Chapter 5 - The Party

As Koda went down to the river, he had developed a bit of a skip in his step. Actually having been given a job to do that wasn't bbeing the pack mule for a bit was nice.

He had started whistling a little tune that he knew but couldn't think of where he had heard it from. He pondered the tune as he kept his path to the river hopping over a few logs and small boulders.

"Yeeessss, there it is!" he exclaimed to himself as he began to sprint toward the bank. After he got there he kneeled down and uncapped the canteens he had been given and started to fill them 'Huh that's funny normally that small run would have exhausted me' he thought. He shrugged it off and continued gathering water.

*rustle*

He looked up and across the bank after hearing some movement. He scanned the other side and finally saw a set of eyes reflecting the moon's light in a bunch of bushes.

"Get out of here Moro" he called out "Stop trying to scare me" He called once more

" We're supposed to be friends" he muttered under his breath.

*rustle*

He looked to the bush again but this time he saw a small shadowy human like figure coming out from the bushes into the moon's light.

'No no this can't be... not here not now...' he thought

It was another goblin just like the one that he had encountered in the woods.

Goblins are small, black-hearted humanoids that like to spend their lives in despoiled dungeons and other dismal settings. Individually weak and pose almost no issue for an adventurer but , they gather in large numbers to torment other creatures and raid small to medium settlements near the lairs.

A bunch of thoughts quickly ran through his mind. 'Why me…..where did it come from ….what is it doing here....Why me.'

As he watched the goblin he saw the creature had been holding an object that had been glinting as if bathing in the moon's light.

"Shit that's a sword" he let out. The creature heard this and his upper lip twitched back into a crooked smile showing a row of sharp half decayed teeth with bits of rotting meat still stuck in them. The goblin crouched down and pushed off the ground. He cleared the 5 meter wide river in a single leap.

Koda turned to run but he was not quite fast enough. The creature picked his sword up high in the air and with a heavy hand he brought it down across the middle of Koda's back.

"AARRGGHH'" He let out a groan that was equally as intense as the searing pain he felt moving across his body. His vision had gone white for a moment. The creature had let out a blood curdling scream that gives you chills to the bone but the only noise that could be heard by Koda in those moments were the warm pulling thump of his heart beating in his ears.

*Thump Thump, Thump Thump, Thump Thump, Thump Thump*

As time seemed to creep slowly along his vision began to return to him. He looked over his shoulder to see the creature rearing back to take another strike.

'Oh no, Oh no, Oh no. What do I do? If that hits I will be a goner' He thought as memories of almost dying in the first encounter with a goblin ran through his head.

He extended his arm out in front of him towards a tree up the hill a bit and began to move his leg. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see his own death.

*Tiong*

The sound of metal striking rock rang out into the night. Koda opened his eyes and found himself out by the tree and the goblin still down by the river.

{Dash was activated}

"Wha...Wha...What was that"

The creature immediately started searching the area and locked on to Koda and began running his way. Koda, still confused but what had transpired, had yet to notice the goblin closing in on him. When he finally did the creature had closed the gap and had readied his sword high in the air for a fatal blow.

'Did I really just waste my one chance to run' huff. Realizing this Koda readied himself to death but in that instant as the sword drew nearer to his head bits of sparks flew out into the spaces around him and that when he saw it. Kireina's sword had stopped the swing of the goblin just centimeters from his neck. She used her whole body and gave a huge push against the lock sword and drove the creature back a few meters, in the moment Moro assaulted it from the side with a swipe of her paw.

"Use Provoke" She called out. Moro Let out a Growl That seemed to really piss off the goblin. With the creature's attention focused on Moro. She took a single swung of her sword and lopped off the head of the goblin.

*Tring*

{24 Experience to all party members}

She looked at the Goblin. 'Hhmm Level 4, must be a scout.'

*ba-ding*

{New skills activated}

{Darkvision lvl 1}

{Cure lvl 1}

{Beastsurge lvl 1}

"Sweet" she said turning to Koda pushing her hand out " Cure"

{Skill activated: Cure}

Koda felt a warming sensation in his back then all the pain had disappeared.

"Wow, you're amazing." he said.

She turned to Moro and walked over to her and started vigorously rubbing her sides.

" Yes, Who's a good girl, You are. Yes you are."

As she messed with Moro, Koda got to his feet and walked to where the goblin fell.

'Just how pitiful am I' He looked around and spotted the sword. It was covered in the creature's blood. He bent over and picked it up. Wiping it off he takes care not to get any on him because everyone knows you can never get out the stink of goblin from your clothes.

*Ba-ding*

{Weapon Acquired}

{Weapon Requirements met}

{Weapon Equipped}

{New skill activated}

{Slash Lvl 1}

As he admonished his new found treasure Kireina turned to him "Oh, gonna be a fighter are we" she let out between laughs.

"Well then Kenshin" She snarked " Let's get going, that was just a scout and when he doesn't return they are sure to send more."

Koda let out a loud gulp "M-m-m-more." They retreated back to their camp, while Moro sat on watch for the remainder of the night.

The next morning came and Kireina was already gearing up to go.

"so , I want to draw a few out of the cave at a time to get a hang of my new skills before we go in too deep." Koda nodded in agreeance "Can you teach me too".

"Ha ha ha ha, Sure" She chuckled. Let's get started.

After making their way to the cave entrance they got their stuff ready and sent Moro in the cave to draw out a few goblins at a time. After a few minutes she came running out being followed by 2 goblin warriors. Kireina looked above their heads level two both of them and they are only carrying clubs. "I'll take these two" she called out. 'Lets see oh yeah' She ran toward the creatures at full speed after reading the skill description.

*tring*

{Beastsurge activated}

Her vision sharpened, power and speed both increased, along with her skin toughening up also growing fangs and claws. "Ohhhh Yeah" She let out with a howl, being followed up by Moro and a howl of her own. As she drew near to them she leapt through the air into a spin going between them she caught each one of them with her razor sharp claws. It was instant death for them.

* tring*

{Beastsurge in cooldown 300 seconds 299…..298….297...296}

"Ooooooooooo… That was Awesome" she yelled out.

*Tring*

{33 Exp Koda}

{33 Exp Player}

"What…..wait why do i split experience with that dip shit but not Moro."

She said looking over at him. Kireina walked up to Koda and pulled up the stats menu.

What she Saw blew her mind. 'What in the world is going on here? How did he gain all this?' Asking herself as she went over his stats

{Koda Goro lvl ??}

[Title: none]

[Class: unknown]

[ Heath: 56]

[Mana: 15]

[Stats]

Strength: 6

Agility: 5

Intelligence: 7

Perception: 9

Constitution: 6

Points to use: 3

{Skills}

Active Skills:

Slash lvl 1

Dash lvl 1

Darkvision lvl 1

Beastsurge lvl 1

Cure lvl 1

Passive Abilities:

Experience Share

She found herself at the bottom of the page staring at the passive abilities.

"Experience Share, hmmmm I've never seen that before it must be why. I can't be splitting all my combat experience. It will just slow me down,' She thought.

*Smack she lowered her fist into her other hand with an idea. 'I'll just boot him from the party, Haha I'm a genius'. She pulled up the party menu and selected Koda, then hit the kick button under his name.