Chapter XII - Promotion Quest 3

Marcus bowed to the Elder "I am grateful esteemed Elder. You and the rest of the village should take shelter in here after the sun sets, it will help me and keep everyone safe."

Marcus turned to the soldier "Come, we have much to do."

Marcus exited the Elder's hut with the soldier in tow "Where is the guard's equipment? We need to be well equipped if we're to survive the night"

The soldier skipped ahead of Marcus "This way" he said as he lead him to their minute armory.

Marcus equipped himself in full guard armor and a sword and shield. He normally wouldn't be using a shield, but he didn't have the skills he was used to in his past life so he had to make due.

Marcus turned to the soldier "Return the pike and grab a spear and shield, you'll need it for the upcoming battle." The soldier nodded and donned his new equipment.

Marcus and the soldier exited the armory and walked through the gates. He directed the soldier to help him set up a defensive barrier around the gate. They worked gruelingly through the evening as the sun was disappearing around the camp setting up multiple spike barriers offset from each other to prevent an easy entrance.

As they finished up Marcus ordered him to haul all the arrows and bows up to the alure on the defensive wall. The guard nodded he ran off to complete his task.

Marcus began walking away from the village as the scout came barreling out of the underbrush. "There's 18 normal goblins and they're lead by a larger goblin."

Marcus nodded and patted the scout on the shoulder. "Good job, head inside and close the gate behind you. Join the guard and the two of you will provide support using the bows. I'll hold them back here."

The scout's eyes widened and nodded before rushing into the safety of the walls and shutting the gate behind him and barricading it with the large wooden crossbar.

Marcus stood about 3m from the wall spikes. He knew that it would be smarter to be with the scout and guard and use the bow to thin the herd but that made it impossible to prevent the goblins from entering the village, which resulted in dropping a grade.

Marcus' body was tingling in anticipation, excitement, and fear. He had watched the video of this clear time and time again. Never had he experienced this himself. He knew it was doable, he just had perform.

Marcus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, steadying his heart, his fist clenched the hilt of the basic guard sword, anytime now… anytime he thought as his eyes jolted open and he took a defensive stance.

The underbrush began rustling as 3 goblins came rushing out. They clutched small wooden clubs in their long twisted fingers, their giant cooked nose splitting the large jagged teeth as they hooted and hollered saliva dripping out of their mouth charging Marcus.

Marcus took a preemptive step and spun smashing the shield against the head of the closest goblin knocking it aside. Two arrows hit it dead in the chest killing it on the ground.

He carefully parried a swing from one goblin with his sword and threw the goblin back as the other attack was blocked with the shield. He thrusted his sword into the goblin and twisted the sword before retrieving it as the goblin fell to the ground.

Marcus kicked the club out of the goblin's hand and stuck his sword through it's mouth and quickly retrieving it and returning back to his defensive stance near the blockade.

"Get ready to fire!" Marcus yelled to the two at the top. It was at this time 5 goblins rushed out "Now!!!"

Two arrows hit their targets as they fell to the ground. They weren't dead but they wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. Marcus began the same series of attacks and blocking and then attacking as he slayed the three goblins.

Marcus was getting exhausted, but knew he was halfway done. He retreated behind the barricade and replaced his sword with a spear. The next wave was going to be too much to handle with just a sword and shield.

"Once more!!" He yelled lifting the spear up as he crouched resting the spear on his shield pointed towards the forest. There were 7 goblins this time all charging towards Marcus as he yelled "Fire!!!" Reducing the number immediately down to 5.

As they got close to the spikes, Marcus thrusted his spear and quickly recalled it doing it again and again trying to keep them further away. He knew he wasn't going to be taking them out, but slowing them down and wounding them would give him the breathing room he needed.

He braced as he lifted his shield blocking the incoming clubbing as he lifted his foot onto the spike wall and kicked it forward impaling three goblins and jabbing the other two once more on the ground.

It was then that one of the trees was knocked over as the larger goblin walked forward carrying a battle axe. This goblin was nearly twice the size of a normal goblin, who stood just at 1m tall, yet was not the normal hue of green than the goblins were known for.

The hobgoblin yowled and pointed the battle axe at Marcus as the remaining 3 goblins charged forward. It took slower strides trying to intimidate Marcus.

"Fire!!!" Marcus yelled unphased by the intimidation attempt. Soon after two arrows flew into the eye sockets of the charging goblins and Marcus who had rearmed himself, deflecting the goblins club and impaling it with his sword.

The hobgoblin was infuriated and screamed going Berserk at the death of his tribe. Marcus expecting this yelled "Fire!" again as the arrows hit the hobgoblin in the gut and one in the thigh.

This was the equalizing factor that allowed Marcus to solo the hobgoblin, he just had to let the arrows bleed effect whittle down it's HP and survive.

Marcus stayed in his defensive stance slowly side-stepping as he was creating a gap. Afterwards the hobgoblin gripped it's battle axe in both hands and charged at him unleashing an excruciatingly strong overhead swing.

Marcus was only able to avoid as he was already in motion and stumbled back from the aftershock of the attack. The hobgoblin clenched it's fist and swung at Marcus who blocked with his shield and thrusted his sword barely piercing the thick hide before retreating quickly.