Ch24: Goblin Forces

“Here they come!”

“Off the watchtowers, man the walls!”

“Do not fear! Regis and Headmaster Lam are with us!”

Adventurers and guards numbering twenty manned the walls, while Lam and Regis stood behind them with a solemn atmosphere. Ben’s party was ordered to cover the northeastern side. Everyone was tense as they saw the hobgoblin leading the goblins and dire wolves from the front.

A hobgoblin adorned with bone armor walked forward with a head of a human attached to the end of his spear.

Hobgoblin: “HUMANSSS… surrender now! For the Goblin King comes! LOSE FAITH! If you surrender now, I give quick deaths!”

Lam: “Hobgoblins… speaking our language? This disgusting monster dares speak our language?”

Regis: “It would seem that the hobgoblins are granted the ability to speak common… how has this world changed.”

The hobgoblin stood there for a moment as it expected a response. However, there was only the tense atmosphere between the goblins and humans as they continued to stare down at each other.

Hobgoblin: “... Where is the SPEAKER!! YOU DARE IGNORE ME?”

The people glanced back at Lam, who obviously didn’t care about the Hobgoblin.

Seeing Lam not move a muscle, the hobgoblin’s mood soured at Lam’s attitude.

Hobgoblin: “CURSE YOU! CURSE YOU! ATTACK!”

The two other hobgoblins beside the leader nodded with vigor. One of them lifted their hands in the sky and 30 goblins with bows and arrows launched an assault. The arrows were crude but flew with an aim towards the human soldiers, only to fall to the ground lifeless as they hit an invisible wall.

Hobgoblin: “MAGIC! Arrows no WORK! KILL!”

The other hobgoblin raised their hands and climbed on top of the dire wolf. 20 dire wolves riders followed the hobgoblin. Seeing the movement the humans immediately launched arrows at the riders. Some arrows managed to find their marks on the dire wolves, however, most arrows strike the ground. The hobgoblin rider in the front of the pack saw the quagmires and immediately ordered the goblins to go around it. The majority were able to follow orders but three of them were too slow and fell into the quagmires as the dire wolves abruptly stopped in front of it.

Guard: “Rangers shoot them down!”

One or two arrows were launched at the goblins stuck in the quagmire. The once struggling goblins now slowly sank into the land with an arrow or two lodges in their stomachs and/or head.

The hobgoblin leader nodded to a goblin on his side, and eventually, three goblin mages appeared from the masses. Just one look Regis immediately understood what they wanted to do.

Regis: “Stop those Mages!”

Ten of the allied troops listened and aimed at the mages with precise shots. However, goblins with wooden bucklers stood in front of the mages regardless of how weak and fragile the shields looked. One of the shields broke and allowed the crossbow bolt to pierce itself into the goblin’s head.

Given enough time, the three goblin mages chanted their spells.

“Wetlands become dry, dry for the humble servant of the lands >”

The sunken quagmire resisted at first, however, under the trio’s power the land dried up, clearing the path towards the gate. Seeing this opportunity the 50 goblins charged.

Guard: “Cover the flank! Spearmen towards the dire wolves! Rangers fire at will! Defend the Rangers!”

As the guard yelled out orders, the rangers shot down 3 direwolf riders and 10 goblins. Regis chanted four stone bullets and smashed them into the dire wolves, killing both the ride and the rider.

Wilmot: “Stand behind me!”

Wilmot geared himself towards the Direwolve riders. Linzet continued to fire from Scarlett.

Linzet: “These riders are so annoying! The wolves don’t move in a straight line!”

Wilmot: “I would feel sorry if these wolves were made that stupid!”

Wilmot blocked a couple arrows that got through the weakening barrier. Scarlett thrust at the oncoming dire wolves. The riders were now starting to breach the wall, scattered fighting began between the troops and the goblins.

Seeing the situation, Headmaster Lam set off with his sword and shield. As he walked through the camp, an eager goblin rider directed its gaze on him, charging with an intent to kill. The dire wolf pounced onto Lam’s shield trying its best to tear out his throat. However, the strength behind the shield was immense as he held the direwolf with the shield lightly as he quickly finished it off with a quick stab to the stomach. The dire wolf yelped as it felt its guts and blood leaking from below. Losing its strength, Lam threw it off to the side where the goblin rider fell off as well, stuck between the ground and the slain dire wolf. Lam walked slowly towards the trapped goblin. The goblin was scared and pleaded for its insignificant life. Lam’s boot laid on the goblin’s face as it continued to squirm resisting with its twig-like arms. With a little force from the boot, the goblin was silenced, there was no gurgle, and there was no more life. A simple crack squeaked out from the goblin before its arms fell lifelessly. Lam looked forward once more and resumed walking.

Guard: “Headmaster Lam!”

Lam: “Route the dire wolves, Regis will do his best to hold the goblins from the east off.

After Lam said that, a giant dirt wall rose in front of the gates before the goblins were able to enter.

Regis: “I can’t keep this up much longer! This is above my paygrade!”

A guard’s throat was torn apart by a dire wolf as a goblin stabbed a shabby spear into the delicate leather armor. An adventurer off of the side was shot by a stray arrow in the head.

Four dire wolves riders arrived at Ben's party. Wilmot intercepted two and kept the wolves off of Linzet as she fired a warning shot at a goblin causing it to instinctively affect the dire wolf’s movement. Seeing the opportunity, Scarlett stabbed at the dire wolf’s head and dodged to the side as the body fell forward. As the direwolf slumped forward, the rider fell down alongside it, where Wilmot finished it off with a head slice.

Ben had two dire wolf riders flanking him, one tried to charge at Ben only for Ben to dodge sideways slightly and block a spear attack from the goblin with his sword. The sword guided the spear away from the goblin’s hands as Ben used the momentum to launch the spear down towards the ground where the other direwolf was going to flank him from, causing it to trip on the shaft of the spear. Landing on the ground on its side, Ben quickly finished off the direwolf with a quick stab and kicked the goblin down on the ground. Giving Ben enough time to finish off the goblin with a jab to the head.

The dire wolf that missed Ben turn its head around and growled with fierceness. The rider on top of it threw a rock at Ben with a pathetic throw. A moment of silence passed as the rock limply fell onto the ground in front of Ben. The dire wolf seeing that pathetic throw. Tossed down the goblin and ran off. The goblin landed its headfirst and was knocked out. Ben unceremoniously killed the goblin as he watched the direwolf that ran away, go towards a hobgoblin.

(A search for a better master… interesting.)

The party finished off their part of the fight and observed the situation around them. The dire wolves riders were mostly killed off 6 riders (wolves included) and 5 dire wolves were still fighting, while the humans only had four deaths due to the combined teamwork of goblin and dire wolves.

Just as things were dying off the dirt wall in front of the gate crumbled against the trio mages. Forty goblins joined the fray, quickly overwhelming seven guards. The guards were massacred without mercy, spears stabbed and daggers were ruthlessly penetrated by the cackling goblins as they pounced onto the dying guards.

Lam: “Retreat! Everyone form a line! Regis provide backup!”

Regis: “Gahh, damn it. > >

Brown auras begin to form around all the living soldiers including Ben’s party. As the soldiers retreated the spears and arrows were deflected by the aura shields. After a couple seconds, the shields slowly evaporated away into the air. Having done his job, Regis could only sit down and begin to meditate behind the line of people preparing a defensive formation.

The remaining guards and adventurers numbered only 9, as they grabbed swords and shields to prepare the defensive line.

Lam: “Hold steady! As long as we have ordered we will be able to kill these goblins with ease.”

Lam stood in front of the defensive line and readied his stance. Ben and his party continued to cover the northeastern flank, alongside Regis.

The goblins remained standing there, snickering and laughing as they stared at the pitiful humans. Eventually, the three hobgoblins and the trio mages arrived at the scenes.

The hobgoblin only stared at Lam, while the other two distastefully licked their clubs with glee. The hobgoblin seemed to lead them to step forth once more.

Hobgoblin Leader: “Surrender! AND DIE FAST!”

The hobgoblin didn’t wait for a response this time and pointed at Lam. The goblins and hobgoblins charged at once, while the leader himself stood in front of the trio mages with two goblin guards.

Lam charged in and immediately bashed and sliced through four goblins, and beheaded two dire wolves as he clashed against a hobgoblin. The strength of his swings was steady and strong. His face showed no emotions as he slaughtered these creatures.

The goblins begin to clash with the defensive lines. 32 goblins and 9 dire wolves are now upon the remaining 13 defenders behind Lam. Ben’s party is immediately separated from the defensive line as a hobgoblin on a dire wolf came strolling in, while 10 goblins surrounded them.

The hobgoblin on the dire wolf licked its lips as it eyed the party. The goblins surrounding Ben came in as pairs as they tried to attack. Wilmot held off two goblins, Scarlet stabbed a goblin, Linzet shot down the goblin before it got close and Ben smashed a goblin’s face with his fist and sliced the other goblin’s arm off with a clean swipe. Leaving the goblin in pain and in shock as it sees its own arm drop to the ground. As it tried to scramble for its lost arm, Ben curb-stomped it with a strengthened leg leaving a flattened goblin head on the ground.

Seeing the fight unfold in front of it, the hobgoblin charged forth with his ride and attacked Wilmot. The two goblins attacking Wilmot were suddenly bashed in the head from the hobgoblin riding through and it attacked Wilmot. The hobgoblin’s arms raised and smashed into Wilmot’s shields with a heavy blow, causing his arm to fold under its power. The dire wolf tries to bite off Wilmot’s throat, however, Scarlett steers off the Direwolf with a jab, causing the direwolf to instinctively dodge. The hobgoblin rider took the last moment to raise his club to hit Wilmot’s head. Seeing the attack, Wilmot used his sword to try and parry it as his shield is still down. The strength of the club smashed into Wilmot’s sword, making the sword hit Wilmot’s head with its sides. Wilmot was knocked down as the dire wolf ran by them. His heavy body fell down without resistance. Wilmot was out cold.

Linzet seeing Wilmot fall down without a sound.

Linzet: “Wilmot! I’ll avenge you!”

Linzet aimed and shot at the hobgoblin’s back, only for the arrow to strike the back of the bone armor. Scarlett checked on Wilmot’s status, his face was bashed on the cheek. Luckily the club that the hobgoblin held was only a blunt object, and the side of the sword mitigated most of the damage from the hobgoblin. His face is red on the side, blood leaked from his mouth.

Scarlett: “Wilmot is out cold, but there’s no blood coming from his nose. I would assume that most of the damage remained in his mouth, no damage on the head.”

Ben saw a faint brown aura rising from the ground underneath them and the defensive line. The goblins fighting the defense line kept their distances and sent two or four goblins at a time. Sixteen goblin corpses were in front of the line. Realizing the brown aura on the ground, Ben yelled out.

Ben: “Magic! The goblin mages are using ground magic!”

Everyone on the line looked down and Regis watched the trio of goblin mages chanting.

Regis: “It’s an earth magic, defensive line fall back. Headmaster Lam you too!”

Hearing Regis the Wizard confirm Ben’s call. The defensive lines began to shuffle back.

As the defensive line managed to fall back in uniform, the trio goblin unleashed their spell. The ground gave way creating a large trench between the defensive line and Lam.

Guards and Adventurers: “Headmaster!”

As the defense line yelled at Lam, he looked back with a confident gaze.

Lam: “I’ll be fine.”

As he finished saying these words, he looked back at the snickering goblins as they crab-walked around him.

The goblins surrounded the headmaster, letting the hobgoblins and mages come close to Lam. Lam only looked forward with his shield and sword at the ready. The hobgoblin leader only sneered and jerked his head at the other hobgoblin, who only nods. Its figure was more muscular, it had dark tattoos on its arm. The bone armor encased around its chest made it seem like a fearsome tribal warrior.

Scarlett: “BEN! STOP WATCHING!”

Ben looked back at the hobgoblin on the dire wolf, he charged at Linzet. Ben got in front of Linzet and drew out a brown aura from his sword and swung it at the Hobgoblin. Stones flew out of the ground and smashed into the direwolf’s face, yet it continued to charge. The hobgoblin arched its back as it tried to land a hit on Ben. Linzet shot an arrow from behind Ben, landing a shot on the hobgoblin’s chest, disorienting its balance. Seeing the opportunity Ben charged at the Direwolf. As if it was a jousting tournament, they both ran at each other, only for Ben to jump up and kick down the hobgoblin. As the direwolf ran while looking backward, Scarlett appeared from the side and stabbed it in the stomach. She pinned down the direwolf with a full push as she yelled. The dire wolf could only whimper as blood slowly drained out of it, its paws digging onto the earth as it couldn’t get up from its side with Scarlett there.

Ben and the Hobgoblin stare at each other, it brandishes its club alongside the dirt. The hobgoblin was furious, dirt was smeared on its face, its glorious bone armor now dirty. It slowly walked towards Ben while shaking the club around, loosening the dirt that was attached to it. Ben prepared himself as he held the sword.

The hobgoblin lunged forward with the club, Ben dodged to the side with anticipation. Yet the hobgoblin smashed Ben’s face with a sideways fist, its savage nature has come out. Ben backed up as he readjusted himself, sword in hand and thoughts processing.

(GAHH! That hurts! This hobgoblin is not going to fight fair… it was wrong of me to think traditional fighting focused on weapons was a thing.)

The hobgoblin lunged forward once more, quickly swiping the club to the side Ben dodged to only to be met with a sword. Grating on the club, Ben guided the sword across the club surface and straight towards the hobgoblin’s head as he ran alongside the sword. The hobgoblin tried to stop Ben with a punch only for Ben to catch the fist with his hand. The force behind the hobgoblin’s fist was strong like a lacrosse ball caught without a glove of some sort. The sharp pain quickly dulled, Ben issued out his strength as he stabbed into the hobgoblin’s stomach. The bone armor shattered as the sword plunged into the hobgoblin.

The club the hobgoblin held fell to the ground, it tried to back off, only for Ben to continue holding onto its fist. Slowly the hobgoblin fell to the ground on its knee while holding onto its wounds with one hand. Ben watched it slowly bleed out, only to finish it off with a knee to the head. It fell down on the ground, weak and groaning as it couldn’t even attempt to get up.

Ben walked away from the Hobgoblin and went to the party while taking a brief observation on Lam. Lam was having an all-out fight with a hobgoblin and was able to keep his calm while Regis worked on building the trench back up. One of the reasons why the troops aren’t willing to cross the trench was due to the goblins guarding it. The troops would be stabbed mercilessly as they tried to get back up on the other side.

Ben: “Lam is holding out the best he can, we need to go help him.”

Linzet: “The most we can do is shoot arrows…”

Ben looked around and simply saw the people watching Lam fight.

Ben: “Why aren’t the people helping Lam.”

Scarlett: “It’s a one on one duel… people and monsters should understand that concept.”

Ben: “Do monsters really have pride?”

Scarlett: “In a sense yes… they also have tribal leaders.”

Ben: “However… I feel like this is… entirely different.

Ben’s eyes could see the dark aura flowing out of the tattooed hobgoblins’ back. Its eyes glared red with fury.

The tattooed Hobgoblin sized up to Lam, as he held his sword and shield preparing to fight. The hobgoblin had no tools of the sort, only the impressive bleach white bone armor that had some sort of commanding aura to it. The hobgoblin clenched his fists, its muscles began to bulge. Lam calmly watched it, wary of the goblins around him that were shifting around unnecessarily. As Lam’s eyes wavered around, the Hobgoblin smiled as it dashed towards Lam with speed.

Ben: “Green aura? Wind magic?”

Scarlett: “Wind magic? Non-specialized C rank monsters shouldn't be able to wield magic! Hobgoblins and magic?”

Ben took a look at the goblin mages, and they were silent. The tattooed hobgoblin was the one casting the magic itself. Rather it was the dark aura that came from the tattoos.

Lam parried the punch, however, the clash left the iron buckler a dent in the center. His face grimaced as his arms grew tired and numb from the first hit. He readjusted with his sword in front and prepared for another assault.

The hobgoblin began to tilt its neck as if it was warming up for a good exercise. It began to pounce towards Lam as if it was a monkey running on both legs and paws. Lam swung at the hobgoblin with precision, chunking a part of its arm that was used to defend its head. The hobgoblin struck Lam’s back with a punch as it jumped around Lam’s backside. Lam recovered mid-slouch and faced the hobgoblin once again. The goblins in the background cheered as they saw the hobgoblin land a powerful strike on Lam’s back.

Lam stood proudly, a small burst of blood came out from his throat and leaked from his teeth as he continued to try and hold it.

Guards: “HEADMASTER!”

The troops looked back at Regis and back to Lam with desperation.

Lam: “I will not Falter… I will not Fall. Not to these monsters!”

The hobgoblin charged once more with vigor. Lam rushed forward as well and placed his shield in front of him. The hobgoblin sneered as his opponent just dug his grave with the shield. Its fist gripped with a dark aura began to punch towards the shield. Before it landed, the shield was floating in the air as if it was thrown lightly like a frisbee. As the fist punched the shield a dagger glinted into the eyes of the hobgoblin. Lam used his sword to stab the hobgoblin’s shoulder and finished with a dagger stabbed into the chin of it as it stayed shocked at the maneuver.

It was a second, but the hobgoblin and Lam stood in front of each other.

Hobgoblin: “Gurk….GAg*.” As it tried to speak, its body slouched forward, only to be shoved by Lam. The hobgoblin’s last vision was Lam’s stare. The hobgoblin’s body landed with a thud, there was silence as the goblins around stopped squawking.

The leader hobgoblin only watched in fury, it eyed Lam. It has been watching the entire time. Only 11 humans died, but its subordinates and his two hobgoblins died. Before it could say anything, Regis’s voice rang out.

Regis: “Replenish the earth from whence it came, Let this land be solid as the mountain tops” >

The trench that was between the troops and the goblin quickly refilled itself back up. The surface turned to a rocky texture as the troops quickly rushed in to save Lam. The goblins unaware and in panic, scattered around as the troops came in and finished off the goblins. The hobgoblin continued to only watch in silence as his goblins died gruesomely. The trio goblin mage only watched in silence and occasionally glanced at the hobgoblin, after clenching its fist the hobgoblin decided to fall back. The goblin mages and the last hobgoblin retreated, sending the last two goblins to distract the humans.

Lam only stood there as he breathed slowly. The troops surrounded Lam and asked him questions regarding his health. One of the guards realized the back of Lam’s chainmail was shattered underneath the leather armor. Lam was carried back to the tent as the other troops continued to keep watch.

Ben’s party was also in the massacre of the goblins, afterwards, they quickly went to tend to Wilmot’s injury. Hopefully, reinforcement would arrive in time before anything else happened.