With my back to the wall - I seemed to be cornered, if I was going to run - it was already too late. I could feel the moss brushing against the skin of my back, damp and slightly cool.. The goblins were closing in at astonishing speeds, their movements were beyond any expectation I've had... I didn't think they were as fast on their feet. At least I had one advantage over them still, I was the one who chose the fighting field.

My spear reached the rope faster than the attackers reached me, releasing the sprung thick branches, covered in spikes. The whole area before this tree- was a semi-circle of these deadly traps oriented in different direction. As they were hidden below the moss - even I could have trouble finding it if not for the carvings on the trees. Four total paths led to this spot, lined to the same position.. my last stand, waiting for me to stand with the back to the three.. making me look like a cornered victim. Maybe I was cornered, but as far as being a victim - I had my doubts.

It was a slight diversion, the spikes wouldn't be enough to kill every one of these creatures.. but it ought to buy me some time.. if even a moment.. more importantly - didn't allow to jump me all at the same time. Can't dodge everything can I?

One of the toads was struck right in the face, the sound was like a baseball bat hitting a watermelon.. a watermelon filled with minced meat and bones... its body was dangling on the spikes like a Christmas tree decoration.. A bloody - dead-eyed decoration, oozing brain matter on the moss below the body. It's eye was popped, flopping out of the pierced socket like a deflated balloon..

Three toads were able to dodge the spikes and advance towards me, their bone-tipped spears aiming for my body. Despite the size - they were rather terrifying, like a pack of feral dogs.. vicious. Instead of dodging sideways, or trying to increase the distance - I rushed right into them, using the advantage of my far longer reach to kill at least one of them. Lets say - my lack of experience in fights to the death wasn't of the best help.. I felt a hit with my whole body - the spear struck a toad to the right right under the collarbone, skewering the creature and pushing the stone blade of the weapon through its body, scraping on the bone and going through its organs. It was like piercing a needle through a very dense fabric... I didn't follow through with this hit, as I grabbed the spear of the middle goblin-toad before it could reach me.. though somehow misjudged the distance, causing the bone tip to slice open the palm of my hand, scraping my wrist - but, despite the grip becoming slippery, I was able to throw the toad sideways, knocking it right into the furthermost left creature of the trio. .. that was just the fraction of a second - happening nearly instantaneously..

I did drop the spear, but I wasn't without a weapon - I grabbed the newly made atatl, which simply dangled on my wrist all this time and only now realigned myself by making a few light steps sideways - trying to regain balance. Two toads were already flanking me - one armed with a spear - other, with a stone hatchet. The first approached me from my left side, as the other - from the opposite direction. I couldn't block both at the same time, so I attacked the closest one - the toad with a stone ax. As the weapon soared towards my side, aiming for the ribs - I instinctively tried to block it with my left arm.. The piercing pain from my left calf nearly made me fall - the toad armed with a spear reached me before its partner. It jumped - that's how it reached me first! The toad was now making the spear turn due to the momentum of its body.. excruciating pain made me yell and lower my head as my knee bent due to the force.. It made me kneel.. Something snapped - relieving the pressure on the wound.. the spear didn't last long, breaking the tip off I wasn't able to appreciate the relief, as the strike of a dull stone ax found the top-left part of my forehead.

CRACK! - I felt dizzy immediately, after the sudden thundering sound of my own skull being cracked open, I heard a long - wailing bell ring. My eyes blacked out for a second, as I shuffled through the darkness blindly - trying to move away. By now the light was already seeping through the dark-green canopy, however.. I was surrounded by darkness alone, feeling blood rushing down the side of my head. Then.. it all became quiet, I couldn't hear a thing, not even my own heartbeat. I tried to stand up - which was hard to do, and even harder to remain standing, however I clung to my life.

My eyes were wide open, and through the darkness, blurry silhouettes started to resurface. As if someone took a blindfold off of my face. I was badly hurt, but this.. This..was the first time I fought like this.. No experience could prepare me for anything of a kind.. I was about to throw up, but it was most likely due to the concussion.

I saw the two toads rushing to their feet, seemed like the spear-toad that hit me, also hit his comrade that landed a strike on my head. There were more of them coming my way, six more - if you forget these two. Eight in total..

There was no chance for me if the toads were to regroup.. however reckless the actions may look like.. I had to take them out as soon as possible.

"I am bigger than them..." - somehow, that was reassuring me as I rushed at them full speed, nearly losing my balance and falling head first into the two that were getting up. Last step - I've put my whole body weight into the single point, rotating my sole and allowing the momentum to bring the heel of my right foot forward. I wasn't the most flexible, but there was no need to rise the foot too high - when you fight creatures half your height. A strike to the face sent the toad tumbling backwards.. It didn't fly dozens of feet away - simply fell and tumbled once. The neck of the toad flapped back and back straight, making a cracking sound.

As my foot hit the ground, I made a backwards swing, striking the ax wielder in the face. The atatl broke, the toad though attempted to block the hit with the weapon. The wood of my club shattered as it popped the large thumb of the toad, which the hit landed on, like a pea in the microwave...splat... I saw the bone pierce the skin and flesh, as the blood gushed under pressure. The toad was fine, but its allies were close, so I grabbed it by the throat and ran away, dragging and throwing it in the direction of a moss-covered boulder. It hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, crushing its knee on the stone. I saw the knee bend the other way, as the lower half of the foot followed in the same manner. I hoped it would break its skull.

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

I vomited due to the concussion, no spasms - just vomit all over myself and the moss under my feet. Truth be told- that was the least of my concerns at the time.. I changed the direction, turning one hundred and eighty degrees.. yes, rushing back at the toads, as I grabbed a large dry branch from the ground, raising it while I charged at them. Neither of us was in the position to evade.. so a crash followed. Ever seen two cars collide? Less steel, more flesh.. This time, I wasn't able to remain on my feet. The ringing had gotten louder, deafening - nauseating..

I felt around with my hands - grabbed a part of the branch that broke off, pushing myself up. Without even fully standing up I struck the closest toad with the sharp stick, piercing its skin. I was able to pull myself up, forcing my whole weight on the sharp piece of wood wedged into the side of the creature. Blood poured out of the open wound, but the cut was not deep. I struck it once again - this time in the ugly face. The toad tried to block the strike with its hand, which under my weight got stabbed right through. Just like a piece of meat being struck through by a nail and a hammer.. I kept stabbing the mug of the goblin-like toad, and the pierced arm moved along with every move. The face had more and more holes in it, bleeding, showing flesh and gore.. Which for some reason was black..

Now that I noticed.. everything has been in gray-scale for a while. My shaking hands had let go of the stick as I felt one of the creatures jump on my back, trying to choke me by wrapping its slippery hands around my neck. I slammed backwards, trying to shake it off my body.. something pierced my side.. the branch - it went through the toad and wedged itself right into my right side..

Fighting has gone from planned to haphazard just in a matter of seconds.

Three toads were slowly approaching me, slowly, as they had pieces of splintered wood stick out of their bodes. Going right through, or simply wedged deeply. They were the only ones that were able to keep going, others - were either dead, or incapacitated. I wish my condition was any better, which sadly wasn't the case. My vision already started fading, and I saw black spots move over the bodies of the toads..

"SH.SHASHckck!" - the whispering suddenly thundered in my head, as if a plane taking off right next to me. I couldn't comprehend where it came from, the direction.. It seemed to come from my own body, from the ground and even from the fucking toads. The sound roared, threatening to split my head open and scramble the brain..

They were hesitant to attack, seen what I was capable of, but they didn't back of, as too much has been done already.

I wanted to take a step, however, pain slowly but surely took over,making me lose the ground for a split second. No other sign was needed.. the toads jumped me, I felt their claws ripping my skin and their teeth biting into me. My left palm was being crushed between the jaws, as another toad tried to reach my neck. I couldn't tell what the last one was doing, as we all became a tangled mess of bodies struggling and flailing, trying to rip each other into tiny pieces. Anger and desperation pushed me further, as I pushed my left hand, holding the toad down with my right knee. Sounds were getting to the point of being intolerable, I wanted that to stop, I proceeded to slowly wedge my palm between the teeth of the toad.... The weight of my own body, as well as it's flailing comrades had pinned the creature down.. The bone-like protrusions of its spiked teeth ripped my skin as I pushed my arm into and down its throat. I could feel something rip and crack as I jerked my hand violently, ripping flesh and skin each time. As my hand slipped out, it felt like a wet glove coming off, a warm - slightly sticky glove..

With the last of my strength I was able to fall backwards, crushing the head of the toad that was biting onto my shoulder, the teeth scraped my bone as its jaws broke open - bones piercing the skin within the mouth and starting to fill its throat with blood. It tried to shake me off, but the bite held it firmly in place under my weight. It was suffocating.

I held the last creature with its back towards myself, it was positioned at a ninety degree angle to the direction of my body.. I bit into its neck, ripping right through the rather thin skin.. my left hand clawed its eyes out as I used the eye socket to hold onto it.. my right hand was pulling the jaw downward, opening its mouth wider and wider.. slowly.. until the feeling similar to a dozen of strings ripping one by one in succession resonated in my fingers. Then the jaw came off, causing my hand to fling rapidly and hitting the ground with the ripped out part of the body.

ThumpThumpTHump! - I could hear my own heartbeat again.. The noise disappeared in an instant.. It sounded like someone was hitting the drum-barrel full force, but it was a good noise. White sky was peering through the dark green canopy.. the body of a dead toad slid off me, laying on the moss.. it looked as if the creature was resting its head on my body. My vision started to darken, and within a moments notice.. I've lost consciousness...

...

I tried to force my eyes open, but I couldn't.. Slowly I pulled my hand over my face, forcibly opening my eyelids, which were stuck together due to the blood.. well.. the right one at least. I thought I died, but somehow- I was still breathing.

"Have to start on the paper-leaf" - My somewhat clear mind made me reach towards the wound on my side.. The blood was more or less dried out. The whole body hurt all over, but.. I didn't feel any sign of severe blood loss, which was going to be the case at least..

"All... this.. because some kids wandered off and tried to steal my rat-bits... " - I struggled, trying to sit up, but I regretted it immediately.. The spear that broke inside of my calf.. well - it was still right there, surrounded by dry blood.. there wasn't that much I could do really, it didn't seem to bleed...but I tied my leg with the rope that served me as a belt, restricting the flow of blood to the wound.. I grabbed onto the bone tip and prepared to push the shaft.. there was no point in waiting..

My screams were flooding any other sounds in the forest as I gripped the removed spearhead in my hand. Once I could think again, I heard some noise moving away from where the fight took place. The pain could wait, there was more important matters to tend to.. Gritting my teeth, I pulled myself up and went looking for my spear, barely walking.