The warm, comforting glow of healing magic enveloped the tiny goblin, making it shine with a soft luminescence. Maria felt her strength waning as she channeled every ounce of her remaining magical energy into the healing spell.

Maria stumbled, and just as she thought she would lose consciousness, the light slowly dissipated, revealing the result of her desperate effort. Maria blinked, her eyes adjusting once more to the forest's dimness, and then she saw it.

Before her was no longer the defenseless baby goblin she had sworn to protect. The creature had certainly developed, but its form still retained a youthful and tender air. Its features had sharpened, with a more prominent jaw and tiny fangs peeking from between its lips.

The lack of mana hit hard, plunging Maria back into darkness. Having completely exhausted her magical reserve, the old woman collapsed powerless onto the forest floor, losing consciousness.

The goblin, barely larger than a four or five-year-old child, watched over its protector with huge, worried eyes. It could feel the bond that united them, that connection forged by Maria's healing magic and reinforced by her determination to protect it.

A guttural growl made it turn towards the brown wolf, shaking the remnants of blood from its muzzle. The beast fixed its gaze on them, its yellow eyes glowing with wild ferocity.

The little goblin straightened to its full but short height, placing itself between Maria and the predator in a defiant gesture. It could feel the magical energy flowing through its body, its form an echo of the impressions it had received from the old woman's magic during her previous confrontation.

With a shrill shriek, the goblin extended its hands forward, channeling its newly discovered power. A translucent sphere of energy enveloped it and Maria, creating a protective barrier that shimmered with an iridescent glow.

The wolf launched itself against the barrier, slamming into it with all its might. But the magical shield resisted the impact, repelling the beast with a wave of energy that made it stagger backward.

Again and again, the predator attacked, lashing out with mana claws and bites against the barrier. But the little goblin kept its hands extended, its brow furrowed in an expression of concentration as it channeled its magic to maintain the protection.

In a moment of fury, the wolf retreated and opened its jaws, preparing a thunderous roar, the signature magic of the brown wolf. The goblin felt the barrier shudder under the sonic wave of energy, threatening to give way.

Quickly, with a fluid motion of its hands, the goblin reinforced the barrier, expanding it into a larger, brighter sphere. The wolf's roar bounced off the shield, then was absorbed by the barrier, which began to undulate intensely.

The beast retreated, panting and letting out frustrated growls. Its eyes fixed on the little being that had managed to counter its attacks, disbelief mingling with fury in its gaze.

The wolf could not accept that a goblin, of which it had hunted hundreds, could repel it, so it launched itself again with even more force. Suddenly, the goblin channeled the waves of the barrier, taking the wolf by surprise. Before the beast could react, it extended a hand, and the energy was released in front of it.

With a defiant shriek, the goblin unleashed the accumulated energy against the wolf, striking it in the chest with devastating force. It was an echo of Maria's counterattack strategy. The beast was flung backward, crashing into a tree with a sickening crunch.

The wolf staggered to its feet, dark blood oozing from its muzzle and side. It let out a furious roar, still determined not to be defeated by such a small creature.

But the goblin gave it no respite. It pounced on the wolf with astonishing speed, shredding its fur with razor-sharp claws. The beast responded with fury, trying to catch it in its jaws, but the goblin was too agile and slippery for the wounded wolf.

In the blink of an eye, the goblin leapt onto the wolf's back, clinging tightly to its fur. Then, with a precise motion, it sank its fangs into the beast's neck.

The wolf howled in pain, thrashing violently in an attempt to dislodge its attacker. But the goblin did not relent, tearing through flesh and muscle until it finally reached its target.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

With a fierce tug, it ripped out the wolf's magical regulator, a glowing sphere pulsing with arcane power. The beast crumpled to the ground, lifeless, as the goblin raised its trophy in triumph.

The goblin devoured the core in a single bite, absorbing its magical energy. Its body shone briefly, the greenish skin that had lightened with Maria's magic darkening in some places, and its muscles tensing even more. It could feel the power coursing through its veins, strengthening it.

But it was not enough. The goblin could sense the essence of the brown wolf, that primal force that had made it a feared predator. And it craved it, needed it to protect its fallen protector.

With quick, precise movements, the goblin pounced on the wolf's carcass. It sank its fangs into the flesh, tearing away tufts of fur and muscle until it finally reached its true goal: the beast's central core.

It was the brown wolf's magical heart. The goblin gazed at it with covetous eyes, feeling its mouth water at the prospect of consuming such power.

Without a moment's hesitation, the little being opened its jaws and swallowed the entire core, devouring it greedily. Immediately, it felt the energy invading it, transforming every fiber of its being.

A guttural roar erupted from its throat, a thunderous sound that made the surrounding trees tremble. The goblin stood tall, its body glowing with a supernatural radiance as the transformation took place.

Its muscles swelled, tensing with tremendous strength. Its claws lengthened, becoming razor-sharp blades. Its fangs grew, protruding from its jaws in a menacing snarl. And its eyes, those yellow orbs, ignited with a wild and unstoppable blaze.

The goblin let out a triumphant shriek into the night sky, proclaiming its victory over the fearsome predator. Then it turned towards Maria, a look of recognition and gratitude in its intelligent eyes.

The little being approached Maria, gazing at her battered and unconscious body. It could feel the bond that united them, that connection forged by the old woman's healing magic. She had saved it, and now it was its turn to protect her.

With a soft chirp, the goblin extended its hands and channeled its remaining magical energy. The transformation had absorbed nearly all the power from the core, but it didn't care. A translucent sphere of energy enveloped them both, creating a protective barrier that shimmered with an iridescent glow.

Slowly, the goblin began to concentrate, focusing its power on the sphere. The barrier vibrated softly, emitting a gentle hum that resonated in the air. Gradually, the energy intensified, becoming a healing current that enveloped Maria.

The old woman shuddered slightly, her body glowing with a warm radiance. Her wounds began to close, the blood stopping its flow. Color returned to her cheeks, and her breathing became deeper and steadier.

The goblin kept its eyes closed, channeling every ounce of its power into the healing. It could feel its energy rapidly dwindling, but it did not stop. Not until it ensured Maria was out of danger.

Finally, when the last wound had healed and the glow faded, the goblin dropped the barrier, utterly exhausted. Its body shrunk, reducing to the size of a two-year-old child, its skin losing the supernatural luster it had acquired.

With a soft whimper, the little being collapsed to the ground, its magical energy completely depleted. It had given everything to preserve its protector's life.

♢♢♢♢

Maria slowly opened her eyes, blinking in confusion. The last thing she remembered was passing out after channeling her healing magic on the goblin. But now, her wounds had healed, and her body felt revitalized, despite the two arrowheads still in her body...

It was then that she noticed the small figure lying beside her. The goblin lay motionless, its chest rising and falling slightly with its breathing.

"Oh, little one..." Maria murmured, extending a trembling hand to stroke the being's head. "Thank Mana you're alright."

With an effort, the old woman sat up and took the goblin into her arms, cradling it against her chest. She looked at the wolf's carcass a few meters away. A wave of gratitude and affection washed over her as she understood the effort the creature had made for her.

Slowly, Maria got to her feet, firmly holding the unconscious little being. They needed to return to the asylum, where they would be safe and could regain their strength.

♢♢♢♢

The journey back was slow and exhausting, but Maria did not stop for an instant. Finally, she glimpsed the asylum's lights through the trees, and her heart filled with relief to see them still dark.

Cautiously, she slipped through the back door, hoping not to draw attention from her fellow residents. But just as she thought she had managed to enter unseen, a familiar voice behind her made her start.

"Maria?" Lucia appeared in the hallway, a look of concern on her wrinkled face. "What are you doing? You're not going out, are you?"

Maria swallowed hard, quickly searching for an excuse. At least she had her back to Lucia, preventing her from seeing the goblin.

"Sorry, dear," she responded in a tired voice. "I had to go to the bathroom and got a bit held up. You know how it is at our age."

Lucia eyed her suspiciously, clearly not entirely convinced. But before she could ask Maria to turn around, she hurried to change the subject.

"I'm exhausted. I think I'll go rest for a bit. It's been a very long night with this bladder trouble."

With those words, Maria retreated to her room, closing the door behind her. Holding the little goblin against her chest, she let herself fall onto the bed with a sigh of relief. Placing a soft kiss on the goblin's forehead, Maria curled up beside it, allowing exhaustion to claim her.