John stepped out of the inn into the crisp morning air, the soft orange light of dawn stretching over Bjornfell’s jagged rooftops. The scents of damp earth and faint wood smoke filled his nostrils as he glanced around the square, already bustling with early risers. Vendors were setting up stalls, and the occasional horse-drawn cart creaked by. The smell of food beginning to cook made John's mouth begin to water.

Kaia and Thorin stood by the town’s notice board, a large wooden structure riddled with scraps of parchment fluttering lightly in the breeze. Thorin’s hulking figure leaned casually against the edge, arms crossed, while Kaia scanned the notices with a focused expression.

“There he is,” Thorin said, his voice booming as he spotted John. “We were starting to think you’d gotten lost on your way out the door.”

John adjusted his Hawaiian shirt, his only nod to his old life, and grinned. “Nope, just getting mentally prepared to be the guy who runs screaming while you two fight the monsters.”

Kaia looked up from the notice board and smiled warmly. “Good morning, John. I hope you’re ready to learn the ropes. Thorin might joke, but adventuring isn’t something to take lightly.”

“Don’t worry,” John replied, stepping closer. “I’ve got a solid plan: stay alive and keep you both between me and anything sharp, bitey, or magical.”

Thorin chuckled, his broad shoulders shaking. “Smart man. Shall we get started, then?”

Just then John's stomach gave a loud grumble, drawing the attention of the other two.

John looking apologetic said " I overslept and didn't get a chance to get any breakfast.

Laugiunhg as he pulled some dried meat from his pack and handed it to John "Here have some deer jerky"

John eagerly took the meat and said " Thanks this is delicious" while chewing on the jerky.

The three set off down the cobblestone road leading out of town. John glanced back at the inn one last time, a pang of uncertainty creeping in. He didn't know if he could do this, become strong enough to win some crazy ass tournament, but he had to.

“So,” John said, breaking the silence, “what’s the plan? Find a wolf pack? Maybe a slime or two for warm-up?”

Thorin smirked, unsheathing the massive sword on his back. “Wolves, sure, and Goblins as well. I don't know what a slime is though”

"It's a pretty standard RPG trope. They are a gelatinous creature that tries to eat you," John replied

Kaia looking thoughtful " Our world might have them But we have never encountered them. I have never left Haighcairn myself. And Thorin has only been outside Highcairn to the dwarven mountains. Neither of us has visited the other lands on Valtheria or the ones across the sea"

"So Highcairn is the lands the humans occupy? And it is on the continent of Valtheria? And there are more continents? John said

"There are more lands than Valtheria. But trade and news have been drying up" Kaia replied.

“Focus on fighting and not lands you will never see.” Thorin scolded John.

"Yeah I got it, kill some low-level shit and try not to die" John shot back.

Kaia laughed, her tone light but reassuring. “You’ll be fine. Just stick close and remember—I can patch you up if you get hurt.”

“Good to know,” John said, his nerves slightly steadied. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

With that, the three left Bjornfell behind, the town’s noise fading as they moved deeper into the forest, where adventure—and danger—awaited.

***

The forest stretched out before them, dense and alive with the sounds of chirping birds and the rustle of leaves in the gentle morning breeze. Shafts of sunlight pierced through the canopy, dappling the ground with shifting patches of light. Despite the idyllic setting, John couldn’t shake a growing tension in his chest.

“Alright, we’re here to cut your teeth on some easy targets,” Thorin said, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Kaia and I will handle anything too tough, but we need to see how you fare.”

“Yeah, let’s ease into this,” John replied, scanning the surroundings. “Preferably with something that doesn’t have fangs the size of my arm.”

Kaia chuckled softly, walking a few paces ahead. “The forest isn’t too dangerous close to town, but you’d be surprised how quickly things can escalate. Stay alert.”

They moved cautiously through the undergrowth, Thorin taking the lead, Kaia just behind him, and John bringing up the rear. His eyes darted around, taking in every snapping twig and distant rustle of leaves.

It wasn’t long before Thorin raised a hand, signaling them to stop. He crouched low, his keen eyes scanning the brush ahead. “There,” he whispered, pointing toward a clearing.

John followed his gaze and froze. A small pack of wolves lounged in the sunlight, their sleek gray coats blending with the shadows. Two of them stood alert while another gnawed on the remains of some unfortunate creature.

“Wolves,” Thorin said in a whisper. “Smart, fast, and they’ll work together if they sense weakness.”

Kaia nodded. “Perfect for practice. John, you’re up.”

“Wait, what?” John whispered, his voice rising a bit too high. “You want me to take those on? Alone?”

“We’ll be right here,” Kaia assured him. “Just stay calm. Use your knife—go for their flanks or neck. Aim for vital areas, but don’t panic if you miss. They’re tough, but not invincible.”

John hesitated, gripping the small blade he'd carried for over a decade. The wolves didn’t look particularly menacing from a distance, but up close, he could see the size of their fangs and the muscle beneath their fur.

“Alright,” he muttered, steeling himself. “Don't be a bitch John you got this.”

He stepped into the clearing, his boots crunching on the dry leaves. The wolves immediately perked up, their golden eyes locking onto him. One of them growled, low and guttural, and the others rose to their feet.

With a look of determination, John screamed " Lerooooooooy Jankins!"

The first wolf darted toward him, moving with unnerving speed. John sidestepped, his heart pounding, and swung his knife. The blade grazed the wolf’s side, drawing a shallow line of blood.

The wolf yelped and spun to face him, its ears flattened and teeth bared.

“Not bad!” Thorin called from the sidelines.

“Yeah, real natural,” John muttered under his breath as a second wolf charged.

This one leaped at him, its jaws snapping inches from his arm. John ducked and lashed out with his knife, striking its chest. The wolf hit the ground hard, rolling to its feet with a pained whine before retreating a few steps.

The first wolf wasn’t as forgiving. It lunged at his legs, teeth sinking into the fabric of his jeans.

“Son of a bitch” John growled, kicking out instinctively. The wolf released him, but its teeth had left a tear in the denim and a shallow scratch on his calf.

The third wolf circled him, its movements cautious and predatory.

“Focus!” Kaia called.

John gritted his teeth, shifting his weight and keeping his knife ready. The circling wolf feinted toward him, and John swung out, forcing it to back off.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The first wolf lunged again, and this time John was ready. He sidestepped and drove the knife into its side. The blade sank deep, and the wolf collapsed with a final whimper and vanished.

The remaining wolves hesitated, their golden eyes flicking between John and the fallen packmate.

“Come to Daddy,” John said, waving his knife.

They both came at John at once. He dodged to the side and slashed at the back leg of one of the wolves. Howling in pain the creature limped back to the fight, much slower. The other wolf circled behind John to drive him towards its injured companion.

"I think not," John shouted as he somersaulted over the injured wolf, landing behind it and delivering a critical backstab.

Ａs the wolf dematerialized, the final snarling beast leaped through the motes of light that were its companion and slashed John's shoulder. As soon as it hit the ground, it turned around and came at John again.

With his knife arm a bloody mess he swapped the knife to his right hand.

"Now I'm going to have to kill you with my right hand and I'm not nearly as talented as a righty. This is going to get ugly" John said to the wolf that clearly didn't speak whatever language he was.

The wolf leaped towards John and as it was in the air he dropped under it and dragged his blade across the belly of the beast spilling entrails and blood out of the cavity.

John stood looking like Carrie on prom night and the wolf was too stupid to realize it was dead. They stared at each other for a long moment and then they both fell. John panting as the wolf broke apart into particles of light and floated away.

John felt his injuries knitting themselves back together in an odd itching sensation and was flooded with relief. He was no longer in pain and exhaustion.

Opening his eyes John saw Kaia standing over his with her staff glowing.

John straightened, breathing heavily as he wiped his blade on the grass. “Well, that was… something.”

Kaia and Thorin approached, both grinning.

“Not bad for your first fight against a wolf pack,” Thorin said, clapping him on the back.

“I didn’t die, so I guess I’ll take the win,” John replied, folding his knife and dropping it back into his pocket.

“Come on,” Thorin said. “That was the warm-up. Let’s see what else the forest has to offer.”

***

The trio pressed deeper into the forest, the light filtering through the canopy growing dimmer as the trees thickened around them. Thorin led the way, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, while Kaia scanned their surroundings with a practiced eye. John stayed close behind, his knife back in hand, nerves buzzing from the wolf encounter.

After a few minutes of walking, Kaia raised a hand, signaling them to stop. “Hear that?” she whispered.

John strained his ears but caught nothing. “Hear what? I don't hear anything”

“Exactly, the forest is silent,” Thorin murmured, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. “No birds. No small animals. Something’s near.”

Kaia nodded toward a thicket up ahead. “Over there. Movement.”

The group crouched low, Thorin drawing his sword as Kaia readied her staff. John tightened his grip on his knife, heart pounding. The thicket rustled, and a figure stepped into view—a goblin, hunched and wiry, its greenish-gray skin blending with the shadows. It carried a crude bow and a quiver of arrows slung across its back.

“Goblin archer,” Thorin whispered. “Be ready. Where there’s one, there’s more.”

As if on cue, two more goblins emerged from the undergrowth, one armed with a rusty shortsword and the other with a jagged spear. They chattered in a guttural language, pointing toward the humans with toothy grins.

“Alright,” Thorin said, rising to his full height. “Kaia, stay back. John, with me.”

“Great,” John muttered. “My whole family was murdered by goblins and I was left an orphan. I vowed a blood oath on that day I would hunt down and kill every last one of those green-skinned bastards.”

At these words Kaia literally facepalmed. Thorin however had no time for Johns's shit.

Thorin charged forward with a roar, drawing the goblins’ attention. The one with the shortsword snarled and met him head-on, while the spearman flanked to the right. The archer hung back, nocking an arrow and taking aim.

“Cover Thorin!” Kaia called, stepping to the side and raising her staff. A faint blue light surrounded her as she prepared a spell.

John hesitated for a moment, then ducked low and moved to the side, trying to get closer to the archer. The goblin’s arrow flew past Thorin and clattered against a tree as the spearman lunged. Thorin parried the attack, his blade sparking against the crude spearhead.

“John!” Thorin shouted. “The archer!”

“Working on it!” John called back, weaving through the trees. The archer snarled, spotting him, and loosed another arrow. John ducked, the arrow whizzing over his head and embedding itself in a nearby trunk.

Before the goblin could nock another, John closed the distance. He swung his knife, aiming for the creature’s bow arm. The goblin screeched as the blade cut deep, dropping the bow and fumbling for a dagger at its waist.

“Not so tough now, huh?” John said, his confidence surging.

The goblin lunged with its dagger, narrowly missing John’s side. He countered with a quick slash, catching the goblin across the chest. It staggered back, blood dripping from the wound, and let out a gurgling cry before collapsing.

“Got one!” John called, turning to see how the others fared.

Thorin was locked in a fierce duel with both goblins. His sword deflected every jab and slash, but he was completely on the defense. Kaia stood behind him, her staff glowing as she hit the large man with a healing spell.

“Watch out!” Kaia shouted, pointing behind John.

John spun just in time to see the fallen goblin archer dragging itself up, dagger in hand, its eyes wild with desperation. John reacted on instinct, kicking out and catching the goblin in the chest. It fell back, gasping, and John finished it with a swift strike to the throat.

"If you are done John with that one finally would you get over here and take one of these?"

"I have an idea!" John shouted as he picked up the discard bow from the goblin and nocked an arrow. Taking careful aim he loosed on the sword wielding goblin.

Yelling in pain Thorin looked down at the arrow sticking out his leg.

"Your not trained in bows you idiot" Thorin roared as he limped back away from the oncoming blows.

"Shit" John said throwing down the poorly made bow.

Putting his knife back in his hand he crept behind the sword wielding goblin. He brought his blade down with both hands burying it into the top of the creatures skull. Crunching as it drone in. The creature howled in agony and spun around.

Facing John with it's sword, blood dripping down it's face.

"Well I've made a mess of this" John said

Slashing wildly the goblin advanced on John. He dodged furiously taking a cut in his side.

"Hold on John I can heal you in a moment, just hold on" kaia shouted

"Fuck this" John said as he dodged into a roll. Picking up one of the discard arrows on the ground he gripped the shaft and charged the little asshole. The goblins sword flashed right at John's cheast, he spun around it driving the arrow into the goblins neck. Finally the creature fell to the ground motionless.

The gobblin with the spear saw his last companion fall. As it turned it's eyes back to Thorin he cleaved through the it's crude weapon, delivering a decisive blow to its chest.

The forest fell silent once more.

“Well done,” Thorin said, wiping his blade on the grass. “You’re getting the hang of this.”

“I’m learning not to die, if that’s what you mean,” John replied, catching his breath.

Kaia stepped forward, her expression both relieved and wary. “That was good, but goblins rarely travel alone. We should move before more show up.”

“Agreed,” Thorin said. “Let’s take what we can from them and keep moving.”

John looked around at the goblin bodies on the ground with confusion and horror.

"Are they dead?" John asked in a shaky voice.

"Aye. You did good. Mostly" Thorin said

"Why are their bodies still here? John said in a voice higher than usual. "They are supposed to explode or some shit"

With realization dawning on her face Kaia said " oh John it's an adventurer ability. Part of how you get items from creatures. It only works on beasts, animals and non sentient creatures. It won't work on higher lifeforms."

"Oh right yeah..."

John just stared off at nothing.

Coming up to John Thorin slapped him on the back. " John it's the way of the world. It's the only way to protect our people and lands, and the only way to grow stronger. The only way to win that tournament. Come on friend let's gather our loot and get going"

Blinking John nodded and got moving.

John knelt beside the archer’s body, grimacing as he rummaged through its belongings. “What’s the loot situation? Anything that doesn’t reek of goblin?”

“Check the quiver,” Kaia suggested. “Their arrows are crude, but they can be useful.”

John retrieved a few intact arrows and a small pouch of coins. He held it up with a raised brow. “They’re packing spare change now?”

“Even goblins need to trade,” Kaia said. “Though I wouldn’t trust whatever merchant they’re dealing with.”

Thorin chuckled. “Come on. Let’s keep going. There’s bound to be more where they came from.”

***

The group pressed onward through the forest, their senses heightened after encountering the goblins. The trees seemed to close around them, and the shadows grew longer, the sunlight barely piercing through the dense canopy.

John tightened his grip on his knife, scanning the undergrowth for any signs of movement. “So, how common are goblins around here?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

“Too common,” Thorin replied, his tone grim. “They’re scavengers by nature, but bold enough to raid villages if they think they can get away with it.”

Kaia nodded. “That group was small. If we come across a larger band, we’ll need to be extra careful.”

“Great,” John muttered. “A merry band of Goblins in Sherwood fucking forest.”

As they moved deeper, Kaia held up a hand to stop them again. She knelt to the ground, inspecting a set of tracks in the dirt. “These are fresh,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Looks like more goblins—and something heavier.”

John frowned. “Heavier? Like what, a troll?”

“Could be a hobgoblin,” Thorin said, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. “Larger, smarter, and a lot more dangerous.”

Kaia stood, brushing off her hands. “We should prepare ourselves. If they’re ahead, they’ve likely heard the commotion from the last fight.”

The group advanced cautiously, weaving between the trees until they spotted a crude campsite up ahead. Several goblins were gathered around a makeshift fire pit, chattering and arguing over what looked like the remains of a small animal. Among them stood a hulking figure—a hobgoblin, taller and broader than its companions, with scarred, leathery skin and a vicious-looking axe slung over its shoulder.

“Wonderful,” John whispered. “Big guy’s got a bigger toy.”

Thorin smirked. “You’ve been wanting to get stronger faster, here's your chance .”

Kaia gave John a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Stick to what you’re good at. Thorin will draw their attention, and I’ll be ready to heal you both.”

“Sure,” John said, swallowing hard. “No pressure.”

Thorin didn’t wait for further discussion. He let out a battle cry and charged into the camp, his sword gleaming in the dappled sunlight. The goblins shrieked in alarm, scrambling to grab their weapons. The hobgoblin bellowed, hefting its axe as it stomped toward Thorin.

Kaia hung back, clutching her staff tightly, her eyes scanning the battlefield as she prepared to intervene if necessary. John circled the edge of the camp, keeping low and searching for an opportunity.

Thorin clashed with the hobgoblin, their weapons meeting with a deafening clang. The goblins swarmed around them, but Thorin’s sheer presence and strength kept them at bay for the moment. One goblin broke off from the group, skirting the fight to flank Kaia.

“Not on my watch,” John muttered, moving to intercept. He crept up behind the goblin, who was too focused on Kaia to notice him. With a quick, practiced motion, John plunged his knife into the creature’s side. The goblin let out a choked cry and crumpled to the ground.

Kaia glanced over her shoulder, her expression a mix of relief and gratitude. “Thanks!”

“Don’t mention it,” John said, scanning the battlefield for his next target.

Meanwhile, Thorin was locked in a fierce duel with the hobgoblin. The brute swung its axe with terrifying force, narrowly missing Thorin’s head as he dodged and countered with a strike to its side. The hobgoblin roared in pain but didn’t falter, its rage seemingly fueling its strength.

“Kaia!” Thorin called. “Be ready—I might need healing!”

Kaia nodded, holding her staff aloft and murmuring a spell under her breath, preparing to cast Cure at a moment’s notice.

John saw the opening and didn’t hesitate. He sprinted toward the distracted hobgoblin, knife in hand. Leaping onto its back, he drove the blade into its neck. The hobgoblin howled, thrashing wildly as it tried to shake him off.

“Hang on!” Thorin shouted, taking advantage of the chaos to drive his sword deep into the hobgoblin’s torso. The brute let out one final, gurgling roar before collapsing to the ground, taking John with it.

John groaned, rolling off the hobgoblin’s back and onto the dirt. “Next time, I’d appreciate a warning before you bring down a giant.”

Thorin grinned, offering him a hand. “You did good, John. That was a team effort.”

Kaia hurried over, casting Cure on John to mend the bruises and scrapes he’d accumulated. “Are you alright?”

“Just my pride,” John said, dusting himself off. He glanced down at the hobgoblin, then at the camp. “So, what’s the haul this time?”

Thorin knelt by the hobgoblin, carefully prying its axe from its lifeless grip. “This thing is brutal,” he said, inspecting the weapon. The axe was heavy and roughly forged but radiated an ominous energy. Runes etched into the blade glimmered faintly in the fading sunlight. “It’s enchanted,” Thorin noted. “This could fetch a fair price—or serve as a decent weapon in the right hands.”

Kaia moved among the goblin bodies, searching for anything of value. She held up a small pouch jingling with coins. “Not much, but it’s something. There’s also some jerky and a few crude arrows—nothing impressive.”

John crouched by the fire pit, poking through the remnants of their meal. His gaze shifted to a leather-bound satchel near one of the goblins. “What’s this?” he wondered aloud, pulling it open. Inside, he found several vials filled with a murky green liquid. “Potions?” He held one up to Kaia.

Kaia inspected the vial closely. “Looks like a crude healing potion. Goblins aren’t the best alchemists, so it might not be as effective as what we’d make—but it’s better than nothing in a pinch.”

Thorin tossed the goblin weapons into a pile, shaking his head. “Shoddy craftsmanship, as always. Not worth carrying unless you’re desperate.”

“Alright, let’s grab what we can and get out of here before more of them show up.”

Thorin nodded. “Agreed. Let's head back to town for the night.”

With their spoils secured and the looming threat of reinforcements in mind, the group set off back toward the village, the forest’s shadows growing longer as the day wore on.