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Skills & Demons - Non-Crunchy
Book 2, Chapter 17 - Fight

Book 2, Chapter 17 - Fight

Name: Todd Longfellow, Race: Human

Height: 5’6”, Weight: 130, Sex: Male

Archetype: Fighter

HP: 13 / 18, Mana: 0 / 0

Stats:

Physical: 4, Moxie: 2, Spiritual: 2, Luck: 2

Agility: 2, Magic: 2, Mental: 2, Energy: 3.

Relevant Skills: Melee - Sword, Physical - Armored Defense, Physical - Awareness,Physical - Ram, Physical - Run, Riposte

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“Thank you,” Todd said, giving a smile to Jax. His friend’s armor looked dented, but the steel held up. As he examined it, Todd's armor examined it; the plate and chain mixture had a hole near his liver. Gripping his sword left-handed, he did a few slow practice swings to see if he could protect his right side better.

“You need a shield or a buckler,” Jax said with a glance down.

“Yeah, I will order one from Amazon the next time I get a chance.” Todd looked back the way they had come. “How long till the rest of the group catches up with us?”

“Probably not too long, you want to wait?” Jax said.

“Na, let's get moving,” Todd said.

Setting a good pace, Todd led the way through the woods. Ducking, dodging, and weaving through the brush and trees. Keeping his eyes focused ahead, he relied upon the sounds of his friends running behind him to confirm they were keeping up.

Running past some bushes, Todd missed a root and threw a foot out, managing to stay upright. Slowing to a walk, Todd glanced back and thanked the gods he didn’t trip. He sheathed his sword before resuming running.

Ahead the bit of sunlight shining through the trees revealed rectangular shapes of buildings. No goblins spotted, Todd angled toward a narrow path between two of the buildings. Slowing a slight jog, he charged for the narrow alley, ready to demolish anything on the other side.

Entry into the alley was a tight fit, a few feet in, and his armor scraped against the wood and sod walls. Turning sideways and sucking in his stomach helped get him a little further, but as the gap narrowed, Todd realized he wasn’t going to fit. Pushing against the wall, he started wiggling himself back out the way he came.

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Stabbing pain in his left shoulder, as an arrow from above struck him. A goblin head darted back behind the roof was all Todd caught as he yelped. As he moved further out, he had more room, but not enough to dodge.

The goblin head popped back up from behind the roof, a bow in hand, quickly firing it at Todd. Another arrow stuck out of Todd’s left shoulder. Todd growled and lept up towards the roof. Powerful muscles compressed, then pressed against the ground beneath Todd. Jumping up high enough his waist almost cleared the roof, Todd threw his right arm out and grabbed onto the top. The thin wooden slats shook and fell as he gripped a wooden beam. Muscles strained as he pulled with on the arm to drag the rest of himself up onto the roof. Left hand still holding his sword.

“Hehehe,” the goblin laughed as they took a step back, grabbed an arrow, and pulled back on the bow, aiming for Todd’s face.

“Fu…” Todd yelled, letting go of the beam and allowing his weight to pull him back over the edge. Throwing his right hand between his face and the bow.

The ringing of metal hitting metal as the vambrace on Todd’s arm deflected the arrow. Hitting the wall of the other shack and sliding down a little, Todd felt the structure move. Smiling to himself, he crouched down and threw his right shoulder at the wall of the structure; he just tried to climb up.

Like the patter of rain, the structure wobbled, the sounds of wooden slats falling on the inside went tap, tap, tap. A larger thump behind the wall made Todd smile. He moved out of the alley, almost bowling over a small group of goblins. One of the goblins tumbled after not being able to stop. Todd shifted his sword to his right hand and leaped into the middle of the six.

Swinging in a big circle, most of the goblins ducked to avoid the blade. One was a little too slow; the blade cleaved the creature's skull open. Briefly, the creature stood there, jaw twitching as blood pumped out of the opening. Todd roared in anger at the goblins. When none of them backed up, Todd wondered if he had enough hit points.

The first goblin swung at Todd; he quickly deflected the incoming sword upward. Turning his blade around, he stabbed the creature in the chest. Trying to twist the edge, it only moved a little as the ribs prevent any movement. The goblin grasped the blade as it fell to its knees. Todd yanked the sword from the creature, his weapon going high.

His blade in the air, several other goblins, stabbed Todd. Each aiming for his midsection, the one on the right managed to get their sword past his armor.

Todd gritted his teeth to stop from yelling, took a step backward to put a building behind him. Standing with a sword in his left arm, he tried to cover his right side. Swinging at the nearest goblin, his shoulder screamed in pain.

One of the arrow tips scratched against bone as Todd swung his sword. Short swings to ensure he could still parry with the blade, he caught the side of a goblin neck and opened a hole into its chest. As blood dripped down his left arm, coating his hand in red. Todd shifted the sword to his right hand.

One of the goblins dragged the two dead bodies away from Todd. Several pulled out bows from their backs, as three stood in front of Todd. Throwing his left arm up to protect his face;

Ping, ping, ping, the arrows skimmed off metal bits of his armor. Todd lowered his hand down in time to see several swords swinging at him. The first attack he parried, catching the shortsword in the crock of his arm, then twisting, knocking the goblin into the way of another goblin.

White-hot agony filled him as something pierced him in the back. Air rushed out of his lungs, causing him to gasp. Turning with his sword out, he slashed at the creature behind him. Already ten feet away, the goblin smiled and licked the tip of a bloody blade.

Outnumbered and alone, Todd knew staying here would result in his death. Running away only seemed like a way to die tired. Taking a breath to help focus, the jab of pain from his back gave him the push he needed. He ran straight toward the goblin on his right. The creature’s eyes widened, and it fell back as it tried to move out of the way. Not wanting to slow down for an easy kill, Todd leaped;

Quickly clearing the creature and almost covering the distance to the archer ten feet behind the other goblin. Dropping it’s bow, the creature dove to the side, as Todd landed a few feet from it. Todd ran into the woods on the path that looked similar to the way he came in. Aiming for a gap between some trees, Todd focused on short breaths as if he was hyperventilating.

A ringing sound followed by pain in his right shoulder announced an arrow hit him. Pumping his right arm, Todd weaved through the foliage as he put distance between him and the village. “Jax!” he tried to shout, but it came out as a croak as the sharp jab of pain prevented deep breaths.