The first thing Ben saw after they finally crested the hill was bones. Bones piled on bones, bones hewn together to form makeshift fences, and bones crowning a smattering of small huts. It was a wonder to Ben that the creatures had even managed to gather that number of bones in the small amount of time since the Earth had turned bad, but then he reconsidered.
Just because I just woke up doesn't mean everything just did. He gently chided himself. He considered it of the utmost importance that he not assume anything in this changed world.
After the bones he noticed the small movements of a few shapes of varying colors between the huts. Small figures of varying shades of the rainbow moving between the impromptu village.
Beneath Mari and Ben was the cave entrance, and just off that was the largest hut of all, with two large entrances, one toward the mouth of the cave, the other on the opposite side. Inside the large hut Ben could just make out a slumbering form, much larger than the other goblinoids in the area.
"I say we post here and try to evaluate the number of targets." Mari whispered to him, the noise barely leaving her throat. Ben simply nodded in response.
They were currently positioned in a small outcropping of boulders above the cave entrance, the overhang masking their presence to the creatures below. With that settled, Ben shifted slightly and got comfortable amongst the rocks around him.
It would be bad if I cramped up prior to the fight.
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After about 45 minutes of observation, Ben got a notification.
Sneak > Level 2
He took that as a sign and motioned Mari closer. After she shifted over he held his hands up and indicated 7. He had counted 7 smaller goblins from his perspective. Mari returned his count with a nod, and motioned down to the larger hut, then began moving toward it.
Guess we're starting with the Big Guy.
He slowly moved behind her toward the large hut. It was only about 40 yards from their position, they just had to move carefully down the rest of the hill around the cave mouth. Once they got to the bottom problem free, Mari glanced around the corner of the cave deeper within, and after pausing there for a few moments nodded back at him and continued toward the large hut. As Ben passed the cave mouth he glanced inside and saw that it turned off and nothing was resting inside as far as was viewable from the outside.
They made it to the entrance way to the large hut, and nervousness was welling up inside Ben. Mari held up her fingers counting, 3, 2, 1... before rushing into the hut, Ben following close behind. Inside was a sleeping form, slowly rousing to wakefulness from the noise of them moving into the hut, due to the foliage that made up the flooring. The large red Ogre-like creature was emerging from a slew of pelts of several different creatures, blinking bleariness from its large eyes.
Upon seeing the intruders the large creature stood quickly, preparing to roar, when suddenly Mari seemingly disappeared from her location next to Ben about 15 feet away from the creature, zipping quickly across the distance, and planted her spear in the creature left leg.
It's roar turned into a stunted grunt, as it flung Mari, and her spear, away by slinging its leg in a kicking motion.
Mari slammed into the wall of the hut with a thud, the entire structure shifting at the disturbance, and suddenly the red giant's gaze rested on Ben, thick blood dripping down its leg and anger in its eyes.
It looked to its right and grabbed an axe resting near its bedding, hefting it and waving its hand over the blade, causing it to burst into flames.
"Care-ful...", Mari wheezed out, slowly trying to work herself to her feet.
Meanwhile Ben felt frozen in place. He watched as the whole interaction took place up until then, Mari's sudden acceleration taking him off guard, and the fight starting so abruptly throwing him for a loop. He didn't feel ready for this.
Ready or not, the giant rushed forward, its steps thudding heavily. One, two strides, and it had already closed two thirds the distance to Ben, and had begun to lift its axe overhead.
Suddenly a clarity covered Ben's psyche, a notification popping up, but immediately being dismissed in the heat of the moment.
Throwing his arms up in front of him in a boxer's stance, Ben rushed forward toward the ogre, trying to throw off its swing by closing the distance.
The ogre's eyes went wide, as the momentum of its swing had already taken hold, Ben rushed just inside its guard, and his fist approached its face.
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Ben felt the heat of the axe singing his exposed skin, but nonetheless braced himself to throw an uppercut into the quickly descending ogre's head.
As the monster's head and his fist connected with each other, Ben felt as if he had been hit by a truck, his legs buckling beneath the weight of the ogre's swing, followed by an explosion of heat behind him as the axe's head kissed the floor of the hut. He felt the bones in his arm creak beneath the force of his own blow, and the ogre's head flew back word, it's own momentum doing a majority of the work.
Another notification blipped through Ben's mind.
The ogre stumbled away, leaving its axe planted slightly behind Ben as he collapsed, his legs shaking violently.
The ogre reeled for a moment, before seemingly regaining itself and moving to approach Ben again, fury in its eyes and flames licking amongst its four fingered hands.
Just as the behemoth stood before him and began reaching toward Ben, an ear piercing blast caught Ben's attention.
Mari's spear shot forward, slamming into the ogre's gut, and proceeding up into chest cavity. Immediately the flames spreading across the creature's arms tapered out, and it began falling backward, the force of the blow causing it to slide off the spear, a squelching noise resounding through the camp beyond. The creatures collapse sounded out loud and clear, a momentous boom echoing in the enclosed space, causing the walls to shake around them.
Red Ogre Killed > 80 points awarded
Loud screeches resounded from all around them, and creatures began barreling toward the opening in the hut facing the camp. Ben climbed to his feet and limped his way toward the cave entrance, while Mari faced the approaching creatures.
Health. Ben thought, and was immediately returned 82/130.
A single hit had taken nearly 50 of his health, and it was his own attack. Still he felt he could assist in the approaching fight with that much health remaining.
With some resolve he steadied himself and turned back toward the fray, aching hands griping into fists, blood dripping down the one he'd used to deliver the blow to the ogre, as his knuckles had split from the force.
The first goblins rushed in as a pair, and with quick thrusts Mari disposed of them. In the time it took her to do so another had rushed past her toward Ben, attempting to encircle her. Ben met this one readily. His hands nearly felt as they were moving on their own. A sureness to his movements guided him, as he lifted the pint sized creature over head and used its momentum to plant its head into the hard dirt below, a loud crunch followed by a loud gurgling let him know he likely was done with this enemy.
He turned to face Mari and her opponents again to find she had disemboweled a third goblin that rushed in alone. Before her 3 more monsters holding small shivs slowly began to circle.
With a firm decision to distract and help his comrade, Ben barreled forward into them. He felt a shiv glance off his forehead above his right eye, and one off his left thigh, as he body slammed the middle goblin to the ground.
He dug his forearm into the yellow goblinoids neck and pushed, hard, against the ground below. He felt one more stab into his right side penetrate about an inch as he pressed, trusting Mari to take advantage of the distraction to eliminate the threats surrounding him.
Slowly the light faded from the eyes of the screeching yellow creature below him, and suddenly there was silence. His sweat dripping down into the face of the monster.
4 Goblinoids Killed > 40 points awarded
Skill Cool-Headed Level 1 Acquired
Skill Unarmed Combat Level 1 Acquired
Unarmed Combat > Level 2
Reinforced Fists > Level 3
Hardened Skin > Level 3
Status
Name: Benjamin October
Core Talent: The Passivist
Level: 4
Grade: 1
Points: 130
HP: 58/130
Mana: 130/130
Strength: 10
Fortitude: 16
Dexterity: 11
Wisdom: 10
Intelligence: 11
Willpower: 15
Skills
Actives: N/A
Passives: Hardened Skin 3; Reinforced Fists 3; Hiking 1; Identify 1; Sneak 2; Persuasion 2; Cool-Headed 1; Unarmed Combat 2