“Get back I’ll hold them off till you get help!!”-Me

“By the gods this day is bleak, Uther!!, Randall!!(the two farmer’s sons), get your mother and sister back and get the spears and my bow!!”-Farmer Dad

“Got it dad, don’t get yourself killed”-Uther

“Mom, Sis you heard dad”-Randall

“I know, I can handle myself”-Farmer Dad

“You sure you want to stay, I can hold them off long enough for you to get enough distance away”

“Yeah but what happens if they all come get ya if I leave, besides I spent my time in the guard my seax is ready for them”

“Alright I’ll hit the left ones once they are distracted you come in and finish them”

“Heh as expected of the noble family always ready to fight just make sure to don’t let them drag ya off”

With that last remark the first few goblins are only 20m away now, the first four are armed with only rough stone hatchets and wearing loincloths their bodies not in best of conditions judging by the thin faces though that could just be goblin physique. The apparent leader prioritizing his own safety with the spear-wielding goblins not that they are any better with only rough chunks of obsidian or even just fire hardened wood sticks. As they charge forward so do I. I pat Eurus’s neck and she heads into a canter forward to close the distance quickly my sword ready, a swing from this on the back of a horse can shatter bones with ease even if it is a blunt training weapon, the broken training dummies a testimony to this back home. Worst comes to worst and they hit me stone axes can’t possibly get through this training armour in a meaningful way.The goblins send out war cries a screeching sound like a scalded cat but this does nothing to me, the bloodlust from the head maid or my parents is scarier than this. “Gugugug” the one hit by my sword goes as its arms are broken along with it’s torso as bones piece outward and blood sprays.“GYAHAHAHAA” another goes down under Eurus hoof, its face the target of a passing kick...I know that I was taking care for her only every evening but did they really get this far with her battle training while I was running everyday. My hand clenches knuckles white but I still hold my sword stained with blood at the ready the world seems to slow down. As I quickly circle around I see that the ex-guard has true to his word taken care of business. He had just slit one goblin's throat while the other has the seax thrust through it’s eye. As we do this the two sons from earlier run up and hand their father a bow and a handful of arrows before getting ready with their spears. The remaining goblins are in disarray at the reinforcements and losses but one gets an arrow in the chest before they can get back together. Signalling Erus forward I swing my sword once more in quick succession hitting one goblin in the head with an overhand strike and stabbing the one behind it in the chest on the return swing.

Their spears mean nothing if they can’t use them as my blood roars. I turn once more and see that two of the remaining goblins have been impaled one for each of the guard’s sons while the guard himself just nailed the last one in the chest. All the goblins now lay on the ground in pools of their own blood. The main goblin group stares us down for a few second, then the leader points past us and barks out a string of words. They run off to our left not willing to fight but not retreating to the forest either. They continue running without even looking back once at their fallen brethren.

“Some of these buggers are still breathing, best put them out of their misery.”

“Yeah..” I get off Erus and draw out my dagger.

Two of the ones I hit are still alive but with their bodies broken they lie on the ground in shock. A quick slash through the neck finishes them off. Looking over I see the the two sons have already dealt the mercy blows to the rest that were still alive guessing by the feeble cries of death.

“ They won’t be coming back anytime soon, congratulations on your first proper battle lad”

“How did you know” I barely get out I feel my body get off its high and panting heavily.

“Your body shows me, don’t be shamed lad you only started trembling after making sure they are gone. Not a lesson that all learn in time to live”.

“Thank you” ‘It was not trembling in fear but...excitement as I got to have my first kills....’

“It is nothing just live up to your family’s name if you want to repay me”

“Yeahhh” ‘The irony is apparent to me for the future but still’

“Alright lad, get back to the village the guard should be notified as there must be more than goblins in the forest if they are still running with their non-fighters. I’ll tidy up here but please make sure my wife and daughter get to the village I ask of you”

I nod once more, hoping this time there is no more fights. I turn around and head down the path once more. After a few minutes I can see the figures of the wife and daughter moving on the road quickly catching up.

“Young master is everything alright?” the mother asks worried

“We ran them off, your husband asked me to make sure you two get back to the village and I have to warn the guard. Get on the horse I’ll lead her forward she can’t fit more than two people”

“Are you sure milord, we can walk while you head for the village” the daughter tells me

“Your father asked me to help, besides slowing down her pace will make sure we get there, no need to tire her out since I have been riding her all day”

“Buttt...”

“Your father and brothers will be fine, they have their weapons and the goblins have scattered like flies” ‘not including the part about whatever chased the goblins out but if they were so close the goblins would be more desperate’

“Alright I guess”

“Up you go miss, and mam, no strange stuff Eurus” ‘SNNOONTH’ I hope that is a yes.

As I grab her reins and start walking forward I ask them “What are your names, this will be a long ride even with a horse and if I need to ask something I would like to know what to call you”

‘These two are still scared too tense so maybe some chatter will help, i don’t want to know the daughters name for later,nope’

“Mary”-daughter

“Rida”-mother

“Well Mary, Rida, as soon as we get to the village I will notify the guard, they will be more than enough to deal with any threat as you should know from experience. Now just make sure to not slip off the horse and we will be there shortly”.

‘Well time to show off that endurance training from before’