Klaus and his men reached the village under the cover of darkness, around 3am. The moon was full and bright, casting a pale glow over the scene of devastation. Flames licked from the roofs and walls of the buildings, illuminating the carnage that lay everywhere. Bodies of villagers were strewn across the streets and fields, some mutilated, some burned, some still bleeding. But something was wrong. The village was too large for these number of corpses, and there was no sign of any soldiers who were supposed to be defending it. Klaus felt a cold dread in his stomach. Where were the survivors? Where were the enemies?
Ryker, second-in-command for this mission, gave the order to search for any signs of life. The soldiers split into groups and combed through the houses and barns, hoping to find someone alive. But they found nothing. No one. Not even a whimper or a cry. It was as if the village had been wiped out of existence. Ryker and Klaus met at the center of the village, both puzzled and uneasy. They had seen many goblin raids before, but never like this. Goblins were savage and cruel, but they never took prisoners. They killed and looted, and then moved on. Why would they spare anyone? And where were they now?
"It makes no sense. If there are no survivors, then there should be more corpses." Ryker said, frowning. "And where are the soldier's bodies? Did they take it with them?"
"It's obvious that this village was raided by goblins. I don't know how they did it, but they must have some new trick up their sleeves. We haven't had any report of orcs in the kingdom for 16 years now, so it can't be them." Meleona, the only female soldier in the troop, said. She was a skilled archer and scout, and had a keen eye for details. She scanned the horizon, looking for any movement.
That's when she saw it. A flash of green in the forest. A glint of metal. A horn. A loud, piercing horn that echoed through the night. She shouted a warning, but it was too late. The forest erupted with goblins, hundreds of them, pouring out of the trees and surrounding the village. It was an ambush. A trap. The goblins had lured them in, and now they were closing in for the kill.
The soldiers were caught off guard, but they did not panic. They were the northwest guard, an elite force of the northern troop. They had faced goblins before, and they knew how to fight them. Goblins were small and weak, relying on their numbers and their magic to overwhelm their foes. But the soldiers had their own magic, and their own weapons. They formed a circle, facing the enemy from all sides. They drew their swords and axes, and spears, and prepared to defend themselves.
The soldiers felt a surge of power as they activated their weapons with enhancement spells, pouring their magic essence into the blades, axes, and spears. Each weapon glowed with a different colour, reflecting the unique abilities of the wielders. The soldiers were specialized in different types of magic, bit most of them were fire mages, as it was a strong and easy elemental magic to learn. Some were wind mages, who could manipulate the air currents and even fly. Only Robert was a water mage there, who could control the flow of water and heal minor wounds.
Calvin was always excited to kill goblins, and he was a very reckless fire mage. He was very talented with his fire, and he could create explosions and fireballs with ease. They had a friendly rivalry, always competing to see who could slay more enemies. Robert was calm and precise, using his water to create huge wave. Calvin was wild and reckless, using his fire to create explosions and blasts. They both unleashed their magic, setting the goblins on fire, burning them alive, sending them flying with waves of water.
Their attack was a signal for the rest of the soldiers to charge in. The goblin formation was broken, and their leader was nowhere to be seen. The soldiers took advantage of the chaos, and rushed towards the goblins, cutting them down, stabbing them, smashing them. They fought with courage and fury, determined to survive, determined to avenge the villagers.
Calvin was always excited to kill goblins, he had already killed almost a dozen goblin and counting. He was not satisfied and still itching for more. He charged with his horse behind the enemy lines, slashing and burning the goblins with his flaming sword. He laughed maniacally as he watched the goblins scream and writhe in pain.
Klaus then led the charge, his sword glowing with a blue light. He was a rare light mage, able to manipulate light and create illusions sometimes. He used his light to blind and confuse the goblins, making them see things that were not there, making them miss their targets, and hit each other. He was a master swordsman, and he sliced through the goblins with ease, leaving a trail of blood behind him.
Ryker was also behind the enemy lines, but he was more stealthy and cunning. He was a skilled wind mage after all, he could fly and even disappear in the sight of the enemy. He used his dagger to stab the goblins in the back. He was silent and efficient, and he enjoyed the thrill of the hurt.
The number of goblins only seemed to increase despite the huge casualties they were suffering. The goblins were scattered and disorganized, but they were also vicious and relentless. They attacked the soldiers with crude weapons, such as clubs, axes and knives. Most of them also had mastered magic, but it was dark and twisted, unlike the humans'.
The goblins swarmed like a plague; their numbers seemingly endless despite the heavy losses they suffered. Meleona, was the troop healer and a rare light mage. She was the only female in this troop, but she was not weak or timid. She was fast, agile, and very skilled with her daggers and her bow. she could mend bones and heal deep wounds. She was the lifeline of the troop, and she cared for her comrades deeply. She stayed in the center of the formation, standing on her horseback. She rained down arrows at the goblins.
Her eyes, enhanced by her meta vision, scanned the battlefield for any signs of danger or opportunity. She spotted something unusual in the distance, a group of goblins riding on wolves. She had never seen such a thing before, and neither had most of her comrades. Only Ryker and Klaus, the leaders of the patrol, knew that goblins sometimes mounted wolves, but they had never faced them in combat. Among the wolf riders, there was one that stood out. He was more orc than goblin, with a massive body and muscles that bulged under his green hairy skin. With long arms and short legs, he was three times bigger and more muscular than any normal goblin. He had a wicked grin on his face as he led his pack into the fray. It had a large axe in its hand, and a bone made helmet on its head.