Chapter 8: The Goblin Horde
As the party journeyed to Weston, Amara and Amelia practiced lightning magic during their breaks. Though Amara knew he couldn't wield anything too powerful, he hoped to learn something useful for the coming battle.
After much effort, Amara succeeded in learning Lightning Spark - a short burst that could stun opponents. It drained his mana quickly, but gave him an extra option besides his weak fireballs.
When Amara showed Amelia his progress, she congratulated him enthusiastically. "Well done! You've got real talent. With practice, you'll get even stronger."
Amara grinned, thrilled to have learned his first true combat spell. Though he could only manage about three Sparks before exhausting himself, it was a start.
As the village came into view, Tanya wordlessly handed Amara a mana recovery potion. He nodded gratefully. He would need all his strength for the fight ahead.
The group arrived in Weston around noon. Goblins cavorted through the ravaged streets, laughing cruelly as they tormented villagers and looted homes. This ended now.
As Amara and his comrades entered Weston, chaos surrounded them. Goblins ran wild, cackling maniacally as they smashed windows, looted homes, and terrorized villagers. Women and children screamed while men vainly tried to fight back against the hoard.
"Cut off their escape into the woods!" Amelia yelled. The group split up to surround the goblin force.
Amara confronted three goblins in the town square, their jagged clubs stained with blood. "Lightning Spark!" Amara shouted, blasting one goblin back into a fountain. The other two snarled and charged him.
He ducked under a swipe from the first one's club and slashed his sword across its torso. It howled in pain but kept coming. The second goblin swung at Amara's head. He barely dodged, the club whistling past his ear.
With no time to cast another spell, Amara went on the defensive, parrying the frenzied attacks. But the goblins pressed him back against a wall. As one raised its club for a crushing blow, a shard of ice skewered it through the chest. Tanya had saved him.
Seeing an opening, Amara cast his last Spark, paralyzing the final goblin. He leapt forward and beheaded the creature with one clean stroke. Catching his breath, he saw Berly stomping towards a cluster of goblins, his massive sword swinging in wide arcs, goblin limbs flying. Amelia stood on a rooftop raining lightning on the creatures, her eyes blazing.
Within minutes, the horde was obliterated, the remaining goblins fleeing for the forest. Amara felt relief, but it was short-lived. A tremendous roar echoed from the woods that chilled him to his core. The survivors had called their master - something far more dangerous than goblins...