6 Getting Raykahl in the Red

"Oh, ho… Oh, ho, ho, ho…"

Amidst the goblin's taunting spanks, the Solar Sentinel clenched the hilt of his greatsword all the tighter. 

Whiff, whiff!

He lashed out at the Ash Hen while licking his fangs. With the confirmation that the chicken was immune to the flaming sword, and that the chicken did nothing but scurry about the field, Raykahl took in a deep breath. 

All flames surrounding his body were pulled back into his being. The barrier shank as well, its diameter being halved. 

"Pot Goblin… Menace of Trodar… Rizzio McKlack Von Thong… Rizz…"

Between each breath, Raykahl spoke. With each word, his smirk stretched a bit more and a bit more. Until Raykahl was brandishing a demonic, carnivorous grin. His pupils shrank into thin slits, sharp as any of the goblin's daggers. 

"I shall remember each of your names, Rizz. And I shall not revoke my approval, nor threaten such a thing again." The catkin's rumbling growl crept over the meadow with supreme dominance. All with weak will trembled from the pressure of Raykahl's words alone. 

In response, Rizz stopped slapping his but and snapped his bloodied hand. 

Xdra Krizpee, the miracle chicken, poofed away in a mist of hot ash that distorted the air for a second. 

Raykahl no longer cared about the chicken. Nor did he show any malice for failing to kill the simple creature. He was too far gone; sunken into a predacious trance. 

There was about one-third of his health left. And though Raykahl wasn't yet in the red, at first. But the health bar was gradually changing color with each controlled breath. "I cannot delay things any longer, Menace. We end this. Noooow!"

As Raykahl roared and bounded toward the goblin, the flame barrier suddenly quadrupled in size. 

Rizz teleported to safety. But the same couldn't be said for other players caught in the tumultuous flames. 

"Nooo!" 

"Help!" 

"Save me!" 

Over a dozen people cried in desperation as the barrier collided with their characters. Somehow, that thin veil of black and red flames felt like a wall of concrete. At the same time, it only took a single touch for a player to get engulfed in the unforgiving fire. A few players were thrown back into their comrades or rival guilds. And that only spread the flames further. 

"Back away!" blurted the healed guardian guild master. "At least twenty meters from the barrier! Don't waste mana or skill points with attacks! Not while the barrier is up!"

The guardian yelled some sense into his scrambling party. It didn't save everyone, but it at least maintained a degree of order while inspiring the other guild masters to do the same. 

"Stay away from the Menace!" the rouge guild master bellowed. "Don't stray too far, but avoid the Menace until the barrier has lessened!"

"Great plan!"

Just when the rogue and his fellow guild masters summoned their mounts, a hand landed on the lead rogue's shoulder from behind. 

"Onward to safety!" Rizz ordered. He pointed his finger into the distance while standing atop the lead rogue's rare Nightmare Stallion mount. 

And the rogue guild master reacted quickly, drawing both of his knives on the goblin. "Get the hell away from me, you damn mob!" 

Those blades only hit the air with a big whiff, decimating the illusory goblin. But another goblin popped up on his mount's neck, holding it like the mast of a ship. The same thing happened to the three other guild masters as well, causing all four leaders to retaliate. 

"Fucking gobby!"

"Go to hell!" 

The leading brawler and rogue were the loudest and most anxious to flee. They each struck with impunity, uncaring to whether or not their target was fake. 

Sadly, though their impulsive actions removed a possible threat before the world boss got too close, it also caused their mounts to whiny in pain. They collapsed and disappeared in a blink of light, returning to their summoning items while the false goblins disappeared, unharmed.

Unlike the anxious brawler and rogue, though, the sorceress and guardian swatted at their respective goblins, letting the illusions fade with but a touch. 

"Go! Get away immediately!" the guardian bellowed, rearing his horse to garner complete control of his party.

Meanwhile, not every player was out of the thick of it just yet. Some of them were only getting warmed up, to the point that they burned alive. 

"He must be hiding amongst the others," growled Raykahl, more fiendish than ever. 

With his superior abilities, the supposed world boss flitted and leaped all over the place, trying to catch the evasive goblin in his flaming barrier. And when Raykahl failed to find Rizz, he turned his full attention to the en masse retreat of mounted players. 

"Hurry! Someone pull me up!" the rogue guild master called out, dashing behind the retreating mounts as fast as his skills could carry him. 

The lead brawler was doing the exact same thing. "You bastards! Get back here and pick me up!"

A few players looked back, just then realizing that their guild masters didn't have their mounts out. They also saw the rampaging, demonic catkin guardian in the distance. And though Raykahl had yet to begin his chase, those players all noticed the boss's shift in attention. 

"Hurry up, damn it!" the brawler guild master roared, also noticing the boss's shifting focus.

"Yes! Guild Master!" 

Multiple people from both guilds slowed down slightly so the two leaders could catch up. 

"NO!" 

Then, one of those straggling players screamed in concern, alerting everyone else of the same thing.

They spotted the missing goblin! And he reappeared only a couple steps behind the lagging guild masters. 

Out of reflex, most of the helpful players sped back up. Because even if they had to turn down the orders of their guild master, everyone would understand why given the unworthy risk now involved. 

It took another second for the rogue and brawler guild masters to realize their harrowing situation. But they finally caught on thanks to an erupting roar from behind them. 

"There you are, Menace of Trodar! Cease delaying the inevitable!" 

Just as the rogue and brawler looked back to see the world boss barreling towards them, they got a good look at the man setting them up for failure. 

Rizz was dashing along behind. One finger up his nose. The other hand was waving to the guild master duo. "Bye, bye, bitches! And thank you! It's always a pleasure to loot you!"