Bab 21: Retreat
Leo heard her loud and clear, but couldn't cleanly escape without showing an opening.
He occupied multiple enemies, barley able to keep his ground.
Zero watched a moment after Leo. Then back to the opening she created.
The internal conflict was shown on her eyes, with her lips trembling and hands shaking.
"I'm sorry.", she said, only slightly louder than a whisper.
"May you escape on your own, or your soul shall find peace."
She went to the opening, past the struggling Goblins and their futile attempts to block her.
Her agility was her strong point, making the escape for her fast.
The Shaman saw her, ordering his minions with shrill sounds to follow her.
Leo noticed her escape. He was still watching his opponent, but let the Goblins before him past, as he was dazed.
Suddenly left alone, as a sacrifice.
'Just like that?'
He fell into depression.
'My first time out of the village turned like that?'
He stared soulless at the Shaman and the remaining subordinate. It seemed Leo was not that big of a threat. After all another spell would finish him off.
The Shaman, protected by his kin, chanted again, smiling wicked and disdainful, as if he was a superior species.
"Why? Why me." he said lost.
'Will someone save me, right in the last moment?'
Leo hoped, as he saw no escape on his own.
The spell of the Shaman took shape, forming a rock, much bigger than the bunch of shards earlier, but dull.
Leo was ready to just hope for a rescue. That maybe Sam, Swift or even Sophie would come to his aid.
'Why should I rely on them? If I die almost certainly, fighting is a much better alternative.'
His spirits of hopelessness switched with his survival instinct. He grabbed his shield harder, turning his knuckles white. He clenched his teeth, ready to receive the attack.
'I blocked Zero's stupid magic arrow, why not a simple stone!'
He spoke courage to himself. His eyes as slits, not missing any moves from the two creatures before him.
He remembered the force Zero's old attack had, and had an idea.
'Will this work? If my leg can support my weight, then...'
As desperate as he was, Leo choose to try it.
The Shaman finished his chant, laughing vicious. He dramatically pointed his staff towards Leo, and the stone shot towards him. The other one did nothing beside guarding his boss, trusting the magic attack.
His hands sweaty, knees weak and arms heavy, he mustered all leftover strength he had.
The stone hit Leo's shield right in the middle, the thickest and most durable part. When it hit, he sprang backwards a bit, carrying the power of the magic with him.
The impact was stronger than anticipated, numbing his arm for good, and destroying most of his shield. Only the handle and some splinters were left. But the stone got successful blocked
The hill was declining, so he fell backwards, down the slope and away from the Shaman.
That guy was frozen, stick still pointing forwards and remaining magic energy around it.
He turned to his fellow Goblin, and that guy dared to look back. The grin he had long vanished, he smacked the guy with his staff, screeching some sounds and walking back into the cave.
Meanwhile, Zero rushed downhill, her arm hurting more than before, and turning cold. Her sharp ears heard some sounds behind her, leaving her back in cold sweat.
'These things are still chasing me. How many are there? How do they follow me at my speed?''
She turned her head around, trying to catch a glimpse of her pursuers.
Through the bushes appeared the first Goblins, jumping from one spot to another, clumsily trailing her.
She hid next to a big, lush tree, taking a break. The constant chase and her wounds powering her out.
Hearing the distance noises from the Goblins she estimated their numbers.
'At least seven of them. I have to get outta here.'
She twitched when leaning against the tree, her eyes wander down her arm. With a wry smile, she took out a crumpled bandage from a small bag on her belt.
'No wonder they find me. Forgot how good their noses are.' She could hit herself for her stupidity, not noticing that sooner.
Bandaging up with clenched teeth, her only option to escape was the civilization. Her goal was to reach the road, at least that farmers house.
Before she left thou, her thoughts wandered to Leo. Her feelings were in disarray, for one she felt incredible sorry for leaving him, on the other her own survival was more important, so she blocked out further trains of thought.
Using a moment of reorientation by the Goblins, she left her hiding place, throwing some small metal spikes on the ground and fled.
The group saw her, beginning to awkwardly sprint towards her. But after reaching that spot, they held their feet, with many little multi spiked crowfeet.
The emitted screeches filled the forest, accompanied by the wild chase of the unhurt Goblins.
Back to Leonardo and the fruits of his tactic.
The impactful attack of the Shaman catapulted him downhill, away from the reach of his spells.
Sadly, he misjudged the height he would fall from, so his descent hurt a lot more, too.
Leo broke several branches, hit the ground with his shoulder and rolled for three turns.
So he laid there, wounds all over the place, an injured shoulder and pursuers on his tail.
Getting up, the first thing he did was to throw away his unidentifiable shield.
Although it hurt his feelings, as it was the product of his own effort.
But it did its job, protecting him till the last moment.
Holstering his weapon, Leo had to take a moment to reorient oneself.
His backpack was still there, holding like a tank the onslaught of different attacks.
His belt still had his water bottle, from which he took a quick, big gulp. Due to that motion, his shoulder made itself felt.
He braved himself, ignoring the pain until he was safe.
'That guy should send someone over to get me, as he commanded his lackeys to pursue Zero.'
When thinking about Zero, anger and sorrow emerged inside him.
Sorrow from being left behind like that, as he trusted her far too much.
Anger as a result, so that if he gets out this situation alive, he will find her and get retribution.
'For now I need to get off this damn place.'
Leo only knew to go downhill, after that was his plan like a sheet of paper.
Already hearing some snickers, cracking twigs and swings with a long weapon, he decided it was time to leave.
Dragging his beaten up body with him, he stumbled his way down, his leg giving him trouble the whole time.
'In that pace I will never outrun that creature, no matter how slow it is.'
He was concerned: Sooner than later he has to face that thing, as his injuries, albeit not bleeding that much, are numerous and influenced his movements.
'I need to get rid of him' he decided. 'But how?'
Leo wrecked his brain, trying to come up with a plan to kill that Goblin.
Remembering his sewing kit, he came up with an idea.
'That could, just maybe, work. Better than exhausting myself unnecessarily and worsening my injuries.'
So he took out his sewing utensils, searched further away from his current location for a more suited place.
'I won't have much time.' he hurried thought.
The Goblin came into a densely grown part of the small forest, with many trees and their thick branches and many leaves blocking his sight.
His already bad eyesight made worse by the even darker parts where moonlight was blocked.
He began sniffing, trying to locate his target. His leader ordered to find that ape, so he will.
The scent of fresh blood filled the air, strongest not far in front. He rejoiced, letting out screeches of joy and jumping lightly on the spot.
The prey laid motionless on the ground, with no signs of life.
The dumb creature wasted not a second thought, not noticing the thin thread spun between to young trees, or even Leo's warpick under his palm.
It run forward, over branches and stones, not minding smaller obstacles.
Before it reached Leo, it happened what he intended to succeed in.
The Goblins foot tripped over the thread, and it snapped after holding long enough to fulfill it's purpose.
Leo wasted not a second more. Under intense pain after rushing himself with his shoulder to complete the tripwire, he sat up, lifting his hammer and swinging it down with all remaining might.
The Goblin face planted the ground, groaning and spreading his arms in a reflex.
The hammer hit the back of its skull, pushing it further down, followed up by the sound of a water melon breaking.
Heavily panting, Leo wasted some seconds to catch his breath. His shoulder hurt like hell, the leg was shaking and his body was blue all over.
He looked at the creature before him.
The strike smashed it onto a mush, nearly leaving no trace of a head. The hammer head was dyed red, and bits of gore were clinging to hit.
'I can't walk around in that condition!'
Cleaning the weapon roughly, Leo searched for a place that was moderately safe.
After walking around for some time, he found a old lair, maybe used by a fox, or a group of hares. The indicator being left over fur hanging from branches.
'Is abdomen for some time...' he checked. The feces were dry, fur lost its color and no scent he could use to notice a inhabitant.
He knew he was by no means a reader of tracks, but his mind began to grow dull. Lacking another proper resting place, he leaned on the wall, facing the opening, weapon still in his hand.
His breath got calmer and slower, eyes more heavy. The fatigue of the day showing results, Leo drifted away into a light sleep, disturbed by occasional snapping twigs far away.
He woke up very early, only able to rest for about two hours top. But that pause refreshed his mind. Other than his body, as cramps and pain the first to greet him.
Before thinking about standing, he had to let some time pass, using that break to eat his ration.
He planned for only a day quest, bringing only enough for a meal that could last him this last day.
Sating his thirst, he readied up, heading out to find back to civilization.
Peeping out his hideout, he saw not a single sign of any enemies.
'Not that I have even a choice to remain here.'
He did not tell his friends where he was going, so no rescue party could come in time.
Continuing his way down, he walked careful on every step, regarding his hurt leg.
'A Potion would be handy. Why did I not purchase one of these?'
Reflecting on that mistake, he swore to always carry a Potion in future missions.
The hill then ended, proceeding to flat land, like when they entered this area.
Leo was too tired, even after his short refreshing rest. He did not think where to go, just walking.
His every step was heavy, and soon the forest got sparser. The trees changed to bushes, changing to tall grass.
Leo tasted hope, that he escaped this hellish day and can go back to Naoka. He got faster, limping forwards. In the distance was the farmers house, but Leo remembered his suspicious behavior.
'No, I go past that, straight to the road.'
Ignoring his screaming body, asking for rest and relief, he arrived after some time on the road.
From the sun he could tell that not even the first bell should have rang.
'Meaning many people go now to Naoka, wanting to be the first to sell their stuff.'
He arrived on the street, in the distance a carriage, lonely, but in Leo's eyes a beacon of hope.
With his last strength, he winked. But his body was not supporting him anymore.
He swayed, falling backwards and passing out on the road.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone