The goblins around us snarled and banged their weapons on their shields. They were trying to intimidate us, and it was definitely working on me. I remembered Saxa saying that the cave we were looking for was used by goblins. I would’ve said infested. “There’s no way we can take these guys,” I whimpered.

“Quit being a bitch and cover my back,” said Shawn. His calm tone helped steady me. “I’m two levels above these assholes, so I’ll try to clip their numbers down quickly. You just keep them from sneaking up on me.” I hoped I could do that.

“I can do this,” I whispered. I’d say it until it was true. One leapt at Shawn, who parried the sword thrust and returned a combo that ended with the creatures head flying off, before the next one came at him. I turned to find two goblins charging me.

A jagged sword missed me by inches, another was blocked by my own blade. My foot slammed the goblin between the legs. While it was stunned, my sword came around and slashed it in the face. Dodging another attack, I hit the other enemy with three quick strikes, right to the torso. A third goblin approached from behind me.

Wheeling, I booted the newcomer in the chest, which sent it stumbling backwards. Turning quickly, I blocked another strike. This was going to be a war of attrition. I struck quickly, giving the goblin another three slashes, the last blow cut its throat, and it fell backwards.

LvL 3 Goblin Slain, +30 Exp.

As I blocked another incoming blow, one more goblin stepped up, I was again surrounded on three sides again. My sword countered the next and slashed across one of my enemy’s faces before I felt the pressure on my back. The damage hovered translucently in the corner of my display before disappearing, -3. I looked at my health, HP 8/11.

It took everything I had to hold my own. I parried attacks like my life depended on it. It was all I could do to keep moving and still cover Shawn’s back. My breathing was steady and controlled, like I had learned to do in my old kickboxing classes. Lucky for me, goblins were slow to strike and fairly dodgeable. The bitch of it was doing enough damage to one in order to get the kill. It felt like trying to chop down a redwood with a hatchet.

Over my shoulder, I could hear Shawn going to work. All I had to do was keep the enemies busy and not die. Once I found a rhythm, I began to slip their attacks and get them in a counter. Every time they tried to hit me, I dodged and hit a different enemy. A jagged blade zipped by my head, my own buried itself hilt deep in my enemy’s chest, creating a spurt of black blood when I removed it.

LvL 3 Goblin Slain, +30 Exp.

I spun around with lightning speed and slashed for all I was worth. My short sword cleaved half the creature’s head off. The body fell at my feet.

LvL 3 Goblin Slain, +30 Exp.

Before I could be rushed by anymore enemies, I leaped back at the last of the three that had been attacking me. After a dodge, counter, dodge, and two hit combo, my blade lopped its swordhand off at the wrist, turned and thrust its way through the goblin’s nose. The tip of my blade stuck out the back of my enemy’s skull.

LvL 3 Goblin Slain, +30 Exp.

It was a rush, the feeling of power when you’re cutting your way through enemies and there’s nothing they can do about it. Looking around quickly, I saw that seven bodies lay around Shawn, and three around me. We’d cut the horde down by a third and now they were being more cautious. I grinned. We might just survive this.

Two more goblins charged me. I weaved between their attacks and scored a hit as I passed, then another when I wheeled around. Sidestepping another, I gave a three hit combo and watched a goblin’s head roll off its shoulders.

LvL 3 Goblin Slain, +30 Exp.

LvL Increased: 3

HP +2

Atk +2

Def +2

My level was now the same as our enemies, somehow the playing field felt level now. I felt good, really good, like a grown man fighting a group of toddlers. The fear of death seemed to fade. Two more goblins charged into the fray. I leapt between their strikes, turned and ran through the middle of the rest of them, ready to carve them up. A sword came at me, which I dodged, I was cocky.

A second blade hit me in the back, -2 and then another from the side, -2. I looked up at my health, HP: 6/13. Ducking and rolling out of the way, I pushed back from my enemies. I needed to get back in the rhythm. I shouldn’t be taking unnecessary risks this early in the game.

Bobbing and weaving, I parried a few more attacks, countering my enemies after each one. I was starting to get winded and my muscles began to burn. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure no one was coming up behind me and noticed the pile of bodies around Shawn had grown. I looked forward just in time to slip an incoming slash and hit back. My blade tore into the goblin’s stomach and black, slimy guts slowly slid out.

LvL 3 Goblin Slain, +40 Exp.

We were winning. With more time to survey the carnage, more than half the goblins were dead and the rest looked rattled. The two in front of me looked hesitant to continue the attack. “Come get some, bitches!” I shouted.

A bellowing roar sounded through one of the tunnels. Shawn and I turned to see a goblin that looked nearly seven feet tall dragging a club the size of a small tree trunk. The ten smaller goblins backed off and gave room for the giant beast lumbering toward us.

It was all I could do not to just turn and start running. The description above the beast’s white health bar read LvL 5 Goblin Chieftain. The words trickled out of my mouth before I realized I’d said anything, “We’re fuckin’ dead...”