The sound of metal slicing through flesh, the clash of weapons against shields, and the sickening splatter of blood and entrails filled the air, creating a cacophony of chaos and despair. It was a battle unlike any we had ever witnessed, a desperate struggle for survival against an unrelenting tide of goblins.
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND! THEY'RE COMING FROM ALL DIRECTIONS! WHEN WILL THIS END?!" a woman screamed, her voice high-pitched and frantic, eyes wide with terror as she swung her blade at an advancing goblin.
The horde of goblins seemed endless, each new wave bringing fresh horrors. Their grotesque forms surged forward, snarling and shrieking, their eyes gleaming with malevolent intent.
"KEEP FIGHTING! WE MUST KEEP FIGHTING! IF WE FALTER, EVERYONE HERE WILL DIE!" Fiza shouted, his voice a mixture of rage and determination that cut through the chaos like a beacon of hope.
With a powerful swing, he decapitated one goblin, its head flying through the air, and in the same fluid motion, sliced another's head clean off. Blood sprayed across his armor, but he didn't flinch, his focus unwavering.
Suddenly, three goblins with bows appeared atop the light fixtures, their malevolent eyes locking onto the hunters' vital points. The twang of bowstrings was followed by the deadly whistle of arrows slicing through the air.
*Swoosh* *Thunk* *Swoosh* *Thunk*
Before the goblins could release their deadly projectiles, a woman named Kate, another hunter, swiftly nocked her own arrows and fired with precision. Each shot found its mark, and the goblins toppled from their perches, lifeless. "Thank God I practiced my archery," Kate muttered under her breath, relief washing over her face as she glanced around, ensuring there were no immediate threats.
"GOBLIN TO YOUR LEFT!" Karthik warned, his voice urgent.
Without a moment's hesitation, Kate spun around, her reflexes honed from countless hours of training. She loosed an arrow that hit the goblin squarely in the chest, the force of the impact knocking the creature to the ground, where it lay motionless.
"We're almost there! Keep killing them, everyone!" Fiza's voice, though barely audible above the din of battle, carried a desperate hope that invigorated the weary fighters.
-
Out of the hundreds of hunters, there were only five healers, and they were working overtime. It was a vicious battle, one that claimed lives with every passing second. But slowly, the number of goblins decreased.
"THERE ARE ONLY 10 LEFT!!!" Karthik shouted, his voice hoarse and ragged.
The non-hunters along with me and my father fought alongside the hunters. I hacked and slashed, not caring what part of the monster I hit. Golbin blood covered my arms, my clothes, and my face. The scent of the creatures filled the air, a nauseating mix of copper and sweat.
Hope surged within the hunters, a renewed determination filling their hearts as they pressed forward, their weapons slashing and hacking through the ranks of the vile creatures.
[Goblins killed: 99/100]
[Time remaining: 33:06]
Then, a loud roar echoed throughout the station, reverberating off the walls and ceiling, sending shivers down the hunters' spines. It was a sound of pure malice and rage, a sound that pierced their very souls and awakened the most primal fear within them.
[The boss has appeared! Hobgoblin 15 lvl (D-rank)]
"NO... THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! It is 6 levels higher than me." Fiza's voice trembled, disbelief and dread etched into his features as a six-foot-tall goblin entered the station, its hideous form illuminated by the flickering lights.
It walked hunched over through the mound of corpses, a twisted, evil grin on its face. The hobgoblin was a towering figure, its grotesque body covered in thick, sickly green skin. Its big head and huge nose made it look like a misshapen troll, and its yellow, bloodshot eyes gazed around the station with a cold, predatory intensity. In its hands, it gripped a club half its size, the wood black and splintered, its surface coated with blood and viscera.
The sight of the hobgoblin sent the hunters reeling, a feeling of despair and helplessness filling the air. Fiza stepped forward undeterred, his expression set in grim determination. He raised his shield and hit his sword against it, the metallic clang ringing out through the station, echoing off the walls and ceilings, amplifying the effect.
[Due to your actions, you have gained a new skill: Willpower Lvl. 1.]
[Willpower (Passive): Increases resistance to Fear, Confusion, and other mental debuffs. With each level, the effect increases by 2%.]
[Due to your actions, the title 'Defiant' has been created.]
[Defiant(C): When facing an enemy stronger in a desperate situation, the user and all allies will gain a 5% increase in all stats (5 minutes).]
The hunters gathered around the hobgoblin, their weapons raised, their resolve strengthened. "COME GET US, YOU DISGUSTING BASTARD!" Fiza yelled, his voice filled with defiance and challenge.
The hobgoblin turned towards Fiza, a wicked grin spreading across its hideous features, revealing rows of sharp, jagged yellow teeth. It roared once again, the sound shaking the very foundations of the station, and then began to charge towards him.
Fiza and the others rushed towards the monster, their weapons raised and ready, their bodies tensed for battle. As the hobgoblin drew closer, the hunters began their attack, but the hobgoblin leaped over them, evading all their strikes with a terrifying agility. The beast landed behind them and swung its club toward the non-hunter civilians, smashing and breaking bones, and crushing skulls.
*Splat* *Crack* *Squelch*
Screams and agonized cries echoed through the station, the sounds of death and destruction reverberating throughout the air. Seeing the death and destruction as the hobgoblin swung its club from left to right, a sickly smile appeared on its face as it made its way toward us. The sheer brutality of its rampage left a trail of blood and broken bodies in its wake.
"MOVE BACK! RETREAT AND RUN TO THE BACK! NON-HUNTER CIVILIANS, GO NOW!" Karthik shouted, his voice a thunderclap among the screams and shrieks of death.
I stared at the hobgoblin in horror and weakness. The axe in the hand dropped, my knees went weak, and I felt my mind and body freeze. There was nothing I could do, I was too weak and the creature was too strong. Looking down at my hands, I saw they were shaking, covered in goblin blood.
My father saw me on the ground as he rushed back to Hannah and my mother, he grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my trance. "JAGGER! We need to find somewhere to hide!" he shouted, his voice filled with desperation.
I snapped back to reality and nodded weakly. "Dad, are we going to die," I asked as we ran, tears streaming down my face, my mind unable to process the sheer horror around us.
My father stops and looks at me with uncontrollable anger. "DUCK!" He swung the metal pipe towards my head and I ducked down.
He hits a goblin's head, the creature falls to the floor dead. He grabs me by my collar and looks straight into my eyes, "You are going to survive, you understand?! WE'RE GOING TO SURVIVE, JAGGER! Now let's get your mother and sister and get out of here!"
My father's words were like a beacon of hope to me, his gaze burning with truth and conviction that shook my very soul. He releases his grip and grabs me by the shoulder and we both rush towards the rest of the survivors who have now retreated to the other end of the station.
He pulled us along—my mother, Hannah, was racing toward the end of the station. I spotted them, "Dad, Mom, and Hannah are there!" I said pointing ahead.
"Lead the way, I'm right behind you." My dad responded, the metal pipe in his hand dripping with goblin blood.
Looking back, a group of hunters, led by the fierce warrior Fiza, attempted to halt the hobgoblin's advance. They fought valiantly, their weapons clashing against the beast's thick hide, but it was too strong and agile for them. One by one, the hunters fell, their cries of pain echoing through the station.
-
We joined a flood of terrified non-hunters running up the stairs, some crying, others bleeding and holding broken limbs. The chaos was overwhelming, and the sounds of battle and screams filled the air. My mother and Hannah finally made it out of the station and looked around frantically. "Where are we going? DAD, JAGGER!!!!" Hannah cried, her eyes searching the crowd for us.
"Over here, Hannah!" I yelled, trying to catch her attention.
Both of them ran towards us, their faces streaked with tears, their eyes filled with terror. "Are you hurt?" Mother asked, her voice trembling, her hands trembling.
"No, Mom, I'm not. Neither is Dad."
"There is no time to talk. We have to get out of this place. Come on, follow me." my father replied, his voice tense.
We all ran to the surface, following the throng of frightened people, our bodies moving on autopilot as we fled for our lives. But as soon as we got outside the sight that greeted us was even more horrific than what we had witnessed inside.
"WHAT... WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" someone yelled, their voice breaking with hysteria.
The streets were littered with bodies, torn apart due to brutal violence. Buildings crumbled to the ground, smoke rising from the wreckage, the air heavy with the scent of blood and death. The carnage was beyond anything I had ever imagined. My mother, seeing the horrifying sight, dropped to her knees and vomited on the pavement, her body shaking with sobs.
"Oh... My... God..." my father mumbled, his voice trembling, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. The strong, composed man I had always known was now reduced to a state of utter horror.
A few people ran past us, their faces twisted in panic and fear. I noticed one of them had an axe stuck in his back, blood pouring from the wound. "It's the end of the world," he screamed, before collapsing to the ground, his body convulsing in his final moments.
I looked up at my father, his face pale, tears welling in his eyes. "Dad..." I whispered, my voice barely audible over the chaos.
He stared at me, his lips quivering as the situation dawned on him. "We have to get out of here." He said, his voice shaking. "Sophia, get up! We need to find a safe place to hide."
"This way! Over here!" a man called out, beckoning us toward the entrance to an alley. Before we could follow, five goblins jumped him, tackling him to the ground and ripping into his flesh. His screams were cut short, replaced by the grotesque sounds of tearing flesh and breaking bones.
"RUN!!!" my father screamed, his voice filled with urgency.
We ran as fast as we could, not daring to look back. Panic fueled our steps, the only thought in our minds was to survive. We didn't know where we were going or what was happening, but one thing was certain: the world we once knew was gone, replaced by a nightmare that we could only hope to escape.
We maneuvered several blocks down the road, only to encounter a barricade of cars that stretched from miles. Silence hung heavy, broken only by the distant sounds of chaos echoing through the city. Suddenly, a thunderous roar shattered the stillness, freezing us in our tracks. We turned as one, eyes widening in dread, to behold a towering Minotaur, its massive form outlined against the smoke-filled sky. The ground trembled beneath its relentless advance, each exhalation sending plumes of hot breath into the air. Bloodshot eyes glared fiercely, froth dripping from its gnashing jaws.
"What in the world is that thing?!" someone among us cried out, his voice tinged with terror.
Another deafening roar split the air, and the monstrous beast charged towards us with terrifying speed. Its colossal horns smashed through anything in its way, leaving a trail of destruction and flames in its wake.
"IT'S COMING AFTER US!!!"
"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!"
Screams of panic and desperation filled the air as the terrified crowd stampeded in every direction, the chaos and confusion making it impossible to tell which way was safe.