As the runes lit, a part of me was pulled away.
The arrow shot out, and I watched in shock to look at the direction it flew to.
I clenched up as I followed its path towards the inner city. I could hear the metal of the guards ring from the alley it flew towards.
Just as the arrow was about to hit, a shadow of someone could be seen.
With a thud the arrow drilled inside its target. The abandoned stall right in front of the goblin that ran out suddenly had an extra arrow at face-height on display.
The sudden appearance of the arrow chocked the creature enough to stop and look in my direction. Both me and the goblin were looking at each other in shock.
That small delay was actually enough for the guard on its tail to catch up. As the guard caught up to the goblin, a small burn on my hand made me look away towards my hands. I guess it's a good thing that I still had a few drops of that health potion.
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The rest of the day was filled with opportunity to repeat the accident.
When I shot an arrow near the goblins scurrying though town, I was a able to help the guards a few more times.
Even if I could not hit any of them from this range, an arrow drilling itself in the wall next to a goblin
seems to be a surefire way to destract it.
Even without actually hitting any goblins, I seem to have made an unwanted ‘friend’ with the guards.
One of those colorful guards that’s always near the captain had taken an unhealthy interest in me.
The kind of interest that drives wild goblins towards me in a game tag and hide.
Right now, the cheeky idiot was flushing everything he found on the streets towards me.
Each time he sends one of those things tries to kill me, my hands get burned.
I get a thumps up before he tried to tunnel another one towards me.
Right now, the open plaza towards the gate had quite a few goblins with an arrow or 3 in them.
For quite some time the health potion has been gone,
and I have to bite through the pain as the burns and blisters in my hand are stinging me.
Finally the captain of the guard's white glowing eyes failed to track any more goblins.
With a last look out of the gate, I sat down and could finally rest.
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Slowly people from the guard were returning to the guard post,
and each seemed to very interested in my gear.
Guess they were not able to find anything good like me.
As time went on, I knew I was in trouble.
As I followed their looks between me and the lord's statue I could finally see the statue wear the very same armor and weapons as me.
Looking back, I was face to face with the captain. He was just looking at me with his mouth open in shock,
My gut clenched together as the captain was rushing to the back of the post towards the armory.
Seeing where this was going, I tried to jump down and make a run for it.
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Running past the statue, that colorful guard that seemingly tried to kill me got a hold for me and started laughing.
Baffelded by his reaction, he started shouting toward his captain "11, he killed at least 11 of them"
As he said that, the returning captain stopped running towards me.
Hearing that he slowly walked towards me with some interest.
You could cut the silence, and time slowed down to a crawl.
Not able to get away, I followed his gaze going between my gear, the staue and my burned hands.
By now I had all of the guards silently pretending not to listen in on us.
Only my new 'friend' was still enjoying the as the joke of his life.
He seemed to have finally made a decision and declared it a bit begrudgingly. At least you put them to good use, my Corporal of the Guard appointed to the gate security. As he said that, he tore off most of the fancy decorations from my armor's shoulder. With only a single star left, I got invited to take a break and eat some stew with the rest.
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By now, we had sighted the hobgoblin leading the attack on the city.
He seemed to be gathering goblins from all around, but did not fully commit to the attack.
As our troops were not here, we were just fine with waiting until the lord returned.
All that left me with no breaks for a classup though.
With the city half burned down and everyone still alive was needed to keep things running.
That runic bow got a lot of use during the frequent harrasements.
And none of my fellow guards seemed to be giving my a hard time for suing the bow though.
After 'lending' it from me each and every one give it immediately back with a pale look.
It's not as bad as being cooked alive though.
The only thing that really botherded me was that none of the possible class up conditions are met, I was still classless.
As I looked at the quickest solution, the dungeon, I could only sigh.
I finally learned about ice, but now I could not yet level up.
I finally don't get to be killed inside the dungeon, but now I want to go in.
As time passed, we split our chases into shifts as we all slowly got more and more tired.
Even if I was dead tired, tonight there was no rest for me as I am one of the only onces on tonights guard duty.
As a corporal I have to act better then my fellow guard who are still tired from the last cleanup.
Responsible for the gate, I slapped my cheeks to focus again, chase the need for sleep away and try to keep my foggy head clear.
In the distance I could hear a women shouting, the few that were awake rushed to the destressed call for help.
With a last look towards the gate, kust like so many times we ran closer to where the shout came from.
I ran past a few citizens and started slowing down. This time something inside me shouted out that things were wrong.
As I tried to figure out what was wrong, I slowed down and my fellow guards were leaving me in the dust.
In my sleep deprived haze I rememberded one of the citizens running away from the shouting.
Among them, I saw the miller's daughter run passed me!
Immediatly I turned back to search for her, searching in between the hysteric people I saw her at the guard post.
Trying to stop here, I ran back towards there.
Even if I was far away, I could clearly follow her every move.
Looking happy with her barricade of the guard post entrance, she walked to a wagon with barrels of oil.
Her inhuman strengt was clear when she smashed teh barrels open around the guard post.
From my distance, and out of breath from rushing back, I did not make it back in time to stop her throwing a torch and opening the gates.