"What am I doing?!" he chastised himself aloud.
The three goblins remained oblivious to his presence, their gazes locked onto their terrified prey. They moved with predatory intent, crooked knives ready at their hands as they closed in on the trembling girl, hemming her in against the grimy alley wall.
Jamie's mind raced, desperate to formulate a plan. He scanned his surroundings for anything that could serve as a weapon, but the situation seemed hopeless. He hadn't thought to bring the wooden staff he occasionally used for defense, and weapons like swords or daggers were costly—a luxury he hadn't yet secured. Worse still, none of his spells would be helpful in this moment.
Spells
| Dancing Lights [1/1]
| Detect Magic [1/1]
| Ghost Sound [1/1]
| Alarm [1/1]
| Cause Fear [1/1]
Out of the corner of his eye, something caught his attention—a piece of crumbled brick lying amidst the debris. It must have fallen from one of the dilapidated buildings lining the alley. 'That's something I can use,' he thought, edging carefully toward it.
The girl, petrified and overwhelmed, clamped her hands over her eyes, unwilling to witness the horrors before her. She hadn't noticed Jamie's approach, and neither had the goblins, who were focused solely on their prey. This was his chance.
Heart pounding, Jamie darted forward and snatched up the fragment of brick. Gripping it tightly, he crept toward the first goblin. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but he pushed them aside. He swung the brick with all his might—which, admittedly, wasn't much—bringing it crashing down onto the creature's skull.
The goblin, dazed from the blow, dropped its crude dagger to the street. It clutched its long, green hands to its face, trying in vain to shield itself from further harm. Seizing the opportunity, Jamie swiftly snatched up the fallen weapon. Though the blade was dull and chipped, it was better than relying solely on a piece of brick.
The other two goblins had finally taken notice of the new adversary.
Their malevolent eyes fixed on Jamie as they began to circle him, abandoning their pursuit of the terrified child. The trio of grotesque creatures snarled and barked in their guttural tongue, seemingly debating how to dispatch this unexpected threat. But any semblance of rational thought was lost on them. As soon as one goblin attempted to attack, the others followed suit without hesitation.
Combat was not Jamie's strong suit. He would much rather resolve conflicts through charm or wits and let combat be taken care of by his more battle-hardened allies. But that didn't mean he couldn't beat someone to a pulp when necessary—it simply wasn't his preferred way of addressing problems.
With a swift and decisive motion, Jamie drove the goblin's own knife into the stomach of the first attacker. The creature's eyes bulged in shock as it stumbled backward. However, this left him exposed. The remaining two goblins seized the moment—one lunged forward, biting down fiercely on Jamie's arm, while the other slashed at him with another dull blade.
Fortunately, his sturdy coat absorbed much of the knife's impact, preventing the blade from piercing his side. The goblin's teeth, however, sank deep into his flesh. Pain seared through his arm as blood welled up, staining his sleeve crimson.
The stabbed goblin collapsed to the ground, its movements ceasing as life fled its body.
| Goblin killed
| 135 Experience Points obtained
| The [God of War] is impressed.
| The [God of Heroism] is cheering.
'One down, but two to go,' Jamie thought, his gaze steely as he assessed his remaining foes. He noted every twitch and shift, refusing to let the grotesque appearance of the creatures unsettle him.
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While the goblins regrouped, chittering among themselves, Jamie began to prepare a trap of his own. He needed only a few precious seconds. As the monsters charged once more, he summoned the spell [Cause Fear], feeling the mana ripple through him.
The moment their eyes locked with his, Jamie unleashed the spell. An invisible wave of terror crashed over the goblins. Their snarls faltered, replaced by whimpers as their legs trembled like jelly. Paralyzed by fear, they stood rooted to the spot.
Seizing the advantage, Jamie lunged forward and plunged the knife into the chest of the nearest goblin. It let out a guttural gasp before collapsing in a heap.
| Goblin killed
| 135 Experience Points obtained
| More [Gods] are looking at your performance
"Just one left," he murmured, determination flaring within him. He yanked the blade free and turned to face the final adversary. Without wasting a moment, he dashed toward the creature, intent on ending the skirmish.
But the last goblin was quick. Shaking off the remnants of the spell's influence, it rolled aside, evading his strike with nimble agility. As Jamie's momentum carried him forward, the goblin darted behind him. Before he could pivot, a sharp pain erupted in his left leg—the goblin had plunged its knife deep into his thigh.
"Fuck!" Jamie cursed as he collapsed onto the cold cobblestones, a searing mix of rage and pain ripping through his body. His leg throbbed where the goblin's blade had pierced it, warm blood seeping through his fingers as he clutched the wound. His arm burned from the ragged bite marks where sharp teeth had torn into his flesh.
Through a haze of pain, he saw the goblin advancing, its eyes gleaming with malicious delight. The creature relished the prospect of finishing him off, savoring each agonizing moment. It raised the crude knife, aiming for Jamie's heart.
At the end of the alley, a young girl stood trembling against the wall, her eyes wide with terror. She was frozen, unable to look away from the horrific scene unfolding before her.
The goblin hissed, taunting Jamie as it prepared to strike. Time seemed to slow, the world narrowing to the wicked grin of the creature looming over him.
Just as the goblin began to bring the knife down, a massive shadow fell across them both. A huge hand shot out, enveloping the goblin's face entirely. The creature let out a muffled screech, its limbs flailing in surprise.
"Julie, close your eyes," a deep, commanding voice resonated through the alley.
The goblin thrashed in the iron grip, its attempts to free itself growing more frantic by the second. The hand tightened ever so slowly, the pressure building until a sickening crunch echoed off the stone walls. The goblin's body went limp, and the assailant released it, letting it slump to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Jamie dragged himself backward until his back pressed against the wall, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His vision steadied, and he looked up to see his rescuer.
The man before him exuded an imposing presence, a blend of raw strength and quiet confidence. Broad shoulders and muscular arms bore the subtle scars of battles long past. His brown hair was tousled, strands falling over a strong, angular face with a shadow of stubble across his jaw. Keen eyes of deep hazel surveyed the scene with a warrior's alertness.
He wore a sturdy green tunic made from thick fabric, practical and well-worn. Worn leather gloves covered his large hands, and a wide leather belt cinched at his waist, an empty sheath hanging at his side—though he seemed not to need a weapon to be formidable.
Jamie noticed the man's resemblance to the girl, who now peeked through her fingers. When she realized the danger had passed, she opened her eyes and managed a small, shaky smile.
"Are you alright, Julie?" the man asked gently, his voice softened with concern.
"Yes, Father," she whispered, her voice barely audible. There was a hint of guilt, as if apologizing for the trouble caused.
Relieved, the man turned his attention back to Jamie. He approached and knelt beside him, noting the severity of his injuries.
"Thank you for saving my daughter," he said earnestly, his eyes meeting Jamie's. "I don't know what would have become of her without you."
Perched on a nearby broken barrel, Jay watched the exchange with a flicker of amusement in his crystalline eyes. The ethereal feline leaped gracefully onto Jamie's shoulder.
"I always knew you were a hero," Jay purred softly.
'Hero, my ass,' Jamie thought bitterly, wincing as a fresh wave of pain shot through his leg and arm. He was no knight in shining armor—just a bard who had bitten off more than he could chew.
"My name is Thomas. Thomas Hartfield." The man extended a hand toward Jamie, his grip firm yet careful not to aggravate any wounds. "Do you have somewhere to stay? We need to tend to those injuries."
Jamie nodded while explaining how to get to the old Fat Pig. However, the moment he mustered the strength to stand up, the exhaustion of the day, combined with his injury, made him collapse as his vision went dark.
[author]
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