Author's Note: This is pretty fun. I find myself stopping what I'm doing some times to write down quick notes or the future plot of the story. I'm really enjoying transforming my ideas into words. But I am rather dissapointed at how I convey them. I guess that's what practice is for.
Chapter 5: Are we there yet?
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10 days.
It's been 10 long and awful days. Gale had figured that 200 miles would go by quickly. Working it out in his head if just walked 10 miles a day he'd be there in 20 days. If he walked 20 miles a day he'd be there in 10 days. Simple.
He hadn't expected to be ambushed what seemed every 50 feet by monsters every day and night. Now he may have been exagerrating, but the quantity of monsters that have attacked him was impressive.
When Gale had slain the two wolves with out a scratch he had assumed that the journey to the city would have challenges, but he could overcome them. He was on a road, a normal road through the countryside, how often would monster's attack him. After the victory over the wolves and harvesting the spoils he had continued to walk along the road.
Not even 10 minutes later he had been amushed by a gang of goblins. Small green people shaped monsters, they wore a ragtag ensemble of equipment consisting of broken swords, axes, and armour that was falling apart. Screaming a warcry that sounded like screeching metal they ran out of the trees bordering the road and attacked.
After a long and furious battle, Gale had won. But he was injured, small cuts and scratches from the many stabs and slashes given by the 5 goblins. Due to their diminitive size and their lack of weapon training, they did not pose a huge threat to him. However their numbers were a problem, and they had worn through Gale's defense.
Panting, Gale again waited at the ready before hunting for monster cores. This time another monster charged out from the trees. It was just another goblin, not sure if it was because it had been waiting for a chance to strike, or if it had been relieving itself, the goblin finally took it's move.
Leaping out of the trees, the goblin landed on the road 20 feet from Gale. Firmly grasping it's dagger, the goblin stared at Gale, it's body tensing. Releasing like an arrow from a bow, it sprung forward. It aimed to shove it's dagger in Gale's stomach with a vicious stab. Running quickly it covered the distance from it's enemy.
Gale swiped with his sword. He then took a step to the side for the goblin's body to keep moving, it's head having been seperated and spinning in the air. Gale had learned from his previous encounter that stabbing straight at something wouldn't stop something in it's tracks.
After some time had gone by and nothing seemed to want to attack him immediately. Gale inspected his body. There was no serious wounds, but he did have a fairly deep gash on his back. Taking out some herbs from his bag, he crunched them in his hand. Afterwards he applied it to the wound and the various others around his body. His face scrunched from the stinging sensation. But the herbs proved their worth as his wounds began to close.
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"You would think with medicine made from these it would be impossible for infant mortality rate to be so high." Gale shook his head.
After making sure that there were no other wounds he again harvested the monster cores. Looting the goblins, he found a satchel that had the same herbs he had just used as well as another plant that would cure light poison.
"How useful, can't be stingy with healing in this world."
Preparations complete he again continued on his journey. A mile down the road he made another encounter. Again reaching victory he healed, looted, and moved on. 2 miles down the road he made another encounter, again winning, healing, looting and moving on.
10 days.
10 awful days of that vicious cycle. His clothes were stained from the blood of his many enemies. Orcs, goblins, wolves, boars, horned rabbits, kobolds, skeletons... The list goes on. His body felt stonger, his blows quicker, his resilience increasing, but his mental fortitude was reaching the brink.
"How much longer can I do this, I've only gone maybe 50 miles."
The constant state of readiness was wearing on him. The neverending battles, the surprise ambushes, the attacks in the dark, all had slowly but resolutely worn on him. Despair filled his eyes.
"This was only supposed to be the beginning, how can it be this hard. I've never heard of anyone else having as much problems as me." Gale cried out.
*ArrOOOOoooooM*...*ArrOOOOooooooM*
"That's the sound of a horn. Where is it coming from?"
Gale starts scanning around him, trying to find the source of the noise. To the north across a plain, he see something.
"Please don't be something that wants to kill me, please don't be something that wants to kill."
In the distance a cloud of dirt and dust is moving towards him.
*ArrrOOOoooooM*...*ArrOOoooooooM*
The cloud begins to become larger. The sound of a stampede becoming louder.
*AAARRRRROOOOOOOOOOoooooommmm*...*AAAARRRRROOOOOOOooooooommmmm*
The shape of riders on top of various beasts comes into view.
"I hate this place so much." Gale curses.
A group of 40 goblins riding on wolves, large dogs, boars, and a weird insect thing in front. In the lead on a horse is sitting a hobgoblin. The band is wearing equipment in much better quality then the 6 he had killed at the beginning of his journey. The leader has a warhorn in left hand. Seeing the lone wanderer on the road, the leader begins to cackle and draws its longsword. Waving it in the air he points at Gale. The rest of the band start to roar.
"Please just let me be born in a city next time."
Gale draws his scimitar, his earlier sword having been broken 3 days ago. The scimitar a gift from a skeleton who's skull he caved in. Breathing softly he readies himself.