Darius stepped forward to meet the advancing horde, his bronze spear clenched tightly in his hands. Around him, the Katula warriors fought valiantly, their battle cries rising above the clash of weapons and the guttural snarls of the goblins. For every swing of their bronze axes or thrust of their spears, a goblin fell, its grotesque body crumpling to the ground in a spray of blood.
Yet the goblins were unrelenting. Wave after wave crashed into the Katula line, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm even the most disciplined warriors. The once-tight formation began to waver, the exhaustion and losses taking their toll.
Darius fought with everything he had, his muscles burning as he drove his spear into another goblin's chest. The creature screeched, clawing at the weapon embedded in its flesh before collapsing. Darius barely had time to yank the spear free before another goblin was upon him, swinging a rusted cleaver with wild abandon. He ducked, the blade missing his head by inches, and retaliated with a swift upward strike, the bronze tip sinking into the goblin's throat.
Beside him, Zovar fought with equal ferocity, her broken spear carving through the horde. Her movements were precise, but the blood seeping from her wounds was beginning to slow her. A goblin lunged at her from the side, and she twisted to block its attack, but the effort cost her. Another goblin leapt forward, its claws slashing across her arm. She gritted her teeth against the pain, driving her blade into its chest with a fierce cry.
Despite their bravery, the Katula warriors were falling. Darius's heart sank as he glanced around the battlefield. A warrior to his left was dragged down by three goblins, their jagged weapons piercing his body in a frenzy. To his right, another warrior collapsed as a spear found his chest, his lifeless eyes staring at the sky.
"Hold the line!" Zovar shouted, her voice hoarse but commanding. She swung her spear with renewed vigor, but the desperation in her tone was impossible to miss.
Then the goblin general entered the fray.
The towering beast tore into the Katula ranks like a force of nature. Its massive cleaver cleaved through warriors and shields alike, sending bodies flying with each swing. The ground shook with every step it took, its bloodshot eyes scanning for the next target with cold malice.
Darius watched in horror as the general grabbed a warrior by the neck, lifting him off the ground as if he weighed nothing. The goblin sneered before crushing the man's throat with a sickening crunch and tossing the body aside like garbage.
"Darius!" Zovar's voice snapped him out of his stupor. She was pointing at the general, her face pale but resolute. "We have to—"
Before she could finish, another goblin barreled into her, knocking her to the ground. Darius lunged forward, his spear plunging into the creature's back, and he helped Zovar to her feet.
More goblins surged forward, pressing the Katula warriors back. The line was breaking, the horde spilling through like water through a cracked dam.
Just as all hope seemed lost, a new sound rose above the chaos—the steady thud of war drums and the unmistakable roar of charging warriors.
The ground trembled beneath the pounding feet of hundreds of warriors as the rest of the Great Plains Alliance charged onto the battlefield. At their head were Rice, Ryden, Arika, and Orvek, their expressions fierce and determined as they led their warriors into the fray.
Rice's voice rang out above the cacophony, a mixture of excitement and adrenaline. "We're here, Darius! Let's turn these goblins into stew!"
Arika raised her spear high, her gravelly voice carrying across the battlefield. "For the tribes! Charge!"
The Toquiri hunters struck first, their spear throwers launching projectiles with deadly precision. Goblins at the rear of the horde shrieked as the bronze-tipped spears pierced their bodies, dropping them where they stood.
The Varuka warriors hit the goblins like a battering ram, their bronze axes and spears hacking through the horde with unrelenting force. Orvek, at the forefront, bellowed a war cry as he brought his massive axe down on a goblin's head, splitting it in two.
Ryden, moving with the Varuka, sang a deep, rhythmic chant that invigorated the warriors around him. His voice, rich and commanding, gave them strength as they pushed through the horde.
The Katula warriors, emboldened by the reinforcements, regrouped with Zovar and Darius at their head. Together, the three tribes pressed forward, their coordinated attacks overwhelming the goblins.
For the first time, the strength of the alliance shone through. Each tribe worked to cover the weaknesses of the others. The Katula's agility allowed them to strike quickly and retreat, drawing the goblins into ambushes set by the Toquiri. The Toquiri's long-range attacks thinned the horde from a distance, allowing the Varuka to move in with their devastating melee strikes.
Darius fought with renewed vigor, his spear a blur as he struck down goblin after goblin. He caught sight of Rice hurling a spear with surprising accuracy, cheering loudly when it struck its target. Ryden moved like a shadow among the warriors, his chants giving them strength even as he struck down enemies with a borrowed spear.
The goblins faltered, their numbers thinning under the relentless assault. The warriors of the alliance began to push them back, their cries of victory growing louder.
Just as the alliance seemed poised to win, the goblin general charged into the fray once more. Its massive cleaver tore through warriors and goblins alike, its sheer size and strength carving a path of destruction through the battlefield.
Darius watched in horror as the general swung its weapon in a wide arc, sending warriors flying like ragdolls. The creature's bloodshot eyes gleamed with rage as it roared, the sound reverberating across the plains.
Arika stepped forward, her spear raised. "We take it down, together!"
Zovar, clutching her broken spear, nodded.
Orvek grinned, hefting his massive axe. "Let's see what this bastard is made of."
The three chiefs advanced, their weapons ready, as the goblin general roared and charged to meet them. The battlefield fell silent for a brief moment, the warriors of the alliance watching as their leaders prepared to face the monstrous foe.