Chapter 13 Instinct

Kate smiled when Eloise brought her a bowl with chili and rice, her hands warmed immediately when she received it.

“It’s cold out here,” the girl said. “Are you sure you don’t want to come inside? Jon said we will hide in the armory anyway.”

“I’ll be there soon,” Kate answered. “Still seems like a good idea for someone to be up here.” If only in case any survivors find this place. We won’t hear them with the rain and wind.

“If you think so. At least take these as well, it’s already really dark,” Eloise said and handed her two small flashlights. She shuddered when a gust of wind moved through, the rain at least stopped by the wood above this part of the battlements.

“Thanks,” Kate said and put them into her jacket. “For the food too. Go and sleep.”

“I will. You should soon come inside as well,” Eloise said again, a shy smile on her face before she left, pulling up her jacket against the rain. She wore the same one as Kate.

The battlements would give them a massive advantage in a fight as well, at least with a few people using crossbows. If they hid inside the armory and the gate was breached, they’d have to fight in the yard or the buildings.

Kate tried not to think about the hordes she had seen down in the valley. But what am I hoping for? That they’d just move on? To where? Falstadt? And then?

The chili warmed her. Not quite spicy enough for her but it was an acceptable heat, everything cooked down to a hearty stew of fine tasting energy. What if we run out of cans to raid. Do we have to start hunting?

The food gave her something nice to focus on, the many questions and uncertainties floating through her mind popping in and out without anything managing to stick. Not after the day she’d had.

Kate finished the bowl and set it aside, leaning back against the battlements hidden from anything that would arrive near the walls. Another few hours, she thought, rubbing her hands together. The thermal set of long undergarments really shined in that moment. She would’ve been half frozen with so little movement otherwise.

Eloise brought her a rough blanket half an hour later, a gesture Kate gratefully accepted. Another coffee followed soon after, the warmth and caffeine helping with her aching body and mind.

When night fell, the rain was pouring, the rumbling thunder closer now. And with it came flashes of lightning. Kate hoped none of it would strike the tree in the yard or any of the buildings. The rain would maybe prevent a fire but it really was the last thing they needed right now.

Melusine and Bert checked on her every half hour or so, making sure she had everything she needed. The healer’s request for her to come back inside was ignored. Kate was too tired to determine her real reasons. Did she think herself some knight protector? Did she hope for survivors to come? Did the magic in her body push her into something dangerous and stupid? Or was it just her, preferring to be out here to gain some sense of illusory control instead of being holed up with the others, hiding in the dark.

About two hours into the night, Kate started to hear a strange slapping noise through the still pouring rain. Not entirely sure what to make of it, she grabbed her hammer and sneaked up to the other side, making sure not to show her head. Dim moonlight came through patches of the sky not covered in clouds. Her presence up on the battlements was questionable with the crappy visibility, even to her. And yet she had remained nonetheless.

The cramped room in the armory, all the injured in there, survivors more than anything. It wasn’t where she wanted to be. Not when she could be doing more out here. You’re just scared of being trapped.

It didn’t matter. The slapping noise happened one last time, Kate just barely able to make out the silhouette of a rope catching around a slab of rock a few meters to her left. Even in this rain. She grimaced and held on to her hammer. What should I do? Cut the rope? Get help? Wait for them to come up? Scream for the others? Who would even come? They’re all injured and exhausted. We can’t go on like this.

Waited too long, she thought when she saw the goblin jump over and onto the battlements. She had no more time to think. The others were safe for now, and she had tools at her disposal. Surprise being one of them. Her magic came to life, the sounds around her dulled but intensifying at the same time. She could hear the silent breaths of two more goblins coming up on the side of the wall behind her, one more on the same rope she had already seen. Yellow eyes stared up at her as she brought the blunt end of her hammer up in a slightly angled strike.

It felt light to her, more so than the crowbar even. She knew her senses were dulled but it was no longer an unknown sensation. Even the part of her that remained rational accepted the magic for what it was. Her ability to not only survive, but to fight back, to defend what may very well be the last living humans in Keilberg. And to kill the monsters that had slaughtered everyone in the town she had called home.

Her weapon struck the goblin’s head with a heavy impact, the rain and wind deafening most of the sound as the small creature was lifted up, dark blood splattering against the stone. Kate didn’t see well, but she could make out the unmoving form lying before her, and she struck again, a cold feeling in her chest when the monster’s head was smashed down onto the stone. She put a boot against its body and pulled out her weapon, crouching and moving silently to the closest sounds.

Attack.

No. Wait.

Let them come.

Her arms were tense, her every sense focused on the approaching enemy. She was still hidden. A better hunter than these beings. Arrogant. Stupid.

A part of her knew she herself was doing the same, not getting help, choosing to fight alone. And yet it felt right. She had to use every advantage that she had. And right now she was still hidden.

The next goblin jumped over the stone, landing with a wet impact, a dagger taken from the simple belt on its waist.

Kate had waited, the spike of her hammer slamming right into its head. She kicked off the body and went to the last on this side of the wall. More cautious. She saw the creature looking over before it jumped.

Her hand reached out and grabbed, catching its slippery arm before she pulled. So light. The goblin fell and hit its head against the other side of the battlements, Kate’s hammer crashing into its face a second later. She heard the crunch resound, ripped out the weapon and turned it around, the spike slammed into what remained of its head.

She turned when a lightning strike illuminated the walls, a single goblin standing a few meters in front of her with its yellow eyes wide open. The night went dark again and thunder rolled through the trees. Fear. Fast steps brought her to the creature, its dagger held up against the large steel hammer. Her strike only brushed against its shoulder, a kick against its chest sending the creature reeling back, staggering as it let go of the weapon. Kate didn’t hesitate. The spike struck it from above, into the goblin’s skull before the small body sagged down.

Weak.

Kate used one of her knives to cut the ropes, moving at a fast pace along the walls while crouched. Three more of the monsters had managed to get up, one even down the stairs and onto the yard. She caught them all.

The last one noticed her and turned around, looking for its allies with nervous yellow eyes, the previous smirk of a predator on a silent hunt replaced by a very contrary expression.

Kate had her magic up, the slight discomfort she had still felt from her shoulder now entirely gone, as was most of the exhaustion she had experienced before. She didn’t say a word as she walked towards the being, hammer casually held in one hand until she reached it. Kate watched as the goblin moved forward with a fast set of steps, dagger angled at her legs. Her hammer struck first, the middle part of the long handle catching the skull of the advancing goblin, her arms long enough to negate the reach of its short weapon. Stunned by the strike, the creature tried to reorient itself when the blunt end of her heavy tool of war struck the side of its large skull. A single heavy strike was enough, but she made sure with another one.

No corpses.

She grabbed the body, easily lifting it with one hand as she moved back up to the battlements, throwing it out. Let them know. All the others followed, Kate slowly moving back to the gate as she watched and listened, the latter much more useful in the night. When the last goblin hit the gravel down below, her head turned left. Noise.

In the underbrush just beyond the parking lot. Fleeing.

She didn’t look back. Her rational side reminded her that she had to protect the others, but what better way to protect them than to kill the monsters lurking in the forest? The monsters that had killed so many humans already. The grip around her hammer steeled as she climbed over the wall. She let herself down as far as she could and jumped, landing in a roll. She felt the heavy impact, the dull pain in her thighs and tendons. A small price to pay.

Hunt.

Kate followed the noise, running into the underbrush with little regard for her own safety. Within the trees, she could no longer see, the night too advanced and the clouds too dense. Light.

She moved one hand into her jacket and grabbed the small flashlight she had put inside. Turning it on, she bit down on it with her teeth and continued running, both her hands on the blood covered hammer made for war. Her own breathing she could filter out, the rain now less pronounced below the canopy of branches, leaves, and needles. The small cone of light bobbed as she ran, Kate now hearing the running creatures ahead, one of them screeching when it looked back and saw the light.

They were too slow to get away. Instead they scattered, the one that had looked back now crawling on the floor with one hand to its broken shoulder.

Kate killed the being with the spike of her hammer. She wondered if they would understand. Keilberg Castle was their own. And the people inside were prepared to fight. Two directions.

She chose the one going down the slope, catching up with the running goblin two minutes later. Her knee slammed into its back, Kate stumbling from the impact, the goblin instead falling. She reached its rolling form and brought down her weapon, the streets of Keilberg in her mind, blood covered and full of death. She struck again.

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Goblin Warrior]’

...

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Goblin Assassin]’

‘ding’ ‘Berserker reaches lvl 5’

Stat points +2

Perseverance +1

‘ding’ ‘Mindless Ferocity reaches lvl 5’

‘ding’ ‘Furious Dance reaches lvl 6’

‘ding’ ‘Toll for the Living reaches lvl 5’

‘ding’ ‘Two Handed Weapon Fighting reaches lvl 4’

The two new points went into Vitality, the short moment of calm enough to let her make the choice.

Wind and rain brushed against her face as she turned off her light and listened. The noise was gone but her hunt hadn’t ended. She took in deep breaths, calming her body before she looked up into the darkness. Something was approaching.

Heavy steps resounded, two large yellow eyes looking straight at her as the being grumbled something with a slurred and guttural set of sounds.

Kate turned on her small light, just barely managing to roll away when an axe came down. The heavy piece of steel crashed into a nearby tree. It sank in a third of the way. Wood groaned when the creature pulled out its weapon, the long handle made of wood, untreated and as thick as Kate’s arm.

She took a few steps back, watching the nearly three meter large being take in her form, some intelligence in its eyes as it stepped to the side. It wore simple leather armor, more or less directly stripped from whatever animal it had come from and thrown onto its form, a mix of brown and black on its sickly green skin. Fat and muscle gave it the same advantage Kate had against the goblins but she found herself neither scared nor worried. Those senses were dulled. Her focus was on every move of the creature, her body tense, her breathing calm. A dangerous foe. Finally.

Attack. The thought barely in her brain, she rushed forward, watching as the monster ripped out the axe from the tree, bringing it back with a swiping motion. Reckless Charge activated, moving her past the attack and its leg, all her momentum, strength, and skills working together to deliver a single strike against its knee. Kate felt something shatter, her arms shaking at the impact but she managed to hold on to her weapon. The beast roared in pain and swiped its left arm at her, the back hand hitting her shoulder and chest.

All the air was pushed out of her lungs as she was sent tumbling to the ground, the flashlight gone as she pushed herself up, coughing. Something splattered onto the leaves but she barely saw anything in the darkness. Her jaw hurt and her shoulder didn’t feel right. But she heard the howls and steps, jumping aside when the axe came whistling down, hitting the ground with an earthy thud.

She stood up and moved through the darkness, away from the sounds until she found a tree and leaned onto it. The second flashlight out, she turned it on and saw the large monster shuffling towards her, a pained and angry expression on its face as it dragged the dirtied axe behind itself. It tried not putting any weight on its left leg.

Kate bit down on the flashlight and held her hammer, slowly circling around the creature, bringing trees behind their forms. Warm blood dripped down her jaw, her left arm feeling weaker but still functional. Her entire focus was on the monster’s movements, each shuffling step eliciting a pained groan. Her own body hurt, kept moving by adrenaline and her magic, more so the latter. She had injured its leg and could likely get away, but right now, Kate would not consider that an option. Not if it would follow. A few strikes of its axe would break through the castle gate. She had to kill it. She wanted to.

The monster stopped and struck at the trees in front of her, a single strike going halfway through the first one. She waited, getting into position as she focused on her breathing. Another strike, the axe stuck. Reckless Charge moved her forward past the hand still gripping the axe. The being was large, but not particularly fast. The same strike as before, this time aimed at the other leg and followed by a blind roll onto the ground. She heard the howl and felt the axe pass over her before she came back up. Her flashlight illuminated the monster’s form, falling to its knees with the momentum of its angry strike. Another painful growl.

She stepped up and used her whole body, weight, and strength to strike its head, her reach just enough to get there. The impact sent the monster reeling back, gritting its teeth as it came back around, one of its eyes now dim, blood rolling down its head. Kate brought her hammer back from the other side, the spike end biting into its massive skull just before it grabbed her left arm and shook its head.

The movement ripped the weapon away, flung into the darkness. It pressed down on her arm and pulled. She yelped, dragged to the side as her limb was crushed, her skin and muscle torn at the shoulder. Her right arm flailed before she reached her belt, her vision blurred as she got out a knife and started stabbing down into the large hand. She heard another howl, her ears starting to ring, the flashlight still held down by her jaws, vaguely angled forward. Kate saw the large fist coming her way and activated Reckless Charge again. Her body was moved forward and under the large monster’s limb, the grip it still had on her arm making her spin slightly, something in her shoulder breaking before she managed to get free.

She fell and rolled, stumbling up and away from the sounds with her flashlight moving over the ground. The pained growls behind her continued, her ears still ringing. Kate found the hammer, blood covered on the ground, her magic the only thing that kept her focused on the fight instead of the pain. Her entire left side felt mangled. She didn’t look. Instead she grabbed for her weapon, the glove on her left hand gone and her jacket torn. Blood dripped from her fingers, the limb uselessly slapping against the steel handle. She couldn’t move it.

One hand would have to do.

She turned the weapon, the bloodied spike facing downward as she tried to stay steady. The flashlight shined into the forest, coming to a stop on two dim yellow eyes, blood flowing down from the deep wound on the monster’s head. It had stopped moving. Kate stumbled back, taking in a sharp breath when she felt her mangled arm shake, energy flowing into her as she hit a tree with her back. It wouldn’t be enough. Stay awake.

Thunder rolled through the trees.

Keep.

Moving.

Kate Lindgren

Unspent stat points: 0

Class: Berserker – lvl 5

- Active: Mindless Ferocity – lvl 5

- Active: Furious Dance – lvl 6

- Active: Reckless Charge – lvl 2

- Active:

- Active:

- Passive: Toll for the Living – lvl 5

- Passive: Courage of the Unarmored – lvl 3

- Passive: Two Handed Weapon Fighting – lvl 4

- Passive:

- Passive:

Support class: Locked

Status:

Vitality: 16

Endurance: 14

Perseverance: 5

Strength: 11

Dexterity: 8

Intelligence: 7

Wisdom: 10

Equipment:

Torso: -

Legs: -

Trinket: -

Food: -