[We've got contact!] (Kael) She shouted, her voice sharp and steady as she released an arrow from her bow.
The projectile cut through the air with a faint whistle, aimed toward the southeast, where she'd spotted movement.
I squinted into the thick undergrowth but could barely make out the shifting shadow. Whatever it was, Kael's instincts were rarely wrong.
[We need to spread out] I muttered, already moving to flank the area. My boots crunched against the dry twigs underfoot as we positioned ourselves to corral the approaching threat.
The creature burst into the clearing, and my breath caught.
[GRAAAARRR!] (??)
The monstrous hobgoblin stood nearly two heads taller than me, its dark greenish skin stretched tight over its hulking frame. Bulging muscles rippled beneath a layer of crude, scar-like calluses, and its beady yellow eyes gleamed with malice. A crude iron club hung loosely in its oversized hand, stained with what looked like dried blood.
Kael's arrow seemed to have done nothing. No arrow was embedded in its hide, not even a scratch to mark her effort.
Hobgoblins weren't like their smaller, weaker counterparts. Where goblins relied on numbers and mischief, hobgoblins were brutal, tactical, and terrifyingly durable. They were made for destruction.
Kael, however, didn't flinch. She was already nocking another arrow, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to the tension in the air. She adjusted her position for a better angle, moving with practiced ease.
[I'll crack it open!] I shouted, gripping my weapon—a long, slightly reinforced but reliable wooden staff. I hoped it would hold up against the hobgoblin's thick hide.
She nodded silently, her focus unbroken.
I darted sideways, zigzagging as I avoided the arrows fired by Kael towards the monster while maintaining the distance between myself and the hobgoblin. Its gaze locked onto me, and with a guttural roar, it swung its massive club. The weapon hummed through the air, but I ducked under its arc, feeling the gust of wind it left behind.
My staff bashed across its exposed side as I passed, but the attack barely grazed its thick skin.
[GRRRRR!] (??) It did not do anything at all.
I just pissed it off.
It turned with alarming speed for something so large and swung again. I barely raised my weapon in time to block, and even then, the force sent me skidding backward. My arms throbbed from the impact, and I clenched my teeth.
Kael's voice rang out.
[Duck!] (Kael)
Without hesitation, I dropped to one knee, and an arrow zipped just over my shoulder, striking the hobgoblin squarely in its left eye.
[RAAAAA!] (??)
It howled in pain, clutching at its face as dark, viscous blood oozed from the wound.
[Nice shot!] I yelled, taking advantage of its distraction to surge forward.
Not missing the chance, I aimed the staff at the enemy's knees.
[<
BOOM!
The fiery magic projectile shot from the tip of my staff, slamming into the hobgoblin's knee with explosive force. It stumbled, its balance shaken.
But it still didn't fall.
The hobgoblin's swings grew wilder, smashing into trees and sending splinters flying. I could feel the vibration of each impact through the ground.
Kael kept her distance, circling to get a clear line of sight for another shot.
[Keep it distracted so I can get a better shot!] (Kael)
[Sure, no problem!] I muttered, narrowly dodging another wild swing. My lungs burned, and my muscles screamed for respite.
A faint shimmer in the air caught my attention—an ethereal blue glow encircling me. It wasn't the first time it had appeared, but the strange magic still felt alien. The shield shimmered, absorbing part of the force whenever the hobgoblin's attacks came too close--
[Acer!] (Kael)
{MYSTWEAVE ACTIVATED!}
And the shield shattering like broken glass as soon as the club hit me.
Kael noticed too, her eyes narrowing as she fired another arrow, this time aiming for the creature's throat.
[Gahak! I am---fine] but it hurts like hell.
[Whatever that is, it's keeping you alive. Don't waste it!] (Kael)
Her arrow finally made a shallow wound on the hobgoblin's neck, causing it to roar in agony but not causing any real harm.
"Come on, think, Acer! Think!" I muttered to myself. My grip tightened around the staff as my mind raced. I couldn't keep trading blows with it—I needed something decisive.
The hobgoblin overextended in its reckless fury, its club crashing into the dirt. The opening was there.
I planted my feet, raised my staff, and aimed at its chest.
[<
A shimmering, colorless projectile burst forth, striking its torso.
The hobgoblin staggered, the force driving it back, but it still refused to fall. I could see the exhaustion in its movements now—Kael's unrelenting attacks and the accumulating wounds were taking their toll.
[Finish it!] (Kael) She fired another arrow above my head
I raised and aimed my staff one last time, focusing my mana. That sensation of unfamiliar magic surged again, like a tidal wave threatening to overwhelm me. I embraced it.
[<
A searing beam of light erupted from the tip of my staff, striking the hobgoblin squarely in its chest. The explosion shook the clearing, and the creature let out one final guttural roar before collapsing to its knees. It fell forward with a ground-shaking thud, motionless.
Dust and smoke filled the air as I stumbled backward, my body drained of energy. My breathing was ragged, my vision blurry.
With her bow still up, Kael stepped forward warily. She lowered her weapon and gave me a sly smile after confirming that the hobgoblin had died.
[Cracked it open, huh?] (Kael)
[Teamwork. That eye shot was perfect]
Kael shrugged, wiping her arrow clean on the grass.
[You didn't do too bad yourself. That last spell was not bad at all] (Kael)
I glanced at the still-smoking corpse, unease prickling the back of my neck.
[This felt...so wrong. They don't usually travel alone. Where are the others?] Hobgoblins are the brute force of the goblin; hence, those goblins should be around here. Something must be up to make the hobgoblin move alone.
Kael frowned, her gaze scanning the treeline.
[Good question. We need to move—fast, now. We still have to find the dungeon where that treasure is said to be located] (Kael) She grabbed arrows from her satchel and dumped them in her quiver.
Haaaaah. I only got a moment to take a breather; we need to move again. My knees are still exhausted from running, but I have no choice. We need to move; otherwise, staying here would jeopardize our safety.
As we gathered ourselves, a faint rustle in the distance made us freeze. My grip tightened around the staff, and Kael's fingers hovered near her quiver. The question about the power inside me still lingers, but the pursuit for that answer is sidelined for now.