บท 6: Chapter 6: Goblin stronghold
Lucian headed out of Everkeep village into the forest as he did his best to track the goblins down, back to their layer.
They had killed at least seven villagers and kidnapped three girls, one of them being the village blacksmiths, Eric.
Eric had gifted Lucian some new gear to help him on his quest to rescue the girls. He only hoped he wasn't too late.
Lucian didn't have to try too hard to follow the tracks as they didn't try to hide them, plus the smell was a dead giveaway. Lucian was pretty sure he could find the place blindfolded if he had to.
Lucian was sure he was getting closer now as the stench was getting stronger and stronger the closer he got.
He crouched down as a large break in the trees was coming up ahead. In the distance, he could make out a cave entrance lit with two touches.
Two goblins were stood at the entrance, each armed with spears confirming that this was the goblin layer.
Both of them seemed distracted, and Lucian could guess they were pissed they got stuck with guard duty. Unlucky for them.
He drew the dagger from his hip and aimed it at one of the goblins.
"I hope this works." He said as he tossed the dagger as hard as he could.
The blade spun through the air at tremendous speed from the force Lucian had thrown it. Suddenly it struck one of the goblins in the head with the butt of the handle first, rather than the blade.
It didn't matter as the force of it knocked the goblin to the ground, killing it. The other turned around in horror as it realised what had happened. It turned and was about to bang its spear on a large metal gong to signal an attack.
Lucian, thanks to his speed, had already closed the distance and crushed the goblin against the cave wall with his shield. Its spike is ripping through the goblin's body like a hot knife through butter.
Lucian dropped the body to the ground and walked over to the other to collect his knife.
"Guess it's not as easy as it looks," Lucian said, seeing that it was the handle that had killed the goblin and not the blade.
Lucian took the knife and wiped the blood off it onto the goblin's robes before putting it back in his sheath.
He took one last look around to make sure the coast was clear before going in. The last thing he needed was to get attacked from behind.
Once he was sure it was clear, he slowly entered the cave and made his way down the path. It was dark, but he didn't need a torch, thanks to his enhanced eyesight and night vision.
He was starting to realize how much his abilities were just hacks, but he would have been dead many times over without them already.
Lucian got deeper and deeper into the cave, and he soon picked up the faint smell of perfume. However, it was heavily masked by the goblin's scent, and he knew this cave could be overrun with them.
"I need to be careful not to get swarmed by too many at once." He thought as he peeked his head around a corner.
The path had come to an end now, and Lucian was met with a sizeable run-down hall with old tables and chairs inside.
It was filled with goblins as they drank and ate the meat of the livestock they had kidnapped. Lucian could also make out the sounds of more sinister acts amongst the cheering.
He turned to get a better look, and to his horror, he could see one of the village girls getting raped by three goblins. They were taking turns with her and had ripped her clothing to shreds, scratching and hitting her body as they treated her like a plaything. The poor girl's eyes looked dead, and Lucian could tell she had been broken and wanted nothing but to die.
He bit his lip hard as he drew his sword as quietly as he could. He pulled his shield from his back in his left hand and walked into the hall slowly, his eyes glowing with murder from what he was about to do.
The goblins hadn't even noticed his presence as they were all too busy watching the show in front of them, but Lucian had had enough. It was time to put an end to it all.
Lucian gripped his sword tighter in his hand than he had ever done before as he gave a deep battle cry.
"AAARGHHHH!!!" He roared in a demonic tone.
All of the goblins stopped what they were doing, even the ones with the girl. It took them a moment to process what was going on.
Lucian didn't give them a chance as he charged, giving a mighty swing of his long sword, taking four of the goblin's heads off at once.
Blood sprayed all over the place, but Lucian didn't stop there as he went on a killing spree. He was chopping down every goblin that came within his sight.
All of them, he didn't show any mercy to any of them as he spilt their blood without consequence. The goblins quickly tried to go on the counterattack as they drew their weapons. Some had spears, but most were left with only daggers.
They jumped at Lucian in waves as they tried to swarm him in numbers, but Lucian's rage was too great, and he cut them down group after group.
Only a handful remained now, and Lucian turned to face them, his murderous intent still firm in his eyes. The goblins charged at him from each side and attacked altogether.
Lucian blocked two of the attacks with his shield, and his armour did the rest as their daggers were not sharp enough to pierce it. Lucian suddenly spun in a full circle letting his sword cut through anything it came into contact with.
All four of the bodies of the goblins dropped as they split in half. Lucian stopped as he looked up to see that the last goblin had put his dagger to the girl's throat in an attempt to survive.
"Smarter than I thought..." Lucian thought as he slowly opened his arms showing he was prepared to drop his weapons.
The goblin pressed the blade to the girl's throat even harder, showing Lucian that he meant business.
"Weapons!" The goblin said with its croaky voice. Clearly not able to speak very well.
Lucian dropped his sword and shield to the ground and stood back up, showing that his hands were now empty.
The goblin gave a wicked grin and dived across the room in an attempt to kill him with a surprise attack.
Lucian had to say he had seen this coming and quickly leaned back to avoid the slash at his throat. This goblin was quicker than the others, and Lucian was working hard to avoid his attacks.
Lucian had very limited fighting experience. Before he had come to this world, he had never even been in a fight.
Yet his body had adapted quickly, his reflexes becoming sharper the more battles he faced. The goblin was breathing heavily now as its flurry of attacks had drained its stamina.
"Clearly, you aren't used to a drawn-out battle, are you," Lucian said as he pulled his knife out from his hip.
The goblin growled and turned to look back to the girl, not liking its chances.
Lucian knew what it was planning and quickly dashed towards it, closing the gap.
"I don't think so!" He shouted as he thrust his dagger down at the goblin's chest. The goblin was taken back by his sudden advancement and thrust its own blade in an attempt to counter.
Its blade hit Lucian's chest plate and slide off to the side, doing no harm, while Lucian's knife hit home and plunged deep into its boney chest, spilling its blood.
The goblin dropped to its knees as Lucian let go of the blade. He didn't waste any more time as he pulled the dagger out and let the goblin drop to the floor, where it took its last breath.
Lucian cleaned his knife and put it away before heading over to the girl to try and assess her injuries.
He could smell the filth all over her as he slowly crouched down to get a better look at the damage done.
The poor girl had been beaten and battered. Her naked body was covered in bruises and scratches. This was the reality of this world. In the game, you would rescue the girls unharmed, saving them like a hero.
But in this all to real world, it didn't work like that.
"Kill me..." The girl said, struggling to speak.
"I've come to save you. I've come to take you home." Lucian said as he looked for something to cover her body with.
"Kill me... Please." She said as tears ran down her face.
"I can't do that. You can still make it home. You can still."
"Arrghh!" The girl suddenly screamed as she grabbed the closest dagger to her from the floor.
"No, don't!" Lucian pleaded as he tried to stop her.
The girl didn't even hesitate as she stuck the blade into her belly. She moaned before she dropping back to the ground with a small smile on her face.
"No!" Lucian yelled as he tried his best to help her.
"Leave her, boy." Satan's voice suddenly spoke.
"What do you mean leave her? I can't just."
"She has chosen her fate with her own hand. Don't take that away from her." The Demon said.
Lucian stopped and just knelt there, looking at her lifeless body. He could see the small hint of a smile on her lips, and he couldn't help wonder if the demon lord was right.
After a moment, he stood back to his feet and picked up his sword and shield.
"I only hope I'm not too late for the others." He said, turning to go deeper into the goblins layer.
Lucian killed every goblin he encountered after that, showing no mercy to any of them, butchering all of them with no remorse.
He had now come to the lower level of the cave, and from what he could tell, the last room left to search.
Lucian kicked open the doors, smashing them off the rusted hinges. As he walked inside, he could see five more goblins and three larger, more human-looking creatures.
Lucian took a good look at them and quickly realised that they were hobgoblins. Hobgoblins we're larger, more robust, and smarter than normal goblins, having evolved from gaining more experience. They also took on more of a human appearance having hair, unlike a goblin.
Two of the hobgoblins had a long sword each and a few scraps of leather armour they must have acquired from raids. The last one had a black robe on and a smaller dagger strapped to his hip. He looked like the leader, and Lucian's suspicions were confirmed when the monster gave the others orders to kill him.
The two other Hobgoblins turned to the goblins and barked orders.
"Kill the human!" One of them shouted.
The goblins gave a battle cry, and all five of them charged at Lucian with their weapons raised.
Lucian raised his shield and blocked the thrust attacks from the goblins spears. Two of the goblins quickly ran around to his flanks as they wanted to get his back.
Lucian had to admit he felt pressed. These goblins were clearly more well versed in battle tactics and how to overwhelm a larger opponent.
Lucian tried his best to block the spears from his front as one of the goblins on his right jumped at him with its dagger raised.
"Arrghh!" Lucian roared as he used all of his strength to smash the goblins in front of him away. Quickly he turned to his right and blocked the goblins attack with his shield. The goblin landed on the shield as it finished sailing through the air. Lucian swung his shield as hard as he could, knocking the goblin away before he spun around to meet the one at his back.
The goblin was to slow to avoid his attack, and its head was severed from its shoulders in an instant.
The three at his front charged back in with their spears attacking again with all their strength.
This time two went high, and one went low, the goblin having clocked on that he could block all the attacks if they were spread out.
The spear pierced his leg as he could feel the metal tip hit the bone as it ripped right through his thigh.
"Argh!" He yelled in pain, trying his best to bite through it.
The other two goblins attacked again with their spears in an attempt to take advantage of his wound.
Meanwhile, the fourth goblin had snuck around his back, using the distraction to its advantage and jumping on his back, trying to slit his throat.
Lucian failed around as he tried to shake the goblin off his back, he started spinning around like a madman, and the goblin was thrown off his back, landing onto the ground.
Lucian had also disarmed one of the goblins of its spear as it was stuck in his leg. He stabbed his sword into the ground and ripped the spear out of his leg, biting his tongue from the pain.
The goblins slowly surrounded him and growled viciously as they tried to intimidate him.
Lucian watched his health bar return to full as the wound closed up thanks to his regeneration, and he smiled.
"I'm gonna kill all of you, you little fuckers!" He shouted as he launched the spear with such force that it impaled one of the goblins, taking the creature off its feet until it stuck in the wall with the goblin still hanging off it.
Lucian pulled his sword from the ground and charged in using his shield as a battering ram knocking two of the other goblins over.
Quickly he spun around and dropped to his knee as he slashed out with his long sword cutting another who had jumped at him in half.
Lucian slammed his foot down on the head of one of the goblins on the floor, crushing its skull under his boot in a sickening crunch.
Only two remained now, and they slowly backed off in fear after watching the monster before them kill their comrades.
The two hobgoblins appeared behind them and quickly cut them down, showing no fear in doing so.
"Cowards don't deserve to live." One of them said.
He had dark green skin with black hair that was tied back in a ponytail. His chest was bare, showing his very lean and muscular body. His arms were also bear except for two forearm studded leather braces.
The hobgoblin had fur pants on and a pair of pointed black boots on that he had most likely stolen off a dead body.
"We will deal with this human." The other spoke as it twirled its curved blade around in a show of skill.
Its hair was also black, but its skin was more of a yellowy green. The monster had a small metal cheat plate strapped over its heart and one shoulder guard on its right shoulder.
It also had black fur pants but wore no footwear letting its razor-sharp toenails show. Each of them stood at between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 9 inches, and they seemed strong.
"Time for you to die, Human!" They both shouted as they charged in, both moving much faster than the goblins had.
Each of them attacked with mighty swings of their swords, each trying to land a killing blow.
Lucian was on his back foot as he raised his shield, blocking their attacks over and over as he continued to move backwards.
One of the hobgoblins dashed past his left side as the other attacked, grabbing the edge of his shield.
Lucian tried to use his sword to counter-attack, but the hobgoblin jumped back, avoiding the attack.
The other quickly slashed at Lucian's blindside. Its sword just missing a vital blow as the tip of the blade cut Lucian's face, almost taking his eye out.
Lucian fell back from the sting of the attack and slashed with his sword in a desperate attempt to get the hobgoblin away from him.
The monster had blocked the attack but was pushed back hard as he noticed Lucian's monstrous strength.
"You alright?" The other hobgoblin asked as he noticed his comrade hadn't raised his sword.
"My arm is numb... This human is powerful." It said, snarling as it looked back over to Lucian.
Lucian was thankful for the small pause in combat as he needed time to regain his composer.
He knew both of these hobgoblins were much more skilled in combat than he was, but he wouldn't give up here.
"Look. His face." The hobgoblin with the ponytail said.
The other looked, and to his surprise, it healed as if it was never there.
"Regeneration?" The yellowly green one spat.
"Let's finish him quickly!" The monster roared as it raised its curved sword and charged in swinging another attack.
Lucian took a ready stance and blocked the attack with his shield attacking with his own sword to counter.
The hobgoblin blocked his attack with its own sword, and both of them engaged in a flurry of blows getting faster and faster.
Thanks to Lucians enhanced reflexes. He was able to keep up with the attacks and react accordingly. Something he would never have been able to do before.
Seeing an opening, Lucian dropped to his knee as he raised his shield above his head, blocking an overhead attack that the hobgoblin had committed a lot of strength to.
Lucian drove his sword forwards as quick as he could, trying to plunge it into the body of the hobgoblin while he had the chance.
"Not so fast!" The other one snarled as it kicked Lucian hard in the shoulder, knocking him off his feet before he crashed into the ground with a hard thud.
Lucian didn't have time to catch his breath as both of their swords came crashing down as they attempted to finish him for good.
Lucian's eyes shot open wide as he quickly moved his shield to cover his body, stopping their attacks.
Lucian pushed up off his upper back as he kicked one of them in the chest, sending the monster flying back through the air.
Lucian then swung his sword, going for the others legs, driving it back, allowing him to stand up and go on the counter-attack.
"I can't stop! I need to press on the attack!" He shouted inside his own mind.
"Clang!"
Lucian's sword clashed with the green hobgoblins. The attack was so strong that the hobgoblin could feel the force almost break his arm.
"Not yet!" He shouted as he swung another attack, this time knocking the sword from the hobgoblins hand, sending it crashing onto the floor.
"Arghh!" Lucian roared as he thrust his blade into its body. The hobgoblin's eyes went wide as It felt the cold metal burst through its chest.
Lucian was breathing heavily as he pulled his sword from the monster's chest, blood spraying out, splitting onto his boots.
Lucian didn't take any time to relish in his victory as he turned to see the yellowish-green hobgoblin slowly standing back to its feet, clutching its broken ribs.
"Why. You human piece of."
Lucian walked over and smashed his shield into its face knocking it to the floor, interrupting its words. He then raised his foot and smashed its head off the floor over and over again with his foot leaving a soft pile of slush where its head should be.
Lucian had defeated both of them, and he felt exhausted. This was his first battle against an opponent that knew how to fight. He had to admit if not for his extortionary abilities, he would have easily been cut down by the hobgoblin warriors.
He let the thought exit his mind as he turned to the door the other had run off through. Lucian could smell a more aromatic scent of the girls coming from that direction, and he knew that's where they would be.
Lucian took a breath as he pushed the door open, not sure what to expect.
Once inside, he could see the last hobgoblin who was sat on a small chair made of goblin bones. He had been right. This one was the leader.
The hobgoblin didn't look pleased to see he had defeated the others and stood from its throne.
"You dare stand before me!" It shouted.
Lucian looked over to the other side of the room and could see Elana and the other girls locked in a small cage. They seemed relatively unharmed, and Lucian was thankful he had made it in time.
"Let them go," Lucian said, staring into the hobgoblins eyes.
"You fool, I will need them to repopulate and raise another army. After what you have done! Do you know how long it took to recruit that many units!" The hobgoblin roared, clearly outraged.
Lucian pointed his sword at the hobgoblin, having heard enough.
"Enough! Hand over the girls, or ill kill you!"
Lucian never thought he would say those words, but life had a funny way of putting you in situations sometimes.
The hobgoblin chuckled to its self as it pulled its hood from over its head. Lucian could see that this hobgoblin had red skin and white hair. Looking very different from the others.
"You, kill me..." It said as it opened its eyes, looking at Lucian in amusement.
"Let's see if you can!"
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