64 GOBLINS FOR ME

A forest nearly identical to the one surrounding Claude's home welcomed him. The only difference was the endless colonies of caves that rose above the forests and hid behind the green brush surrounding. Connecting them were stone and polished wood railways that steamed from old use.

Not to mention the unique fauna.

Flying squirrels screeched at their entrance, circling overhead like cutesy vultures wearing colored feathers.

Closer to the ground, gremlin-cats hissed from bushes. They weren't like the usual wild-cats. They weren't even cats— but they had slitted eyes, stripes, massive ears and loved to climb. They had all fur colors in mottled collages beneath their hide body armor and masks adorned with tribal painting and shaped stone. The creatures were no larger than house cats of the old-world.

"Tamed creatures. Both of which are prominently owned by Goblin hordes— which would also explain the racer rails." Claude thought before remembering what else was inside the Tangent with him.

Something howled.

It was his father.

The Goblins went wild with hysteric wails. Riders on stone carts flew from the cave tunnels with bows and bola's at the ready.

They found Claude and Ms. Oracle. No weapons. No armor.

Before a single one of them could go on the offensive, a dark shape rose up from the trees and jumped onto the railways.

Under the false sun, it's fur shined. It was large— like a wolf on humanoid legs. It's ears were long, pinned flat against its muscled head, barely covering the two grey stripes of hair at its side. It moved on four legs but could obviously walk on two.

Such a decision would've been foolish. It stayed low, running along the railway beneath the rail cars so the Goblins couldn't shoot it without standing in their cars and getting hit by the trees.

When the first car approached, the beast charged, shoulder bashing the stone vehicle and knocking it off the rails.

Goblins fell, splattering under the weight of their stone mobiles as they landed in the forest ahead of Claude.

The next riders came.

The beast jumped over it, flipping to use its claws to rip the throats of the two Goblins inside.

The beast landed on the other side.

Two rotten arrows fired.

The beast's arm moved in a blur and caught the arrows. From there, the creature inhaled. Claude watched in confusion as the air around the beast warbled. Greenish blue veins bulged in the air, connecting to the creatures chest and throat where the design and glow continued.

Then, it roared. Arcs of wild blue-green light rippled from its jaws like lightning. They were far away. So far, Claude couldn't make out much details, but even so his ears bled and his vision shook.

Still, he was able see the stone car the goblins rode in be reduced to rubble. The Goblins took the sonic roar head on. Their eyes burst in their skulls, leaving them to fall as imploded husks.

"Is that….."

"Gil. It's him…" Ms. Oracle said.

Gil stood up on two legs and faced them. A titanous shapeshifter breed of unknown origin or power.

It was so bizzare. Even from the distance, Claude could still make out his father beneath the fur and fan—

Gil stumbled as an arrow hit him in the shoulder.

A Goblin hooted.

Three more sunk into his legs and another whistled throufh his cheek, coming out the other side violently.

"DAD!"

Gil growled and bit the arrow in half. All humanity was gone and he was off.

Claude stood silently hyperventilating. A million thoughts spun into a fuzzy cloud of blank noise.

"Well, I suppose we should join him. Or be eaten by the gremlins and day-bats." Ms. Oracle said.

Frosty barked in agreement.

"No—yea. Let's get to work." Claude ran on shaky legs as he heard his father weave death and destruction into the Tangent of Goblin's.

"First rule when entering a Goblin Tangent? Cmon, boy. I know you know, son of a scientist." Ms. Oracle's words were unnatural as they ran. They had a warmth to them.

Her own aura spread like water, splashing everyone with her defensive energies and stalwart state of mind.

DING!

His System screen hovered in front of his face, almost making him forget the blurring shapes of the gremlin-cats and flying squirrels chasing them.

[Defensive Boost Activated]

[Rallying Voice heard!]

[HP + 30%]

[Strength + 10%]

Claude whistled and pointed to his left. He dove right as his wolves went left. They scared off the gremlin-cats.

He did the same, kicking up the dirt and expanding the growth of bushes into horrifying bear-like shapes inspired by his fathers new form.

Silence in the immediate area fell. Soon enough they came upon a dozen mutilated Goblin corpses.

"You never answered my question." Ms. Oracle said, "What's the first rule?"

"Discern if it's a Horde or Boss Tangent." Claude replied.

"And have you?"

"Yea, it's a trick question."

Ms. Oracle smiled.

"Goblins can become both at the same time if given enough time. Same with Orcs. Based on the cave colonies there's a small horde here— but the design of the Tangent means they're being led by someone a lot more intelligent than them. A Sham—"

The dead Goblins began to reanimate as previously unseen old scars began to glow on their skin.

"Necromantic runes." Ms. Oracle noticed.

"Goblin Necromancer's exist?" Claude said as he watched the Goblin's rise. Reminding him of his own memories with the power to raise the dead.

Their wounds festered. The blood leaking from the gashes and gouges turned black, bubbling with purple and green electrical wisps of death-elements. Their bones snapped and twisted, causing their muscle to rise and twist as they got to their feet.

"They're extremely rare, but yes. It usually happens in Tangents that have evidence of existing longer than normal. The Shaman's get overexposed to death and begin to research it." Ms. Oracle said.

"So the Tangent boss is a mad-death scientist Goblin. Fantastic." Claude replied as he flexed his claws.

Frosty and the others joined him.

"Just go for the head and you'll be fine, young man." Ms. Oracle said.

Claude went on the offensive before the horde of zombie goblins could be given a command.

He jumped, powered by fresh legs and landed on the first Goblin's shoulders. From there he dug his claws into the tough and cold flesh until he felt the spine.

He pulled, imagining himself deadlifting.

In a flash, he ripped off the Goblin's head with the spine attached.

The Goblins surrounding closed in to swarm him. He swung the spine and skull like a mass, shattering overgrown noses and breaking necks left and right.

From the ground, Frosty and the others mauled the undead until they were immobilized.

[+200 EXP]

"God's damn— what rank Tangent is this?" Claude thought before realizing, "I can't get hi—"

Too late.

An undead Goblin grabbed him by the arm and yanked him off the goblin's shoulders, throwing him into a nearby tree.

As soon as he hit the tree, the bark and branches lowered down to braid around his arms, forming wooden bracers to block the swing of another that chased after him.

The wild haymaker wasn't fast. The undead weren't known for their speed. Even so, it shattered the wood on his left arm. He cultivated what remained of the wood bracer until he had wooden claws on his fingers.

He lunged, running his natures claw through the creature's face. From there he boosted the growth of the wood until its head exploded.

[+200 EXP]

[80% HP Remaining]

DING!

[You have Leveled Up! You are now Level 8!]

[1 Stat Points Remaining]

[100% HP Remaining]

Seemingly a thousand more limped after him. He didn't remember there being so many. The sight of them also completely ruined his excitement of leveling up.

Before he could panic, the trees around him shriveled and wilted as water droplets were sucked from the leaves and bark.

Behind the horde, Ms. Oracle moved like she had no bones. Which was impressive at her size. She continued to ebb and flow until a massive wave spun and churned above her.

Claude didn't need to be told what to do next. He felt for the roots beneath his feet and pulled them to the surface, creating a wall of wood. As it rose in front of him, he listened.

"HA!" Ms. Oracle threw the ocean wave. At the same time, Claude slammed his hands into the wall. Thorns exploded from the surface on the other side, causing the Goblins to be smashed into a spiked wall with the weight of a small ocean.

[+1000 EXP]

DING!

[You have Leveled Up! You are now Level 9]

[PHYS UP]

[2 Stat Points Remaining]

The wall fell like wet paper as Ms. Oracle's waves soaked into the earth, making Claude's feet wet and hiding the smell of the beast behind him.

Thankfully, it was so heavy footed, he didn't need his nose.

He turned around just as he could hear the weapon cutting through the wind.

A row of trees fell. The black metal blade wasn't slowed as it cleaved trees in half.

Dust and splinters flew in all directions in a small wooden explosion.

Ms. Oracle's shield protected them all as the forest brush was leveled.

They now stood in a clearing surrounded by felled trees.

All around them and spilling from the cave colonies were undead Goblins.

Directly ahead of Claude, an undead bugbear dragged a black metal blade like it weight nothing— even as the ground cracked under its weight.

"Round two…." Claude growled.

His sounds were met by another as his father crouched next to him.

"You ready?" His voice was still the same.

"Yea."