Amukelo rushed at the troll once again. The towering beast loomed over him, its massive club dragging slightly on the ground as it prepared for another swing. Amukelo kept his focus split between the troll and the shaman in the distance.
As the troll brought its club down, Amukelo dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the blow. He slid beneath the troll, and sliced across the softer underside of its belly. The troll howled in pain, its movements jerking as it tried to locate Amukelo.
Amukelo emerged behind the troll and sprang to his feet, capitalizing on its confusion. With a powerful leap, he drove his sword into the troll's back. The troll bellowed, its entire body spasming from the pain, but Amukelo's satisfaction was short-lived. As he tried to pull the sword free, he found it stuck. A faint green glow surrounded the troll, the shaman's healing magic knitting the creature's wounds together and tightening the flesh around the blade.
"Damn it!" Amukelo hissed through gritted teeth, pulling harder on the sword to no avail.
The troll, sensing its opportunity, reached back with its massive hand and grabbed Amukelo. Its grip was like an iron vice, squeezing the air from his lungs. Amukelo refused to let go of his sword, even as the troll yanked it free from its own back with a sickening squelch. The creature slammed Amukelo into the ground with brutal force, the impact knocking the breath out of him and sending a wave of pain radiating through his body.
As Amukelo struggled to regain his bearings, the troll raised its club high above its head, and he rolled desperately to the side just as the club came crashing down, splintering the rocky floor where he had been moments before. Before he could get to his feet, thorned vines erupted from the ground, wrapping tightly around his arms and legs. The spikes dug into his skin, and no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break free.
The troll, recovering from its missed strike, turned toward him. It raised its club again, this time aiming to crush Amukelo for good. Panic surged through him as he continued to fight against the vines, his mind racing for a way out.
Just as the club descended, an arrow whizzed through the air, embedding itself in the troll's remaining eye. The creature roared in agony, thrashing wildly as it lost its vision entirely. Before it could recover, the ground beneath its massive feet turned to water, causing it to slip and lose balance. The troll stumbled, the club striking the ground just inches away from Amukelo. He gasped as he realized how close he'd come to being crushed.
Wind blades sliced through the air, severing the vines that held him captive. Freed at last, Amukelo leapt backward, narrowly avoiding a burst of lava that erupted from where he'd been standing moments earlier. He turned to see Bao lowering her bow and Pao, her staff glowing faintly, nodding toward him.
Amukelo gave them a quick nod of gratitude before refocusing on the troll. The massive creature, now completely blind, swung its club wildly in a desperate attempt to hit something. Amukelo darted toward the troll, evading the troll's wild swings. Once he was behind it, he leapt onto its back, clinging to its rough, bloodied skin. The troll thrashed violently, trying to dislodge him, but Amukelo held firm.
With a swift motion, he drew his dagger and slashed across the troll's throat. The blade cut deep, severing vital arteries. Finally, with one last shuddering gasp, the troll collapsed to the ground.
Meanwhile, the shaman, seeing its companion fall, raised its staff once more in a desperate attempt to turn the tide. But before it could unleash another spell, Bao loosed an arrow that struck the shaman square in the chest, interrupting its incantation. The creature stumbled backward, clutching the arrow as it tried to steady itself.
Pao stepped forward, casting a fireball, striking the shaman head-on. The explosion engulfed the goblin in flames, and it let out a piercing shriek before collapsing in a smoldering heap.
"Thanks for the save," Amukelo said.
Bao shrugged, lowering her bow. "You did well by dealing with two of them for so long."
Pao gave a small, relieved smile. "I'm glad you are fine."
The group turned toward Bral and Idin to help them with the remaining goblins. But as they turned to them, they saw that Bral and Idin had already finished the goblins.
Bao exhaled deeply, lowering her bow. "It's finally over."
Pao, despite the burn marks on her shoulder and legs, gave a warm smile. "We did it," she said, her voice carrying a mixture of exhaustion and triumph. But her smile faltered slightly as she glanced down at her belt. "I've only got one healing potion left," she admitted. "I also have a healing spell, but it's not nearly as effective as the potion."
Bao checked her own belt and frowned. "Same here. Just one left."
Bral and Idin exchanged glances, silently acknowledging that neither of them had any potions left, and Amukelo shook his head. "Don't worry about me," he said firmly. "Spread the potions between yourselves. I'm fine without one."
Pao turned to him, her eyes widening slightly. "Are you sure? You've been fighting two of the strongest enemies. You must be hurt."
Amukelo gave her a reassuring smile, brushing the dirt off his tunic. "I'm fine. Just a few bruises. Bral and Idin look worse off than I do. They should have the potions."
The girls exchanged uncertain looks, but after a moment, they nodded. Bao handed her potion to Bral, while Pao gave hers to Idin. Bral took it with a grateful nod, uncorked the bottle, and downed it in one swift motion. The red liquid worked quickly, closing the gash on his shoulder and dulling the pain in his side. He rotated his arm, testing it, and grinned. "That's better."
Idin drank his potion more slowly, wincing as the healing magic took hold. The wound on his arm began to knit itself back together, and the stiffness in his leg eased. "Thanks," he said, nodding toward Pao.
Meanwhile, Pao turned to her sister. "Don't move," she said, raising her staff. "I'll use my healing spell on you."
But Bao shook her head and took a step back. "No, you should heal yourself first," she said firmly. "The goblin barely grazed me. Look at your shoulder—and your legs. They need attention."
Pao glanced down at her burned shoulder and the torn, scorched fabric around her boots. She shifted uncomfortably, her cheeks reddening slightly. "It's not that bad," she murmured, though the pain in her posture suggested otherwise.
Bao stepped closer and placed a gentle hand on Pao's uninjured arm. "There's no shame in it," she said softly. "You saved us both. You should use your spell on yourself."
Pao hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. She raised her staff and murmured an incantation. A soft green light enveloped her body, focusing on her shoulder and legs. The burns faded into faint scars, and the pain lessened significantly. She let out a small sigh of relief and lowered her staff. "Thank you," she said, giving her sister a small smile.
As the group regrouped, Idin looked around the chamber, surveying the carnage. "I think we can consider the quest done," he said, sheathing his sword. "From what I've read, goblin tribes can't function without a leader. In smaller groups like this, the shaman is usually the leader. Without him, the remaining goblins—if there are any—will scatter and die off naturally. Goblins without a group are weak and disorganized. They're not a threat anymore."
Bral, however, didn't seem convinced. He pointed toward the small wooden doors at the far end of the chamber. "What about those?"
Idin followed his gaze and frowned. "What about them?"
"If there are goblins behind those doors, it's better to deal with them now," Bral said. "We don't want them regrouping or causing trouble for anyone else."
Idin crossed his arms. "Most likely, it's just goblin babies in there. They can't survive without adults to care for them. They'll die on their own."
Bral tilted his head. "Will they, though? What if there are still a few adults left hiding in there?"
Idin hesitated, glancing toward the doors. "The chances of that are slim," he said, though his tone lacked certainty.
Bral stepped forward, gesturing toward the group. "Listen, at this point, the danger is minimal. We've taken care of the main force, and I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't any adults left in the whole cave. But we should check, just to be sure."
Idin sighed, running a hand through his hair. He looked toward the others, who seemed equally divided. "Fine," he said finally, his voice heavy with reluctance. "Let's do it."