Goblin’s blood painted the knights armor. Five hobgoblins and a towering death knight closed in while still amidst a swarm of snarling demons. Yet he did not waver. Gil shook his head next to me, “Who thought he would be the one to come out?”

“I’m not surprised,” I said, “And neither should you be. You know how he is.”

“I know,” he replied.

I only sent Alexander out, Tal and Slime stood close by. The tree line was my limit; I could not go any further. Even though I was not out of my range, I could feel a drag on my energy levels. I kept Tal and Slime close, just in case. Alexander strode tall. I was sure he would be enough, and he carried himself as if he was. His confidence seeped into his emblazoned aura, bringing death and frost to the earth with each step.

Another tree log sailed towards the knight. He reacted quickly, driving his horse through the raving horde and dodging it. A poor group of goblins was in the wrong place and was splattered. The knight was still unharmed, but his horse was taking damage. Raving midgets hacked away etching cuts and wounds into the horse. Commanding his horse into a full gallop, the knight strided forward through the goblin ranks. He hopped off the horse’s back and twirled in the air, gracefully landing on the ground. His horse rode forward, breaking through the goblins and into open field where it galloped to safety.

The goblin’s attention was divided between the striding horse and the dismounted knight. He didn’t stop moving for a second and danced through the goblin horde. Down from the perch of the horse’s back, the knight finally suffered the ravenous attacks of the goblins. Their crude weaponry dinged and scratched his armor. However weak goblins were, they were still monsters and he felt the force of each hit. It was the brutish hobgoblins that concerned him. They lumbered forward nearly upon him. The five wielded massive logs and clubs. The leader of the pack had one log under each arm and launched it toward the knight.

If there was a time to hold back, this wasn’t it, the knight thought. A faint red glow enshrouded him. Wind pressure blew forth from him and staggered the horde. In one clean swoop he sliced the incoming log in half. The two parts slid into the dirt beside him.

A hobgoblin broke ranks and ran at him. It swung its club and the knight rolled out of the way. The club crashed into the ground flinging dirt and rocks. He swung back but the hobgoblin beat his attack back with his club. Despite their size and bulkiness, they were far more agile and powerful than the goblins.

He was stronger still. A flurry of slashes broke the hobgoblins defense and pushed it back. The knight’s red aura flared and he pierced through, striking off an arm of the hobgoblin. The monster roared in pain clutching the bleeding stump. The knight prepared for a final strike before a club walloped him in the side. It batted him into the dirt.

A swarm of goblins rushed him and he pounced to his feet securing his ground and fighting them back. He looked for the source. The other hobgoblins entered the fight. Three rushed him and he stood steeled himself.

The knight was pushed back. He had no choice. Their attacks came in succession leaving him no room to fight back. After opportunity he took to strike at them was met with a stray hit. His armor was forged well but it was taking its toll – he could feel it.

Another swing and a miss from a hobgoblin, smashing into the ground. He covered his helmet to prevent dirt and dust from blinding him. The knight was hit in the gut by a club sending him tumbling back. He looked up at the horde of hobgoblins and goblins surrounding him. A chill went down his spine – he was not in a good spot.

The hobgoblin reared his club and brought it down on him. Before he could act a knight reeking of death parried the strike. It was insufferably cold. The grass withered and the ground frosted. “Be grateful my master commanded me to save you, worm.”

He got up and brushed the ice clinging to his armor, “Well, getting saved by a death knight is a first. Who’s your master?”

“My master’s name is Hector. An I am no simple death knight, I am Alexander!” Alexander’s voice shook the air. The hobgoblin in front was not deterred and swung its club. The death knight batted it away like a stick and slashed across the monster’s chest. It recoiled and roared. Alexander raised a hand. An icicle formulated and launched itself through the hobgoblin’s head.

The lone knight swung around and chopped away at the goblins pouring in, “Of course it’s Hector. Got any plan or are we just killing these things?”

Alexander slid a goblin off his sword and looked around. “Kill the hobgoblins, cull half the goblins, subjugate the rest.”

“How are we going to manage that?” The knight released his red aura again and swung his sword toward the goblins. The energy rolled off and fired off line an energy slice crashing into the monsters.

“Just follow me.” With an echoing laugh the death knight waltzed into the fray, turning the battle field into an icy tomb. The knight supported it from behind and killed the stragglers.

The death knight led him right into the four remaining hobgoblins. All four of them set themselves upon the two, even the leader which was surveying the fight from the back. Instead of wielding a makeshift blunt weapon like a log, it held a large double axe. It was aged and rusted but the edge was still sharp and dangerous.

The death knight and the living knight rotated as they pressed into the horde. Alexander would press the attack hacking manically into their fleshy bodies before switching with the knight who was acting as a shield defending stray hits and beating back the miniature monsters.

One switch and the knight took point. He flaunted his skills and pumped up his red aura. On his back the death knight did the same spreading its chilling presence. The death knight effortlessly maneuvered. These monsters were insects and their attacks worthless. The knight charged his energy; Alexander wasn’t the only one around who was strong.

Switch. The knight with his energy charged went from defense to offense. His body flowed forward dodging through the hobgoblins. “Your head is mind!” He shouted launching himself into the air. The hobgoblin he went for stumbled back in surprise. His sword glowed with red energy. A club was raised in defense but he cut through, all the way through the neck.

The hobgoblin fell over and then came the axe. The knight blocked with the flat of his blade using one hand on either side to hold it up. With all of his strength he lifted up and pushed off the axe. He stabbed forward at the hobgoblin leader’s face. Both knew it wouldn’t reach. The knight’s sword came short but a red blast shot from the tip. The hobgoblin reacted too slow and it clipped its face damaging its left eye. It howled in anger and punted the knight 10 feet back.

“Look,” Alexander said, “You’ve made the worm angry.” The hobgoblin doubled down and screeched again which momentarily paralyzed all the goblins.

“So now what?”

“We run.” Alexander turned tail and headed for the forest. The knight was confused but ran after him. Behind both came the hobgoblins and goblins in all their anger and rage.

“Why are they running at us?” I asked. Gil was too busy in panic mode to respond. Alexander must have a plan, I thought, since the original goal was to capture. I did a mental check of the skeletons and the golems. They were moving, taking positions. Of course, Alexander did have a plan. “Alright then. Gil and Tal, lets head back. I think Alexander has this under control and we will be needed later.” The death knight in its original plans set up an area deeper in the forest where I would wait for the stragglers to come through. It was there I was supposed to trap the goblins. I doubted much had changed in his plans despite his arrival.

“Me?” Slime asked. Her head tilted at an inhumane angle again.

“I think you ought to stay around here. Link up with Alexander if you can and help as needed.”

“Alright!” She said with a smile. Slime was so happy and her mind full of murder.

“Listen, knight,” Alexander commanded, “We kill the hobgoblins and drive the goblins deeper east. Master will trap them there.” Alexander stopped with the hobgoblins crashing behind them. “Split up.” The death knight turned around trotting one way, “Over here insects!” The knight got the signal and shouted likewise running in a different direction. The leader with blood dripping from its eye ran enraged at the knight while the other two went for the death lords. The goblins had no sense of direction and ran every which way in little ravenous packs. Most followed their leader.

Alexander trotted through the forest and took a turn back towards its master. The two hobgoblins chased after him but it didn’t care. Together they had three arms and zero brain. They were never a threat and never would be. Alexander wouldn’t waste his time with such dirt.

From the brush came three spears soaring through the air. With a thump each of them found their mark on the hobgoblins body. One in the head and two in the chest. Shock went through the hobgoblin’s body and it tumbled over. It’s one armed companion skid to a stop utterly confused. Three skeletons emerged from the trees and collected their weapons from the monster. Their jaws clattered as they set their sights on the one-armed one. The mindless beast charged the skeletons but it was the two golems that erupted from the earth ensnaring it. With their stone arms the two pummeled the hobgoblin to death. Unable to move it cried in pain and struggled desperately. All music to Alexander’s ears. The pair pulverized it like meat at a butcher. The hobgoblins were no more and the skeletons and golems set off after their commander.

The knight sprinted deeper east into the forest. Most of the goblins tailed him along with their leader. Alexander said that his master, Hector, would spring a trap and capture them. Going deeper in seemed a good idea.

I could sense them coming through my dungeon senses. “Gil, Tal, get ready. Shows about to start.” The hobgoblin tailing my friend was a prize. I considered capturing it but decided leaving the goblin’s leader alive would be a mistake.

The knight broke through the thicket and yelled “Hector!” Upon seeing me.

“Hello old friend!” I waved at him. “We can get reacquainted in a moment – lets take care of this first.”

Behind the knight came the hobgoblin and his culled swarm. My enhanced sensory abilities told me there was 23 excluding their leader. I dug deep into my powers and activated my trap. Four walls of stone and earth sprouted from the ground and trapped the goblins and separating them from their leader.

The knight laughed, “Impressive Hector! Looks liked you learned some new tricks!”

“A lot has happened,” I said with a shrug. “Think you can take care of that one?” I pointed to the hobgoblin. “You look a little beat up.”

“This?” He laughed, “This is nothing. My armor isn’t just for show, you know!”

The hobgoblin, however, did not take another step. Pure anger was frozen on its face but its body didn’t move. It tensed and struggled, muscles popping.

I frowned, “Slime, you didn’t leave, did you?”

A silver metal coat crept up from behind the hobgoblins back covering its entire surface. It tried to scream, but not sound came out. The metal liquid enclosed it and the monster began to shrink.

“What the…?” The knight shook his head in confusion still not dropping his guard. “It’s shrinking – no it’s being crushed!” The hobgoblin’s body snapped and cracked compressing down. It was enveloped by the metal slime and reduced to nothing. Slime’s body rubber banded readjusting from a slime shape back into a female form.

The knight turned around, “A death knight and a metal slime girl? And Gil? What’s he doing here?” Gil gasped as if he was offended.

I shrugged, “Long story.”

“I bet it is.” My old friend came up and dropped to a knee. “I, Roland Severon, return to your service, my Lord.”

“Quit the formalities, Roland,” I said rolling my eyes. “You know how it is these days. Get up and let’s go back. I’ll get you some food and get you up to date.”

“Y-yes, of course.” Roland sheathed his sword. “But what about the goblins?”

“Oh yes, almost forgot about those.” I walked up to the enclosure I made. Inside you could hear the goblins writhing around clawing at the walls searching for a way out. I expanded my dungeon senses and examined the 23. I had only made monsters up until now; subjugating already living things was new territory. I was excited to get to work and document my findings.

Nothing naturally came to me, so I did the only thing I could think of: break into their minds and forcefully dominate them. It felt invasive and a bit dirty, like trekking knee-deep through a muddy swamp, but it had to be done. One by one I went through their mind, crushed it, and rebuilt it. As I worked the goblins began to feel familiar; they gave off an aura similar to the skeletons and the golems.

When all was said and done, the method, I think, worked. But, the problem was how much damage if any it caused to the goblins. I dropped the walls to Roland’s immediate disdain as it was the only way to find out.

And there the 23 stood obediently. They were mindless creatures, I could tell because I rummaged through their pea brains. The goblin pack was not hostile.

“Alright then,” I clapped my hands. “Everyone line up now!” The goblins responded my orders and lined up.

“What’s going on here?” Asked Roland.

“The goal before you came was to subjugate these goblins for some additional power. Now I have 23 under my control. Time to test their obedience.” I thought for a moment and decided to play a little game. “Listen up! Hector says jump on one foot.” And the goblins jumped on one food. “Hector says stop.” The goblins stopped. “Hector says slide to the left. Now slide to the right.”

“Hector,” Roland said, “What is going on?”

“I was just having a little fun and testing them. Everything seems fine. Let’s head back then. Ill get you some food and tell you what’s been going on.”

“Yeah, that sounds good,” he said with a hand on his sword. I led the way back to home and everyone followed.