Chapter: A Battle for Survival
Damian uncorked the vial in his hand, tipping its contents into his mouth. A soothing warmth spread through his battered body as his wounds began to heal. Exhausted, he staggered to his feet, gripping his sword for support. His breathing was ragged, his stamina nearly gone.
The goblin warrior towered before him, its hulking frame overwhelmed him. It growled loudly, hefting its mace with ease against him. Damian glanced around—Astrid and Miles were nowhere to be seen, and the only other figure nearby was the downed soldier, staring blankly at the carnage.
“This is a losing battle,” Damian muttered to himself. “I’ve got maybe one Blue Lightning left in me.”
He had been relying on Iron Skin to absorb the brunt of the goblin’s devastating attacks, but it was draining his mana fast. His shield lay shattered on the ground, a useless pile of splinters. Every strike had been a desperate attempt to survive, and despite his efforts, the goblin seemed nearly untouched.
He took a deep breath, readying himself for one last push, when a loud shout pierced the silence.
“Bullseye!”
A pair of arrows flew through the air, striking the goblin warrior in its other eye. The beast howled in pain, its massive hands clutching at its face as it stumbled back.
“Oh yeah!” Miles’s voice rang out, followed by Astrid’s laughter.
Damian turned to see them emerging from the shadows. Miles was waving his bat triumphantly, while Astrid was already knocking another arrow.
“You guys need to work on your timing,” Damian muttered, though a smirk tugged at his lips.
Miles grinned. “You’re welcome!”
In the brief moment of hesitation , Damian rushed to the soldier, who was still frozen in place. Grabbing him by the shoulders, Damian shook him violently. “Get up! We have to move!”
The man blinked, finally snapping out of his stupor. “I… I can’t leave. That thing killed my men! I have to take it down!”
“You’re level one!” Damian snapped. “You’re no match for it. I’m way higher, and I can barely scratch it!”
The soldier’s eyes burned with anger, but before he could argue, Damian cut him off. “Listen to me. That thing isn’t just strong—it’s using a skill to paralyze you with fear. You’re not frozen because you’re scared. It’s an ability. Do you understand?”
The man hesitated, then nodded.
“Good. When I give the signal, use whatever ability you used earlier. We’re going to end this, but I need you focused. Got it?”
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“Got it,” the man muttered, though his voice trembled.
Damian turned to the shadows where Astrid and Miles were hiding. “Astrid, Miles, I need you to shoot behind its knees. As many arrows as you can, as fast as you can. We need to cripple it.”
“On it!” Astrid called, already drawing her bow.
Miles gave a thumbs-up, gripping his bat tightly.
The goblin warrior roared, tearing the arrows from its face. Its empty eye sockets glowed with rage as it swung its mace, the sheer force of the motion sending shockwaves through the ground.
Damian charged, his sword flashing as he slashed at its legs. The blade bit into the goblin’s thick hide but didn’t cut deep enough to slow it down. The beast retaliated with a wide swing, forcing Damian to activate Iron Skin. The impact sent him flying, his back slamming into a tree.
Gritting his teeth, Damian staggered to his feet, ignoring the blood dripping from his lip. “Not done yet,” he growled.
The goblin roared again, lifting its mace high.
“NOW!” Damian shouted.
Astrid loosed a flurry of arrows, each one finding its mark behind the goblin’s knees. The beast faltered, its massive legs buckling under its weight.
“Firebolt!” the soldier screamed, launching a fiery blast at the goblin’s chest.
The creature stumbled, its movements sluggish as the combined attacks began to take their toll.
“Blue Lightning!” Damian roared, channeling his remaining mana into a crackling bolt of electricity. The bolt struck the goblin square in the chest, forcing it to drop its mace as it howled in agony.
With a final burst of strength, Damian sprinted forward, dodging the creature’s flailing arms. He leapt onto its back, driving his sword into the base of its neck. The goblin let out a guttural roar before collapsing to the ground, its massive body shaking the earth as it fell.
Panting, Damian climbed off the goblin’s corpse. His limbs ached, and his vision swam, but he was alive.
He didn’t waste time. Kneeling beside the body, he used his sword to cut into its chest, pulling out a mana stone. The stone glowed brighter than any he had seen before.
“Identify,” he muttered.
Rank 1 Mana Stone
Contains a large reserve of mana.
Without hesitation, Damian swallowed the stone. The surge of energy hit him instantly, warmth spreading through his body as the system’s notifications flooded his vision.
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
Damian called up his status window, quickly allocating his new points.
Damian Park
Level: 14
Mana Points: 50/50
Strength: 25
Agility: 40 (+5)
Dexterity: 12
Mana: 10
Status Points: 20
The warm sensation of strength returning to his body was almost overwhelming. He placed his hand over his wounds and cast Heal, the magic knitting his injuries together.
Astrid and Miles appeared moments later, cheering as they high-fived each other. “That was insane!” Miles shouted.
Damian let out a weary laugh. “We survived. That’s what matters.”
Miles rummaged through the goblin’s belongings, pulling out a gleaming sword. “Damian! Look what he dropped!”
Damian’s eyes lit up as he ran over, taking the sword from Miles. Its polished one handed sword. “A drop… an actual drop!” he exclaimed, laughing as he held it high.
Astrid chuckled at their excitement. “You two look like kids in a candy store.”
Meanwhile, Howard stood frozen, watching the group with wide eyes. He couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed.
“Who are you people?” he asked, his voice trembling.
Damian smirked. “Classified,” he replied, mimicking Howard’s earlier tone.
Before Howard could press further, his mind snapped back to his men. “My men!” he shouted, running toward Miles. “Where are my men?!”
Damian’s smirk faded as he watched Howard’s panic. The battle was over, but he had forgotten this man had just been on the brink of dying along with his men