As the team stepped through the swirling vortex of the rift, the world around them shifted dramatically. The stark, urban environment of the city gave way to a dense forest, bathed in soft, dappled sunlight. The air was thick with the scent of earth and leaves, and the vibrant green of the foliage was almost overwhelming in its richness. The trees towered above them, their canopies forming a natural roof that filtered the sunlight into a warm, golden glow. Beneath their feet, the ground was soft and moss-covered, and the sound of distant birdsong filled the air, creating an almost serene atmosphere—a deceptive calm before the storm.
Xander's voice broke the tranquility, his tone sharp and focused. "Listen up," he called, gathering the team's attention. "We've got fifteen regular goblins armed with daggers, ten larger ones wielding clubs, three with swords, and one red goblin—the dungeon boss. Stay sharp, stick to your roles, and we'll get through this."
The team nodded, their expressions serious as they prepared for the battle ahead. Zara was the first to step forward, her muscles rippling beneath her skin as she transformed. Her claws extended to lethal lengths, and her legs became more beast-like, granting her enhanced speed and strength. She gave Ray a quick, confident nod before charging ahead into the trees, her powerful frame moving with a surprising grace.
Ray followed close behind, his eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced precision. He could feel the weight of his sword at his side, a comforting presence. Despite the serene beauty of the forest, Ray knew it was a dangerous place—one where a single misstep could mean death. He caught a glimpse of Finn disappearing into the shadows, his bow at the ready, and Gregory moving to the rear, his fingers brushing over his gold accessories as he prepared to summon his golems.
Jaxon, as expected, hung back, his eyes darting around suspiciously. Ray kept an eye on him, knowing that the thief was as likely to betray them as to help.
The first wave of goblins appeared suddenly, bursting out from behind the thick underbrush. Tiny, shrieking creatures with cruel, jagged daggers clutched in their hands. Zara met them head-on, her claws slashing through their ranks with terrifying speed and precision. Each swipe was deadly, the goblins barely having time to react before they were cut down. Her movements were a blur, the beast-like transformation enhancing her already formidable abilities.
Finn moved like a shadow, his arrows flying with unerring accuracy. Each shot found its mark, dropping the goblins before they could even reach the others. His movements were fluid and deliberate, each step calculated to keep him out of harm's way while maximizing his impact. Ray could see the quiet intensity in Finn's eyes—he was completely focused, every arrow loosed with deadly intent.
Gregory, staying towards the back, summoned a massive golem with the gold accessories as medium of materal, sprouted a golem which was fully composed of gold. The towering figure charged forward, its massive fists slamming into the goblins with crushing force. The ground shook with each blow, and the goblins scattered, unable to withstand the onslaught.
Ray moved with precision alongside the others, his sword a blur of steel as it sliced through the goblins that evaded Zara and the golem. Each strike was infused with his Aura, the energy amplifying the power behind his blade, allowing him to cleave through the goblins' tough hides effortlessly. When a group of goblins attempted to flank them, Ray swiftly raised his hand, conjuring a wall of fire that roared to life. The flames engulfed the goblins, their screams swallowed by the inferno as they were reduced to ash.
Finn's voice cut through the chaos, laced with astonishment. "You have Aura already? But you only awakened recently!"
"And you're using magic too," Finn added, disbelief clear in his tone. "How did you manage to get this proficient in both techniques in just two weeks?"
Ray chuckled, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You could say I've been at this my whole life," he replied, the weight of his words known only to him. With a steady breath, he channeled flames into the tip of his sword, the blade glowing with fiery intensity. He then surged forward, cutting down the remaining goblins with precise, flame-wreathed strikes, each one a testament to his battle-hardened skills.
Despite the chaos of battle, Ray noticed Jaxon's behavior. The thief moved with his usual cunning, striking down goblins with his poisoned daggers, but he showed no concern for his teammates. More than once, Ray saw Jaxon's attacks narrowly miss Zara or Finn as he prioritized his own safety over the team's.
The battle was fierce but short-lived. The goblins, though numerous, were no match for the team's combined strength. As the last of the smaller goblins fell, the larger ones emerged from deeper within the forest, their brutish forms wielding heavy clubs.
Zara roared, her transformation pushing her strength and agility to their limits. She tore into the larger goblins with ferocity, her claws cutting through their thick skin as if it were paper. Each strike was precise, a testament to her years of training and her natural talent. Finn supported her from a distance, his arrows piercing the larger goblins' vital spots, slowing them down and making them easy prey for Zara's relentless assault.
Gregory's golem held the line, its massive form absorbing the blows from the goblins' clubs. With each swing, the golem retaliated with earth-shaking punches, sending the goblins crashing to the ground. Gregory himself was busy casting defensive spells, creating barriers to protect his teammates from the goblins' attacks.
The team's coordination was flawless as they advanced toward the dungeon's final defense. Goblins armed with swords leaped from the underbrush, attempting a surprise attack. Their plans were swiftly thwarted as Ray conjured a blazing barrier of fire, creating a wall of intense heat that repelled their assault.
With the surprise attack neutralized, the battle began in earnest. Zara and the golem charged forward with unrelenting force. Zara's claws and the golem's massive fists tore through the goblins with brutal efficiency, their combined might amputating limbs and reducing the creatures to shattered fragments.
Ray, ever vigilant, unleashed a fireball with pinpoint accuracy. The blazing sphere streaked through the air, searing through the goblin's defenses. Finn played a crucial role, using his bow to blind one of the goblins by scorching its eyes, rendering it vulnerable. With the goblin disoriented, Ray's fireball struck its head clean off, the decapitated body collapsing to the ground.
The battlefield became a testament to their teamwork and skill, each member playing their part to ensure the dungeon's defenses crumbled before them.
But as the battle raged on, to kill the last goblin Jaxon's true nature revealed itself. Seeing an opportunity, he deliberately positioned himself behind Gregory, using the older man as a shield against an incoming goblin. Gregory grunted as the goblin's sword slashed into him, the impact sending him sprawling to the ground with a massive cut around his chest, leaving him unconsious.
Ray's eyes widened in anger as he saw what Jaxon had done. Without hesitation, he sprinted towards Gregory, flames dancing in his palm as he unleashed a torrent of fire at the goblin, reducing it to ash. Jaxon, unfazed, simply shrugged and turned away, his attention back on the remaining enemies.
Fury surged through Ray. He couldn't let this slide. Jaxon's callousness had put them all at risk, and Gregory had paid the price. As the last of the regular goblins fell, Ray stormed over to Jaxon, his fist connecting with the thief's jaw in a powerful punch. The force of the blow knocked Jaxon unconscious, sending him crumpling to the ground.
However, the party's losses didn't end there. Zara's beastly transformation began to falter as exhaustion took its toll. Her claws retracted, and her powerful, beast-like legs reverted to their human form. Panting heavily, she staggered back, her once formidable frame now appearing small and frail. The intense combat had drained her completely, leaving her vulnerable and spent.
Exhausted but resolute, Zara and Finn exchanged a determined glance, their movements swift and purposeful. Zara's fierce confidence was now tempered by concern and weariness as she assessed Gregory, ensuring he remained conscious. "Finn, we need to get him back to the van. Now," she commanded, her voice firm despite her fatigue. Finn nodded, lifting Gregory with care, while Zara hoisted Jaxon's limp form over her shoulder.
"You two get them back to Xander. I'll handle the boss," Ray declared, his voice brimming with confidence.
"No way. It's too dangerous for you to go alone," Zara retorted, her gaze locked on Ray with a blend of fear and urgency. "Even with a sword, you can't defeat a red goblin alone."
"None of you currently are in fighting shape. Take a moment to rest," Ray said with a steady tone, his confidence unwavering.
"You should come with us," Finn chimed in. "As a mage, you won't last long out there."
Ray burst into a hearty laugh, the sound echoing with the weight of his conviction. "A mage and swordsman, huh? I understand why you'd think that, but let me set the record straight," he said, his voice resonating with the authority of a king. "Finn, Zara, I'm neither a mage nor a mere swordsman. I'm a blacksmith."
His words were infused with a fierce enthusiasm, each syllable charged with an unshakable confidence. "I've honed my skills through fire and forge, and I know exactly how to wield them. You see, it's not just about magic or blade work—it's about mastery and purpose."
Ray's gaze was unwavering, his presence commanding. "Trust me, when I say I'm up to the challenge, it's not just bravado—it's the truth. My craft is my strength, and I'll show you what a blacksmith can truly achieve."
His tone carried a weight that left no room for doubt, instilling a powerful sense of assurance in both Finn and Zara.
"Alright, just don't die out there, or we all fail," Finn said, his sarcasm laced with an undercurrent of genuine concern.
As Zara and Finn hurried back towards the rift with Gregory and Jaxon, Ray turned his attention to the center of the forest where the red goblin awaited him. The dungeon boss was larger than the others, its skin a deep, blood-red hue. It wielded a sword almost as long as it was tall, and its eyes gleamed with a savage intelligence.
Ray took a deep breath, drawing his sword and channeling his Aura into the blade. The weapon glowed with a soft, blue light, the energy amplifying its sharpness and durability. The red goblin let out a guttural roar and charged, its sword swinging in a wide arc.
Ray met the attack head-on, his sword clashing against the goblin's with a resounding crash. Sparks flew as the two blades collided, the force of the impact sending a shockwave through the forest. Ray shifted his stance, using the momentum to spin around and deliver a powerful slash to the goblin's side. The creature howled in pain but didn't back down, swinging its sword again with even greater ferocity.
Ray parried the strike, his movements fluid and precise. He could feel the goblin's strength with every clash, but he remained focused, drawing on his experience from countless battles. With a swift motion, Ray unleashed a burst of fire from his free hand, the flames engulfing the goblin and forcing it to stagger back.
Seizing the opportunity, Ray pressed the attack, his sword moving in a blur of slashes and thrusts. The goblin tried to defend itself, but Ray's relentless assault left it with no time to recover. He combined his swordsmanship with bursts of fire magic, each spell carefully timed to disrupt the goblin's rhythm and leave it vulnerable.
Finally, with a powerful overhead strike, Ray cleaved through the goblin's sword, shattering the blade into pieces. The red goblin stumbled back, its eyes wide with fear as it realized it was defeated. Ray didn't hesitate—he followed up with a fiery slash that cut deep into the goblin's chest, the flames searing its flesh.
The red goblin let out one last, pained roar before it collapsed to the ground, its body dissolving into a cloud of red mist. Ray stood over the spot where it had fallen, his chest heaving with exertion. The battle had been intense, but he had emerged victorious.
With the boss defeated, Ray turned his attention to the dungeon core. The stone was embedded in a pedestal at the center of the clearing, its surface pulsing with a faint, ethereal light. Ray approached it cautiously, his sword still glowing with Aura. With a quick, decisive motion, he slashed through the core, the blade slicing cleanly through the stone.
As the core shattered, the world around Ray began to dissolve. The lush greenery of the forest faded away, replaced by a swirling void of light and color. Ray felt a strange sense of weightlessness as the rift closed, pulling him back to reality.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in the city, standing just outside the rift. The battle was over, the dungeon cleared. Ray sheathed his sword, his mind already
turning to his teammates. He hurried to where Zara, Finn, Gregory, and Jaxon were waiting near the van. Zara had already secured Gregory inside, and Finn was tending to the older man's injuries with a focused expression.
Zara looked up as Ray approached, her eyes scanning him for any sign of injury. "How'd it go?" she asked, her tone casual but with an undercurrent of concern.
"The boss is dead," Ray said with resolute determination, his exhaustion evident but his confidence unwavering. "As I said, it wasn't bravado. The dungeon's cleared, and we're done here." He goes to Xander, and hands him the core of the boss, alongside the other cores he had collected. The same action was then carried out by the rest of the party.
"Good. Gregory's stable, but he's going to need some rest. That hit he took was nasty." Finn said with a sigh of relief. He glanced over at Jaxon, who was still unconscious in the back of the van. Her expression hardened. "And we'll need to have a serious talk about him when he wakes up."
Ray agreed silently, his thoughts still swirling with anger at Jaxon's reckless behavior. But for now, his focus was on getting everyone back to safety. "Let's get out of here," he said, his voice firm. "We can sort everything out once we're back at the association."
The ride back was tense, the usual chatter replaced by a heavy silence. Finn drove with a focused intensity, his hands gripping the steering wheel as he navigated the streets. Zara sat beside him, her eyes occasionally drifting back to the rear of the van where Gregory lay resting and Jaxon remained unconscious.
Ray leaned against the side of the van, his thoughts churning. The battle had been intense, but it wasn't the physical wounds that troubled him the most—it was the sense of betrayal. Jaxon's actions had put them all at risk, and it was a stark reminder that not everyone could be trusted.
The van pulled into the association's parking lot, and Xander turned off the engine. The team sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the day's events hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Zara broke the silence, her voice low but firm. "Let's get Gregory inside and make sure he's taken care of. Then we'll deal with Jaxon."
Ray nodded, the others following suit. As they helped Gregory out of the van and into the buildings medical wing, Ray's mind was already racing ahead, thinking of the challenges yet to come.