26 First blood

We went to another room where dad pulled a pouch from his amulet. The payment was 1000 golden coin for each year. That was expensive. Even though academies have made a discount according to the king's request, 1000 golden coins was an amount that an average has to work for 4 years to be able to collect.

Even though an average person would make 100 to 200 golden coins per month, at most he would be able to save 10 to 20 golden coins due to the high taxes and living expenses.

Cities would charge high taxes for protection. Despite being surrounded by the empire and the dwarf country. There is still the threat of monsters. They usually lurk in forest and unpopulated places. Sometimes they would attack small villages and even the big cities.

That is why the city would hire mages as guards around city walls and gates.

The guards are also responsible of securing the streets and ending any conflict that may happen. After all, fights between mages can be very destructive.

We got out from the academy, and were going to head back home. As we reached the end of the line, I could see the nobles from before. When they saw us, they dropped their heads low and stared at the ground. They were really terrified from dad.

After an hour of sightseeing the city, we decided it was enough. We headed towards the gate leading south, and got out.

Outside the city, there was a road that was surrounded by farm lands. It stretched for far away. We kept following the road were we could see a forest in our view. The distance between the forest and the farm lands was half a kilometer. It was just a flat grassy surface. No trees no crops.

When we made it to the forest, dad stopped me and said:

"Eddy. Let's run back home. If you can keep up with me, I will give you a reward. You can circulate mana, and use spells if you want. But no Gate, or something similar" "Really?" "Of course" I nodded and we both got in position. I decided to circulate mana around my body, in order to enhance it. I cast Hermes's coat, and used time acceleration on my eyes in order to see while running at insane speed.

Hermes's coat was based on the treadmill effect, so that means I can run at sonic speeds but I didn't have the confidence that I can bear it. But still I decided to raise my speed to 5 times the speed I use when casting Heaven's cannons normally.

Dad took a copper coin from his amulet and said:

"When this coin hits the ground we start" I nodded again and dad threw the coin in the air, with my enhanced vision, I could see the coin moving very slowly.

*tink* The coin hit the ground, the moment it did I took off.

*Voom* With a single step, I was away by nearly 70 meters. Dad looked at me and he was taken back. "This kid, he is taking this seriously. I guess I have to get catch up to him" I kept running, each step I took, the scenery around me would change completely. And every time, I take off, I would leave dust behind me.

After 30 seconds, I could see dad catching up to me he didn't use any kind of spell, just circulating his mana, and his speed was unbelievable.

After another 30 seconds, he surpassed me and was now leading the way.

We kept dashing forward, and in an hour we crossed a 50 km distance. I could see the place where I trained with mister Chrestos from here. It was positioned on a small hill.

How could I know the place?

The damage from the time I used Heaven's death arrow was still present.

Trees were destroyed like a plane had crashed in them. We kept dashing when suddenly dad stopped and I stopped besides him. I look around but I didn't notice anything.

I turn towards dad and ask:

"What's wrong dad? Why did we stop?" "Monsters" What? Monsters? Suddenly, a pack of wolves came out. They were grey wolves, but some wolves were carrying green figures on top of their backs. It resembled humans but their heads were deformed and they were short.

Goblins.

Some of the goblins were walking holding wooden clubs in their hands. The ones on the wolfs were carrying some bows and stone maces. They were Goblin riders.

There were 5 goblin riders and their 5 wolf mounts. 10 normal goblins and at the further back there was a huge black wolf and a huge dark green goblin.

A hobogoblin and a great wolf.

"Get behind me Eddy." I went behind dad and hid. This is an unexpected situation I got in. I looked at the direction of the monsters and I could feel their bloodlust. They were out to kill us. I didn't know why they would come at us. We didn't carry any food or valuables. Maybe we stepped in their camp or nest or whatever they lived in.

*tching* A goblin rider threw an arrow towards us and dad stepped and caught it in his hand and crushed it. I felt afraid. It was my first time in a fight where they were coming for my life.

*dum* Dad hit the ground with his leg and a stream of ice spikes came from the ground and it headed like an earthquake towards the monster group.

The Goblins at the front were pierced by the ice and blood gushed out from the holes that were made. It was a gruesome scene. The goblin riders managed to jump to the sides thanks to their mounts. And the bosses of this group, the hobogoblin and the great wolf also managed to evade. Only 3 goblins were not killed. With a single move, my father managed to kill 7 goblins instantly.

The 3 riders that were holding bows loosed three arrows at our direction but dad blocked them by raising a ice wall in front. The other goblins and the two remaining riders rushed to us and turned around the ice wall; two goblins and a rider from one side and a goblin and the other rider from the other side.

Dad took a step back and picked me with one arm. He jumped a few steps backs while simultaneously creating three ice javelins and threw them at the coming goblins. The three goblins were hit and their heads burst into a red mush. Just as we landed, I heard the sound of grass moving behind me. Two more goblins jumped from their hiding and headed towards us.

They trapped us. Dad looked around and threw me in the air and clapped his hands. I could see ice going out of him like it was a wave and the two goblins and the two riders around him were covered in a block of ice.

*skeecch* I heard a screech from above, so I instinctively look up and I saw a goblin holding a dagger jumping down from a tree and he was headed to me.

I was terrified, the goblin is about to stab me with his dagger. Dad was busy, as soon as he killed the goblins surrounding him, the monster's boss headed straight for him. They even managed to ram through the ice wall he made earlier.

The dagger was slowly making its way towards me and I didn't know what to do. All the training I did seemed useless now. I couldn't even think straight.

Is this how I am going to die? I still didn't have enough of this world. I clench my fist and barely managed to cast a spell. It was the one I was most familiar with.

Gate.

I white circle appeared between me and the goblin; he entered it and appeared back where we first encountered the monster.

I look at the place where the goblin came out and I was shocked. The goblin was beyond recognition. Its arms were twisted, its legs broken and its head was cut off from the rest of his body.

The gate I cast this time was hastily made and as a consequence the goblin was killed when it got past it.

I look down and saw dad has already killed the boss. He stretched his arms for me and caught me.

He then placed me on the ground. I take a second look at the goblin, and I was horrified, my stomach was hurting me and I felt like vomiting, but I managed to keep it in.

It was the first time I killed something. Sure I have killed rats before, but this goblin looked more human than monster and I couldn't stop thinking that I killed a human.

Dad seemed to know what was on my mind and said:

"Eddy, don't let this deter you. You did the right thing. If you didn't kill the goblin, you would be the one with a dagger in his chest not the one lying here.

In this world, if you want to live freely and peacefully then you must be ready to kill when it's necessary." After that incident, Dad carried me all the way back home, he only dropped me when we were entering the city. I was still thinking about what he said. I knew it was true, but still it was hard for me to imagine myself taking someone else's life that easily.

That night I went to sleep early trying to forget what happened.