“Why, it should have paralyzed him”, said Ven with a tremor in his voice. Ven with no strength and stamina left dropped to his knees in utter terror. The goblin took a step closer to him within three feet from him. Its arm once again reached out and managed to grab him. Holding him with a firm grip and raising Ven to its eye level.

A moment of silence followed when the goblin fell to its knees, loosening the grip on Ven which allowed him to slip through its fingers crashing down to the jagged rocks.

Ven struggled to lift himself up to see what transpired. The goblin reached his hand behind its head and pulled out an arrow. Ven held a light smile realizing that Kay is still there to back him up. That arrow was followed by a few more landing headshots each time.

The goblin stood back up while using its arm to shield for more oncoming arrows as it turned its body to find the source. In that split moment Ven grabbed his sword and unsheathed it from its scabbed. He then summoned all the last possible courage he could and charged at the goblin running straight for its left leg.

He swung his sword slicing the side of the ankle. The goblin released a loud screech as it toppled over from the side crashing into the river. The impact of the body made the water rise up like huge waves parting the water on either side. It then engulfed the beast burying it in its embrace. Ven’s fearful expression changed to relief in the matter of an instant.

“Thank God”, as he sat down on the rough ground along the riverside wiping the tears from his eyes. Kay ran over to Ven’s side holding an expression of pure joy. “We did it!” “Yeah!, haha”.

The waves crashed and rose as the body of an oh so familiar Goblin rose to its feet gaining balance in the water. The water level reached to its chest as it began making its way back to the two.

They’re hopes once again crushed as a living nightmare was walking towards them. “We gotta run!” yelled Kay while facing the beast. “To where...”, Ven replied with a hopeless voice. Ven looked up to see specs of white dust dancing through the wind.

“What’s this?”, he said as he motioned to reach out and touch it. “Cold, is this snow?” The sound of ice cracking along the shoreline grew louder as it began masking the river in a fine layer of ice. The goblin began struggling in its actions flopping around in a panic. It swung its arms around in hopes to break the ice sheets, but failed as the ice instantly repaired itself growing thicker by the second.

The ice creeped up to the goblin’s body, beginning to freeze it down to the core. It slowed the goblin down to a complete stop as it overtook its body changing the color of its skin to a pale green and formed icicles along its face and arms. Silence took over as Ven and Kay peer at the frozen goblin before them. “What happened”, Kay replied in full confusion as he swept his bangs away from his eyes.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“I happened”, said a deep rough voice behind them as a figure stepped from the vegetation. The boys jumped at the sudden response as they slowly turned back to see a man dressed in all black with silver shorthair approach them.

He appeared to be nothing shy of thirty with piercings decorating his ears and teal eyes that seemed of crystals gazing at them. “What were you two thinking, going after a saber goblin?” The two took a moment to recollect their thoughts as Ven stood up alongside Kay to face him.

Ven replied, “We thought it was going to be a normal goblin.” as Kay joined in nodding to his reply.

The man shuffled his hair as a way to process the situation, “Ha, it clearly stated on the quest form that it was a saber goblin, and that this was a fourth ranked quest.” Kay’s eyes shot out in confusion to these words. “Wait, a fourth ranked, no it was a second ranked quest, show him the paper Ven.” Ven froze in his place as he developed a cold sweat.

Kay glanced over at Ven and then fully understood what transpired. “Looks like your buddy didn’t tell you, well anyway, give me the quest sheet we’re heading back to the village now.” Ven slowly reached into his back pocket and handed the folded parchment over to him. He unfolded it and confirmed its legitimacy through the royal stamp imprinted on it.

“Okay, grab your things and let's go. I promised the villagers that I’ll bring you back.” Kay slowly turned back and walked to fetch his extra arrows from the rocks. Ven made his way to his sword as he picked it up and proceeded to grab the scabbard to sheath it. He stood there looking at the goblin frozen over the lake, for it was a sight to grand that he couldn’t believe.

He swung the sword across his back as he turned back to the man who was waiting for them.

“Magic can do this…”, he whispered as he walked back to him. Kay joined them after he finished strapping all of his gear back onto himself. The man exchanged glances with both of them as he turned back to the forest beginning to make his way through it.

The sound of stepping through gravel and dirt filled the heavy atmosphere. They knew that they could have easily died there if it wasn't for this man stepping in. The steady pace that he let on allowed for moments of recollection, moments that Ven and Kay dreaded. Kay looked up at the man in front of them and noticed his well-fitted clothing to expensive fabrics. The subtle hidden kunai he kept within his cloak. This man was professional no doubt about it.

Kay broke the silence, “Are you Jack Riker?”

The man glanced behind him as he answered, “Yes, I am.” Ven yet dragging behind kept a decent proximity near them as he glanced at Riker.

“So you wanna let me in on this game you’re playing or not?” Kay looked over at the silent Ven as he spoke out, “There isn’t much left to say as you know most of it”, Kay replied back. “Yeah, but I haven’t gotten your friend’s side of the story yet.” Ven’s guilt seeped back as he shuffled different responses in his mind. Riker raced a top of a large boulder that was blocking the path.

He stood there facing them as he extended out a hand to be of assistance. Kay took a running start as he reached out to take his hand as Ricker pulled him up the boulder. “Or is your friend mute,” Riker looked down at Ven with a bitter expression, extending his arm out again.

“I’m not.”, Ven replied as he jumped onto the rock falling short of Riker’s arm as he slipped and dove backwards into the dirt. Riker knelt down on the rock as a form of resting while he waited for Ven.

“So he speaks. ''