Chapter 9

These days had not been easy, but they were the days when my skills had advanced the fastest. I still didn't want to invest my earned points in anything, but it seemed that I could not only increase my stats with them. I could acquire skills;

(Fabrication) [4 sp]

(Projection) [5 sp]

(Inventory) [2 sp]

(Summoning) [4 sp]

"Darhiel I want you to be by my side, don't separate from me, from this moment on, rivers are a dangerous enemy, you must respect them but never fear them" Grandma said to me, pulling me face first out of the interface.

"I can carry them too, grandmother, thanks to the wagon I am not tired and my strength is at its maximum". I replied

"I haven't taught you to swim and although I don't doubt that you could learn it right away, I'm not going to risk it." Grandma said to me, with a reproachful look, which implied the end of the discussion.

I kept insisting that two more bags would not affect my safety and that in case of danger, I would drop them, but Grandma was definitive with her decision, the impressive thing was that even after a while her physical condition did not seem affected. Each bag weighed about 7gk approx, something that made it clear that I was still underestimating Grandma.

It wasn't long before I spotted a rock junction, about 200m off our route, something I shared with the group.

"You've got good eyesight kid, for me it's almost impossible to see it from here" Dalos, was the first to comment.

"Yes, you've been a great help, thank you Darhiel".

"Yes, without your eyesight we could have been killed many times."

"You should practice with the bow, you'd do great."

"He already knows how to handle the bow you idiot, who do you think brought the food to that pancake of yours."

At least that was one good thing about all this and that was that my image with them had improved quite a bit.

Grandma cleared her throat and said in a loud voice, "get ready to cross the river, first the women and children will cross, last will go the men with the whole load".

A sudden gust of passing wind caressed my cheeks. My legs, trembled slightly as I saw the cause and consequence, looking at the grandmother with an arrow in her stomach.

Howls and groans were the only things I heard from the people around her.

While by inertia my body moved towards the grandmother, I needed to save her. Ignoring everything around me I made sure I didn't lose grandma.

"Boy, run away...You hear me, run away..." Grandma said between whispers.

She needed more treatment, but I couldn't give it to her now.

"The orcs are coming, hurry across the river."

I pulled out the "weapons" I had ready, I couldn't leave them alone, grandma needed treatment.

"Dalos, you must swear to me that you will take care of Grandma".

Dalos hesitated to answer "w-wha-" he looked around, trying to find an explanation.

"Dalos, swear" I said as I smacked his face, something I saw necessary due to the size difference.

"I swear" Dalos replied, this time with a determined look.

"Fine, press his wound and take the others where we agreed, I'll be back after I buy some time" I told him, as I handed him a suitcase. The one that had all our medical supplies in it.

I didn't want to trust anyone with Grandma's life, but I knew I couldn't do everything. I was gambling, my grandmother's life and what little humanity I had left. I ran face-first into the scattered, disorderly mob of goblins that came thirsting after us.

....

The figure of a young man could be seen in the forest, his gait among the trees as an almost imperceptible bluish light was emitted from his body, his movements closer to those of a beast than a human.

A rudimentary spear in his hands, which in a matter of a moment was hurled towards the goblin army, with overwhelming power thrust into his chest. Its shriek could be heard throughout the forest.

[XP: +20]

The goblins, ecstatic to finally have their prey within reach, were taken by surprise.

But it was a bad moment, as the boy didn't seem to want to give them the time to think about what was happening, while a Steak knife appeared in his hands, he approached the nearest goblin, the one that due to the excitement had separated from his group.

[XP: +20]

The notification came, it had been easy to assassinate him. The goblins were weak, small and stupid, little did the creatures think that they would have resistance against a simple human.

Without risking another attempt at melee combat he could see out of the corner of his eye a group of goblins readying their bows. The boy knew he had to buy time, not eliminate everyone, so once he knew everyone's attention was on him he chose to lead them away from the river.

The first to approach prepared his axe for a horizontal slash, the boy took advantage of his open stance to aim for his neck, his thick blood filled his face, but undeterred he prepared for the next approaching goblin. He readied his knife for impact against the goblin's dagger aimed at his lungs, but a blow to his legs destabilized the goblin's charge. The boy took advantage and plunged his knife into the goblin's skull.

With the weapon jammed, another knife manifested itself in his hands, as he fled again from the goblin's arrows. Everyone in the fight seemed tired, from the boy to the goblins, although short combat in the woods presented high wear and tear, due to its terrible terrain and the continual discomfort from roots to rocks in the path.

But the boy was not new to this type of terrain, to anyone he seemed to be escaping at random, but an expert eye could tell that he was leading the goblin group to the most unveiled terrain so that the creatures would lose the numerical advantage.

[XP: +40

You level up

+1 stat point]

The deaths continued until the remaining goblins, fearful of what was happening decided they didn't want to die.

________________________________________________

Dalos felt guilty, he had let a boy who could not even be called a man, go out to face a group of monsters, while the old men had decided to run away, sacrificing the life of a poor boy.

That's why the moment he went out to face the goblins to gain time, I knew I had to follow him, I had to help him, we all had to do it. We are elders, it was our responsibility.

But fear invaded each one of them. The thoughts of Dalos still hovered in his oath, he had tried what he could to Rita. In his fear and cowardice, he had decided that he would do anything to keep his word, so he would not agree to what was happening.

"We must leave her, the boy sacrificed himself, but we don't know when they will return" spoke Lark, a man in the group who had been a hunter.

"Cowards, each one of you, that boy gave his life for us and you want to leave behind the person who has led us this far" Dalos told them, while looking each one of them in the eyes, just so they could not.

Lark was annoyed by the accusation "You are no better, you damn hypocrite, if you want to stay behind, you are free to do so, but we will not stay here to die".

When Dalos noticed their intentions to take Rita and Dirhaël's belongings, he stepped in the middle and kicked Lark.

"You may go, but you will not rob the only worthwhile people among us all."

Lark and company responded with punches and kicks, but Dalos nevertheless held on to the belongings.

"Leave him, we can't waste any more time, we don't know when the goblins will return" spoke a woman among the group.

With that, the group departed leaving behind a wounded and unconscious woman and a beaten and weak man.