The growls that echoed around the village were deeper, more menacing than before. The night was dark, but the clearing was illuminated by the eerie green glow emanating from the center of the goblin horde. Lleyn's eyes narrowed as he recognized the source: a goblin shaman, its staff raised high, channeling a powerful ritual.
The goblins charged, their numbers overwhelming. But it was the shaman that drew Lleyn's attention. He remembered it all too well from his first run. The shaman had the ability to amplify the strength of its allies, making them nearly invincible if left unchecked.
"Stay close!" Lleyn shouted to his group, drawing his weapon. "Protect each other and follow my lead. We need to take down that shaman!"
Elena nodded, her bow at the ready. "Got it. We'll cover you."
Dorian, gripping his sword tightly, added, "Just give the word, Lleyn."
The goblins were upon them now, their crude weapons clashing against shields and armor. Lleyn moved with precision, each strike calculated to create an opening towards the shaman. He could see the ritual taking shape, a swirling vortex of dark energy forming around the creature.
"Lyria, shield up!" Lleyn called out as a group of goblins lunged at her. With her new shield and mace, she managed to deflect their blows, the mace's weight making it easier for her to swing and knock enemies back without needing pinpoint accuracy.
Aric and Selene fought back-to-back, their combined strength holding off a flank of goblins. "We can't let them surround us!" Selene shouted, thrusting her spear into an approaching goblin.
Lleyn was getting closer to the shaman, but the creature was well protected. Every time he got close, a wall of goblins would block his path. He could hear the shaman chanting, its voice rising in a crescendo.
"Stay focused!" Dorian yelled, parrying a goblin's attack and counter-striking with a swift blow. "Lleyn, we'll create an opening for you!"
With a coordinated effort, Dorian and Aric charged forward, drawing the attention of a large group of goblins. This gave Lleyn the opening he needed. He sprinted towards the shaman, dodging and weaving through the horde.
The shaman, seeing Lleyn approach, let out a high-pitched shriek, sending a wave of dark energy towards him. Lleyn rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast.
"You won't stop the ritual!" the shaman hissed, its eyes glowing with malevolence.
Lleyn didn't respond, his focus solely on stopping the creature. He lunged forward, but the shaman was quick, dodging his strike and retaliating with a blast of dark magic. Lleyn felt the energy hit him, sapping his strength.
Elena, seeing Lleyn in trouble, let loose a volley of arrows towards the shaman. The creature deflected most of them with a barrier of dark energy, but one found its mark, piercing its shoulder.
The shaman screamed in pain, its ritual momentarily disrupted. Seizing the opportunity, Lleyn charged forward, his blade aimed straight at the creature's heart.
With a final, desperate cry, the shaman unleashed a wave of dark energy, but Lleyn was too close. His blade found its mark, piercing the shaman's chest. The creature let out a final, agonized scream before collapsing to the ground, its ritual incomplete.
The goblins, rather than fleeing, let out enraged cries and continued their assault, their numbers still overwhelming. Lleyn, his group, and the awakened under Alden fought fiercely, their combined strength slowly turning the tide. The battle raged on for what felt like hours, but was only about twenty minutes. The goblins, though numerous, were no match for the combined might of the Awakened.
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As the last goblin fell, Lleyn felt a rush of energy. System messages flashed before his eyes:
[System Notification: Level Up! You have reached Level 4.]
[System Notification: Skill Upgrade! Sword Mastery has increased to Level 2.]
Elena and Dorian also proudly announced that they had reached level 2, the first ones aside from Lleyn to do so. Following Lleyn's instructions earlier, Elena split her points between Strength and Agility, while for Dorian it was Strength and Health.
Lleyn took a deep breath, the weight of the battle pressing heavily on him. The village clearing, once filled with the sounds of battle, was now eerily silent.
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The aftermath of the battle was a mix of exhaustion and relief. The Awakened, having faced down a horde of goblins and emerged victorious, felt a newfound sense of camaraderie. One of the warriors, a tall man named Jorvik with a scar running down his cheek, let out a hearty laugh. "That was too easy!" he exclaimed, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Another, a young woman named Mira with fiery red hair, chimed in, "All that anxiety for nothing. We showed them!"
Around them, others joined in, sharing their own tales of bravery and close calls. The mood was light, a stark contrast to the tension that had gripped them just moments before. They began to tend to their wounds, share water, and even joke about the goblins' pitiful attempts to harm them.
Lleyn, however, remained silent, his thoughts elsewhere. While the victory was indeed a cause for celebration, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was amiss. Auralis wouldn't have let things end so easily.
Elena's sharp intake of breath drew his attention. "What is that?" she whispered, her eyes fixed on the village church. The others followed her gaze, and a collective gasp went up.
A thick, pulsating purple mist enveloped the church, its tendrils snaking out and curling around the nearby buildings. The sight was eerie, the mist seeming almost alive as it moved and swirled.
Lleyn's heart sank. He quickly accessed his map, and his worst fears were confirmed. Dozens of red marks, representing goblins, surrounded the church. Inside, more red marks indicated the presence of goblins, and one thicker mark stood out prominently - a goblin shaman. But what truly alarmed him were the new red dots that began to appear, each tagged with the word "undead."
Alden, ever the leader, stepped forward. "We need to head back to the village," he declared, his voice firm. "We need to find out what's happening with that mist."
The group moved quickly, weapons at the ready. But nothing could have prepared them for the sight that awaited them.
Emerging from the church were the Awakened who had sought refuge there. But they were no longer the living, breathing humans they had once been. Their eyes were vacant, their movements jerky and unnatural. Deep, grievous wounds marred their bodies, yet they moved as if unfeeling. They were the undead.
The plaza, which had been the scene of their earlier victory, was now littered with weapons. The undead Awakened crouched down, picking up swords, axes, and spears. Their movements were slow, deliberate, but there was no mistaking the intent in their actions.
The goblins, rather than attacking, stood back, their high-pitched laughter filling the air. They jumped and cheered, clearly delighted by the chaos they had wrought.
Lleyn's grip on his weapon tightened. The betrayal of seeing former allies, now turned enemies, was a bitter pill to swallow. The goblins' glee only added to the fury building within him.
Elena, her face pale, whispered, "We need need to help them..."
Dorian shook his head, his eyes scanning the approaching horde. "Have you seen their wounds? This guy has his guts sticking out. They are as dead as can be."
Alden, his face grim, added, "Did the shaman do that? How.."
Lleyn, his voice steady, said, "You people form a defensive line. We need to kill the undead. I'll handle the shaman and its guards on my own."
Though shocked at his confidence, the Awakened had no choice and moved into position, their weapons pointed towards the church, facing the oncoming threat. The goblins' laughter grew louder, their excitement palpable.
As the first of the undead reached them, weapons raised, the tension was palpable. The Awakened braced themselves for the impending battle, their faces a mix of determination and fear. The goblins' laughter echoed in the background, a haunting reminder of the threat they faced.
Lleyn took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the goblins in the back. This was it. The last battle of this quest, though surely not the last of Phase 1 of the Tutorial, was about to start.