It was part of our plan, the idea was for us to take out the majority of goblins while Gaveng is away. We knew something like an attack on his goblins or a goblin deserter would enrage him so much that he'd go out looking and leave the mine defenseless. Apparently goblins are smart enough to have hierarchy but little in the way of chain of command so he would go there himself, that's what Rodrick said. Once the few strong goblins go away and encounter a trap to hold them in place for a while, we take out their encampment and make a trap so that when Gaveng returns he will be weakened again, killed if we are lucky. Yesterday we made plenty of oil, and saved what we came with so that we could make the trap for the goblin encampment. We cut down a large log and oiled it. Most of the clutter in the mine's entrance was made of wood so if we burn it would stay lit for plenty of time. Rodrick doesn't know a lot of magic, but he was taught the basics that would help him adventure... I mean hunt, he hates when I call him an adventurer. Anyway, Rodrick does know a little fire magic, he did explain that most of this trip was for him to teach me so I understand why he made me light the fire with just sticks last time, but if he just taught me how to make fire with magic it would have been less frustrating. So the trap is once Gaveng returns we escape and block him off in a fire to surround him. The heat, the smoke, and he'll burn if he tries to escape through the flames, and we will wait for him right outside, both of us.
That was the plan anyway, a good play by play and still leaving room for error, and considering what time and intel we had to make it I believe it was a great plan. The plan did have some flaws certainly, and of course some things could go wrong, I know that now. Because something did go wrong, that's why right now I'm standing in front of Gaveng alone inside an arena of fiery flames and goblin corpses.
Just when we lit the fire and made our jumped out before the flames got intense Gaveng jumped in, faster that I could react we bumped with each other and fell over, by the time we both got up and Rodrick noticed I was not outside that flames grew so large that no one could pass through unharmed. I know that for a fact because what small amount of goblins that were still alive freaked out from the flames and smoke and carelessly tried running outside, a couple did power through the flames and the bit of log climbing, the rest regretted their decision and returned on fire. They did not duck, tuck and roll, and instead just waddled a bit before giving in and falling down. The high pitched screams could send shivers down anyone's spine, but not right now for me, I could barely pick up Rodrick yelling my name from beyond the flame.
Perhaps it is the smoke, or the adrenaline, but I can only focus on Gaveng. My eyes feel locked as I stand against this foe, he does the same but in his eyes is rage while in mine it's panic. Every moment feels like an hour, but it doesn't feel long enough, I try to take in as much as I can. Where his gaze is pointed, what moves he makes with his axe, with his shield, I wish I had a shield right now, his right hand has a reticulated vine pattern that even caught fire and he stands barefoot in the hot and cluttered ground. He doesn't have much in the way of armor on his body, some leather he probably patched up to look like bandoliers and a belt, unfortunately neither caught fire. It's just now that his size is apparent to me, as large as Rodrick and muscly too, he looks more like an orc I saw in video games rather than a goblin. Video games? what's that?
"Ahhhhhhh" Gaveng screams, he fixes his posture and seems to ignore the fire from his axe hand. "DIE DIE aarghgrh-" he continues to scream incoherently. I feel afraid... I actually feel afraid. I try to overcome it but I can't help it, my hand is shaking and I feel a sudden pain in my stomach and chest. I need to do something, I need to swing. My axe, I can use the swing I know, with magic. It sliced a skull earlier today, one hit should be enough. Arching my hand, I take momentum, I feel the axe giving me power, I push diagonally down and my hand stops.
Gaveng's shield stopped my special swing, the momentum no doubt was there, and without it I would be dead because he was pushed back and could not counter, if he did I hate to know what would happen to me, the image of the goblin's open skull returns to my mind, and so does the pain in my stomach for a second blow. Instinct takes over and I take a stance to launch a second attack but only as a bluff, I don't want him to come closer, that's the best defensive stance I can make right now but the look in Gaveng's eyes is that of unbridled rage, ignoring the danger he takes a step forward and swings at me with his own axe. I take a step back and try to grab his hand and deliver a blow but the flames on his hand singe me for grabbing him and I end up taking a step back.
I have a moment to think, I need to think, what do I do? his feet! I look around for a moment and see some forks and cups. If I could make him attack me there where he needs to watch his footing, I could have the upper hand. He takes the moment I think in to attack again, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, I retreat to the floored kitchenware while keeping an eye on him, he swings several times at me, with each swing my heart skips a beat but I make it. He instinctively watches his step and goes on the defensive, but not fast enough, Haaa! I got him, a shallow slice across his chest, his green blood oozes down from it and he seems in pain but his composure is still in battle and I think I only made him angrier. He launches himself at me, I try to swing but he's too close, I hit his back with my axe but I am pushed back- AHHHH
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My back is pressed to the fiery walls of our arena, I can see flames from the sides of my vision, I try to wriggle away- my left hand lets go of Gaveng and he takes this opportunity to swing his axe at me. It lodges into the side of my stomach breaking some ribs and making a bloody mess. The pain, I can feel so much of it but still my body refuses to rest, and so do I. It must be the adrenaline at this point, with my back on fire, an axe in my side and my vision blurred I grab his axe hand, even with it on fire, I grab it and take a step forward away from the flame. My right hand still grips my axe which is lodged in his back. I pull it so it goes deeper, if I'm lucky it will kill him now, he does the same and pushes his axe deeper. It feels like a game of endurance, he does try to bite my neck with his sharp teeth, but I won't let him.
It feels like an eternity in pain. Only now can I sense the smells around, my vision becomes clearer too. "Fren! don't give in!" I can hear Rodrick from beyond the fire through Gaveng's screams of pain and anger. But more important than all this, my thoughts wander. What of Dan? That boy barely had his father when his father was alive, and Dali's wife and his daughter come to mind. All the people in the village, Barn and that elder, the blacksmith, even some faces I saw along the way. All of this goes into my mind at this moment. The danger beneath the village, and what will happen to all these people. Rodrick, will he be able to help them? They need me, but I can't even fight a goblin and clear a mine, the first quest and I already fail. I am such a pathetic excuse for a hero. ‘You are our best chance for hope’ Barn said that to me when I just arrived, he was crying, if I’m the best chance they have… are they already doomed?
No, I don’t want to think that. Before realizing it I start to tear up. I’m here to help them, all of them. No one knows if I can, I know they expected a much bigger help, they put whatever they could and bet it all on me and now I’m about to fail them.
Tears fall from my face. Gaveng and I are both at the point of exhaustion, still at the same position. How long has it been? long enough for the floor beneath us to be a mixture of red and green fluids it appears. Long enough so that the flames could subside a little. So long that the tears I had before had dried up on Gaveng’s frozen face. My memory is a bit hazy, and I feel somewhat light headed. It only makes sense, the blood loss is already enough, to add the smoke to that and it’s a miracle I’m even still conscious. I remove the axe from my side and pull out mine from Gaveng’s dead body. I know I should stand, but I can’t help but lie down. I feel so tired, I need a nap.
Dirt and gravel falls on my face. Is Gaveng not dead yet? or am I being buried? Rodrick comes in, what’s he doing here? he’s supposed to wait outside, right? What’s he taking Gaveng’s axe for? “Hey, leave that, I killed him.” I tell him. That’s not what I meant to say, or is it? I am so confused. Chuck Chuck he strikes the log we tosses down the hill that now blocks the entrance. After clearing a way out he drags me outside. The grass feels so cool, it was so hot inside the fire that it feels so good right here. Rodrick is so nice, to give me water from his canteen, and trying to clog the blood from my wound.
“Wake up, don’t go to sleep.” he says. “Fren, stay with me!”
“Rodrick, I’m sorry, I’m gonna die, I’m gonna fail you.”
“Fren… Fren! don’t say that, I’m older, I’m the one who's supposed to die first.”
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t… I killed him but I didn’t live.”
“You’re still alive Fren, don’t talk like that.”
He looks me in the eyes while pushing a piece of cloth at my wound. I can feel my scorched left hand, my back is probably all burned. “I’m sorry, tell Dan that. Alright?” I ask this of him, I don’t want Dan to see me like this.
“Why?” that’s his answer “Why do you care so much? I don’t understand. I didn’t lie when I said I wanted to let you learn the hunting trade bit by bit, that’s why I took you here like this, why I was stalling for time, that’s what I told you. That much is true but more than that I wanted to know why you’re here.”
“I’m here to save the village, remember? I’m your best chance of hope.”
“I don’t mean that, I mean why are you still here? You find yourself with strangers and try to help them? I saw enough summoned spirits that decided to do things differently than what their summoner said, and even if they weren’t bloodlusted they still wouldn’t listen, why do you? Why do you try, why do you care? Why not just screw us over and go live your new life? I am grateful, we all are, but I don’t understand.”
“Rodrick, I don’t know. I don’t know why, or who I am, where I came from before this. All I know is that there are people who need me. People who face troubles, who have hardships. People who can be kind, who are kind even though the hardships they face all the time. I’m also grateful, Rodrick, and I also don’t understand this.”
I want to tell him some more, I want him to tell everyone I met so far, I don’t want this to be the end because of what it could mean for them.
My body no longer hurts, my vision fades.