Cave In

Forestside is nestled between a forest to its west, mountains ranging from the north to east and a river flowing from the mountains down past the south of the village and into the forest. Alan mentions he has a tracking ability and keeps the lead. Jess and I start up a conversation but as it begins Alan quiets us. There may be more goblins around. Fair enough.

We move through the farmland directly outside the village, crossing the closest bridge over the river and reaching the start of the hills. In the distance I can see the mountain range. Alan mentions our cave isn't too far ahead and we scout out a vantage to check out the cave entrance.

We look down and I see there are eight goblins standing outside the cave, upright and on guard. They seem far more disciplined than the ones we had already encountered. Jess gathers us close and outlines a plan.

"Alan, you stay up here and cover us. Mac, you sneak down and at my signal, charge them, but don't get surrounded. You are the distraction for Alan to pick them off. I'm going to flank them and attack from behind at your distraction." Before we could say anything she started moving off to our right, sneaking down the hill taking cover from rock to rock.

With a shrug of my shoulders I start sneaking down to the left, at the base of the hill I will be directly in front of them with no cover. Seems like charging will be my only option, as i start getting closer i realise I have no idea what the signal is. I get behind my final piece of cover and an arrow streaks out from the vantage point, sinking into a goblins neck, it goes down in a spray of blood and screams. The seven remaining goblins look up at where the arrow came from and I figure this is as good a signal as any. I take a second to hype myself up, let out a scream and charge them.

The rush of adrenaline hits me hard, I don't think I've ever felt so alive. Seven goblins turn to me and as one pull their weapons, prepared for anything. A small part of me notes before I reach them that the one hit by an arrow isn't dissapearing into that burst of light.

I shoulder tackle the first one , it goes sprawling into the dirt, and suddenly i'm between them. I stab at one immediately in front of me and my blade bites flesh. The goblin is dead before it hits the ground. I pull out my sword and slash to my right, cleaving into a goblins skull and for the second time in my Auxilium career, my weapon is stuck. This time I just lift the goblin with the sword and and slam it into the next one in the line. The weapon, the goblin and I go sprawling. In a panic I let go of the hilt of the blade and roll away from small pile of bodies. I manage to get back up onto my feet and survey the fight. Jessica had done as she said she would and attacked from their side. The fight was mostly over, three of the goblins had arrows sticking out of them, two more dead by Jess's dagger, then my two dead near me. The last one was struggling back to its feet as an arrow found it in the side. All in all the fight couldn't have been more than thirty seconds, if that.

Congratulations! You have defeated a Goblin (x8)! You were finally directly involved in an entire fight! wow!! You have gained 160 Exp!

Congratulations! You have unlocked skill: Sword fighting! Stick em with the pointy end? Point at them with the sticky end? Who knows! Well, you now.

Congratulations! You have unlocked skill: Better Crits! Can you stop?

I dismiss the updates. "Huh" I muse, "these goblins gave double the experience of the last ones we fought, and they aren't dissapearing."

"This is strange, I agree. No loot appearing in my vision either." Jess replies.

"Those ones attacking the village were summons, temporary creatures. These were real. Sorry i would have said something if you had asked" says Alan, bow slung over his shoulder, walking up. He starts pulling his arrows out of corpses and studying which ones he could keep.

"How the fuck do you know that? You know what, whatever. I don't care, let's push into the cave and finish this fucking quest. Wait, Mac? Turn around for me quick." says Jess.

I turn around, looking at my side as i do, a rusty knife sticking out of my lower back. "Huh, that hurts." I say as a flood of pain washes over me.