The tranquil forest held an unsettling silence, the scent of damp earth and moss thick in the air. Noah's instincts prickled. Something felt off.
"There's too much silence… Be careful."
He warned, glancing at the bearded leader.
With a swift motion, the man raised a fist, halting the group. He pointed to a thin wire stretched between two trees, glinting in the dappled light.
"These bastards are clever. Stay alert."
He cautioned, his voice low and commanding.
One by one, they carefully navigated over the wire, tension coiling in their muscles.
"This tactic is common in ambushes. Nearly impossible to spot. Remember: if there's one trap, there are more—"
*Splat!*
A sickening sound shattered the air. The man's head twisted at an unnatural angle, revealing a gruesome cavity where his skull had been crushed. Blood erupted from the wound, spraying those nearby, the warm liquid drenching them in a macabre baptism. A rock rolled from the canopy above, a remnant of the chaos.
"Ambush!" a girl screamed, panic electrifying the air.
*Swoosh!*
Before she could react, a Hobgoblin plummeted from the trees, great sword poised to strike. It descended like a vengeful spirit, its voice a guttural roar of battle as it swung downward.
"Guaargh!"
In an instant, the girl was cleaved in two. Her body fell apart, blood and intestines spilling onto the forest floor, transforming the serene landscape into a horrific tableau. The creature stood amidst the carnage, grinning wickedly, reveling in the chaos it had wrought.
With a savage roar, the Hobgoblin lifted its sword, the blade glistening with blood as it prepared to charge. A drop splattered onto Noah's cheek, hot and viscous, igniting a fire within him.
"Kruagh!!" the creature howled, the battle cry reverberating through the trees, echoing like a death knell.
From the shadows, ten more Hobgoblins emerged, their eyes wild with fury and bloodlust. Their voices joined in a cacophony of snarls and growls, a chorus of malice that filled the air with dread. Tension thickened as both sides braced for the clash, and then chaos erupted. The forest transformed into a battlefield, filled with the sounds of clashing metal, the sickening *thud* of flesh meeting steel, and the screams of the dying.
Noah surged forward, drawing the Lady of the Night, the blade gleaming in the dim light.
*swish*
He zeroed in on the commander of the Hobgoblins, determination flooding his veins. The commander swung its great sword, but Noah was quicker, darting to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly arc.
With unrivaled speed he pivoted on his right foot, aiming for the Hobgoblin's neck.
*Tiiiing!*
The blade met resistance as it deflected his strike, sending vibrations up Noah's arm.
I can't fight in this tight space with such a large weapon.
The realization struck him; the environment was his enemy. The scythe was unwieldy among the chaos.
The commander lunged again, swinging its sword like a battering ram. Noah ducked, feeling the rush of air as the blade barely missed him. The creature twisted its body, thrusting down once more.
With a composed movement, Noah crouched low, the weapon sailing over him and smashing into a nearby tree, splintering it with a sickening crack.
Fuck!
Without thinking twice, he backed away, desperately trying to distance himself from the relentless beast. But the Hobgoblin pressed forward, each of its strikes shattering anything in its path. Noah scanned the area, searching for a way out.
There!
An opening.
A surge of adrenaline propelled him forward. It was now or never.
Time to counterattack!
Noah launched himself at the Hobgoblin, determination fueling his movements. Their weapons clashed again, steel ringing out like a death knell. He danced around the creature's strikes, parrying with every ounce of skill he had.
The Hobgoblin raised its sword, preparing for a lethal blow. In a heartbeat, it came crashing down, intent on cleaving Noah in two.
"Death Flame!" Noah shouted, channeling his energy.
A torrent of mana exploded from within him, manifesting as a blue flame that engulfed his palm. As if throwing an uppercut, he thrust the fiery orb onto the Hobgoblin's face.
"Kyaaaahhh!!" it shrieked, the sound a mix of terror and pain, echoing like a twisted melody through the forest.
The flames consumed its skin, bubbling and charring it like overcooked meat. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air as Noah pressed the creature's head into the inferno, the fire spreading rapidly. The Hobgoblin clawed at its face, shrieking as the flames devoured its features, skin peeling away to expose muscle and bone. It thrashed violently before collapsing, a smoldering heap of charred flesh.
_______________________________
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE DEFEATED A HOBGOBLIN WARRIOR! YOU HAVE EARNED 180 EXPERIENCE POINTS!
_______________________________
But the ambush was far from over.
The remaining Hobgoblins charged, eyes gleaming with malice. They descended from the trees like wolves on a hunt, weapons raised, ready to strike.
Noah barely had time to breathe before the chaos intensified. One Hobgoblin lunged, its jagged axe aimed straight for him.
In an instant Noah ducked, rolling to the side, but not before the creature's weapon clipped his arm. He winced, but adrenaline dulled the pain.
"Keep fighting!" he yelled, determination igniting within him.
With renewed resolve, he spun, his blade slicing through the air. The scythe met flesh, severing the Hobgoblin's arm at the elbow.
"Uaasrgh!"
Blood gushed from the wound, spraying like a fountain, as the creature howled in agony, its voice a chilling mix of rage and fear.
Whitout wasting the opportunity, Noah lunged, driving his weapon into its throat, the blade sinking deep. In a desperate attempt to save itself, the Hobgoblin gasped, blood pouring from its mouth, before crumpling to the ground, lifeless.
"Aaaarugh!"
A second Hobgoblin emerged from the fray, teeth bared in a savage grin.
Like a bullet the creature charged at Noah, jaws snapping dangerously close, its guttural growls reverberating in the air. Noah reacted instinctively, spinning away.
However, he wasn't fast enough.
The monster's teeth caught his finger, biting it clean off.
"Urgh!"
Pain shot through him, but he pushed it aside, focused on survival.
The Hobgoblin stumbled back in shock, its growls turning into a furious snarl, but Noah seized the moment. With a swift motion, he swung his scythe, cleaving through the creature's neck. Blood sprayed everywhere, drenching him as the Hobgoblin staggered back, choking on its own life force, the ground beneath him becoming a morbid canvas.
The battlefield was a nightmarish scene. Limbs twisted at grotesque angles, bodies torn apart, pools of blood soaking the earth. The ground became a canvas painted in shades of red, accompanied by the wails and guttural cries of the dying and wounded.
Noah's breath came in ragged gasps as he fought through the chaos, searching for a way to regroup. He locked eyes with Yong Nam-joon, who was locked in his own battle. Blood splattered across his face as he crushed a Hobgoblin's skull beneath his boot, a savage grin illuminating his features.
"Stay together! We can't let them overwhelm us!" Yong Nam-joon shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Suddenly, another Hobgoblin lunged at Noah from behind. Reacting on instinct, he spun around, swinging the scythe with all his might. The blade met flesh, slicing through the creature's throat in a sickening arc. Blood erupted, drenching Noah as the Hobgoblin staggered back, choking on its own life force, the ground beneath him becoming a morbid canvas.
But there was no time to rest. The air was thick with death and chaos, and Noah pressed forward, determined to survive. Each strike fueled by the desperation to live.
_______________________________
The cacophony of battle roared like a tempest, drowning out all reason. Blood sprayed in crimson arcs as the warriors clashed with the Hobgoblins, the air thick with the stench of sweat and iron. A hulking fighter named Marcus swung his massive sword, cleaving through the flesh of a Hobgoblin with a sickening squelch. The creature let out a gurgling scream, its innards spilling onto the ground, slick and steaming.
"To your left, Marcus!" shouted a fierce warrior named Kaela, her voice barely cutting through the chaos. But Marcus was too slow; a Hobgoblin lunged from behind, its jagged blade slashing across his back. He cried out, the pain igniting his senses, and staggered forward, feeling the warm blood trickle down his spine.
"Regroup! We can't let them surround us!" Kaela yelled, her own sword arcing through the air, severing the head of a charging Hobgoblin. It fell with a thud, the head rolling a few feet away, its eyes still wide with shock.
But in the chaos, Marcus could see another Hobgoblin charging towards him, its teeth bared in a savage grin. He turned just in time, but the creature was too quick. It buried its blade deep into Marcus's side, and he gasped as agony exploded through him.
"Marcus!" Kaela screamed, but he was already falling, blood spraying from the wound like a crimson fountain. The last thing he saw was the gleeful expression on the Hobgoblin's face as it twisted the blade, tearing through flesh and organs.
His world faded to black.
Nearby, Felix darted between the legs of the monsters, his daggers flashing like silver streaks in the sunlight.
"Take this, you ugly bastards!" he shouted, burying a blade into the neck of one Hobgoblin.
Blood sprayed like a geyser, drenching him as the creature's life spilled out, soaking the ground beneath them.
"Lyra, up in the trees!" he called to his companion, a sharp-eyed archer perched on a branch.
With a quick movement she pulled back her bowstring, her heart racing as she focused on the battlefield below.
"I see them!" she replied, letting an arrow fly.
*swiiiing*
Bending in the air, the dart struck a Hobgoblin cleanly in the eye, killing him on the spot.
However, victory is always momentaneous.
As Felix celebrated, a massive Hobgoblin lurched forward, its long claws outstretched.
"Felix!"
Lyra shouted in warning, but it was too late.
The beast swiped at him, catching him on the shoulder and biting down with a gruesome crunch.
Felix howled, his scream echoing through the chaos as the creature severed his fingers, sending them flying into the air like gruesome confetti.
"No! No!"
Lyra screamed, her heart racing as she drew another arrow.
"You monster!"
She released it with fury, the arrow piercing the Hobgoblin's throat. It stumbled back, gurgling on its own blood as it fell, but Felix lay on the ground, clutching his mangled shoulder, his face twisted in pain.
In the distance, a chilling scream cut through the melee. Elric, a burly middle aged man was surrounded by three Hobgoblins.
They laughed, their cruel voices rising above the din. Elric fought valiantly, swinging his sword with all his might, but their numbers were overwhelming.
"Get off me, you bastards!" he roared as they clawed at him, one of them driving a blade into his abdomen.
Blood sprayed from the wound, painting the grass red. He gasped, eyes wide with shock as they pulled him to the ground, teeth bared and blades flashing.
"Help me!" he cried, but the sound was swallowed by the chaos.
Vicously, the Hobgoblins descended upon him, ripping into his flesh with delight, their laughter mingling with his desperate screams. One lifted its sword high, bringing it down with brutal force, splitting Elric's skull in two with a sickening crunch.
Blood and brain matter splattered across the ground, painting the grass in horrific colors.
Lyra watched in horror, her heart pounding so hard the she could swear she could hear it in her ears.
"We need to get out of here!" she shouted.
"Run!"
Felix gasped, clutching his shoulder as they fought their way through the throng. The chaos of the battlefield raged around them, screams of agony and the gurgling laughter of Hobgoblins mixing into a symphony of horror.
In this brutal dance of death, both victory and loss stained the earth in red.
_______________________________
Noah turned toward the battlefield. Blood and limbs covered the once-green vegetation now stained in red.
in the midst of the chaos, Yong Nam-joon was slaughtering the last remaining monsters, using the corpses of the fallen as bludgeon.
The last surviving Hobgoblin struggled, crawling on the ground in a futile attempt to escape. Emily reached him, drew her dagger, grabbed the enemy by his hair, and slid the blade along his throat.
Though the battle ended in their victory, there had been more losses than prevented. Out of the twenty humans who had set out, only half emerged unscathed, while the situation was grim for the others: some had lost a hand or an arm, while others had lost their lives.
In a corner, a young girl lay on the ground, her hands pressed against a wound that was far too deep. Emily approached her, gently brushing her hair from her face. A trickle of blood flowed from her pale lips, and her glassy eyes stared blankly at a point in the sky. With a light, caressing gesture, Emily ran her hand across the girl's face, closing those eyes for the last time.
"We need to go back! There are too many injured and some can't be treated with just a simple bandage!"
Emily urged, turning to Yong Nam-joon.
"Maybe you don't understand, girl. This isn't a school trip. Everyone who joined knew what could happen. Those responsible for healing should take care of the wounded, while those who are well come with me. If these bastards were here for an ambush... there will be more lurking nearby!"
Yong Nam-joon replied, crushing the skull of one of the Hobgoblin corpses under his boots.