I followed the path that John, Evan and I had travelled, remembering the banter that had followed it. Now it was a ghost that shifted the grass growing weaker as I got closer to the mountain where John had died and where Evan was forced from being a runner and where I would finally set a score right. As I approached the spot, I saw the clear holes that were left by the giant hummingbirds in there attack yet as I grew closer nothing happened and all I was left with was the mountain in front of me and the rolling hills of grass behind me. So I started walking south, further from the camp yet as I walked my spirit waned and my rage seemed to subside and as I was about to turn around when I saw a gap in the mountains, as if it had been cut by some unworldly force but as I grew closer it’s grandeur only grew as it seemed to go through many mountains. My curiosity peaked I went in to find how far the impromptu path was yet I was cut off by a familiar screech that sent chills down my spine. Yet I could not place the screech and where I had herd it from, yet my body shook as if I was terrified just from the realisation of what it was but a sound could not dissuade me as I had felt the reapers blade. Although one can experience the reapers blade, that doesn’t mean you stop fearing it, especially when it loves nothing more than to cut you and grin while it enjoys your suffering. Ripping my blade from my side I tried to steady it but I couldn’t as the memories of what the monster in front of me did on the first day were burned into my mind and branded my soul. A soul that yearned for any vengeance, especially from those Goblins.

Gripping my blade tight I ran towards them but the only response from the Goblins was a wider smile with some liking their lips, eight total. As I got closer a arrow was set loose from the only Goblin with a bow, as the arrow raced towards me I turned my body to the left, allowing it to rocket past me, before I turned back to the Goblins. Seeing this, three of the Goblins ran towards me swing their daggers wildly forcing me to backpedal a few steps before I held my ground and lunged at them driving my blade into one of their necks. In retaliation the other two jumped at me forcing me back as to avoid both blades, as I ready another strike I was forced to dodge as I heard the whistling of an arrow, this left me open to a slash by one of Goblins. The Goblin didn’t waste a second as it slashed at me nicking me in the chest and as payment I drove my blade into its head with a audible “Crack” the sound forced all the Goblins back a step but before I could celebrate my small victory, all the Goblins smiled to the point it seemed unnatural, as their smiles seemed to physically reach from one ear to the next. This unsettling sight seemed to grip me but not to hold me still but to end them, and with a furious slash I ended the last of the three Goblins.

Turning to look at the other smiling demons I assessed their numbers again, four with a dagger and one a with bow that was ready to loose another arro. Seeing this I carefully bent down and grabbed one of the Goblins daggers as although it wasn’t much it was better then a fist and with both daggers I ready my self for a arrow at any time, only it didn’t come and the Goblins held their ground with those disgusting smiles. See this I put on a smile to match and charged, immediately after this the arrow was loosed and rocketed towards me. Unable to dodge due to the charge I ready myself for the pain only for it to be worse as it hit me in the left side of the hip stopping the charge halfway, though it hurt I stood firm in the face of them with the same smile only slightly tinged with pain. The archer prepared another arrow as the other Goblins moved forward swiftly, prepared I met their blades with metallic clang, forcing me back. Unwilling to be pushed any further back I kicked a Goblin to the right with my right leg and forced the attacking blades to the left positioning myself in a precarious situation as I faced three Goblins, with one behind and another to the right ready to loose another arrow. Knowing this I forced one of my blades forward only to be blocked to the side but the idiot left himself open to the other blade as it plunged into its chest, knowing the next move I used the Goblin on my blade as a shield as the arrow that was just fired teared through the body of the Goblin but still leaving me unharmed. “ARRGHH!” I screamed as the Goblin from behind slashed at me forcing me down to one knee, in a rage I elbowed the Goblin with the arm that held the now dead Goblin and with a mighty effort I spun around the other way sinking the now reverse gripped blade into its neck and pulled it towards me dropping the Goblin.

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Still on the ground I forced myself to face the two closest Goblins while using one of their comrades as a shield, which they seemed to hack at gleefully, witnessing my only shield be slowly cut down in size I swung at one the Goblins only nicking which seemed to make the Goblin go for me and not the shield using this I tried shield bashing the Goblin but that just caused my shield to come off my blade. Aware that a arrow was flying at me and I had no shield I ducked which seemed to cut my already short hair, looking for space I rolled back creating distance between me and the Goblins finally allowing me to stand. Using my rediscover agility I finished off both Goblins with one dagger each both caving in their disgusting heads.

Now covered in blood I limped towards the last Goblin face covered in that hateful smile, this time it showed fear. The same fear that I had experienced from my cold existence through this apocalypse, made greater from the disparity in warmth a had felt from loosing it all, to meeting John and Evan only to loose them but as I was about to spare it that smile grew on its face as it lunged at me. Deflecting it’s blade I asked “why” in a tiered voice before finishing the spiteful creature off with a blade through its skull.

All dead I gathered the equipment as now I was a runner and I needed some way to eat tonight.