any sign of the goblins that had pursued them. There was no movement, no trace of their attackers. Perhaps the counterattack had scared them away, at least for now.

It was then that she noticed the little goblin she carried in her arms. She blinked, confused, squinting to see it better in the moonlight.

The creature no longer looked like a baby. Its body had lengthened, its limbs had become more defined, and its eyes shone with a spark of intelligence that had not been present before. It still had a youthful appearance, but it was no longer the helpless infant she had rescued.

"What... what happened to you?" María murmured, gazing at the goblin in astonishment.

The being looked at her intently, tilting its head curiously. Then, to María's surprise, it emitted a soft chirp, almost as if trying to communicate with her.

María shook her head, unable to believe what she was witnessing. Had the healing magic she had used in her desperate attempt to save them accelerated the little goblin's growth? It was unthinkable, an effect she had never seen or read about in any book. Though of course, it was hard to imagine anyone had tried to heal a goblin before.

But there was no time to reflect on it now. They had to move, get away from this part of the forest before the goblins returned or found their trail.

With the goblin in her arms, María began to walk, following the path that led back to the village. Her legs protested with every step, and the wounds throbbed painfully, but determination drove her forward.

The forest seemed endless, each tree identical to the one before. María guided herself by the position of the moon in the sky, praying not to lose her way. If they strayed too far, they could end up in unknown and dangerous territory.

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The goblin remained silent, watching her with those intelligent eyes that seemed to study her every move. María couldn't help but feel uneasy under its gaze, wondering what the creature was thinking.

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María advanced cautiously along the forest path, her steps stealthy, barely disturbing the leaf-covered ground. She kept the little goblin pressed against her chest, both attentive to any suspicious sound or movement in the darkness.

Suddenly, a crunch in the nearby undergrowth made her stop dead in her tracks. Her heart raced, her senses on high alert. She tensed her muscles, preparing to flee or fight if necessary.

A fetid stench flooded her nostrils, making her shudder. It was the unmistakable smell of death. Following the trail of the stench, María glimpsed a macabre scene in the distance.

There, among the trees, lay the corpses of several goblins, sprawled in a pool of dark blood. And over them, tearing off chunks of flesh with its jaws, was an enormous beast.

It was a brown wolf, the most feared magical creature of the forest surrounding the barriers. Its thick, dark fur glistened in the moonlight, and its eyes reflected a wild ferocity. It growled and tore at the flesh of its prey with chilling violence.

María held her breath, feeling fear taking hold of her. She knew that brown wolves were superior to goblins, making them brutal and notorious predators. If it discovered them, they wouldn't have a chance to escape.

Slowly, she took a step back, preparing to turn around and silently move away from the danger. But at that instant, a gust of wind blew in her direction, carrying her scent straight to the wolf's nostrils.

The beast immediately raised its head, its ears pricked and its nostrils flared. It had caught her essence, and its piercing yellow eyes fixed on María with a ruthless gaze.

A guttural growl erupted from the wolf's jaws, making the ground tremble. María felt her heart stop, terror paralyzing her completely.

The wolf shook the remnants of flesh from its fur. Slowly, it began to advance towards them, its gait determined and menacing.

María tried to run, but the wound in her leg made her trip and fall heavily to the ground. She rolled to protect the goblin with her body, bracing for the imminent attack. María held her breath, instinctively hugging the goblin to her chest.

But then, a magical barrier materialized around them, resplendent and translucent. María blinked in confusion until she noticed the little goblin by her side.

The creature had extended its hands, channeling its magical energy to create the protection. María watched the scene with wide eyes, unable to believe what she had just witnessed. The goblin, who had been a helpless infant just hours ago, had just manifested magical abilities.

The little goblin looked at her, a spark of pride shining in its eyes. María shook her head, dazed, but couldn't help a smile.

The predator charged against the barrier, letting out a furious howl as it was repelled. Again and again, it launched itself against the magical shield, but it resisted the attacks without yielding.

María watched the scene in awe, unable to believe the strength the little goblin was displaying. But her initial relief quickly turned to worry as she saw the barrier begin to weaken, its energy waning with each new impact.

Finally, the wolf managed to break the barrier with one last brutal charge.

Without a second thought, María interposed herself between the wolf and the goblin, extending her hand in a last desperate effort.

The goblin looked at María for a brief instant. Then, without warning, it launched itself at the brown wolf with astonishing speed.

What followed was a fierce battle between the two magical creatures. The goblin attacked with sharp claws and teeth, shredding the wolf's fur and tearing off chunks of flesh. The predator responded furiously, trying to trap the agile being in its jaws.

María watched the fray, horrified and fascinated at the same time. She had never witnessed such a display of strength and magic from a goblin.

Unfortunately it was still too small, the wolf tore it off its side and flung it to the ground. The goblin fell backwards, exhausted, just as the beast's jaws lunged at it.

Maria channeled all the mana she had left, casting a healing spell on the creature.

A warm light enveloped the small being, making it glow intensely. María felt her energy draining, her vision starting to blur. But she didn't stop, pouring every ounce of healing magic into the goblin's body.

Suddenly, an explosion of energy blinded them momentarily. María covered her eyes, stumbling backwards. When the light dissipated, what she saw left her breathless.