These goblins were not the light, easy to defeat variety, but the heavy footsoldiers. Even then my size and momentum drilled a hole through their ranks like a railgun through a feathered pillow. I didn’t dare stop running. The goblins would most definitely pursue if I gave them a chance. Turning toward the center of the field, I continued at a good pace and headed straight for the blue giant.
The tight formations of the goblins we faced worked to my advantage. There were no stragglers, so I had a straight shot at my target if I didn’t slow down.
Was protecting others worth suffering for?
A sniper shot whistled toward me. With the morning light overhead and shadow encompassing the field, it made the projectile stand out even more than in the dark alone. A black streak trailed it.
Slowing a single step was all that it took to evade the well-aimed bullet. Instead of picking me off it dug into the back of a goblin. No mere stone would dissuade me from my path. It gave the gamer in me an idea.
I wasn’t stopping or attacking, all I had to worry about was a daring slinger that thought he could hit me without hitting his own. With my shield between me and the snipers, it would take a rare shot indeed to even slow me.
As I neared the boisterous hobgoblin, I heard a familiar voice through group chat.
“Lucius!” Victoria screamed.
Did she have to use the game system to yell at me? I could hear her as if she was standing right next to me. Actually, everyone in the group, including Cornelius and the leadership team could hear her. Well, I had everyone’s attention.
“I’m okay. I don’t want anyone else to suffer,” I replied.
As she argued, I ignored the rest. She could be just as much of a pain as Destiny. Destiny… Somehow Victoria had started to take my AI’s place.
Coming within range, the hobgoblin glanced my way, but kept walking. He was no more than a stone’s throw from the goblin line. That was to my advantage. The slingers would have trouble interfering in our fight.
Armored or not, this monster was using the traditional tree-club the other hobgoblins had used. That was where the similarities stopped. Its armor was more like a thick blanket thrown over it with a hole cut out for its head than armor. Only the hobgoblin I had faced the first night was as large. Above its head was the title only a boss possessed.
Rrasche
Master Sergeant of the Western Goblin Army
Boss Monster!
As my back started to spasm, I stretched into a full out sprint, my shield and spear pumping with my arms.
Suffering. Pain. Stopping the cause of these travesties flooded me with purpose.
The beast turned his head fully, amused that I was seriously attacking him, and cranked back his club into a two-handed grip, slashing across the horizon as if to part the sky from the earth.
Enough.
I threw my feet out and slid on my backside. A few branches scraped against my shield, which was held tight above me to protect my face. Digging my heel into the earth, my momentum brought me to my feet. Instinct took over. I drove my spear up under the low hanging fur into the joint of the hobgoblin’s hip. The blade sunk in, burying its bronze blade fully.
I stood my ground, arm’s reach from the cause of my greatest fear. Repeating my mistake now and retreating blindly like last time would cost me. Even if I was willing to pay the price, it would have to earn it this time.
Sensing it turn back toward me, I ducked under the spear shaft lodged in its hip. Slipping past it, I dived and rolled to stay in its blind spot. Coming to a knee, I was directly behind it. Picking up its foot, it wasn’t sure if it had crushed me. It scrambled about wanting to pound me, but unable to find me.
I was still alive. Suppressing a manic chuckle, the idea that had come to me while evading the slingers was perfect—for a game. There was no guarantee it would work here. I got up and ran while banging my shield with my fist.
Glancing behind me, the boss monster caught sight of me. The limp in its left leg slowed it, but not by much.
With my shield in front of me and a raging giant behind, I headed right for the hundred slingers that wanted my head. The snipers responded almost immediately.
I saw the first projectile coming. Even expecting it I was almost too late. The distance had halved since they had slung at me before. Diving with little grace, I landed on my chest knocking the air from my lungs. I heard rather than saw multiple thumps, followed by a gasping snort.
My shield was pitched over my head as I lay there. Turning I saw the hobgoblin tip back, his arms whirling to catch his balance. The ground shook at the impact of his fall.
Something resembling the mix of a growl and a snicker escaped my gritted teeth. I couldn’t believe it.
A clang vibrated through my shield as it deflected a stone.
This was my chance. Staying low, I nearly bear crawled toward the hobgoblin, my shield arm tucked behind my head to save my already damaged helm and back from any bullets. With a step to go, I rose up, unsheathing my sword, and hacked at the closest foot of the hobgoblin, severing multiple massive toes.
The beast flailed, turning to its side and almost kicking me in the head. I slashed again, but blindly this time as I took off running.
Even with my shield sitting over my back, a stone cratered in my shield, tossing me forward. Taking a direct hit from one of their snipers was insane. I jarred my side as I fell and busted my chin on my own shield.
-17 Damage
Adrenaline took over and I was on my feet running in a sporadic zigzag back the way I had come.
My breathing started to sag.
It was then that I noticed a large congregation of goblins were waiting for me. Only their fear of the hobgoblin had kept them back this long. Now, they were running at me from every direction. Immediately I changed my course and headed right for the biggest bunch of them. With any luck, the slingers would think twice about hitting their own. Not that it had stopped them before.
There was one spearman that was closer than the rest. It led with its spear, holding it with two hands.
As it lunged, I spun without thinking, my sword parrying its spear. Doing a 360 with my shield still over my back, I landed, chopping deep into its neck. My body had obeyed as I carried out a move I would only dare during a game. What was I doing?
The next goblin came at me with sword and shield. It stopped short, suddenly trembling. Noticing its glare I knew the hobgoblin wasn’t finished with me yet.
I slashed the back of the goblin’s calf as I ran by. The rest of the goblins had stopped running at me.
My first thought was to get away, but after years of pulling monsters as a gamer, another thought came to mind. If you have a raging beast charging after you, it’s only right to take advantage.
It was becoming harder to keep running. Body, don’t fail me.
Without stopping I headed right for the backpedaling group of goblins. This time I didn’t bother attacking them. Their focus was elsewhere.
Nearing the main goblin line, I veered to run parallel down the back of the enemy army. I turned to see my pursuer; its tree-club swung low, driving two goblins through the air and another spun in a different direction. The rest scattered like green ants before a blue flame. Its toeless foot was dragging behind. The injured hip swung its good leg forward awkwardly. Even with a crippled hobble, its speed was nothing to laugh at.
It was time for codename chaos.
Turning into the rear of the mass of goblins, I leveled my shoulder into one and jabbed another in the neck with my sword. Bouncing off of the pair, I regained my stride and kept running. Every ten feet I dragged my blade across the back of the goblin necks at the rear of the fighting force.