บท 26: Karina The Goblin Slayer
Before releasing the arrow, Figmond ensured his target was in sight. There, on top of the goblins' crude wooden wall made from pointed logs, six goblins fumbled with their poorly made bows. Figmond took a steadying breath and released his arrow. As it sailed through the air, he noticed it wasn't going to hit his intended target, but it struck nonetheless. The arrow embedded itself in a goblin's shoulder. Figmond knew it wasn't a lethal blow, but it would render the goblin unable to draw his bow. Ducking down, he let out a breath of relief.
"Karina! Did you see that? I hit—" Figmond's triumphant shout faltered as he realized Karina wasn't beside him.
"Karina?" he muttered, confusion clouding his face. He quickly scanned his surroundings, but she was nowhere in sight. Neither was the horse.
"There's no way I didn't hear her take the horse! Was I seriously that focused?" Panic crept into his voice as his mind raced to piece together what had happened. Seconds later, the truth dawned on him.
"Karina's gone… and so is the horse—" He peered over the edge of the carriage, just enough to catch sight of the goblin camp. Sure enough, a figure on horseback was galloping toward the camp, brown hair flying in the wind.
"Karina!!" Figmond shouted, his voice thick with fear.
"Cover me!" she screamed back, her voice echoing across the plains.
"Ahh!! Just what does she think she's doing? She's going to get herself hurt!" Figmond nervously muttered as he ducked back into cover. He clutched the bow tightly, realizing he had no choice but to take out the remaining goblins.
"Damnit. Okay, you got this!" he said, trying to summon the courage he desperately needed.
Karina usually kept her hair in a tight bun, but today it streamed behind her, loose and wild, as if she was dramatizing her role as the goblin slayer riding into battle. It was a sight to behold, and surely it sent a shiver of fear down her enemies' spines. But the goblins' initial confusion quickly turned to amusement as they realized—or so they thought—that she was riding straight into her doom.
Their focus shifted entirely to Karina as she closed the distance, arrows and rocks flying wildly in her direction. Yet, as she had predicted, their aim was abysmal. Despite her rapid advance, the goblins continued to fire at where she had been, not where she was going, making it easy for her to maneuver closer.
Outside the walls, goblins in the dozens lined up, volleying rocks at her while another forty or fifty waited with clubs and makeshift wooden spears. Karina's heart pounded in her chest, but she welcomed the thrill. Taking a deep breath, she drew her sword, its polished blade catching the sunlight and sending a dazzling glare across the battlefield. It was a weapon far superior to anything the goblins could wield.
The horse charged forward, and Karina, though without a saddle, skillfully steered with the reins in her left hand, her sword held high in her right. With a fierce battle cry, she swung her sword down with all her might.
The blade sliced through goblin after goblin, shattering bones and cleaving through thick flesh. Whether her opponents were alive or dead mattered little—her focus was on cutting them down with each vicious, calculated sweep. Her primary concern was eliminating the goblins with clubs, the ones who posed a direct threat to the horse.
The goblins were too slow, too disorganized. They fell under her sword or were trampled by the horse's powerful legs. It was a risky maneuver, charging into the fray with an unarmored horse, but Karina's skill made it work.
Rocks continued to hurtle toward her, but none found their mark. The goblins couldn't keep up with the horse's speed, and even as she closed the gap, they failed to land a single hit.
Karina rode on, a whirlwind of death, cutting down goblins from left to right. Yet despite the slaughter, their foolishness and sheer numbers kept them from fleeing. They charged at her, one after another, right into the path of her sword, oblivious to their doom.
The arrow flew crookedly as it left the bow, yet by some twist of fate, its trajectory aligned perfectly with Karina, the feared "Goblin Slayer." With her battle-honed reflexes, Karina noticed the threat in time and narrowly dodged, but the arrow still grazed her left cheek, slicing deep enough to draw blood. A thin line of crimson appeared on her skin, a stark contrast against the dried goblin blood already splattered on her face.
Karina's gaze immediately locked onto the goblin who had taken the lucky shot. She saw the fear in his eyes and knew that he had just signed his own death sentence. The goblin, emboldened by his first success, scrambled to nock another arrow. His hands shook, but he managed to draw the bowstring back, aiming once more at Karina. Just as he was about to release the arrow, his head snapped back violently, struck by a well-placed arrow from Figmond.
"Bullseye!" Figmond thought, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. He quickly tempered his excitement, remembering they were still in the midst of battle. Karina turned her head and gave him a look of acknowledgment, her expression one of pride and gratitude. Figmond returned the gesture with a simple nod, keeping his emotions in check.
The plains, already grim, now felt even more desolate. The only movement came from the dark crows and vultures that had begun to gather, their sharp beaks tearing into the fallen goblins, feasting on the spoils of the battle. The once lively goblin camp had been reduced to a graveyard, the air thick with the stench of blood and death.
Inside the camp, only two goblins remained. One was a hobgoblin, noticeably larger and fatter than the rest, draped in a tattered brown hood. Hobgoblins were usually of higher stature than regular goblins, often commanding greater strength and intelligence. This one, in particular, wielded dual short swords and sat on a makeshift throne—a grotesque structure of bones haphazardly stacked into something resembling a chair. He watched the carnage with a twisted sense of amusement.
The other goblin, adorned with a red jester hat, wielded a small scythe. He was slightly stronger and more battle-hardened than the average goblin, tasked with guarding their sacred item—a monocular tied tightly around his waist. But despite his status, he found himself utterly outmatched.
Karina closed in on the red-jestered goblin, her movements swift and merciless. She drove her sword into his foot, pinning him to the ground with a forceful strike. The goblin howled in pain, his body crumpling as she followed up with a brutal punch to his face. He fell backward, the agony in his foot only intensifying as he writhed on the ground. The hobgoblin watched silently from his bone throne, his amusement evident the glint of his beady eyes.
Without hesitation, Karina pulled her sword free, then delivered a swift kick to the goblin's throat, silencing his screams. In one fluid motion, she raised her blade and brought it down on the goblin's head, ending his life with a single, decisive strike. The goblin's body went limp, collapsing in a pool of blood.
Karina stood over the fallen goblin, her own body marked by small cuts and bruises from the relentless battle. Suddenly, a soft green light enveloped her, washing over her wounds. Figmond had caught up, his presence a comforting one as he cast a weak healing spell. The cuts and bruises began to fade, the green light soothing her injuries, but the fatigue of the fight still lingered.
As the light faded, Karina took a deep breath, her grip tightening on her sword. The hobgoblin remained seated, watching her with an eerie calm. The battle was not yet over, but with Figmond by her side and her resolve unbroken, Karina knew she would see it through to the end.
Karina's eyes locked onto the hobgoblin, who sat arrogantly on his bone throne, a smug grin plastered across his face. He fancied himself the ruler of this pitiful camp, but Karina saw him for what he truly was—just another target.
Without a word, she advanced, her steps deliberate and unyielding. The hobgoblin rose to meet her, drawing his dual short swords with a flourish, trying to appear menacing. But Karina could see the fear behind his bravado. He charged at her with surprising speed, swinging both blades in a wild frenzy.
Karina parried the first strike effortlessly, her sword a blur of steel. She sidestepped the second, letting the hobgoblin's momentum carry him forward. With a swift motion, she brought her sword down in a lethal arc, slicing through one of his arms. The hobgoblin howled in pain, stumbling backward, his arrogance shattered in an instant.
He tried to swing with his remaining sword, but Karina was faster. She drove her blade straight through his chest, twisting it with a cold precision. The hobgoblin gasped, his eyes widening in shock as the life drained from him. Karina yanked her sword free, and the hobgoblin collapsed to the ground, his reign of terror ended in a matter of moments.
Figmond stepped up beside her, his expression grim as he looked down at the fallen creature. The battle was over, but there was no sense of victory—just the cold satisfaction of a job done.
Karina's gaze shifted to a run-down treasure chest tucked away near the hobgoblin's throne. She approached it cautiously, half-expecting some trap or surprise. With a quick motion, she kicked the chest open, the lid creaking as it revealed its contents.
Inside were a few low-value items—a short sword with a dull edge, small tarnished silver nuggets, and a handful of other trinkets that looked barely worth the effort. Karina sighed, wiping the blood from her sword.
"Not much for all that trouble," Figmond muttered, peering over her shoulder.
Karina nodded, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe not, but it's one less threat in these plains. I had no idea goblins carried chests of trinkets. Besides, these are still worth something and that's good enough for me."
A grey prompt materialized in the air before them, hovering just above the ground. The text appeared crisp and clear, as though carved from stone:
"
Hidden event completed!
Kill 200 goblins in under 30 minutes: completed
Reward/s:
New title unlocked:
'Eugine Plains' Goblin Slayer'
Xp boost:
2x experience on slaying goblins (applied to all 200+ killed goblins)
Active: 1:59 - Time limit
Notice:
Due to a current active event, all XP boosts and experience earned will be accumulated at the end of the event.
"
The prompt lingered for a moment, bathing the barren plains in a soft, otherworldly light before it faded from view. Karina and Figmond exchanged glances, both acknowledging the sudden reward with a mix of surprise and satisfaction.
"Looks like we're getting a bonus," Figmond remarked, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Karina nodded and returned a confused expression, still being unsure just exactly what were these new grey prompts.
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