The forest was alive with a symphony of colors and sounds. Birds fluttered through the canopy, their melodies a soft counterpoint to the hum of insects in the undergrowth. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting golden patches of light on the forest floor, where wildflowers bloomed like scattered jewels. A young girl darted between the trees, her laughter rippling through the air like a joyful melody. Her dark hair swayed with her movements, while her bright eyes sparkled with excitement. She wore a simple dress, its earthy green and brown hues blending seamlessly with the woods around her.

She skidded to a stop beside a bush, her face lighting up with wonder. "Sister! Look, cixonberries!" she exclaimed, her small hands already reaching for the ripe, glistening fruits. The spicy-sweet scent wafted up, making her mouth water.

Her older sister, Miyera, followed at a slower pace, a woven basket tucked under her arm. She smiled warmly at her younger sibling’s enthusiasm, a flicker of happiness brightening her own eyes. "You’ve got such a sharp eye, Ciyera. Let’s gather some for Mom. These will help her get better," she said, her voice soft but filled with the warmth of shared hope.

The two girls worked together, filling the basket with plump berries. Every so often, they’d pop one into their mouths, savoring the burst of sweet, tangy flavor that filled their senses. Ciyera giggled as the juice stained her fingers, and Miyera couldn’t help but laugh along with her.

A little distance away, their uncle, Ofero, stood watch. His gaze swept over the trees, alert for any sign of danger. Clad in worn leather armor and carrying a shield strapped to his back, he looked every part the seasoned soldier. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice. He had taken on the role of protector for his nieces after the war had claimed their father. Now, as they wandered deeper into the woods to collect food and medicine, his concern grew.

“Miyera, Ciyera! Don’t stray too far!” he called, his voice low but firm. The forest was beautiful, but he knew better than to trust its peaceful facade. Danger lurked in every shadow.

“Yes, Uncle Ofero!” they replied in unison, their voices bright with the innocence of youth, though their focus was still on the berries.

"Look, big sister! There's even more over there," Ciyera pointed excitedly toward another bush. Her small hands itched to gather every last one. "Let’s take them all to Mom so she can get well faster!"

Miyera chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Hold on, Ciyera. We’ve got plenty for today. Remember what Mother always says—we mustn’t be greedy. We need to share the forest’s bounty with its other creatures." She ruffled her sister's hair playfully. "Besides, we wouldn’t want to upset the forest spirits, would we?"

They laughed, their bond clear in every shared smile, every glance. Ofero watched them with a fond smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He loved them fiercely, these two girls who had already endured so much. Their father’s death had cast a long shadow over their lives, and their mother’s illness weighed heavily on them all. But despite it all, their spirits remained bright, and Ofero was determined to keep them safe—no matter the cost.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced up at the sun, now high overhead. The heat of the day pressed down on him, and the humid air clung to his skin. The forest, once cool and inviting, now felt oppressive, as if it were urging them to leave.

'We should head back soon,’ he thought grimly. ‘It’s dangerous to stay in the forest too long.’

The woods were home to more than just the sounds of birds and the rustling of leaves. Goblins often roamed these parts, raiding villages for crops and livestock under the cover of night. Wolves, too, prowled in packs, their hunger driving them to attack anything that moved. And then there were the kobolds—small, vicious creatures who sometimes allied with goblins to wreak havoc.

The quiet had stretched too long, and Ofero’s nerves prickled with unease. He scanned the dense forest, his senses on high alert. The laughter of his nieces had faded, leaving only an unnatural stillness in its wake.

Were they planning something? Goblins didn’t usually stay silent for long, especially when they gathered in numbers. Ofero’s grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. He silently prayed that his fears were unfounded, that the goblins weren’t rallying for an attack.

A cold shiver ran down his spine as if the very air had turned frigid. The trees swayed ever so slightly, but no wind accompanied the movement. The vibrant forest, once alive with the buzz of insects and birds, had fallen deathly silent. Even the flowers, which had been vibrant moments ago, seemed to have withered, their petals curling inward.

Above him, clouds drifted across the sky, blotting out the sun. Shadows deepened across the forest floor, turning the once serene woods into something darker, more threatening. Ofero’s instincts screamed at him—something was wrong.

The faint rustle of leaves came from a nearby bush, breaking the suffocating silence. Ofero froze, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword. His pulse quickened. He took a cautious step forward, his boots crunching softly on the underbrush as he moved toward the noise.

Stay calm. He reached the bush and, in one swift motion, slashed through it.

A small, terrified squeak pierced the air. A squirrel darted out, its eyes wide with panic, before it scampered up a tree and disappeared into the canopy.

Ofero let out a shaky breath, lowering his sword. “Just a squirrel,” he muttered, feeling both relief and a rising sense of foolishness. He turned back toward his nieces, forcing a smile. “Come on, girls. Let’s head back. It’s not safe here anymore.”

But before he could take a step—

Thud!

A sharp, searing pain shot through his arm. Ofero gasped, his hand immediately flying to his shoulder where an arrow protruded from his flesh. His fingers brushed against the black feather fletching, and his heart sank. He knew that type of arrow all too well. Goblins.

“Stay down!” Ofero barked at his nieces, his voice hoarse with urgency.

Ignoring the stabbing pain, he ripped the arrow from his arm. Blood welled up, staining his sleeve, but he couldn't afford to focus on the wound. His eyes darted around, scanning the trees.

Then he saw them.

Several goblins emerged from the shadows, their grotesque faces twisted into sneers. They crouched low behind the trees, their bows drawn and ready to release another volley of arrows. Their green skin glistened in the dim light, and their sharp, yellow teeth gleamed as they cackled in delight. Ragged clothes hung from their bony frames, and leather belts clinked with stolen trinkets.

Ofero gritted his teeth, rage and adrenaline surging through him. “Miyera, Ciyera—run!” he shouted, positioning himself between the goblins and his nieces. He raised his sword, preparing for the next attack. His arm throbbed where the arrow had struck, but he couldn’t afford to slow down. Not now. Not with the girls so close.

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The goblins cackled louder, clearly relishing his pain. One of them nocked another arrow, taking aim. Ofero lunged forward, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. The goblin yelped, narrowly dodging the blow, but Ofero’s strike had thrown them off balance.

“Run to the carriage!” he ordered, glancing quickly toward his nieces. Miyera grabbed Ciyera’s hand, her face pale with fear, but she nodded, her resolve steady.

Ofero swung his sword in a wide arc, forcing the goblins to fall back, but more of them appeared, slipping out from behind trees like shadows. Their eyes gleamed with malicious intent, circling him like predators waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

He couldn’t keep this up for long.

Another arrow whizzed past his head, narrowly missing him. Ofero swore under his breath and swung his sword at the nearest goblin, the blade cutting deep into the creature's side. The goblin screeched in agony, blood splattering the forest floor. For a brief moment, the others hesitated, their yellowed eyes narrowing as they reconsidered their approach. But then, with cruel determination, they advanced again, bows drawn, ready to release another volley.

Ofero backed up slowly, his mind racing. He needed an escape—a way to hold them off long enough for the girls to reach safety. But the goblins were relentless, more of them emerging from the shadows, their numbers growing with every heartbeat. His arm throbbed where the arrow had pierced it, poison numbing his muscles. His breath came in shallow, ragged gasps.

But he wouldn’t—couldn’t—give up. Not while the girls were still in danger.

"Go! Now! Get to the carriage!" Ofero shouted, his voice strained but commanding. He slashed at another goblin, buying the girls precious seconds. Miyera grabbed Ciyera’s hand, and they sprinted toward the waiting carriage.

With one last desperate strike, Ofero turned and bolted after them, seizing the reins as he climbed into the driver’s seat. His vision blurred, the poison taking its toll, but he lashed the horse, urging it into motion. The horse took off, hooves pounding against the dirt path, the carriage rattling violently behind.

But the goblins weren’t far behind.

Ofero could hear their shrill shrieks, the ominous whistle of arrows flying past them. His left arm, the one holding the shield, was growing numb, the poison spreading through his veins like ice. His heart raced as he watched the road twist and turn ahead. He could barely see now, darkness creeping in at the edges of his vision.

And then, his strength gave out.

Ofero's hand slipped from the reins as his body sagged forward. An arrow hit the horse, causing it to veer wildly off the road. The animal let out a pained cry as it crashed into a tree, the impact sending the carriage tumbling over. Miyera and Ciyera were thrown from the wreckage, hitting the ground hard, their bodies rolling across the forest floor.

Dazed and confused, the girls slowly pushed themselves up, their heads spinning. They saw Ofero lying motionless, blood trickling from his arm, the cixonberries scattered across the ground. Panic surged through them as they heard the goblins closing in, their cruel laughter ringing in the air.

The girls scrambled to their feet, desperate to flee, but their escape was cut short. A goblin stepped into their path, blocking their way, a wicked smile spreading across his face.

"Kiekiekik! Where do you think you're going, little girls?" he sneered, his arms covered with strange symbols that glowed with a faint, sinister light.

Before Miyera could react, the goblin slammed his palm into the ground, and a deep rumble shook the earth beneath their feet. His sigils flared to life, sending tendrils of brown light into the soil. The ground cracked and heaved, rising up to form walls of dirt and stone, trapping the girls in a makeshift prison. They pounded on the walls, their fists aching, but the thick earth muffled their cries for help.

The goblin cackled, stepping back to admire his handiwork. "What a lucky catch! Two healthy young girls! My king will reward me well for this!" He rubbed his hands together gleefully.

But then, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. The goblin whipped around, his eyes wide with shock.

"Kuaggh!"

Ofero stood before them, bloodied but alive, his eyes burning with fury. The goblins had wounded him, poisoned him, but they hadn’t broken him.

"You vile creatures! How dare you kidnap my nieces!" Ofero roared, his voice shaking with rage.

In his desperation, Ofero had found a cixonberry that had rolled free from the overturned carriage. He remembered how the fruit could aid his sister’s recovery from fever, and without hesitation, he bit into it. The spicy juice trickled down his chin as the berry’s antidotal properties began neutralizing the venom coursing through his veins, dulling the pain. He felt his strength slowly returning, a burning resolve igniting in his chest.

With a battle cry that echoed through the forest, Ofero charged at the goblins, sword raised high. The memory of his fallen brother and the thought of his nieces trapped fueled his every step. He swung with fury, cutting down the nearest goblin with a swift, brutal strike. Blood splattered across his armor as the goblin crumpled to the ground, a gurgling scream escaping its lips.

But Jooloo, the Essentor, stood calmly in the shadows, watching the chaos unfold with a twisted smile. Unlike the other goblins, Jooloo was no ordinary creature. He could manipulate the very essence of the earth beneath him, bending it to his will with deadly precision. His arms glowed with brown light, the sigils on his skin flaring as he summoned his power.

"These worthless goblins! Losing to a human without essence? Unacceptable!" Jooloo spat, disgusted by his comrades' failure. His eyes gleamed with malice as he prepared to intervene.

Ofero continued his assault, slashing through another goblin, but his victory was short-lived. Jooloo's hand shot out, the symbols on his skin burning brighter. With a flick of his wrist, the earth itself responded to his command, a sharp spike of rock emerging from the ground and glowing with the same muddy hue. Instead of aiming directly at Ofero, Jooloo sent the spike crashing into the ground near him.

Boom!

The impact was violent, sending shockwaves of dirt and rock exploding outward. Ofero was caught off guard, his body thrown back by the force. He crashed into a tree, blood spilling from his mouth as pain wracked his body. Gasping for breath, he clutched his chest, struggling to stand.

"That's what you get for messing with me! Jooloo, the future goblin king!" Jooloo sneered, forming another spike in his hand, ready to end the fight. "Any last words, unawakened scum?"

Through gritted teeth, Ofero managed to spit out, "How did a monster like you awaken your path of essence? Where did you get an essence stone from?!"

Jooloo grinned, enjoying the look of pain and confusion on Ofero’s face. "What does it matter to you? You're about to die. But fine, I'll humor you. It was a gift from our god’s servant! He came to our tribe a month ago and gave us essence stones, saying it was a sign of our god's favor. He said we should prepare for a great war." Jooloo's voice dripped with cruelty as he continued, "And this is just between us—after this, we’ll raid your village. Imagine the women and children screaming while we drag them away! Hahaha!"

The other goblins joined in his laughter, their cruel voices filling the forest.

Ofero’s blood boiled with fury. "Shut up! You worthless vermin! Don’t laugh at my prey!" Jooloo barked at his comrades. "Only I can do that! Now move and watch the girls!"

The sight of his nieces’ terrified faces, trapped by Jooloo’s earth prison, fanned the flames of rage within Ofero. His eyes burned with pure hatred.

"You…"

"Now, let's end this!" Jooloo raised his hand, the earth spike glowing brighter as he prepared to hurl it.

A cold voice cut through the air, stopping Jooloo in his tracks. "Yeah… let’s end this."

Slash!

"What—?!"

Before Jooloo could react, a sword flashed through the air, severing his hand clean off, the earth spike clattering to the ground. He screamed in agony, clutching his bleeding stump. But his scream was cut short when a dagger plunged into his skull, followed by a sword through his back. Blood sprayed into the air as the weapons were pulled free, and Jooloo's lifeless body collapsed onto the forest floor.

Ofero’s blurry vision caught sight of a figure emerging from behind the fallen goblin—a pale-skinned, white-haired young man in leather armor, holding a bloodied sword and dagger. Ofero recognized the hair color immediately, but before he could speak, the world around him faded into darkness. His body went limp as consciousness slipped away, the name of his savior lingering on his lips.

"Art—…"