I turned, startled by the familiar voice calling my name.
Amber.
She was jogging toward me, her short auburn hair catching the sunlight.
She had this bright, fiery energy about her that seemed to draw attention wherever she went.
But as she came closer, her expression shifted into something darker, more serious.
"Sky," she greeted, slightly breathless, "I was wondering if that was you."
I nodded.
"Amber. Hey. Didn't expect to see you out here."
"What are you doing outside the base?" she asked, her tone almost accusatory.
I hesitated, unsure how to phrase it in a way that wouldn't make her more concerned.
"I'm on outside wall duty. Support role," I said with a shrug, trying to sound nonchalant.
Her face immediately fell, her brows knitting together.
"Are you serious? Outside duty?"
"Yeah," I replied, scratching the back of my neck. "It's not that bad. Just gotta haul some supplies and keep watch."
"Sky," she said, her voice low, "do you even realize how dangerous that is? Outside gate duty isn't just some supply run. You're heading into the wild. Anything could happen out there."
I offered a faint smile, trying to lighten the mood.
"Well, it's not like I'm going out there alone. I've got a team."
Amber crossed her arms, clearly not reassured.
"And where is this team of yours? Inside, lounging around while you're out here?"
"They're... preparing. We'll head out soon," I said, gesturing vaguely toward the compound.
Then, to shift the focus, I asked, "What about you? Which duty are you on?"
"Inside wall duty," she replied.
Relief washed over me, and it must have shown on my face because Amber raised a brow.
"Good," I said. "At least you'll be safe in here. Not much can go wrong behind the walls."
Amber didn't respond right away.
Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to gauge whether I was really as calm as I seemed.
The silence between us stretched until I finally broke it.
"Well," I said awkwardly, "I should probably-"
Just then, my team emerged from the compound.
The sight of them snapped me back to reality.
"Guess that's my cue," I said, stepping back. "Take care of yourself, alright?"
Amber grabbed my arm lightly, her hesitation clear.
"Be careful, Sky. Outside duty isn't a joke."
I nodded, offering a small smile.
"I'll be fine. Promise."
Reluctantly, she let go, and I turned to join my team.
They didn't even wait for me, already moving down the path toward the gates.
As I jogged to catch up, I glanced back over my shoulder.
Amber was still standing there, her expression heavy with worry.
She raised a hand, giving me a small wave.
I returned it before focusing on the road ahead.
The others were giving me looks, curious, amused, questioning.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what they were thinking.
One of the guys, a lanky soldier with an irritating smirk, raised a brow as if to ask, Is she your girlfriend? I ignored them, focusing instead on steadying my thoughts.
As we exited the city gates, the atmosphere shifted.
The road ahead was lined with towering trees, their thick canopies casting dappled shadows on the dirt path.
The air was cool but carried the faint, earthy scent of the forest.
Our team moved cautiously, eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement.
The group leader, Steve, was at the front, his stance alert but confident.
I was near the back with the black-haired guy, who still hadn't said a word since we met.
Being part of the support team, we carried the heavier packs, supplies, ammunition, emergency gear.
The weight was manageable, but the tension in the air made it feel heavier.
Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig had me on edge.
"Stay sharp," Steve called back. "We're getting deeper into their territory."
Deeper into the forest, the path narrowed, the trees pressing closer together.
The sunlight barely pierced through the dense foliage now, casting everything in a dim, greenish glow.
That's when I heard it.
A faint rustling in the underbrush to our left.
"Hold up," Steve said, raising a hand.
We all stopped, the silence stretching thin.
Then, from the shadows, they emerged.
Goblins.
Their grotesque figures moved with unnerving speed, their yellow eyes gleaming with malice.
There were at least a dozen of them, maybe more, each armed with crude weapons rusty blades, jagged clubs.
"Ambush!" Steve shouted, drawing his weapon.
Chaos erupted as the goblins charged.
More poured out from the trees, their shrill cries echoing in the dense forest.
My team fought back fiercely, but the goblins kept coming.
This was going to be a long fight.