Oliver yelled something, but I couldn't register her words.
The agony spread through my arm like liquid fire, sending waves of excruciating pain surging through my veins. My knees buckled. Jeremy moved first—quickly and quietly, positioning herself in front of me, shielding me from any incoming arrows.
Theo and Oliver dashed forward, grabbing me under the armpits as the horde of goblins approached, snarls plastered on their faces. There were more than five of them, as far as I could see. "It's fine..." I said, surprising myself with my ability to speak through the pain. I've never been one of those dudes who claimed they could keep a straight face and walk it off when it came to pain tolerance.
Yet, here I was, struck with an arrow, speaking like nothing ever happened. My thoughts were clear, and I quickly began strategizing on what to do.
"It's not fine, Sebas—" Oliver attempted to argue, but I cut her off.
"It's fine. We'll make it." I insisted. The goblins approached, snickering. The little bastards. Jeremy tried to hold them off, but as outnumbered as we were, that wasn't simply possible. "I need a weapon..." The rock I used to bludgeon the previous goblin had fallen to the ground. I snapped my gaze to the arrow lodged in my shoulder.
A goblin, noticing my weak state, targeted me.
'No time to waste.'
I grabbed it and pulled it out without a second thought. I clenched my jaw, riding out the wave of agony.
Blood streamed from my wound.
"Seb..."
"Sebas!"
Oliver and Theo's concerned shouts blurred in the background as my gaze locked with the creature's.
I drew back my arm, the bloodied arrow clasped tightly in my hand.
The distance between us shortened; I shortened it, actually. That disgusting thing actually dared backing off when it saw the ferocity of my actions.
I thrust my hand forward with all the power I could muster. The goblin gasped, but no scream escaped its lips; the tip of the arrow pierced its windpipe. I withdrew the arrow swiftly, and in a single motion, embedded it into the creature's skull.
It dropped dead instantaneously. Not much of a fight there.
Two down.
I was weak, and not lightheaded enough to believe I could take them all down. We had to run. Right as I was about to issue the command…
"You bastards!" Jeremy glanced at the wound on my shoulder—it probably looked worse than it was. Still, her expression twisted into one of pure, darkened fury.
With a guttural yell, she pounced at the nearest goblin. Unprepared for the attack, the creature staggered backward as she collided with it. The ensuing scuffle sent them tumbling across the grassy plains. Jeremy fought savagely, kicking and flailing wildly, a stark contrast to my controlled attack moments ago.
She wasn't the strongest, nor the fastest; the element of surprise alone carried her through the clash with the short monster. They thrashed around together, locked in combat.
I hurriedly collected the rock I had lost earlier, throwing caution to the wind.
I sprang towards the wrestling pair, ignoring the throbbing pain in my shoulder. Every step felt heavy, and every jolt sent bolts of agony coursing through my arm, yet I persisted.
Another arrow whizzed past my ear. Too close for comfort. And it was enough to snap me back to momentary clarity. Just like that, my plan changed. Jeremy had to grit her teeth and resist for a bit. That archer needed to be eliminated, pronto.
Jeremy's fist smashed into the creature's face once, then again. She slammed her palm down onto the goblin's neck repeatedly.
Before she delivered a fourth strike, the other goblins broke out into a frenzied charge, yelling bloody murder in some alien tongue. My heart pounded in my chest.
This was beyond fucked up.
But instead of letting the fear paralyze me, I gripped the rock even tighter.
As if anticipating my move, the nearest goblin whipped out a jagged knife from its belt.
A split-second decision presented itself to me: either to rush the knife-wielding attacker and hope brute force would suffice, or take a detour and risk losing precious time reaching the ranged attacker. Ultimately, I chose the latter, a gut feeling guiding my steps.
I skirted around the knife wielder, narrowly avoiding the swipe of its blade, as another arrow zipped past me, missing by mere inches. Adrenaline surged through my veins. Oliver and Theo immediately rushed to help—I gestured towards Jeremy.
They got the hint and reluctantly nodded.
The goblins that tried to pounce on a distracted Jeremy were intercepted by the both of them. Some of them wielded clubs and knives. However, their reach was limited compared to ours. We had the size advantage.
I advanced forward, evading another arrow. I closed in on the archer; its aim began to falter as panic crept into its features.
The archer's eyes widened and it hastily attempted to reload. My window of opportunity.
I hurled the rock at him. It hurtled through the air, whistling before striking him directly between the eyes. It recoiled, stunned at first, then fearful the next.
It attempted to escape, but I launched myself towards it. Its skin felt coarse in my hands. Very unpleasant, as was the putrid smell. We tumbled down, rolling through the dirt until I ended on top.
The pain on my shoulder flared, but I'd scream it all out later, when my life wasn't so closely hanging in the balance.
I glanced at the arrow in my hand, then down at the squirming goblin. "You piece of shit." I spat. Gripping it firmly, I drove it downward, plunging the jagged edge into its beady eye.
The scream that followed was harrowing. Blood sprayed from the socket as the eyeball ruptured, spilling down the goblin's face.
But still, the deed wasn't done yet. I drove the arrow deeper, pressing my full weight against the hilt. Eventually, there was no more resistance. When the arrow sunk into the goblin's brain, the writhing body below me went still, save for the occasional twitch.
Except that I didn't have enough time to revel in my victory. I didn't forget that the battle wasn't over yet.
I scrambled to my feet, swaying, but determined to make it back to my friends.
Jeremy had ruthlessly dispatched her goblin; its crushed neck told more tales than my poor vocabulary ever could. Her red hair was even more of a mess, with streaks of goblin's blood matting it.
Oliver and Theo weren't faring as well as Jeremy, but they held their own, fending off the goblins with a combination of luck and sheer determination. Theo, after a comical tug-of-war with a goblin, somehow managed to steal the club right from its claws. Seeing the creature's ears flop down in fear was strangely amusing.
What a funny-looking demon.
Oliver grappled with another one, eventually emerging victorious, landing a decisive kick to its ribs that immediately incapacitated it.
By the time I reached them, only one goblin was left. Ironically, it was the very same one that tried to stop me from dealing with its ally.
Time to repay the favor.
The goblin saw four, very pissed off faces suddenly surround it like a pack of starving wolves.
"I think it's cute how he's trying to look tough." Oliver quipped, arms crossed. There were some minor gashes and scratches on her arms. She sighed. "Anyway, we don't know if more might come. We should just get it over with."
Jeremy, eyes narrowing, grinned with the kind of smile that promised imminent violence. "Oh, that sounds good to me. Let's beat him to a pulp!" She cracked her knuckles, stepping forward, her bloodied hands already twitching with anticipation.
The otherwise timid Theo also wore a cold look unbefitting for that fairy tale-like princess face.
I silently approached it from behind, closing off its only escape route.
The goblin let out a series of yipping sounds, akin to the chatter of a startled hyena. It still had a dagger in its hand, so a modicum of caution would serve us well.
Oliver stepped closer, eyes glinting menacingly. The goblin reacted instantly. It was about to hurl the dagger at her; I could see it, somehow. The sudden tension in his muscles. The subtle shift in its stance.
The weird thing was, I couldn't explain why. It was like my body just understood. A shift in the air, a feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I could sense the attack coming. Funny. I'd never been trained to read an opponent like that. Yet, there it was—an instinct I couldn't name.
Nevertheless, I trusted my intuition. In that critical instant, I leapt forward, grabbing the creature's wrist, preventing the blade's departure. A struggle ensued, the two of us engaged in a tense grapple. I pushed its arm upwards. As the goblin strained against my grip, Oliver closed in rapidly, her fist drawn back, rage blazing in her eyes.
A resounding thwack resonated through the air.
Then Jeremy and Theo joined as well, pummeling the helpless goblin while I held it like a punching bag.
It didn't take long before the creature ceased to move, its skinny, belly-bloated body completely broken and bruised beyond repair.
Only then, after we ensured it was truly dead, did I finally let go.
Panting heavily, I retreated a few steps, my body sore all over from exertion. I bent forward slightly, trying to catch my breath. The rush was fading, my adrenaline plummeting.
"I-I don't feel so good..." I muttered, pressing a hand to my forehead.
"Seb!" Jeremy was quickly by my side, holding me up before I could collapse.
I could faintly feel Theo and Oliver joining us. The former's voice sounded tinier than usual. "Oh god! He doesn't look well…"
They helped me sit down. Or rather, I was forcefully made to do so, courtesy of Jeremy's not-so-subtle shove.
"It's not that bad..." I tried to reassure them, but then I looked at my arm, completely drenched in blood. The wound was pulsating. "Well, it does look a little bad." I admitted.
"You think?" Oliver exclaimed sarcastically, exasperated at my nonchalance. Her brow furrowed, as she nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "We don't have anything to treat this!"
"We should find a stream to wash it first!" Theo piped up anxiously. "If it gets infected..."
Oliver shook her head. "We need to tampon it and stymie the blood flow."
A tearing sound echoed around us, revealing Jeremy, ripping a piece of fabric from her shirt. She wore a grim expression on her face. She turned her gaze toward me. "Lift your arm." She instructed gently, her voice uncharacteristically soothing. I complied, allowing her to wrap the makeshift bandage around the injury site. I grimaced when she pulled it taut. "Sorry." She muttered, looking at me from so up-close that her breath tickled my cheek.
"Don't worry about it." I replied through gritted teeth. "Besides, you're quite hurt yourself."
She smiled it off. I sighed.
There was a bruise on her cheek; it reminded me of that time when she got into that fistfight over a girl. Back then, I had his back, earning myself a black eye for my efforts. I remembered his battered face with some nostalgia. Now, she was a battered woman. And yet... her eyes were softer now. And there was something else there. Concern? Anger?
I didn't have too much time to ponder on that, because the bandaging process hurt like hell. Still, I bit back the pained yelps threatening to spill from my mouth.
She finished tying the knot around the makeshift bandage. "That should stem the bleeding, hopefully."
Theo quietly approached to examine her work, nodding solemnly. "You did great." She complimented earnestly, then looked at me. "Now try to move as little as possible and rest a bit."
"Thanks, doc." I joked dryly. "But we can't stay here."
Lightning might not strike the same place twice, but whatever brought those goblins here might do so once more if we lingered.
I attempted to stand up. Jeremy and Oliver both reached out simultaneously to assist. I waved them off, rolling my eyes. "I'm wounded, not decrepit."
Despite their concern, they relented, understanding my prideful gesture. After a brief pause, I regained my footing and stood up, albeit shakily. The world swayed for a moment.
"Take it slow." Jeremy murmured, her voice a notch softer than usual.
"Alright, mom." I quipped, eliciting a small chuckle from her. She stuck her tongue out playfully.
I scanned the area. All around us were scattered, lifeless forms of the goblins we had just slaughtered.
Our ragged breathing filled the air as we surveyed the aftermath of the brutal encounter. Everyone nursed their cuts and bruises in silence.
"I didn't know goblins really existed." Theo commented as we ransacked whatever we could from the goblins.
Oliver followed closely behind, while Theo stayed by my side.
Jeremy shrugged. "In retrospect, it makes perfect sense for this fantasy bullshit we got ourselves in."
"I guess..."
Meanwhile, I located an unattended, dropped bow and quiver on the grass, strewn during the earlier melee. I picked it up.
"A bow?" Theo asked.
"Damn, the only time I played archery was at a carnival booth. Won a teddy bear for a chick who..." Jeremy caught herself rambling.
"It'll be good for hunting." Oliver nodded. I concurred.
I looked around. "So, who wants it?"
"Give it to me!" Jeremy shouted excitedly. I handed it over to her. She inspected the weapon carefully, pulling on its string and testing the tension. "Nice." She mumbled. "Haven't shot one of these since forever, but it'll do."
We searched our immediate surroundings. Among the various items we found included more crude knives, rusty weapons, and a handful of coins. These seemed useful for potential trading opportunities down the road. Maybe we could stumble upon someone soon.
Beyond that, though, there was nothing of any significant value.
All I knew was that staying here any longer wasn't an option.
"Oliver, you take the lead!" Jeremy said.
"Why me?!"
"You idiot, archers can't go ahead. And if I have to pick between you and Theo, it's obvious, isn't it?"
She grumbled, but acquiesced. Jeremy's gaming logic resonated with her. "Fine... let's get this over with. But you better cover our asses, okay?"
"Duh!"
We formed a line: Oliver leading the charge, followed by Theo, me, and with Jeremy taking up the rear.
I looked up. The sky was a deep blue now.
It wouldn't take long before darkness engulfed us completely. My mind raced, contemplating our dwindling options.
Would shelter present itself? Would we be forced to construct temporary shelters?
"You're thinking too much." Jeremy whispered, jabbing me with the blunt end of an arrow. I jolted. She clicked her tongue and wagged her finger at me in a playful manner. "Naughty Sebastian. No wandering off in thoughts! It'll stress you out and that ain't good for healing."
"Someone's got to do the thinking." I scoffed.
"Exactly, and that someone ain't gonna be you."
"...Hey—"
"Have some faith in us, will ya?" Jeremy nudged me. "You don't think we're completely useless without your guidance, do you?"
Her statement was punctuated by an exaggerated wink.
"..."
"Just focus on healing." Jeremy placed a gentle hand on my uninjured shoulder, offering a warm, encouraging smile. So different from her usually flippant attitude. "Seriously. We're an OP squad, ain't we?"