Alec moved along the narrow forest path with slow, deliberate steps. His sword raised in front of him ready to attack.
The ground was uneven, packed dirt broken by roots and scattered stones. He placed each foot carefully, following the same line the goblins ahead of him had taken. Their tracks were fresh with deep impressions in the soil, scuffed leaves, snapped twigs, making it easy to follow.
He kept his breathing quiet as his heartbeat faster with each step.
The two goblins in front of him shuffled forward, their backs turned. One dragged its feet slightly. The other kept adjusting its grip on the crude dagger in its hand. They made low, sharp sounds to each other, almost like shrieking birds.
Alec watched the rhythm of their movement.
He raised the sword slowly above his head, careful not to alert the goblins. Feet apart. Knees bent. He stepped forward as the blade came down.
The first goblin didn't have time to react. The sword split through its shoulder and chest, cutting deep enough to kill it instantly. Collapsing with a wet sound against the dirt.
The second goblin jerked in surprise, turning toward Alec with a shriek already forming in its throat.
Alec stepped again with a horizontal swing of the sword. The blade cut across the goblin's neck. Not clean or perfect. But enough as the shriek broke into a choking gurgle, stumbling backward, dropping its dagger as both hands went to its throat. After a few choked gurgles the goblins eyes dimmed as it fell to the ground.
Alec stood still and listened as nothing moved around him. Only the distant hum of insects and the faint rustle of leaves.
He crouched and worked quickly, cutting into their chests. The smell was sharp and unpleasant, but he didn't hesitate. He pulled free the two small blue pieces, smooth and faintly glowing.
He struck it against the pommel of his sword.
The glow vanished instantly. Coolness spread through his chest and arms, sinking deep into his body. It wasn't strong, not like the first time he had felt it, but it was there. A steady, quiet sensation.
He crushed the second one and the same feeling followed. Alec closed his hand around the empty fragments and let them fall.
He dragged the bodies off the path and into the brush, covering them loosely with leaves.
Then he moved forward. The clearing came into view slowly.
Alec crouched behind thick brush, watching.
Goblins moved between the huts.
Six that he could see.
One sat near a fire pit, poking at something with a stick. Two others argued near one of the huts, shoving each other back and forth. Another dragged a sack across the ground. The last two stood near the edge of the clearing, looking toward the path Alec had come from.
Alec stayed still and counted them again.
Six.
He could not fight all of them at once.
He waited as time passed slowly. The sun shifted overhead. Shadows moved across the clearing. The goblins changed positions, drifting apart and coming together again in uneven patterns.
Eventually, two of them broke away.
They moved toward the path, muttering to each other, weapons in hand.
Alec's grip tightened around the sword.
He shifted backward, retreating into the trees. He circled wide, moving ahead of them along the path until he found a place where the brush grew thick and low. He crouched and waited while the goblins approached.
He stepped out behind them and stepped forward with a diagonal slash of the sword.
The blade came down hard, cutting through the first goblin's back and into its chest. It collapsed forward immediately.
The second turned, shrieking.
Alec didn't hesitate, swinging horizontally.
The blade caught it across the face and neck. The goblin stumbled, blood flowing from the wound as it tried to raise its shield.
Alec stepped forward and drove the sword into its chest.
The goblin jerked once, then went still.
Alec pulled the blade free. His breathing was slowly becoming steady. His heartbeat not quite racing. He crouched and cut out the crystals. He struck them both.
Coolness spread faster now. Or maybe he noticed it more.
He moved the bodies off the path and returned toward the clearing, only four goblins remained that he could see.
Alec watched again and noticed more now.
How often they looked around. How far they wandered from each other. Which ones carried shields. Which ones moved slower.
He chose the next one carefully.
A smaller goblin moved toward the edge of the clearing, near a broken section of fence. It crouched there, digging at something in the dirt.
Alec moved slowly and quietly as he came in from behind with an upward swing.
The blade entered low and split upward through the goblin's torso. It barely had time to twitch before collapsing.
Alec stepped back immediately, pulled the crystal. Crushed it and moved again.
Three left.
They stayed closer together now.
Alec waited longer this time.
His legs began to ache from crouching. His fingers flexed around the sword hilt, adjusting his grip again and again.
Eventually, one of them wandered.
Only a few steps, but enough for Alec to move in with a diagonal slash.
The blade struck, cutting deep into the goblin's shoulder but stopping short of killing it instantly. The goblin screamed.
The sound cut through the clearing.
The other two turned immediately.
Alec reacted without thinking.
He yanked the sword free and swung again horizontally, the blade finished the first goblin, nearly taking its head off.
The other two charged. Alec stepped back swinging upward. The sword caught the nearest goblin under the ribs, splitting upward through its chest. It collapsed into him, weight heavy and sudden.
He shoved it aside.
The last goblin was already on him.
It slammed its shield forward, striking his chest and knocking him backward. Alec stumbled, losing his footing for a moment.
The goblin kicked the ground and dirt exploded upward into Alec's face.
His vision became blurry and his eyes burned. He flinched, turning his head instinctively.
A sharp deep pain from his side echoed in his mind. The dagger pierced into his flesh just above his hip.
Alec gasped in pain.
The goblin pulled the blade free and moved to strike again.
Alec swung blindly and the blade connected. He felt it cut into something solid. The goblin shrieked.
Alec staggered back, wiping at his eyes with his forearm. Dirt smeared across his face, but fuzzy shapes began to return.
The goblin rushed him again, one arm hanging uselessly, dagger raised in the other.
Alec stepped back swinging upward in a panic. The blade split the goblin from hip to shoulder. It fell apart at his feet.
Alec stood there, breathing hard. His side burned. Blood ran warm beneath his shirt and oversized leather armor, soaking into the fabric.
He didn't move for a moment as the pain made him feel dizzy. He crouched down as pain shot up his side. One by one, he cut the crystals free from the bodies.
He struck them in quick succession as the cool sensation spread through him again. It pushed back against the pain, dulling the intensity.
Alec pressed his hand against the wound.
It was bleeding, but not as badly as the wolf's claws. His wet hand brushed against the rough burn scar as he tried to put his hand over the wound again.
He looked around the clearing and didn't see anymore goblins or hear any movement.
He waited. A full minute passed but nothing came.
He didn't search the huts. Instead, Alec backed away slowly, keeping his eyes on the clearing. Only when the trees closed around him did he turn.
The walk back felt longer.
Each step pulled at the wound in his side. His leg brushed against branches, sending small jolts of pain upward. His breathing was becoming rougher with each step.
He replayed the fight in his head. The goblin kicking dirt in his eyes was unexpected. A small smirk appeared on his face as Owen's voice surfaced faintly in his memory.
Don't assume anyone or anything will fight fair.
Owen had pretended to kick one of the local hunters in the crotch as he gave his lecture.
The smirk faded and Alec tightened his grip on the sword. By the time he reached the cave, the light was fading.
He climbed up slowly, careful of his footing. Inside, he leaned the sword against the wall and pulled his shirt away from the wound.
The bleeding had slowed.
He cleaned it the best he could with water from a small container and strips of cloth from the supplies he had taken from Hillburn.
It hurt like hell but wasn't as bad as when he burned the wound from the wolf's claws. He tied the cloth tight around his side and sat back against the stone.
For a while, he just breathed as slowly as he could. After some time, he reached for the sword.
He stood. Feet apart. Knees bent. The wound pulled as he moved, but he fought to ignore it.
Diagonal.
The swing was slower than before, but controlled.
Horizontal then upward.
He reset then kept repeating over and over again. Each movement and step placed carefully. The pain kept gnawing at him, but it didn't stop him. After a while, his arms began to shake.
Alec stopped, lowered the sword and sat back against the stone wall, breathing steady. Outside, the forest had gone quiet, the sword rested across his lap.
Tomorrow, he would go back to make sure nothing was left.