“FIGHT!” the menacing last words of the ogre echoed in Ashton’s head ominously.

Yet now he was left alone in his jail cell, the boulder no longer blocking the exit, what did the ogre mean, should he leave?

His questions were soon dismissed as several spine-chilling howls and screaming echoed throughout the room, the source of them getting closer and closer.

Seconds later the ogre lumbered back into the room, a wailing little goblin slung over his shoulder.

On closer inspection, the skinny goblin was desperately digging its long, five inch filthy talons into the ogres back, but the ogre seemed not to mind it too much.

The goblins obnoxious screaming did seem to matter to the ogre as it grabbed the green brat around the waist and slammed it into the ground with a sickening crunch.

“Fight,” repeated the ogre before marching out of the cell and blocking the exit once again, leaving Ashton and the goblin in silence.

Now that the goblin was right in front of him, its face mashed into the ground, it seemed it was rather young and as starving as he was.

The majority of its bones could be seen under its skin and eyes were sunken right back into their sockets like Ashton’s.

The goblin’s eyes opened and stared right at Ashton who was squatting down in front of him, the sudden action sent him tumbling backwards in shock.

Seeing the goblin’s eyes made him gasp, the goblin looked at him as if here were prey, glowing with hunger.

“Move!” Ash shouted desperately, but it was a little too late.

The goblin had already pounced onto Ashton, slamming into his front, knocking him flat on his back before mounting him.

Its claws waved wildly and hastily, trying to slash at Ashton’s face, perhaps gouge out his eyes.

Ashton attempted to block with his forearms, the goblins sharp talons sank into his flesh, scraping against the exposed bone.

A few screams of agony were thrown about and Ashton rolled over, throwing the small goblin off his waist.

Ashton slowly retreated backwards before hitting the wall, the corner in fact while the goblin leapt up and prepared for another dash yet it suddenly screeched and doubled over pain.

“Quickly! Counter attack, the ogre must have injured him earlier, hurry!” urged Ash.

Hesitantly, Ashton followed Ash’s advice, slowly approaching the goblin.

Up close he could see one of the goblins ribs poking out of its skin, blood gushing from the wound like a hose.

As he was about to strike, the goblin grabbed him around the waist in a bear hug and rammed him into the cell wall behind them.

The shock reverberated throughout his bones and he quickly dived out of the way as the goblin ruthlessly lashed out its claws which collided with the wall, snapping the talons off at the base.

The goblin howled in pain, dancing around stupidly to ward it off until Ashton ran at him, sending a well placed elbow into the back of its skull, the force knocking into the wall, tearing away into its leathery skin.

Blood spurted from the new hole, leaking all over its left eye, partially blinding it.

Ashton took advantage of the situation and sent a fist up into the base of its jaw, rattling its brain a little, but not enough to knock it out, only enough to knock it to the ground.

Stumbling backwards and panting heavily, Ashton bent over and puked mostly water all over the floor, before he began to mumble incoherent nonsense to himself, thinking that he’d finished the fight.

But the suffering wasn’t over yet.

“Duck!” yelled Ash, having noticed the goblin darting towards them in the corner of their eye.

But of course the warning was too slow, or Ashton’s reflexes weren’t fast enough, probably both, regardless, the goblin Ashton grabbed Ashton by the head and kneed him will full force, splitting Ashton’s forehead open too.

Ashton dropped to the ground in front of the goblins feet, to which the goblin followed up with by stomping repeatedly on his head.

The goblin lifted Ashton up by his hair and looked into his eyes, a smug look on its face as blood slowly trickled down Ashton’s hair, seeping into his right eye.

The goblin flashed his yellow fangs at Ashton and opened up right, ready to chomp into his face but Ashton responded by spitting into its right eye.

The goblin dropped Ashton to the floor in shock and his ankles were grasped tightly by him right after.

Ashton clung onto it with all of his strength and sank his own teeth into the goblin’s heel, severing the Achilles tendon.

It clumsily flailed around, trying to support itself with one leg before crashing down grandly.

Both Ashton and the goblin stared at each other furiously and the goblin crawled over to Ashton, foaming at the mouth.

Ashton awkwardly shuffled backwards as quickly as he could, trying to create as much distance as possible before he slammed into the wall again.

His view clouded over and one eye was too full of blood to see out of, he could no longer think straight and he now relied purely on instincts.

Before the goblin could make it to Ashton, Ashton pounced onto it, mounting its back.

The goblin knew it was in a dangerous position and squirmed furiously underneath Ashton, getting onto its back as Ashton wasn’t exactly that heavy or experienced.

Experienced or not however, Ashton could throw a punch, which he did, cracking down onto the goblins nose sending it into a panic.

Ashton was now in control, he bent down and pinned both of its hands to the ground, limiting both of their movements in the process.

Handed an opportunity, the goblin took the initiative and sank its fangs into Ashton’s bare neck, his warm blood filling its mouth.

Ashton let go instantly and desperately tried to tear the goblin off of him and while he panicked the goblin retook control, crawling out from underneath, tearing out part of his throat in the process.

Ashton choked on the blood rising up in his throat and the goblin mercilessly stabbed its talons into his abdomen, spearing his innards.

Ashton slumped over onto his back and laid hopelessly on the floor, his strength and consciousness leaving him.

Yet life would not release him front its clutches and a strong impulse, or command shot through his body,

“You must not give up, you cannot die.”

Prematurely celebrating its victory, the goblin was feasting, chomping into the thigh of the half dead Ashton, relishing its first proper meal since birth.

But the match wasn’t over yet, and Ashton lashed his hand out towards the unaware goblin’s eyes.

Blood sprayed all over both their faces as Ashton dug around the inside of the goblins eye sockets, diving deeper into its head before sinking into the soft, spongy organ that was the brain…

…and then collapsing onto the body of his first of many still to come victims.