Catching my breath, I put my hand on my heart and listened to it's pounding.

The fast beating was not abnormal for me, no matter how many potions I consumed, it never got any beter.

Listening to my heart, a foreign feeling drew my attention.

A desire for adventure over the wall, for glory and challenges.

And a strange regret for blowing of the farmer, to set things right with him.

Never mind adventure, I would just be glad to finally get away from this dungeon though.

Being on the wall, this seemed closer then ever.

But what would I do when I am gone though?

Could I come back tomorrow and continue my life without this curse?

Should I find mom and dad to help?

Or do I just run and never look back again?

"I am still angry at you, you scared your sister, and emotions are so important for an awakening"

A familiar voice said "I hope for your sake that I am happy with her class when we get back from the continental crossroads"

Thinking back to the last loop, it could only be the city lord.

Blushing while I rememberded his curing, a vision of his rage and and an orange sky flashed through my head.

The memory of the lord fighting the goblins in a fit of rage reminded me of something.

That sole goblin war around here somewhere climbing the walls!

As I snapped my eyes open, I only had a glimse of curde metal.

Rolling aside, the side of my ribs were burning, not only from the lack of breath, but also from that a deep cut.

A hideous goblin, as nimble as I had ever seen them was diving at me with reackless abandon.

As I was still holding my chest from the cut, and out of breath from the climb, I barely ducked under the wild strike.

In this position, anticipating the slash down, I could only push my body against the goblin in the hope that tacking him would help.

I fell alone over the wall, the goblin was dragged with me but able to hold on to a heavy wooden crate.

Under me, the tall grass was the only thing to break my fall.

Not nealy enough to slow me down, everything stared spinning and I felt my contiousness slipping.

While everything was turning dark, I still cought a glimpse of the goblin falling backwards. it's grip dragging the big box with him.

Going in and out of consciousness I could see the goblin desperately try to get from under the boxes.

Missing some time I opended my eyes again and it seemed to have calmed down.

This time I could see it's face staring at me in anger. This goblin just like most had some horrible desfigurations.

Most notible was that half of it's face was caved in, somehow it was still able function with half a brain.

Next time I woke up, I could see some movement to the side. Some small hidden figures in the treeline.

Unvolontairy closing my eyes and opening them again, I could see even more of them.

Seeing the goblins gather, I tried to get up and call out for help.

But as I drew breath to shout, the wound gave a sharp spike of pain.

This was more then enough to make everything start spinning again.

Not wanting to hit my head and anticipating my fall, I turned around to hold my hand on the wound and layed back down while letting myelf slip away again.

With this new position, I could see the main road to the city gates throught the tall grass.

The sight of the lord and his grondson leaving on their horses signaling another involuntary sleep.

The next time I woke up I was different, I was feeling a lot better and would probably remain awake.

I was clearly still injurded, but could look straight this time around.

The goblin stuck under the crate was actually somehow slowly crawling closed to me, still half crushed under a crate.

With that basterd getting closer, I tried to stand up again, putting my hands into something sticky in the process.

Looking at the cause for the strange feeling on my hand, I could see new blood covering it.

Under the red hand a goblin with an arrow in the heart could be seen.

As I stood up, I looked around and could see many goblins filled with arrows.

Half confused, I picked the closest arrow and added it the the eye cavity of the goblin edging closer to me.

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Finishing that now had 2 goblins under me seemed like twins, one missing half of the face on the left, the other on the right part.

Trying to move around, my shirt felt uncomfortable from the blood, but at least my wound was not bleeding right now.

A spike of pain warned me not to move a lot if I wanted to keep the closed wound that way though.

Slowly moving, with only an arrow in my hand I looked over the goblins close to me.

Only by seeing them so close one could finally understand just how pityful of a race they were.

Each and every single one was 'wrong'.

Some with oversized arms or crooked legs, joints that did not work as they should.

Even if they were missing a part, some must have had some additions as well.

Especially the one pinnend to a tree though the heart.

I was happy to finish the treegoblin off by stabbing it into it's only working eye.

Turning around, I prepared to go back to town, but the sight was not what I had forseen.

Smoke could be seen from various parts of the town,

the orange glow coming from the wrong side of the wall this time.

A few guards on the walls had arrows in them.

The abandoned farmer's wagon could be seen on it's way back to town with a broken wheel.

Arriving back at the gates, he passed the changeling's poster, but nobody checked him.

The city was quite different from when he left the busy market.

Not a citizen in sight, and only a few of the guards were left.

He could see the them use precious water to protect some of the more expensive buildings.

The smaller buildings near the edge did not get the same treatment and were nearly burned out by now.

A few guards were running to a side alley, seemingly chasing someone.

Lingering on the sight, the alley next to it had a small goblin rushing out and crawling away into the city's sewer.

"You there! You are his son right?" someone called out from the side.

Looking at the source of the sound I could see the captain of the guard coming out of an alley.

"I see you are hurt, here is a health potion and a horn. Congratulations on becoming a member of the guard! Now go guard the gate and blow the horn if you see any more of them."

Before I could say anything to counter, the captain's eyes glowed white.

His head slowly turned from the alley towards the sewer.

Everyone's face behind the captain changed from fatigue to horror and disgust.

As they all enterded the sewer, I was left alone with a horn and a potion in my hands.

Looking through the gate, at least no new goblins were coming. Behind me guards were trying to catch the last of them.

I was able to find a comfortable place to sit in the with good sight in and out of the city.

This also served a small armory for the guards.

While trying on some of the smaller looking vests, a sharp pain in my side reminded me of the potion he had.

Sniffing it, the smell and color reminded me of the onces from the doctor.

This one seemed to be lower quality though, as he could barely see his wounds close.

Slowly, with each passing minute I felt better and better.

Being all alone and with nobody to talk to time barely seemed to pass.

With my comfortable seat in the guard post, I could see quite far out of the city.

Bored, with nothing moving outside the city I started to look around a bit.

Looking to the sides I could see the posters of the changeling.

I guess when your city is on fire and goblins are running loose you don't get shot but become a guard?

Behind me, inside of the guard house a cantine for the quards could be seen

Seems they also had pure,clean water. Some tables even had some, by now cold, food on them.

The door with a sword and armor on it peeked my interest though

After a last peek outside the city I rushed inside. Browing the stuff in the armory I could see most of it was quite basic, and way to big.

But in the middle there was a tiny armor in a glass case that actually fit.

Rushing back to my guard post, I still could not see any danger coming in to the city.

Placing my loot in front of me, I had something to drink, eat and even armor and weapons.

While looking from the post I had time to try out my new armor, which took quite long with all the little straps.

The familiar feeling of a short blade was easier by now, and I quickly fastened it to my belt.

Feeling the the small bow from another glass case I could see the quality on it.

Small runes lit up during a short test pull, shocked I let loose of the sting and it snapped back with a zing.