When we arrive with the party of new members they all show fear in their eyes. The only strong one out of Burke's crew was himself. We also outnumber them now. Our group is also far more balanced. Burke has three warrior friends and a thief friend with him. If we were going to fight as a group we would mop the floor with him and Burke knows that. 

“H-hey, bringing all your friends to fight us. How's that fair?” He mocks.

“It's still just a fight between us Burke, no one else has to be involved but I don't want you saying I cheated and attacking me after I beat you.”

He seems confused, he has only ever seen me as a weakling. To talk so big he probably has many doubts I can actually back it up. If I can I'd like to embarrass him with just melee… I don't trust my own skills enough. Burke isn't weak… He's actually quite strong, I've never beaten him in all the times we've fought.

Taking him lightly will end in my defeat. I can't allow that to happen. I'll use every trick I have and if that's not enough I'll use my trump cards. If that's not enough I'll make something up on the spot to beat this piece of shit. His arrogance is going to be his downfall. We're waiting for each other to act.

I active my harmonica's, inject a potion and activate a weeks worth of Aegis's stat boosts all at once. I have a few new tricks to use against this prick. He rushes at me. I cast haste, feral roar and sprint all together. I wait for him to get a little closer then a rush towards him and use ogre's strength. Moving so fast I throw him off I point my family sword at his throat going for a opportune strike! "Critical hit!"

The first move was made by me, it managed to take down ten percent of his health. I feel I might stand a chance. He retaliates but I've already started moving back to evade. I turn completely away from him and retreat, casting elemental magic to weaken the ground behind me. I hear him slip falling on his ass.

“Son of a bitch!” He cries out.

I turn and fire an arm arrow into his foot. Aegis normally rests with my mini crossbow out. It should slow him down even more. I'm going to outrun this ass until he gives up. He starts standing up and I cast plague, incinerate and hex on him. His health has dropped to 70%. He starts to get up, confused from everything I've done so far. As long as I keep this up I can slowly beat him… Or so I thought. 

Standing up he charges me with the level twenty five warrior skill. He moves faster than I can respond to or run from. He's right on top of me. He swings with a heavy rending slash. Fuck! I couldn't defend against it. Half of my health is gone and I'm bleeding!

I think charge has a minute cool down. He shouldn't be able to get close to me again for that long. I still have to get away from him as it currently is. He attacks again and I block with Aegis. Aegis does all the work blocking and I barely feel any weight behind the swing. I get kicked by Burke backwards and down. He moves towards me. I had already been channeling nature magic for a control nature opportune strike uppercut. I use the energy instead to launch him off the ground towards me while I launch myself at him. He shows surprise in his eyes by the sudden lack of his feet on the ground. I nail him with an opportune strike midair. We're close to the same health, around 40% health… This is far to close for my comfort.

“Fucking dickhead! You cheater!” He yells.

I don't care what he thinks is fair. He's twice my age! How is it fair to fight someone that young? How is it fair to fight someone who's weaker than you? How is it fair for me to not use my full strength! His attitude pisses me off. I won't give him the satisfaction of beating me or forcing me to use my trump cards. I pull out a tier 4 healing scroll, boom! Full health. I drink a regen potion. He rushes towards me, before he reaches I drop into complete defense and berserker stance. Pulling out my wooden sword he smirks. He doesn't realize how strong this wood is.

He continues to rush at me, we weren't separated by much space so he's quickly in melee range. I have only my wooden sword in my hands. He swings as hard as he can and I easily block it. He assumed it would cut through far more easily than it did. In his confusion I fall back to one of my signature moves. Control nature opportune strike uppercut! He's knocked backwards but he must have compensated for the hit. He wasn't knocked off his feet only backwards and it barely did any damage. He's far more cautious now. He must have realized the me he's fighting now. Isn't the one he's fought so many other times.

“You… You're different today… How? Why? How are you so much stronger?”

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Burke is confused, I think he might be giving up. He's looking less prepared for battle. I guess I can answer him.

“I was practicing just melee. No reason to go all out against you. You're weak Burke, all that time spend thinking of ways to get better than Gobber. You could have been training.”

The entire time, he was moving almost incomprehensibly closer and closer. The time I noticed he was already too close! Swinging at me I'm disarmed! I go to pull my metal practice sword, the only sword I have left and he stabs my arm right as I grab it, instantly dropping it. Shit! I jump backwards with dragoons passive. Ah, my hand is hurt bad! Burke's cocky attitude is back.

“You're disarmed and hurt. You should just give up…”

I will not let it end this way.

“No we're still fighting come at me whenever you want.”

I encourage him and he obliges me. He moves forwards. Much slower than normal, possibly waiting for me to give up. No! I won't give him the satisfaction, I'd rather die! He thrusts his sword at me. I pierce my own hand through it. His eyes show fear at my determination. I force my hand all the way to the hilt, the pain seizes my hand.

I don't think I'd have been able to move it normally. Even so I grab down and yank it from his grasp. My blood must have made it slippery enough for him to lose his grip. He couldn't believe what just happened, who would hurt themselves to win a fight to help out a lowly hobgoblin. I doesn't register in his head. He speaks up.

“Why!? Why do you care so much what happens to this green fuck!?”

Answering him was easy.

“I know your kind Burke, you bully people weaker than you. As soon as it gets tough you immediately look to blame everyone else. Truth be told Gobber is far stronger than you. As unfair as that seems he'll always be stronger than you.”

I start pulling his sword out of my hand. It hurts to the point where I might pass out. I get about a foot of it out of my hand. Then step on the cross guard with my foot and yank the rest of my hand out of the sword, all at once. Casting regenerate magic and pulling out another tier 4 healing scroll. My wound quickly closes shut and is usable soon after. Burke is stunned by this event. I continue to speak.

“Bullying him to fight you so your friends have a reason to kill him when you're beaten is cowardly. I baited you with an easy way to get rid of him. Of course a weakling like you would jump at the opportunity to get rid of him. Without having to risk a fight where you'd be embarrassed in. You've lost Burke, I swear I won't tell anyone the school failure beat you if you never bother Gobber again. But if you don't.”

I pull out my knives cannon, pointed it towards the forest and fired. Tearing a tree down and smashing into a few others. Burke's goons all look shocked, confused and scared. I was half tempted to use the knives cannon on Burke. But I know his kind. He'll take the beating and limp awa-.

Burke slams me with his shield, knocking me to the ground! He picked his sword off the ground still covered in my blood and pointed it at me.

“You think this little magic show is enough to stop me! YOU CHEATED! EVERYONE GET THEM!”

On cue his minions attack. Each squares off with one of my group. Burke is still focusing on me. I'm too close to him but I'm still on the ground. I channel a control nature burst under myself to propel me backwards just before his sword hit me. Even unarmed I can sti- SHIT HIS CHARGE WAS UP! 

He's right on top of me again. No way to dodge! I reach up to block with Aegis but I still will not make it in time! All my other companions are busy, no one there to stop it! I brace for impact but it doesn't come. Sock has my family sword in his mouth and blocked the attack! This confused and offset Burke. Time for my last trick up my sleeve.

I aim my hand with Aegis at him. He was just out of reach of a normal sword range. Burke has used his size to his advantage the entire fight when in melee range. Aegis forms into a sword. Opportune strike mana slash hidden sword attack! “Critical hit!” He's blinded. I stabbed him in the eye. I run around to the back of him cutting his achilles tendon he falls onto the ground. He's beaten... Should I stab him through the throat? I cast control nature to make the earth swallow his body. He can't possibly move now. 

I turn to look how everyone else is doing and they've all easily beaten the other goons. Gargarz and Pokodo were healing the enemies that were injured badly from the fighting. None of my generals were hurt or even hit in the fight… This was a complete victory.

“Burke you have three options now. Since you sucker punched me when I wasn't ready... twice! You can either. A: Become Gobber's slave. I'll make the collar to control your actions later. Option B: Be a cripple the rest of your life. Or C: Beg! Beg Gobber to spare your pathetic existence. I'll let you decide. Have your men dig you out and come answer me. If they attempt to attack my fortress I'll have them executed on the spot.”

My group walks back to the fortress in silence.