CHAPTER 9: Survival
“Please make it,” Adam prayed as he clenched his jaw and pressed off the ground as hard as possible. The river was raging in his body, and as angry as he was, both at the goblins and himself, he began to get swept away by it. The fight hadn’t really pushed Adam yet, since he was trying to allow everyone to be involved, but now it was just him against the assassin. The other goblins were only slight obstacles.
Time felt stretched out. His legs burned and the coolness receded. Anger flooded him and hate for the invaders overwhelmed his thoughts. He had brought everyone here. He endangered everyone and consciously he didn’t even know why. They could have called the cops. Or the military. Even the news.
The assassin dropped closer and closer. Abbey healed. Someone pointed towards him. The anger built in Adam with every step he took until he felt ready to explode. Then it came out of him as a roar.
Everyone but the assassin froze and looked at him. Goblins and humans alike. Adam didn’t care, as the roar continued he leapt, grabbed the railing with his left hand, jumping over goblins and vaulting himself over the railing feet first. His feet connected with the assassin’s chest barely above Abbey. The stone knife came down and tore his jeans, cutting through his thigh. Then his machete swung upwards and separated the head from the assassin.
Blue blood fountained up from the assassin’s body when Adam’s feet kicked off its chest, popping himself and the body away from the wall like a skateboard kick flip so the body wouldn’t land on his friends. No one was able to dodge the blood.
Goblin “Assassin [5]” slain. 52 XP gained.
Screams began as Adam left his own trail of blood from the gash on his leg. He used his momentum coming off the wall to once again grab the railing. This time he spun himself downwards, feet landing on a goblin’s head. He stabbed it through the eye with his machete. Then he reached up and grabbed a scraper that Joseph was using to poke an enforcer away. Adam kicked the enforcer in the chest and before it went very far the scraper was thrust through its ribs and into the heart.
Unable to think while the sound of the river throbbed in his ears, his rage took control and he stepped to the next goblin punching. While snarling, Adam used the force of his inner river to fuel his fists as he rained down punches and kicks on the goblins. Rage clouded his vision and pounding filled his ears. The group had rallied behind him and eventually Carlos and Nick arrived, stabbing with the force of their increased stats. No more goblins jumped from the roof or came into the alley after the assassin was killed.
When no more goblins stood around them, Adam roared again and glared at his allies, breath heaving in his lungs.
“Boss. Eh, boss, are you ok?” Tom spoke to him while concerned looks showed on everyone.
Adam focused on him. The river was sweeping him away. He couldn’t recognize, couldn’t think. Everyone felt like an enemy and everything needed to be punched. Without clear thought Adam reached for something. It was distant, but he stretched himself as far as he could until he felt a cool touch. Grabbing hold as much as he could, the coolness that hid in his mind pulled as much as he did, allowing him some calm amid the river.
His eyes and thoughts clearing, Adam looked down at himself. He had a deep gash in his left forearm and thigh. His poncho was torn up, barely holding on to him. Blood coated him all over, both blue and red. He took a step back and tried to breath.
“Sorry,” apologized Adam while panting. “The heat of the broken class just carries me away. I can’t really control myself.”
“I’ll say,” said Andrea. “I thought you were going to attack us.”
“Good thing you're so tough or we wouldn’t have lasted,” Lamar spoke up.
“Abbey would have been dead if you hadn’t killed that goblin, but the way you came at us and screamed scared the beejeebees out of me,” Alissa said.
“It scared the beejeebees out of the goblins too,” laughed Andrea. “When that goblin head fell on them even I could tell they were scared. It allowed us to really dig into them.”
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“I think it would be a good idea to get out of here though,” Lucas said as he held his side. “Let’s grab our gear and move to another warehouse.”
Everyone was quick to get the items on the stairs. Lucas had brought Adam’s machete that he left in the goblin’s chin. Adam waited until everyone was at the end of the alley, and they knew it was clear, before he went back to get the scraper wedged in the door.
The group moved cautiously down the road into the first warehouse they had explored. Once there they checked their injuries. The blood was really flowing from his gashes and when Abbey got a look at them she rushed over and started healing him. Lucas sat close, waiting his turn. Everyone else who was injured had minor scratches and could wait.
Adam took a breath at the feeling of the heal going off. “Did everyone get XP?”
Everyone nodded.
“Good. For physical fighters try leveling body twice before your class. Do something like four in strength and agility, then two in vitality. After that you can choose between body or class, but I think we need stronger physical stats with the early skills being so bad. Any other opinions?”
No one spoke up and all the physical fighters stared at their screens while doing as Adam said. Those who had fought with Adam previously had gotten another level and they put it in physical stats too.
“For the mages and support I think you guys need to get to skills faster. Try putting it in your classes and see what happens.”
Elias spoke up, “Actually, leveling our class gets us three primary stat points instead of the five you said the body gives. The class level I took before gave me two in intelligence and one in wisdom. I didn’t get a skill with my second level but did get a skill point that can be used to improve current skills.”
“That’s good to know. That means even with sucky skills you can improve them. Anyway, level up for now,” said Adam.
Abbey’s gaze unfocused, then two more heals went off, slightly stronger than before. It seems she had increased both her mana and spell power. Everyone sat around resting and chatting, and making sure to watch the area around them, but no goblins came. Eventually the healing was finished on Adam, his wounds closed but scars stayed where he got hurt. Abbey rested some to get her mana back. Before moving away from Adam, Abbey looked down and touched his hand. “Thanks for saving me from that assassin,” she said meekly.
Adam looked at Abbey strangely. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.” She gave a slight nod and then moved on to Lucas.
Once everyone was ready, they didn’t wait around, heading towards the school. The sun was long past setting and when they got to the high school, the streetlights made them feel a little safer. Carlos had his car at the school and offered to drive home anyone who couldn’t walk.
“Hey boss, we’ll take the gear and clean and sharpen it all,” Tom said helpfully. “No need for you to bother with all that.”
“I appreciate that. I’m tired and famished.”
“We‘ll bring snacks for tomorrow,” Alissa offered.
“Tomorrow?” asked Adam surprised. “After tonight you want to go again?”
“Well, it seems pretty important to get rid of them,” said Andrea.
“I just wasn’t sure,” responded Adam. “If tonight was too much for anyone then I won’t think less of you for backing off, but if those who show up want to go again tomorrow, then I’m fine with that.”
“With the extra body levels, it got much easier to fight the goblins. I don’t think it’ll take very many more levels before we can stand against them like you do, Adam,” said Nick.
“And with tonight’s experience I think we can get even more prepared,” added Lamar.
With that, everyone wearily left, with Carlos dropping a tarp on his seats since everyone had goblin blood on them. Adam stopped in his backyard before going inside, changing into some cleaner clothes that he had hidden for himself. It took him longer to come up with a believable lie as to why he was home so late.
***
That night three goblins met by a crudely shape stone throne. One lounged in the throne, raised above the other two. The dim, flickering light given off by the torches in the room cast their shapes in shadow as they spoke with each other.
These goblins were not like the ones Adam’s group had fought. The strength of their voices and the intelligence was incomparable.
One with a hissing voice spoke. “We have been discovered. [System] said invasion not for seven more spins.”
The goblin with a guttural voice responded. “They come into our territory. We just cleaning our territory of rats.”
“We no want the [System] to punish us for early release of troops,” said the hissy voice. “Only weak fodder killed.”
“Only scouting parties released yet,” assured the guttural voice. “Cannot let this affront go.”
“No releasing war parties. Even with dead, we capture territory when invasion allowed.”
The guttural voice seemed angry, but not enough to violate the rules of the [System].
“Then we bring back scouts? Hide in base until time?” asked the guttural voice, clearly unhappy with his own questions.”
Then a [System] message appeared to the three of them. They each read it multiple times, surprised at the content. After a moment a monstrous grin spread across the face of the goblin sitting on the throne. His laughter also brought smiles to the other two.
“[System] has spoken. Release more parties into our territory. We hunt the human whelps,” the chief said cruelly.
***
STATUS:
Name: Lucas Fenton [3]
Age: 18
Race: Human
Class: Warrior [1]
Body [2]
Strength: 14
Agility: 9
Vitality: 9
Intelligence: 2
Wisdom: 1
Skill Points: 1
Skills:
Sturdy Weapon: 5% durability to wielded weapon.