“Goblins!”

The shrilling scream woke everyone up, and Mahon and Jorik were pulled out of Nightmare as the first lazy sunrays just reached the camp.

After yesterday’s journey through the canyon, the caravan had put the most distance it could between them and the goblin’s territory. They had found a nice place to camp just before nightfall and after the rough two days and the late arrival, everyone had quickly fallen asleep.

Once the canyon passed, the route hadn’t been anymore paved by carcasses of dead animals and macabre sculptures left by the goblins. As such, anyone had assumed they had been spared by the goblin tribes, and the alarm call so soon in the morning caught everyone by surprise.

Fortunately, Edwin hadn’t completely lowered his guard, and the camp had had sentries all night long as well as a narrowed circle of carts protecting it.

Mahon didn’t think twice as he opened his eyes in Finem, and he only grabbed his weapons before immediately exiting his tent to get a look around.

In three short strides, he was near a sentry cart, and he climbed atop in swift moves. At first he didn’t see anything until the panicked sentry pointed to the east, at a grove a hundred meters away from the camp, and Mahon finally saw what preyed on them in the early hours of the morning.

Dozens of green creatures gathered at the edge of the small patch of forest, but Mahon could see many more walking behind the trees. They were thin and short, barely reaching a meter twenty centimeters. Their skin was as green as Mahon’s right eye, although much more tarnished, and it was stretched so tight on their bones that one could see each of their ribs pushing under.

The goblins appeared sick and starving, and if not for their wide smile showing an impressive row of pointy teeth and their cunning red eyes, Mahon could have thought them inoffensive.

So that’s what a goblin looks like.

“There must be hundreds of them… We’re doomed!”

The sentry showed a hint of fear as the goblins continued to emerge from the forest and started to run excitedly towards the camp, while waving spears, clubs, rusty daggers or even swords.

Before Mahon got time to reassure the trembling guard, Edwin’s voice pierced the still waking up camp.

“Alert! Everyone grab their weapons and move to defend the east!”

At his side, the four other Frontaliers were already rushing towards the eastern carts, Jorik and a handful of guards in tow.

Some of the merchants were already emerging from their tents, and where some grabbed their bows or swords to join the defense, others went to calm the muxales that were mooing and pulling on their ropes with panicked eyes.

Mahon jumped down directly to the roof of the nearby cart, and he rushed to join the defense. When he reached the area, Neia and Elas had also climbed atop some carts while Edwin was still distributing orders left and right.

“You and you with a spear, climb up and defend from above. Archers, at your positions on the other carts, there and there. Everyone else, spread around and defend from the goblins going underneath the carts. Neia! Status!”

The woman didn’t even turn back, her eyes focusing on the goblins charging them while squeaking and groaning with excitement.

“At least two hundreds. Ten seconds away!”

Edwin grimaced at the news, but he didn’t waste a single instant. He turned back to the camp where more and more merchants were getting out of their tents.

“All those who can’t fight, bring everything you can and block any gap between or under the carts! Assist the archers and bring them more arrows! Fast!”

Mahon helped a few merchants with bows to climb up the carts while Neia and Elas were getting barrels and bags of grain to set up a semblance of barricade atop the few carts that would endure the full might of the assault.

“Brace yourselves!” Elas screamed at the top of his lungs as the swarm of goblins reached them, dropping the bag he was holding to unsheathe his sword instead.

The goblins leading the charge were galloping on their four limbs, dagger in their mouth, or simply weaponless. They were the first to arrive at the barrier of carts, and they either plunged below or jumped up, scratching the wooden sides of the carts to climb to the top without wasting a single instant.

Mahon didn’t wait for the goblins to reach him, and he immediately thrust his spear as they were trying to overwhelm the defense of the camp. The first monster to appear in front of Mahon was one of the quickest, yet its speed and agility meant nothing in front of Mahon.

In a flash, Mahon’s spear pierced the goblin’s skull with ridiculous ease, and the creature fell inert the next instant. The next goblins swiftly avoided their falling comrade and climbed up the cart in nimble moves.

None of them managed to reach the top. A tempest of steel welcomed them halfway, and even though they tried everything to pass through, Mahon’s defense was simply too much for such weak creatures.

Although they’re numerous they are weak individually.

Mahon gauged after half a minute of battle. However, goblins were cunning, and they didn’t hesitate to push their comrades forward to slow Mahon and overwhelm him with their number. Given their short size, swiftness and agility, it was a technique that did wonders most of the time. But not today.

Mahon was defending a cart alone, but the simple height advantage it was giving him was more than enough to both impede the flow of goblins and give him ample time to pick up the creatures while they climbed to him. The situation posed absolutely no challenge to him.

His spear struck goblin after goblin with deadly accuracy, and the monsters didn’t even have time to put a hand on his cart that his spear came striking them down in a flash.

The goblins weren’t really smart creatures, but as soon as they saw Mahon’s abilities, they quickly avoided him and deflected to the other carts instead. A minute after the start of the fight, Mahon had swiftly dealt with a dozen goblins, but no more were coming for him.

One of two guards defending the cart to his left was suddenly hit at the head by a flying rock, and he barely started to collapse than two goblins were already jumping on him. Mahon was at the man’s side just in time to prevent the creatures from cutting him open. In two quick swings he sent back the goblins to the ground, repelling at the same time the others climbing the cart.

His actions brought a short respite to the other guard, who managed to kill the monster attacking him. The goblins at the bottom hissed their frustration at Mahon’s intervention, but they quickly moved away to another less defended cart, leaving Mahon without a target once again.

Mahon dodged instinctively an incoming rock, and following the direction it came from, he saw a group of three taller goblins with slings. The goblins were at least two heads taller and two times heavier than the other goblins. They sported impressive musculature, and if not for their green skin, they were almost akin to a human.

Throwing a look around, Mahon analyzed the situation. Of the six or seven carts attacked by the goblins, one had already fallen to the monster’s control, and more and more creatures were jumping down on the other side and attacking the men on the ground.

Fortunately, Jorik was already moving towards them, and his sword was wreaking havoc among their ranks.

At first, the situation on the ground seemed worse than atop the carts as many more goblins preferred attacking there, but because of the numerous merchant archers nearby, it was still under control.

Just as he reached his conclusion, Mahon witnessed a flying rock hitting one of the archers who thought himself safe atop a cart. The man fell unconscious directly on the ground, and under a second, he was devoured by the swarm of goblins waiting their turn to pass the carts.

The archers threw confused looks around, but they didn’t find what had attacked them until another rock flew their way.

“Hobgoblins!” Neia immediately yelled as she found the three taller goblins aiming at them with their slings.

Some of the archers switched targets and shot their arrows at the hobgoblins, but the agile creatures sneered and cackled as they dodged the projectiles with insolent ease. In the meantime, each missed arrow aiming at them increased the burden of the warriors holding the ground.

Mahon saw Neia and Edwin exchanging a worried look, and he whistled to grab their attention. Only Edwin was attentive enough to catch his signal and as he turned his head to him, Mahon gestured to the Frontalier. I’ll deal with them.

In front of Edwin's confused look, Mahon guessed the man didn’t understand a thing, but it was too late, anyway. He had to take action now or the fight would quickly get out of control. With a last glance at Edwin, Mahon jumped to the ground. Out of the camp. Right in the swarm of goblins.

“Since you’re avoiding me, I guess I’m the one paying you a visit.”

Before he had even touched the ground, his spear snapped twice, and a couple of goblins died without even knowing what hit them. Mahon landed on the two dead bodies, and kicking them away he spun his spear around, creating a small space in the middle of the goblin’s army.

For a second, the goblins showed confusion at the unbelievably foolish and daring human who had jumped right in the middle of the fray. Alone. But as a rain of steel seemed to hit every nearby goblins without giving them a chance to dodge, their confusion quickly turned into both fear and rage.

Mahon didn’t pay much attention as the goblins tried to overwhelm him from all directions. Instead, he let the Flow guide his spear with always deadlier precision, and he sped up his attacks as he focused on the hobgoblins a dozen meters ahead of him.

With a simple twist of its shoulder, Mahon let a club pass harmlessly at his side. The next instant, his spear bit back at the guilty goblin, piercing his heart in an effortless motion. As if it was a living snake, the spear suddenly seemed to bend and caught a surprised goblin right at the throat.

Mahon danced and dodged among the flock of goblins while his spear swirled, twirled and whirled around, bringing death with each of its swift motions. The small size and nimbleness of the goblins meant nothing in front of Mahon’s Flow and speed, while their frail stature and weak physique only hindered them as a single hit from Mahon’s spear would lead to their death.

Step by step, Mahon chopped his way through the horde of goblins and towards the hobgoblins. Realizing the danger moving their way, the hobgoblins switched their aim from the archers to Mahon, but even though they launched rock after rock at Mahon, they were either deflected by a swift move from his weapon or avoided with just a twist of his shoulders.

And with each passing second, the deadly harvest continued. The more Mahon familiarized himself with the goblins, the easier he perceived their rhythm through his Flow, and the easier it became to slaughter them.

He had already moved a dozen meters forward, and killed more than thirty goblins, when the creatures panicked and started to push their fellow monsters to move out of his way. Mahon seized the opportunity to get even closer to the hobgoblins, but a short bark from the tallest of the hobgoblins followed by the execution of a runaway goblin quickly ended their debacle.

Dropping their slings, the three hobgoblins unsheathed their swords, and focused on Mahon. Compared to the rest of the goblins, their weapons were almost without rust stains, and the leader of the trio even arbored a semblance of armor in the form of a dirty breastplate too big for it.

The leader advanced straight towards Mahon while the two others dropped on their four, disappearing among the mass of goblins. Through his Flow, Mahon still sensed them circling him to get to his flanks.

The nearby goblins grew incredibly more excited as they witnessed their chiefs take action, and they cackled and squealed their enthusiasm with loud shrills.

Mahon dove deeper into the Flow and let the hobgoblins and goblins come at him. He stayed still as the goblins yelled louder and louder, the two hobgoblins finished circling him, and the imposing leader moved closer while rolling his shoulders.

As if an unspoken signal had been given, the goblins went quiet at the same time, and the three hobgoblins pounced on Mahon with incredible speed. They were a good stage faster than the fastest goblins Mahon had met previously, and their moves had been so silent even his enhanced warrior senses wouldn’t have picked them if not for the Flow.

Unfortunately for them, Mahon’s Flow was too powerful, and he had read their intentions before they even began moving. Not daring to be complacent in such a dangerous situation, Mahon stepped back and directly executed the fourth Step.

He changed his grip on his spear with a quick twist of his wrist, and from a swift twirl of his back leg, he rotated his hips and then his shoulders, sending his spear in a beautiful arc as he spun.

The hobgoblins caught a glimpse of the afterimages left behind by the weapon, but it was already too late. The steel hit them just below the head, cutting their throat so quickly and properly they didn’t feel anything at first.

Alas, the injury was too lethal to be ignored for long, and the three hobgoblins fell to the ground in unison, a flash of incomprehension in their eyes. A deadly silence accompanied their fall, and Mahon threw a daring look at the nearby goblins, hoping to scare them away after he had killed their leaders.

Do they react like Amentiae?

However, even before they got a chance to realize what happened, Mahon’s Flow picked up an unknown object rushing right at him. Through his Flow, it appeared as a glowing, burning mass of fire moving at impossible speed. Its rhythm was something impossible to fathom, and Mahon’s Flow was crumbling after its passage.

Mahon turned his head just in time to see exactly what he had sensed.

A ball of fire.

He dived on the ground at the last moment, and the projectile flew right through his previous position. Mahon very clearly felt on his back the scorching heat of the fire passing above him.

Missing its target, the ball of fire continued forward until it finally reached a cart. The whole thing blew up in a deafening explosion that highlighted the surroundings even more than the dawning sun. The cart flew up a meter in the air before it fell back to the ground as a burning carcass of what it previously was.