Meleona felt a chill of fear, and she alerted the others. "Guys… we have a problem. There's a big goblin riding a wolf, and he's leading a pack of mounted goblins. They are coming this way, and they look dangerous."
The arrival of the wolf riders changed the tide of the battle. The humans, who had been holding their ground, suddenly felt surrounded and outnumbered. The orc-like goblin raised his hand and uttered a spell in orcish. "Wuna wokop wuna weh wuara foh here I deh order wuna!" He commanded the dead goblins to rise and fight again. It was a dark and forbidden magic, necromancy. The corpses of the goblins twitched and crawled back to their feet, their eyes glowing with a sinister light. The humans were shocked and horrified by this sight, and their morale began to crumble. Another goblin, smaller than the rest, but still riding a wolf, gave another order. He told the goblins to use their illusion magic, a trick they were known for. The goblins obeyed, and soon the air was filled with phantoms and mirages, confusing and distracting the humans. The goblins' illusion magic was not powerful enough to harm the humans physically, but it was enough to break their minds.
The soldiers panicked and their formation broke, and they were easy prey for the goblins. the undead attacked them from all sides, with their teeth, claws, and weapons. The soldiers fought back, but they were overwhelmed and overpowered.
Ryker saw his men fall one by one, either to the goblins' blades or to their illusions. He felt a surge of rage and despair, and he entered a berserk mode. He fought like a madman, cutting through the goblins as if they were nothing. He made his way to the wolf riders, determined to kill them all.
But his madness was short-live, he reached the giant goblin and swung his blade at his neck. But with its bare hands the goblin parried it. He kept swinging with precision and power, each time the goblin parried it still without breaking a sweat. Somehow Ryker managed to wound the goblin's arm but the goblin retaliated by slashing Ryker's chest. Ryker staggered back, but before he could recover, the giant goblin casted a spell. A dark mist enveloped Ryker, blinding him and muffling his ears. He was trapped in an illusion world, where time seemed to stand still.
Meleona was the first to notice Ryker's plight. She had been fighting alongside him, but had lost sight of him in the chaos of the broken formation. She scanned the battlefield and saw him standing still, surrounded by the mist. She knew he was in danger, but she couldn't reach him. She tried to call for help, but Robert and Calvin and the other two mages in the patrol, were too busy fighting their own battles. They could not spare any time or magic for her. She decided to take matters into her own hands. She sliced her way through the goblins, using her light magic to heal her wounds and blind her enemies. She reached Klaus, the other leader of the troop, and told him what she had seen. She urged him to order a retreat, as they had no chance of winning. She hoped he would listen to her, as he was the only one who could save them now.
Klaus looked around and saw the carnage. He had lost more than half of his men, and the rest were barely holding on. He felt a pang of guilt and sorrow, as he had led them into this trap. He was about to give the order to retreat, when he saw something that made his heart skip a beat. He saw Ryker, lying on the ground, motionless and surrounded by goblins. He felt a rush of adrenaline and fear, as he realized that his best friend and brother-in-arms was in danger. He ignored everything else, and ran towards him, cutting down any goblin that got in his way. He reached Ryker in a matter of seconds, and stood over him, protecting him from the goblins. He cursed as he swung his sword at a goblin that jumped at him. He felt pain as the goblin's claws ripped through his armor, drawing blood. He kicked it off, then stabbed it in the throat. He knelt down and checked Rykers's pulse. He prayed that he was still alive.
Some of the soldiers, including Ryker, had fallen prey to the goblins' illusion magic. They were trapped in their own minds, seeing their worst fears or memories come to life. Others had been overwhelmed by the undead, who felt no pain or fear. "Fall back! Fall back to the forest!" Klaus shouted, hoping that his voice would reach his men. Robert and Calvin, the only ones who could hear him, used their magic to clear a path to the forest. Robert conjured a wave of water that swept away the undead, while Calvin created a wall of fire that blocked the goblins' pursuit. They gave some time for the surviving soldiers to escape, but they knew it was not enough. They had to get Ryker and Klaus out of there, or they would all die.
Ryker was still breathing heavily, his eyes wide open and unfocused. He was in a state of shock, unable to move or speak. He was seeing his past, his present, and his future, all twisted and distorted by the goblins' magic. He saw his family, his friends, his enemies, his lovers, his failures, his successes, his hopes, his fears, all mixed together in a chaotic and terrifying vision. He wanted to scream, but he could not. He wanted to wake up, but he could not. He was trapped in a nightmare, and he did not know if he would ever escape.
Klaus shook him, trying to snap him out of it. He was also worried, as he cared for Ryker more than anyone else. He had always looked up to him, as his mentor and his friend. He did not want to lose him, not like this, not to the goblins. He wanted to save him, to protect him.
"Ryker! Ryker, wake up! It's me, Klaus!" he shouted, as he fended off the goblins with one hand. He slashed his sword at a goblin that tried to bite his leg, then kicked another one in the face. Ryker was still and cold, his eyes glazed and empty. He was trapped in his own nightmare, reliving the day when his parents were killed by a goblin raid when he was young. He saw their faces, twisted in pain and fear as the goblins stabbed them. He heard their screams and his own as he tried to save them. He felt the goblin's blade pierce his chest and he fell to the ground bleeding and waiting for death. He did not see Klaus or hear his voice. He did not see the real goblins or feel their attacks. He did not see the fire or forest or burning village. He only saw his parents and the goblin that killed them over and over again. He was in a loop of horror and agony, and he could not escape.
Klaus felt a tear roll down his cheek, as he realized that Ryker was lost to him. He knew that he had to leave him, or they would both die. But he could not bear to abandon him, not after everything they had been through. He lifted Ryker's body and slung it over his shoulder, hoping that he would somehow recover. He turned and saw the clear path that Calvin and Robert had created. They had used their magic to clear a way to the forest, where they hoped to find a safe haven. They had sacrificed all the horses to save the others, and Klaus was grateful for their bravery and loyalty. He ran towards the forest, dodging the goblins and the undead. He felt the heat of the fire and the cold of the night. He smelled the blood and the smoke. He heard the screams and the howls. He saw the death and the destruction. He felt the pain and the fear. He felt nothing but anger and sorrow.