The human pulled his blood-slicked blade from the goblin corpse’s throat, before turning their eye on the handful of goblins that weren’t attentive enough to have already have bolted from the scene.

Unfortunately, Steal was among this mob, and, as any good goblin would; he responded the only way he could, screaming “Reeeeeeeeeeeee!” and bolting like the rest, assuring himself that his momentary shock wouldn’t end up killing him. He’d never experienced death before. He’d sort of died before, he’d starve and be absorbed back into the dungeon; being plopped out again with renewed vigour a few minutes later. But he was instinctually certain that death by that boy’s blade wouldn’t be quite as reversible.

The fragile little being kicked off running after the other escapees, thick-skinned soles springing from jagged rocks and wet stone with an odd combination of agility and the blundering clumsiness you’d expect from a being with nothing in its minuscule brain at that moment besides panic.

SHIK

Another goblin howled in pain behind him. Then stopped.

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The sound of heavy boots slamming into the cold stone floor seemed to hasten and increase in volume. That… Person was nearing. Steal kept running; spindly legs carrying his bloated belly as fast as he could manage.

SLIP

In his haste, Steal had tried to leap over a rock in its path, instead of clearing the obstacle his foot slammed against the jagged tip of the rock and sent him stumbling, head slamming against the slippery stone.

You have suffered trivial blunt damage.

You have lost 7 HP

The sound of another heavy footstep echoed through the cave as the disoriented goblin tried to raise itself up and carry on running from his pursuer.

THWACK

Too late. That same heavy boot that had been following him was slammed into his ribcage, sending Steal backwards a few metres as he crashed into the ground again. The terrified goblin coughed into its hand, staining his palm with blood. As he turned his head upwards, dazed and confused he saw the violent man above him, leaning over the weak creature with an overjoyed almost sadistic grin. The human spoke in a tongue he couldn’t understand, before slamming his foot down, towards Steal’s bleeding head.

“Goodbye, Gobbo shit”

THWACK

A sickening crunch assaulted the whimpering goblin’s ears. No pain.