Finn’s fist shattered the goblin’s skull. Grabbing its falling spear, he turned it on the other goblins. He swept it wide injuring a few and forcing others back. With a quick pull back, he threw the spear into the chest of another goblin. He followed it up with a kick to the nearest goblin sending it into another goblin. Still the wave of goblins continued.
Next to him Alex spun his blades around finishing off the injured goblins. His blades found the open spots in their armor and opened the space up further. He kept his battery on the backburner in hopes of saving it for a possible boss battle. With Finn knocking down the goblins his job was made easier when he put his blades in the creatures.
“I thought this dungeon was supposed to be ‘Garden of the Wilds’ with puzzles and noncombat challenges for us to deal with,” said Finn.
“That is what I was told. We are in a forest garden of sorts and the last area was a memorization puzzle. I’m just going off the little information I learned. You could have bought an information packet on the dungeon.”
“Well, you didn’t ask. Though you would have offered no points anyways to help pay considering your new gear.”
Alex considered his new gear. It was almost all upgraded with the ten thousand or so points he had collected. His new armor could protect against a wider variety of environmental attacks and deal with some blows from above level 30 enemies depending on the power level of the individual and weapon. The armor set was also enchanted to feel lighter letting him move quicker and easier. His dual daggers were now enchanted as well to always stay sharp and keep wounds he inflicted open and bleeding for longer. It was something he was happy to see in action now.
The goblin enemies like the dungeon wave he had faced before held danger in the number of enemies and not necessarily their strength. While a few of the goblins were out of the ordinary they were few. The goblins wore simple armor that protected their vital spots in a trade of for quick speed. Their weapons held similar abilities to his daggers and caused pain and bleeding more than usual. It was something that Alex wished to avoid a second time.
Sliding one dagger back into its holster Alex drew on his magic. The goblin he touched dropped to the ground and with a quick stab it was dead. He repeated his actions twice more.
“How are you doing on your level?” asked Finn.
“26 still but I should get to 27 by the end of the dungeon,” said Alex. “I just hope that it is enough for the tournament’s first day qualifiers. Will you be joining me there as well?”
“I don’t care for competitions. It is not my scene. You go have fun though. Maybe you will win something.”
“Then I guess you can cheer me on. Watch a few of my competitors as well. I would like to see how some of them are doing.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Finn answered as he crushed the shield of a goblin.
He didn’t stay in place long enough for any one goblin to complete a strike. The glancing blows were just enough to start to bruise him but faded shortly after when he reinforced his body. He grabbed the shafts of weapons and turned them on the goblins. The forest they were in provided lots of room for the goblins to hide in and it let him do the same. With his superior senses he dodged between trees and let arrows hit them instead of his body. Many of the wide swings of the goblins struck bushes instead of his legs.
The archers were the most tedious enemies that Alex and Finn were forced to face. Only Alex was able to use a ranged ability to kill them or otherwise had to run up to them. The trade off was the use of his limited battery. For Finn, he dealt with the ranged attackers by practicing his aim. He took the short spears of the goblin warriors nearby and tossed them like javelins at the archers. Few of his throws missed.
The weapons he wielded shattered soon after he picked them up. The force of his blows rattled the equipment and eventually the stress put on the tools was too much. Where he gripped the spears would crack. When the goblins were impaled, the impact would shatter the sharpened tips. His hands weren’t made to wield weapons. The energy that was channelled through them did not care for external weapons.
Finn swept his hand in a chop which broke and chipped the enemies’ weapons. He rushed head long into the small creatures and made his presence known. The terrain didn’t stop him from destroying their forces. He bowled them over as he moved from goblin to goblin.
The goblins' once-coordinated assault faltered as Finn's fierce onslaught shattered their lines and crushed their resolve. Some attempted to regroup, while others fled into the underbrush, vanishing from sight. Finn's combat style was as chaotic as it was effective, sending goblins sprawling and creating an opening for Alex to press his advantage.
With the combined efforts of Finn's close-quarters devastation and Alex's calculated ranged attacks, the tide of the battle shifted further in their favor. The goblins, now disorganized and demoralized, found themselves struggling to mount any effective resistance. As the battle raged on, their once-bold assault dwindled into a desperate last stand.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Finn's movements became a blur of motion, and his unwavering determination seemed to infuse the very air around him. The goblins' attempts to retaliate were futile against his relentless onslaught. He moved with purpose, ensuring that every strike he made counted. The forest bore witness to his triumph as goblin after goblin fell before his inexorable advance.
Further in the forest a monster roared and all the creatures within froze. Even Alex and Finn paused for a moment. The trees shook and they turned their attention to the noise. The goblins started to retreat. The pair took this opportunity to regroup. Finn threw a set of remaining spears at the group, but they continued to run and dodge. Alex sent out an echolocation pulse centered on the sound’s direction.
“Bigger goblin, I think. Maybe it is a mini boss. It is too early for us to face the boss,” said Alex.
“We’ll kill it regardless. I for one am glad that the main wave of enemies is over.”
The ground trembled with each heavy step the orc took, causing leaves to rustle and birds to take flight in alarm.
The creature burst into view, a towering hulk with bony protrusions and leathery skin that seemed to blend seamlessly with the shadows of the forest. Its eyes glowed with an eerie, malevolent light, and its maw dripped with a viscous saliva that sizzled as it hit the ground.
Finn adjusted his stance and prepared to fight. Alex conjured arcs of crackling electricity around his fingers, ready to unleash another barrage of lightning strikes. They exchanged a brief glance, a silent confirmation of their shared determination to face this new threat head-on.
As the creature closed in, Finn took the initiative, his powerful legs propelling him forward in a sprint. He darted around the orc’s feet, his movements evasive and precise, avoiding its massive claws and attempting to distract it from targeting Alex. With a mighty leap, he thrust his hand forward, channeling his innate energy into a concussive blow that struck the orc’s head.
The orc shifted its body and brought its arms out. It rammed into Finn as it wrapped its hands around him. It didn’t stop until Finn hit a tree. A large bolt of lightning hit the orc after. The creature’s eyes were unfocused, and it dropped to one knee for a moment. Alex hit the creature again. The orc turned back to Alex and snarled.
The oc raised its foot to slam into Finn. The ground shook as it stomped, and Finn barely rolled out of the way in time. The orc grabbed Finn’s leg and dragged him toward itself. With a heave it lifted Finn into the air. Finn kicked with his available leg, but the orc didn’t drop him. When he kicked again, Alex shocked the orc with a blast of lightning.
Alex ran up from the sign of the orc. It dropped Finn in between blasts of lightning. Finn hit the ground hard, his breath knocked out of him as he rolled to the side to avoid being crushed further by the orc's weight. He gasped for air, the world spinning around him. Alex's lightning strikes were relentless, crackling and searing through the air as they struck the orc's leathery hide. The creature staggered and roared in agony, its grip on Finn loosening for a moment.
Seeing an opportunity, Finn used his momentum to scramble to his feet. His body ached from the impact, but his determination burned stronger than ever. He locked eyes with Alex once again, and their unspoken understanding fueled their actions. Finn focused his energy, channeling it into his limbs, and leaped toward the orc with newfound speed.
As he closed in, Finn unleashed a flurry of precise strikes, targeting the creature's vulnerable joints and exposed flesh. His fists glowed with energy as each blow landed, causing the orc to bellow in pain and frustration. The creature swung its massive arms and claws in a wild attempt to swat Finn away, but Finn's agility and speed allowed him to evade the majority of the attacks.
Finally, Alex reached the orc. He put both hands on the orc and channeled his disruption spell. The orc froze up as Alex pulled on the electricity in the orc’s body. Limbs went limp as the power going to them stopped. Muscles stopped functioning properly and then so did other parts of its body. Finn slammed a fist into its head unobstructed. The creature could not defend itself and the orc was finished.
As the lifeless orc slumped to the ground, a subtle transformation began to sweep through the forest. The dense foliage of bushes and trees seemed to part as if guided by an unseen hand, unveiling a winding trail that beckoned Alex and Finn forward. Intrigued and ready for what lay ahead, they embarked on this newly revealed path, leaving behind the scene of their recent battle. Their footsteps echoed softly as they navigated the trail, anticipation building with each step, as they ventured deeper into the heart of the dungeon.
Venturing further along the meandering path, Alex and Finn found themselves entering a new expanse within the depths of the dungeon. This area presented them with a fresh set of challenges and puzzles to conquer. With each successfully completed challenge they pushed forward until the end of the dungeon and the dungeon rewarded their efforts.
Finn's voice echoed within the final chamber as he discovered a change in his system status. "Incredible," he exclaimed. "It seems that the connection between me and nature has grown even stronger. When my feet are planted in nature, my healing abilities are further enhanced. Though a minor enhancement, it could prove invaluable in upcoming dungeons and challenges. How about you, Alex?"
Alex took a moment to review his updated status, then cast his gaze upon his own form. "No dramatic shifts in my abilities," he responded. "My skills remain as they were. However, the dungeon has bestowed an upgrade upon my cloak."
Alex loosened the cloak from around his neck, revealing a remarkable transformation. The once worn and tattered garment had undergone a profound change. Its deep black hue had intensified, and fresh stitches adorned its seams, lending it an air of renewed elegance. When the light caught its fabric, faint glimmers of dark purple danced amidst the black, creating an entrancing spectacle.
"I'm uncertain of the exact nature of its newfound properties," Alex mused, admiration evident in his voice. "But one thing is clear – this cloak has become more resilient and potent than ever before."