“Holy hell,” said Josh as he ran toward the small approaching army. “My body feels amazing. I feel like I can run forever. This is insane.”

“And we’re fast. Look, we’re almost there.”

Adam pointed with his gloved hand toward the oncoming horde. It was less than 200 meters ahead now. They had been running for less than five minutes and not even at full speed.

Ahead of them the villagers and Mina came to a stop. There was no military formation in the way they stood. It was just a group of villagers haphazardly grouped together to defend their home. Mina unsheathed her longsword from its scabbard on her hip. Her round, wooden shield was strapped to her other arm. She held the sword high as the other villagers drew their weapons.

Josh looked down at the great sword he was still holding from back in the village. It hadn’t crossed his mind to sheath his sword. He looked sheepishly at Adam.

“Didn’t your mom ever tell you not to run with your sword out?” asked Adam. He couldn’t hold back his laughter.

“Be ready!” yelled Mina. “Form up!”

The villagers moved into ten columns across and three rows deep. It was practiced, but not well. Some stumbled and others visibly shook. Adam and Josh could see the lines were slightly crooked.

Adam could see the goblins now. They were finally close enough and he got a good look at them. Each one was about four feet tall on average with long pointed ears. Their skinned ranged from green to brown with each sporting beady black eyes. They looked exactly like Adam expected a goblin to look except being face to face with them even so far away he could see how terrifying they really were. Some held clubs and others had wicked looking serrated blades. Their sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight. One thing stuck out to him though. Each and every one of them seemed to have black lines running all over their bodies. It made their flesh look like it was rotting. Each moved in unison as if they were one, trotting toward the villagers. None made a sound.

Adam focused on one of the front goblins.

Name: Corrupted Goblin Warrior Level: 1

He examined a few more of the goblins and found them to be all about the same. The monsters were still charging toward the group and were closing in on the villagers.

“Archers!” yelled Mina. “Ready!” The second line of villagers moved forward all with long bows raised. “Hold!” The archers all had bows ready and arrows knocked. They held the bows pulled back with ease which Adam thought was a little strange. He could have sworn he’d read somewhere that holding a bow like that was really straining. The villagers however, showed no sign of difficulty holding the bows fully drawn. The goblins were now less than 100 meters out. Adam could do nothing but watch as the monsters charged without abandon. Their black, soulless eyes, prominent to his enhanced eyesight now. His new body was really amazing. “Fire!” Arrows loosed in unison and Adam watched as the first few goblins dropped to the ground and were trampled by their companions.

“They’re going to get overrun,” said Josh.

Just as Adam was about to agree Mina let out her next command. “Shields!” she yelled. The first row stepped forward and on to their knees. Each and every one of them had a small round shield strapped to their arms. They were crooked for only a moment before all touched their shields together. The archers, at the same moment, moved back two steps and began releasing arrows over the heads of their companions. Finally, the third row moved up setting their shields on top of the others taking a knee creating a makeshift shield wall.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

The arrows tore through the goblins, cutting their numbers by a third before they slammed into the shield wall. The sound of the clash was almost deafening as screams and battle cries wholly enveloped the battlefield.

Adam and Josh saw what the others couldn’t. The goblins numbered too many and their shield wall was just a straight line. Some of the goblins were spilling over and starting to attack at the flank of the villagers.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” asked Adam.

Josh looked over at his friend with a grin. “It’s time to grind.”

Adam flexed his fist where his gloves were still on his hands. Adam felt the knowledge of the way of the fist rush back to him as he charged toward the goblins trying to flank the villagers. One with a jagged short sword noticed him and turned.

The top of the monster’s head came up to Adam’s chest. Its mouth was slightly slack and black drool dripped out. Adam was shocked for a moment at the sight and the goblin slashed at his waist. Without thinking Adam reacted. He blocked the sword with his right forearm where the metal plates were and shot his fist out in a jab at the goblin’s face. It was so fast that Adam wasn’t sure he had even punched until he saw a green bar appear above the goblins head. It dropped down to about 70 percent. The goblin looked dazed and Adam didn’t hesitate as his fists shot out again this time with a combination of left and right jabs. The goblin’s green bar fell rapidly turning yellow, then red, and finally it blinked away as the goblin dropped to the ground. Dead. Adam didn’t have time to think about it as another goblin came rushing at him with a club raised overhead.

Adam tried to bring his arms up to block the blow, but he knew he was too late. Then, Josh was in front of him with his great sword as he blocked the club. The goblin screamed in anger. The first sound Adam heard from the monsters. Josh pulled the sword away. As he did the goblin attacked again, but Josh was ready. He parried the blow with a swing sending the club flying from the goblins hand. He then reversed his swing as if the sword weighed no more than a feather. The sword slid through the goblins neck lopping off its head with one clean strike.

“This is awesome!” yelled Josh as he weaved back into the fray. The battle lines were now wholly dissolved and the fighting was frantic and spread out into small fights rather than a large-scale battle.

Adam hardly had time to think about what was happening as goblins were all around trying their hardest to kill him and the villagers. He saw some villagers fall, but he noticed more and more goblins on the ground. He noticed the young boy from the village, so full of fear, holding on for dear life to his small buckler as two goblins pounded on it with clubs.

Adam charged toward them. The goblin’s backs were to him so he used the element of surprise to its full advantage. As he came upon them he pulled both hands together and smashed down on the first goblin’s head. Adam saw the monster's health bar disappear as it crumpled under the blow in one hit. As the second one turned to see its dead friend Adam threw an uppercut under its chin. The goblin flew a foot into the air before it crashed to the ground, dead, next to its companion.

“T-thanks,” stammered the boy. He got up and picked up his sword that had fallen next to him. “They were about to kill me.”

“No problem,” said Adam. He looked around the battlefield as the fighting was dying down. It had ended almost as quickly as it started. The goblins didn’t seem like much of a match even for villagers. As the last scream of a goblin sounded Adam could see the fight was truly over. Of the thirty villagers it looked like only five didn’t make it. Nearly fifty goblins lay dead on the ground with black blood oozing from their wounds.

Josh came running up a moment later. His swords were covered in the green blood of goblins.

“I got four,” he said with a smile. It looked terrifying with his sharp teeth and horns. The blood smeared across his face didn’t help.

“Three for me,” said Adam. “You think we’ll get experience points like in games?”

Just as he said the words the battlefield erupted into blue crystals. They flew around everywhere rushing into different people. It was like a crashing ocean of jewels. As they flew into Josh and Adam a notification window appeared.

You have received 350 experience points!

You have reached level 2!