Journey to Travica (Part III)

Narrator POV's

Before his eyes, the player was cut down. The explosion was so close that digital shards flew into Toyo's face.

"Fucking die!" Jae sobbed as he brought his spear down vertically, sending the tip and over half the shaft down through a goblin's mouth and into his chest. Without stopping, Jae tore his spear free as the shards flew outwards, blocking an attack from one of the last three goblins.

It was now three against three, and both Jae and Toyo were down to less than 5% of their HP.

The goblin in front of Toyo went for a lunge, but he wasn't having it anymore. Without even bothering to parry, Toyo dropped to his knees as he began the arc of his sword from behind him. Abandoning, it's now futile stab, the goblin attempted to bring his sword back for a counter of his own, but it was already over. Launching his sword upward into a vertical uppercut, Toyo slashed the goblin open from its stomach to its brains. His hair billowed out behind him from the one death explosion, but he didn't even blink.

"Please!" Screamed the final party member to their left. Before Toyo could turn, Jae had already rushed past him, his own enemy also now nothing but digital shards. Launching himself to the left, Toyo joined him. They couldn't let anyone else die.

But before either of them could reach the stranger, the final goblin brought his war hammer down one last time.

"Please! Plea- "The stranger's face was bashed in before he could finish his pleas. His disintegration was surreal, for both Jae and Toyo could do nothing but watch the shards sail through the air.

The goblin with the war hammer had killed more than any of his pack had, and he now roared with laughter as he charged forward to meet the two brothers.

Beyond words, Toyo allowed himself to cry freely as he took the lead, blocking the war hammer's strike.

"Switch!" He cried.

"Fucking bastard!" Jae screamed as his spear suddenly burst into a terrible green flame. Bringing the butt of the weapon crashing into the monster's jaw, Jae then slammed it back down, allowing the blade to carve open its face.

Still not dead, the goblin lowered its shoulder to knock Jae away.

"Switch!" Jae roared, and Toyo swung his blade one last time, cleaving off both of the goblin's arms up to the shoulder. With one final, hoarse shout, Jae plunged his spear into the monster's heart, finishing it for good.

The explosion of shards went unnoticed as Jae and Toyo both collapsed, the tears trickling down in front of them. Their health bars were all but empty, but that wasn't why they cried. Three people had just been murdered in front of them. Three human beings were now dead. And they hadn't been able to save them.

Neither one of them bothered to look around or get back up. Huddled together, neither of them had ever felt so alone and hopeless.

******

"Did you hear the news?" Jae asked quietly.

Toyo shook his head without taking his eyes off the small white rock he was kicking up the road as they walked.

"What news?"

Jae shrugged. "Yesterday, when I made that run into the Town of Beginnings, I heard many people talking about a group of some of the strongest players who are planning on meeting tomorrow in Tolbana." he paused, craning his neck as he surveyed the area again. They had cleared the area so quickly he half thought to see some mobs they must have missed.

Pushing his hair out of his face, Toyo silently equipped two slices of bread. He took a bite of one before holding the other out to Jae. "What meeting?"

"They know where the Floor 1 Labyrinth is," Jae said carefully, talking around his food as he chewed. "Or at least, that's the rumour. They are meeting tomorrow to plan out how to get through it and kill the boss."

Toyo lifted an eyebrow as he looked out ahead of them. They were on the road back to Trevica, and all around them, the trees darkened as the shadows lengthened as if to warn them of the gradual descent of the virtual sun.

"Could be just that; rumours," Toyo suggested as they walked.

*****

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