The goblin horde inched closer, their ranks swelling with every passing moment. Niles’s stomach twisted into knots. He glanced at his comrades, trapped outside the barrier with nowhere to run, no refuge in sight. The weight of his failure crushed him as he sank to his knees. This wasn’t just a misstep; it was a death sentence for them all, and it was his fault.

“Niles!” Felix’s voice cut through the suffocating air, sharp and commanding, despite the weakness in his body. But Niles didn’t react. He couldn’t.

Winston activated his skill, his eyes darting across the approaching goblins. “Levels seven, nine, five…” he called out, his voice steady until he locked onto the mutated goblin—the one with grotesquely long arms and a spear. “Seventeen,” he murmured, the tremble in his voice betraying his fear.

But then, something else stirred beyond the treeline. A deeper rumble, a weighty presence. Before they could see it, Winston’s voice cracked with panic. “Something with a level sixty-seven is coming!”

The forest erupted, and the creature emerged. The sight of it alone was enough to rob them of hope. Towering and monstrous, it bore long, curling horns that jutted from its bull-like skull. A golden ring gleamed in its snout, and its dark fur bristled with malice. Around its waist hung a grotesque belt adorned with human skulls, a grim testament to its conquests. Its hooves struck the ground like thunder, and its tail lashed the air in fury.

In its massive hands, it dragged an impossibly large stone hammer, the kind no mortal should be able to lift. Yet every step it took made it clear that not only could it wield the weapon, but it could obliterate them with it.

Niles stared at the creature, slack-jawed and pale. “Big Bonker,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “That’s… that’s his name.”

Felix’s voice broke through again, louder this time. “NILES!” he shouted with every ounce of strength he had. “GET UP!”

Niles heard Felix’s words as if through a haze, his mind snapping back to the moment. He turned sharply to face the former guard, who was breathing heavily but unwavering. “There’s no time for details,” Felix said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. “We have to trust your barrier holds. Take your blade, run to where the barrier ends, and cut them from inside. I’ve fought goblins before—they’ll overwhelm us if they swarm.”

Even drained, Felix refused to falter. “And the rest of you,” he barked, addressing the group, “grab whatever you can—sticks, stones, planks—anything you can use to defend yourselves. And remember this: don’t waver! One moment of hesitation could mean your death.”

The group scrambled, pulling planks from the wrecked boat and gathering rocks from the beach. Under Felix’s direction, they formed a makeshift line: Felix, Winston and Vulcan in the front, Tesla in the middle from behind, and Finn and Lina guarding the rear. But no one except Felix was a soldier. None of them were trained for this—not even Niles. Back on Earth, military service was optional, and Niles had opted for the easier path. Yet now, with Felix’s words burning in his ears, he knew there was no choice.

He gripped the blade tightly in one hand and a stone in the other. His legs felt like jelly, but he forced himself forward, running toward the edge of the barrier where the goblins advanced. Their guttural screams filled the air, and the mutated goblin snarled commands in a language he couldn’t understand. Behind them, the minotaur strode forward, its massive hammer dragging grooves into the earth.

From afar, Niles’s charge looked like a death wish. The barrier’s limits were unclear, and no one knew if it could hold against the horde. Still, he pressed on. He hurled the stone at the goblins—missing completely—then lifted his blade.

The impact was instant. Goblins smashed against the invisible wall with a sickening thud. The barrier held. Niles’s blade, however, passed through effortlessly. He swung it wildly, slashing a goblin’s throat. A small glowing window appeared before him:

[You’ve defeated a goblin – You’ve received 14 EXP.]

Before he could process it, another notification popped up:

[Level increased: 1 -> 2. Please select which stats to increase.]

A third window followed:

[Name: Niles]

[Skill: Barrier-ish]

[Level: 1 -> 2]

[Strength: 1 -> ?]

[Stamina: 1 -> ?]

[Speed: 1 -> ?]

[Magic: 1 -> ?]

[Spirit: 1 -> ?]

Niles didn’t stop to think. His arms were moving on instinct, his blade carving into another goblin while they clawed at the barrier. They pressed and slashed at the invisible wall, their numbers relentless. He screamed, “STAMINA!” as if yelling it would make it work. And it did.

[Stamina increased by 1.]

He paused for a brief second, expecting to feel stronger, but nothing changed. “I don’t feel any different,” he muttered to himself before another notification flashed:

[Please select which upgrade you want for Barrier-ish.]

“Huh?” he blurted, glancing at the new options:

[Glorious Entrance: Entering the barrier will trigger party sounds and confetti rain.]

[King of Names: You can name the areas within the barrier—global effect.]

[Bucket of Water: Receive a bucket of fresh water, refilled daily.]

With goblins shrieking and battering the barrier, Niles had no time to deliberate. He caught the word “King” and shouted, “THE KING ONE!”

[Selection acknowledged. Please name the barrier area.]

Without hesitation, he screamed, “NICELAND!”

[Niceland. Locked in.]

The notification vanished, and Niles was back in the fray, his blade slashing wildly. He fought not just for himself but for the comrades behind him, their lives hanging on a thin thread.

Niles kept slashing at the goblins outside the barrier, his strikes mostly grazing them. But one unfortunate goblin, shoved forward by the stampede behind him, had nowhere to escape. Niles took the opportunity.

[You’ve defeated a goblin – You’ve received 13 EXP.]

Less than before. Maybe some kind of level difference? The goblins were beginning to realize something was wrong with the wall, but instead of retreating, they assumed it was just another magical defense—something that could be broken.

Then the minotaur roared. A deep, guttural bellow that sent spit flying from its massive maw. The ground trembled as it charged forward, completely ignoring its own allies. Goblins were crushed under its hooves as it barreled toward the barrier. One unfortunate goblin got stomped into the dirt, its scream cut short.

Niles grabbed another rock and threw it at the beast. He missed.

"HOW DO YOU MISS SOMETHING THAT BIG?!" Finn shouted in sheer disbelief.

“DUDE, I’M TRYING!” Niles shot back, not daring to take his eyes off the minotaur.

The monster raised its massive hammer high over its head. The sheer size of it sent a chill down Niles’s spine. With a roar, it brought the hammer down toward the barrier.

Niles reacted on instinct. He threw up his hand as if to counter the attack. “PHOENIX PUNCH!” he yelled.

The impact was deafening. A thunderous explosion of force rippled through the air, the sound of stone shattering ringing in everyone’s ears. From a distance, it almost looked like Niles had met the hammer’s strike head-on with his fist. But in truth, the barrier was still holding strong.

The minotaur growled in frustration and raised its hammer for another strike. Beneath its hooves, the goblin it had crushed was still barely alive, wheezing weakly. Without hesitation, Niles dashed out of the barrier, slashed the goblin down, and claimed the experience.

If this were a game, it’d be called kill-stealing. Here, it was survival.

[You’ve defeated a goblin – You’ve received 15 EXP.]

Another glowing notification popped up.

[Level increased: 2 -> 3. Please select which stats to increase.]

[Name: Niles]

[Skill: Barrier-ish]

[Level: 2 -> 3]

[Strength: 1 -> ?]

[Stamina: 2 -> ?]

[Speed: 1 -> ?]

[Magic: 1 -> ?]

[Spirit: 1 -> ?]

Niles didn’t hesitate. “SPEED!” he shouted.

[Speed increased by 1.]

But there was more. Another screen materialized in front of him, offering three new upgrades for Barrier-ish.

[Please select which upgrade you want for Barrier-ish.]

* [Lesser Healing:] Recover 1% of HP per day inside Niceland.

* [Lesser Expansion:] Expand Niceland’s boundaries by 1m² per day.

* [Lesser Experience Gain:] Gain 1 EXP per day while inside Niceland.

Niles skimmed the choices in an instant. "HEALING!" he shouted.

[Selection acknowledged. Lesser Healing locked in.]

A soft green light enveloped his body, closing his minor wounds. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

The goblins didn’t care. They kept coming, their clawed hands slamming against the invisible barrier. The minotaur’s hammer struck again, testing the limits of the unseen wall. They still believed they could break it, and maybe… maybe they were right. Niles had no way of knowing how long the barrier would hold.

Then he saw it—a smaller group of goblins splitting off from the main horde. They weren’t mindless like the others. Leading them was the goblin wielding a long spear, its arms unnaturally stretched and moving with eerie precision. It was calculating, moving deliberately behind the chaotic swarm.

Niles’s instincts screamed at him. Should he intercept? If he moved toward them, it might draw the entire horde—including the minotaur—straight to his friends. That would be the end. He clenched his teeth and stayed put, listening for Felix’s command.

Then it came.

“THROW!” Felix’s voice roared.

The group unleashed whatever they had—stones, rocks, makeshift weapons. They didn’t kill the goblins, but they disrupted their charge.

“BRACE FOR IMPACT!” Felix shouted next.

The party gripped their weapons tight. Vulcan, gripping an oar like a club, swung it wide, slamming into a goblin’s side and sending it stumbling. Felix, despite his exhaustion, moved like a seasoned fighter, conserving energy but striking fast—his sharp plank flashed twice, and two goblins fell.

A notification popped up above Felix’s head. [Level Up.]

“STRENGTH!” he shouted, boosting his power.

But the goblins kept coming. Finn hurled more rocks. Lina did the same. Tesla stood frozen, trembling, unable to act.

Niles kept cutting goblins down from behind the barrier, but it wasn’t enough, the cut were too shallow. His friends were getting swarmed.

“STRENGTH!” Felix yelled again—another level up, another desperate fight to keep them alive.

Then, an arrow.

It flew fast, striking Felix in the shoulder.

Niles barely caught a glimpse of it before Felix gritted his teeth and shouted, “MOVE BACK!”

The group began to retreat, their feet splashing into the shallow waves behind them.

They were running out of space.

“STRENGTH!” Another voice this time—Winston, the former court assistant. He had once been a man of books and documents. Now, he was fighting for his life.

"I'm pathetic," Niles thought bitterly from the safety of is barrier. "I'm taking down fewer enemies than my own party."

Time seemed to slow in the chaos of battle. "Strip away everything holding me back. Steel my resolve. This isn't a game—my friends' lives are on the line."

His gaze snapped upward, locking onto a goblin clawing at the barrier. Its sickly yellow eyes, streaked with red sclera, gleamed with amusement. A smirk curled its lips.

Niles lunged. The goblin jerked backward—only to find Niles matching its movement, refusing to let it escape. He pursued it beyond the safety of the barrier, his blade flashing. The goblin’s eyes widened in fear and surprise as steel tore through it.

[You’ve defeated a goblin – You’ve received 16 EXP.]

No time to celebrate. The moment he was outside, more goblins swarmed. Dagger edges flashed—shallow cuts bit into his skin. He swung his arm in broad arcs, forcing them back, his reach just barely keeping them at bay.

Then, through the chaos, he caught sight of his party.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

They weren’t just fending off goblins anymore. The rare one with unnaturally long arms—twice as long as its peers—stood among them, wielding a spear. Its reach was devastating, slicing deep into Vulcan’s flesh.

But then—

A roar.

The Big Bonker.

Its massive stone hammer lifted high, casting a shadow over him.

Niles barely managed to leap back inside the barrier before the weapon came crashing down. The shockwave nearly threw him off his feet, but worse—it caught his leg, sending pain shooting up his body as he struggled to find his balance.

Survive. Do something. Think!

“BARRIER!” Niles shouted, his hand outstretched. His desperate plan? Trap the minotaur inside a separate section of the barrier.

A glowing red message appeared in response:

[Error. You cannot restrict monsters within the barrier.]

“SCREW YOU, SYSTEM!” he spat, scrambling to his feet.

Then he saw it.

“VULCAN!”

Lina’s scream tore through the battlefield.

The old smith was gasping for air, his blood turning the ocean red. He had used his massive frame to shield those behind him—his body their only defense against the onslaught of arrows.

“I can’t reach the bottom!” Finn’s voice broke in panic. The ocean was pushing them deeper.

“FIGHT!” Felix roared.

Niles clenched his fists.

“BARRIER!”

A small window flickered into view.

[869 m² of 1000 m² used.]

His mind raced. He needed a way to halt the goblins—at least slow them down. He spotted a clear pocket of space, free of monsters. With the last of his barrier’s allowance, he formed a long, narrow wall—an invisible blockade cutting through the battlefield.

He released it.

[1000 m² of 1000 m² used.]

The system message vanished.

Goblins slammed into the unseen wall. Projectiles bounced harmlessly off its surface.

Niles struggled to regain his balance, but the pain in his leg pulsed with every attempt. Even with adrenaline coursing through him, standing was impossible. He had no idea how much more it would take to level up or what benefits it would bring, but this was his last chance.

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright and, with every ounce of strength left in his lungs, hurled his blade through the barrier. This time, it struck true—embedding itself deep in a goblin’s skull. But no message appeared. The creature thrashed weakly on the ground, not dead yet. Niles limped toward it, desperate to finish the job.

In the water—

Tesla, who had been standing behind Vulcan, lost his footing and fell into the sea. “TESLA, FIGHT!” Felix roared, but the engineer was frozen in place, his lips trembling as he whispered, “We’re dead. We’re all going to die…” over and over like a broken mantra. Fear had consumed him whole.

Felix refused to accept that. “FIGHT!” he barked again.

Another arrow cut through the chaos, its deadly tip aimed at Finn.

Lina moved without thinking, shoving her hand in its path. The arrowhead pierced straight through her palm, the shaft quivering where it stuck. Pain burned through her, but her focus was elsewhere.

Felix was locked in battle, unaware that another goblin had crept to the side, bow drawn, its aim fixed on his heart.

“FELIX, WATCH OUT!” Lina screamed.

Felix turned, but too late.

Their eyes met. She was smiling.

A second arrow jutted from her chest, protruding through her back. She coughed, a wet, awful sound, blood spilling from her lips. “I’m sorry,” she whispered before collapsing into the water.

Finn’s scream tore through the battlefield. His sister was sinking, her body going limp. He rushed forward, trying to hold her head above the waves, but he wasn’t strong enough—wasn’t tall enough. His gaze snapped to Tesla, who was still paralyzed.

“TESLA, HELP ME!” he cried.

Tesla didn’t move.

So Finn punched him. Hard.

The impact jolted Tesla back to reality, but before he could react, another charge surged forward.

Felix burst from the water, abandoning his makeshift weapon to free his hands. He lunged at the goblin with the absurdly long arms and spear. The creature snarled, snapping its jagged teeth at him, but Felix didn’t hesitate. He caught the goblin’s spear and wrenched it forward. The goblin shrieked, gnashing at Felix’s hands—but it was nothing compared to the raw fury in Felix’s grip. With one brutal twist, he snapped the goblin’s neck.

[You’ve defeated a rare goblin – You’ve received 87 EXP.]

Another message popped up—level increase.

“STRENGTH!” Felix bellowed.

Power surged through his body. He seized the fallen goblin’s spear, his newfound strength crackling in his muscles as he charged into battle once more.

Meanwhile, Tesla—

He lifted Lina’s head above water. The rare goblin’s body drifted toward him, its lifeless form brushing against his leg.

A message appeared.

[Best Friends Forever. Would you like to activate your skill?]

Tesla blinked. Without thinking, as if answering an invisible voice, he mumbled, “Uh… yes?”

[Rare goblin. 1/1 friend registered.]

[Would you like to summon your friend?]

Still unsure of what was happening, Tesla hesitated, then answered again, “…yes?”

Black smoke coiled around the fallen goblin, wrapping its corpse in a ghostly embrace. Its body twitched—moved—until it suddenly stood. The spear it once wielded reformed in its hands.

[Please give your friend a name.]

Tesla, still dazed, blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Goblin.”

[Welcome, Goblin. Locked in.]

The system message disappeared.

Goblin the Goblin, with its grotesquely long arms and messy red tomahawk haircut, immediately spun on its heel, letting out an unholy screech as it charged—its dark spear driving into its former allies with deadly precision.

At the front—

Niles crawled closer, every inch of him aching. His blade was still jammed into the twitching goblin’s skull. Why won’t you just die?! He grabbed the closest weapon—a club—and with a ragged yell, slammed it down.

[You’ve defeated a goblin – You’ve received 20 EXP.]

A new notification followed.

[Level increased: 3 -> 4. Please select which stats to increase.]

[Name: Niles]

[Skill: Barrier-ish]

[Level: 2 -> 3]

[Strength: 1 -> ?]

[Stamina: 2 -> ?]

[Speed: 2 -> ?]

[Magic: 1 -> ?]

[Spirit: 1 -> ?]

Niles, barely able to breathe, shouted, “STRENGTH!”

And then—just like before—a new option appeared.

[Please select which upgrade you want for Barrier-ish.]

[Fireplace: Receive a bonfire. It fires and extinguishes on command.]

[Conservation: Food and drinks last longer within Niceland.]

[Host: Allows you to permit entry in and out of Niceland.]

Niles didn’t hesitate. “HOST!” he screamed. “THE HOST OPTION!”

[Selection acknowledged. Host locked in.]

The system confirmed his choice—and the battle raged on.

Niles spun toward his friends, his voice raw with urgency. “GET TO THE BARRIER! YOU CAN ENTER NOW!”

But as he turned back, his stomach twisted.

The Minotaur—the Big Bonker—had shifted its attention to them. It watched as the goblins swarmed, frustration glinting in its monstrous eyes. Its own attack hadn’t been able to break through the barrier. Now it wanted to fix that mistake.

Then, just like that, it lost interest in Niles.

And turned toward the others.

“Oh no, no, no, no—” Niles’s breath hitched. His leg screamed in protest, but he forced himself to his feet, scanning desperately for anything—anything at all—to get the monster’s attention.

“RUN!” he bellowed. “YOU CAN ENTER NOW!”

The bull charged.

The party saw it. They heard Niles.

Vulcan inhaled sharply, then barked, “BEHIND ME! NOW!” He grabbed Lina and Finn, dragging them forward as Felix and Winston took the lead.

“TESLA, MOVE!” Felix yelled.

Tesla hadn’t reacted, still stunned, still frozen—until the thought of being left alone finally sent a spark through his brain. He scrambled from the water, legs kicking into motion.

“IGNORE THE GOBLINS—JUST RUN!” Felix shouted.

The barrier was only meters away.

Niles’s heart slammed against his ribs. He needed to stall the damn thing. His gaze darted to the ground—there! A stick. Not much, but better than nothing. He grabbed it, winding his arm back, and hurled it like a spear at the Minotaur’s head.

He missed.

The Big Bonker didn’t even notice.

The massive beast thundered forward, skirting around the extended barrier wall, its stone hammer dragging through the dirt as it built momentum.

Then—

A blur of movement.

Goblin.

Tesla’s newly summoned minion rushed forward, stabbing its spear into the Minotaur’s side.

For a split second, the beast paused.

Then it lifted its hammer.

And crushed Goblin like an insect.

The summoned creature vanished, dissipating into nothing.

But its sacrifice had bought them just enough time.

One by one, they dove through the barrier.

A screen flickered in front of Niles.

[Requests for entry: Finn, Lina, Felix, Vulcan, Tesla, and Winston. Accept/Deny?]

“ACCEPT!” Niles roared.

The barrier shimmered, mist-like, and the party tumbled inside.

Outside, the Minotaur raised its hammer once more and slammed it against the barrier’s surface.

The force sent a shockwave through the air—but the barrier held.

The Big Bonker huffed, nostrils flaring. It lingered for a moment, glaring at the invisible wall that refused to break. Then, with an annoyed grunt, it turned away, stomping back toward the forest.

The goblins followed, vanishing into the wilderness.

Niles reached his party. They were bleeding—wounded—but from every gash, a soft green light flickered, healing them at a sluggish pace.

“What is that light?” Winston asked, breathing heavily.

Niles dropped to his knees, scanning their injuries. “Lesser Healing,” he said. “It restores one percent per day.” He hesitated before adding, “But I don’t know if it’s enough for wounds this severe.”

Felix coughed, his voice steady despite the pain. “Then we just have to hold on.” He glanced at the sky. The sun was warm against his face. An arrow jutted from his shoulder, but he left it alone—pulling it out now could make things worse.

Vulcan barely moved. His massive frame was riddled with wounds, his entire body glowing with green light, flickering like embers on the verge of burning out. Winston was crouched, struggling to catch his breath. Tesla lay still—untouched physically, but his mind was shattered.

And then there was Lina.

She lay on her back, her breaths shallow, her skin pale. Her younger brother knelt beside her, shaking her weakly. “Niles, do something,” he pleaded, his voice raw with desperation.

Niles knelt beside them. The arrow lodged in her hand was nothing—it could be removed easily. But the other one… the one that had pierced her back, puncturing a lung…

He gritted his teeth, yanking at his own hair in frustration. Think. Think!

His past life held no easy fix. No magic trick to undo this.

“We need a surgeon,” he admitted. “We need to close the wound, but the internal damage… I don’t know how to fix that.”

A rough, labored voice cut through the air.

“Burn it,” Vulcan rasped, struggling to breathe. “Cauterize the wounds. Seal the blood inside… Then we trust the healing. Slow. Painful. But we endure.”

Niles swallowed hard. It was their best—maybe only—option.

“Alright,” he said, forcing himself into action. “Felix, stay with Lina and Winston. Watch over them.”

His gaze snapped to Finn. “Sorry, but I need your help. Scavenge anything dry—grass, roots, sticks, anything that burns. And stay on your toes.”

Then to Winston. “Can you move?”

Winston nodded. “Yeah.”

“Good. Find my blade and some flint—or a stone I can use to spark a fire. The blade should be near a goblin close to the barrier.” He pointed with his whole hand, too exhausted for precision.

Then, his body finally caving under exhaustion, Niles collapsed onto one knee.

“I can’t move well,” he admitted. “So bring everything here. We need to get a fire going.”

He took one last breath before giving the order.

“Move fast!”

Finn sprinted, his eyes darting across the field for anything that could catch fire easily—dry grass, sticks, splintered wood. His feet barely touched the ground as he moved. Meanwhile, Winston made his way to the edge of the barrier, searching for Niles’s blade or anything that could help spark a fire.

“Stay awake, little bird,” Vulcan murmured, his gaze fixed on the sky. White clouds drifted lazily across the endless blue. It could have been a peaceful scene—if not for the fact that they were all bleeding out.

Lina didn’t respond. The pain, the blood loss, the arrow lodged in her lung had stolen her voice. Each breath came in short, desperate gasps, as if she were drowning on dry land. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

Felix, despite his own injuries, forced himself forward, crawling to her side. Gritting his teeth, he shifted her from her back onto her side—anything to help her breathe.

“Thank you,” he whispered. His voice was weak, but he managed a small, reassuring smile.

Lina didn’t speak, but her eyes softened in response.

Finn returned, dropping armfuls of sticks, planks, and dry grass at Niles’s feet.

“Good, keep it coming!” Niles said, grabbing a handful of grass and pressing it against a dry plank. He took a twig and began rubbing it furiously, trying to create friction.

“The surface needs to be flat,” Vulcan muttered, his voice sluggish.

Niles spared him a glance. “How do you know that?”

Vulcan didn’t look at him. He just stared at the sky. “The sound… A true smith would know.”

Niles switched to a flatter plank.

“Once you see black dust or flakes, let it rest,” Vulcan continued, each word slower than the last. “It needs air to stick together… Then blow gently. The flakes should glow like embers.”

Niles followed his instructions carefully. “Thanks, your insight is—”

“Somebody’s gotta keep a mess like you in check,” Vulcan muttered, his voice tinged with humor. Then he went silent.

Niles froze.

“You’re not allowed to leave,” he said, his tone sharp, but his words weren’t aimed at Vulcan’s ears. They were aimed at his soul—the flickering embers of life dimming inside him.

“I’m just gonna rest…” Vulcan rasped.

Niles clenched his jaw. “Finish my weapon first.”

Vulcan gave a breathy chuckle. “I told you… no gold, no service.” His voice drifted.

Something inside Niles snapped.

“I ALREADY PAID YOU!”

The words hit like a hammer, slamming Vulcan’s fading soul back into his body.

“YOU RASCAL! THAT DOESN’T COUNT!”

Niles rubbed the twig harder, more frantically. “IT’S NOT MY FAULT YOU GOT ROBBED BY PIRATE GINGERBEARD!”

“THAT DOESN’T COUNT!”

“I EVEN TOLD YOU NOT TO SPEND IT ALL IN ONE PLACE!” Niles shouted. “AND YOU GAVE IT TO A PIRATE?! YOUR JUDGMENT’S WORSE THAN MINE!”

“THAT’S NOT TRUE, YOU LITTLE TRICKSTER!”

Their bickering sent a strange warmth through the group—a flicker of normalcy in the midst of their suffering.

Winston returned, holding the blade, now wiped clean of blood. “Here it is, Niles.”

“Good!” Niles nodded. “Drag it against a stone—send the sparks into the grass here.”

Winston did as told, striking the blade against a rock, sending glowing embers onto the dried grass. Niles rubbed the twig furiously. Finn tossed in more grass, feeding the growing heat.

Then—smoke.

“BLOW GENTLY!” Vulcan barked.

Niles obeyed, coaxing the embers to life. Slowly, little by little, they had fire.

“Finn, wash the blade in the ocean!” Niles ordered.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was their best shot at sanitizing the iron. Finn returned moments later, the blade still damp.

Niles plunged it into the flames. It glowed hotter and hotter, turning a searing red.

He grabbed a thick twig, large enough to be bitten down on. “Put this in Lina’s mouth,” he told Finn.

Finn obeyed, his hands trembling.

The blade burned like a dying star now.

Niles took a breath. “Lina, hold on. We’re closing your wounds now.”

He knelt beside her, steadying himself. First, the back. He broke the arrow’s shaft, leaving only the embedded tip. With a swift motion, he pressed the red-hot blade to the wound.

Lina’s scream tore through the air. She bit down so hard on the twig it nearly splintered.

Finn clutched her, crying, whispering something too quiet to hear.

“Alright, now the front,” Niles said, his voice tight.

Lina instinctively covered her chest, but he didn’t need to expose much—just enough to reach the arrow tip. He removed it in one smooth motion. Blood gushed from the wound.

No time to hesitate.

He pressed the searing blade against her flesh.

Lina screamed again, convulsing. Finn held her tighter.

Then it was over. Her whole body trembled violently, the pain still burning inside her even as the wound was sealed.

Niles exhaled. His hands were shaking. But he wasn’t done.

He turned to her hand, yanked out the last arrow, and burned the wound shut on both sides.

Lina whimpered, her body limp. Finn clung to her like a child lost in a storm.

It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t painless.

But she was alive.

Niles placed the knife back into the fire. “Felix, you’re next. Brace yourself.”

He let the blade heat for a few moments before pulling it out, its edge glowing red-hot.

“Now.”

With a swift motion, he yanked the arrow from Felix’s shoulder and pressed the searing iron against the wound. Felix clenched his teeth, his body trembling under the agony, but he made no sound. He just endured.

Niles nodded approvingly, then returned the knife to the flames. He turned to Vulcan and arched a brow. “Old man, you look like a hedgehog.”

The blacksmith grunted. Several arrows jutted from his body, but by some miracle, none had struck anything vital.

“Humans can endure more than you think,” Vulcan muttered.

Finn approached, holding out a small twig. “Vulcan, uh… would you like this?”

The old smith scoffed. “I don’t need it.”

Finn’s hands trembled. His voice barely carried above a whisper. “I just don’t wanna hear any more screaming.”

Vulcan eyed the boy, then exhaled through his nose. “On second thought… might be good to have.”

Finn wordlessly placed the twig between his teeth. Vulcan bit down and gave Niles a firm nod.

“Here we go,” Niles said.

One by one, he removed the arrows, cauterizing each wound in turn. The scent of burning flesh filled the air.

“These scars won’t fade,” Niles muttered, recalling his own wounds, the ones that had healed but never disappeared.

Winston broke the silence. “My father used to say…” He hesitated. “Scars are good. They show you’ve lived.”

Niles let out a tired chuckle. “That’s a good quote.” He paused, then added, “When Squeaky gets back, let’s send him to your parents. Let them know you’re alive.”

Winston tucked his hands into his robes. “Yeah,” he murmured. “I’d like that.”

Silence settled over the group.

For a moment, they simply breathed, soothed by the fragile peace inside the barrier. Inside Niceland.

Even as the acrid scent of burnt flesh lingered in the air.