We hiked inland for a day before coming to an immense forest. It seemed to stretch out in all directions. The snow was still thick and the air still chilled to the bone. We decided to make camp for the night, once more using melted snow water to keep us sustained. We had plenty of chilled crabmeat as well for at least the next few days.
After thawing the ground a bit, we camped and made to sleep for the night.
The new land and woods did not seem to wish to give us a pleasant welcome. No sooner had we both gone to sleep then we felt the rush of jaws and claws upon us! WOLVES!
They seemed to appear from the snow itself, rising up and charging at us! Dosheb was the first to be attacked; a wolf bit down hard upon his arm and latched on firmly! Dosheb reacted quickly bringing his
Pike up into the wolfs paw.
As Desheb grappled for his life, I struck at the Wolf coming at me. We charged together, my body slamming the wolf to the ground as I lashed out wildly with my sword. I caught only a glancing blow as watched as the beast ose sailed off. It leapt back, howling in pain as I turned against another. Again my sword cam down in the beasts under belly, pushing deep into its guts as Dosheb did the same to the wolf he was locked in battle with.
Within moments, the three laid dead before us, the snow deep with blood. Both there’s and ours... I faired well and Dosheb seemed to have only slight wounds to his arms and legs. The two of us were exhausted and had slept little. We spent that night sleeping in turns, neither of us trusting the woods
By dawn we saw how thick the forest truly was. We could scarcely see in front of us and could make little of the lands around us. Our only guide was the on the declaration that I had been given so long ago. It spoke of a human fort far to the west that we could find refuge and sanctuary at.
We made our way as best we could. All the time I worried of Dosheb, he seemed to sleep less and less, and looked fitful during the day. He would never leave his Pike even at night, and seemed to grip it as though his life depended on it.
I did not speak of this, wishing only to make it out of the darkened woods.
We walked for another full day, always on guard from attack. We knew for some time we were being tracked, something was following us. Dosheb looked as though he were ill, sweating and exhausted. I made to make camp to rest by, and it was then we were set upon!
GOBLINS!Three of the green beasts jumped into the clearing. One with an evil looking mace, a long Spear, and the third wielded a monstrous Axe in both hands!
We went back-to-back immediately, out numbered and out armed!
I leapt first, charging at the goblin Mace holder. The small beast moved quickly, the two of us dodged each other blows as we struck again and again. I soon found myself against the Spear of another. Again they dodged over and over as if trying to tire us both!
Finally my sword made contact and cut deeply into the goblins leg. The goblin criwd out as I hacked at it again, it’s leg flying off as it fell to the ground. It snarled and I left it quickly behind to face the Mace wielding goblin behind me….
Behind me however the spear-wielding goblin was far from out of the fight. As I swung wildly to attack the mace goblin, the spear goblin lunged at Dosheb! Driving its cruel spear deep into my companion’s hand! I could do nothing to save him as I grappled for my life, finally striking the Mace goblin in the arm and knocking him back!
The strike cleaved the goblins arm clean off, and yet… One goblin had no leg, another had no arm and yet
Still they came at me!Back and forth I hacked at both of them, again and again till they lay still.
For a moment I thought the night was won, and then, I realized we had but been fighting only TWO of the goblins. It was too late that I remembered the giant Axe wielding goblin. Already he was upon Dosheb, intent on ending his life once and for all. My companion tried to strike by his the weight of the Axe was too much!
I watched for a moment as Doshebs own spear dropped from his grip, the Human weak and bloodied, he watched, his mind twisting as his spear, his center fell away into the night. I could do nothing to retrieve it as the Axe goblin lay into him, twisting the wicked thing into Doshebs arm, as if mocking his agony!
I gathered myself up and then… And then the world went red…
I do not know what happened next, other then to awaken some time later. The goblins were all dead around me. The massive silver Axe lay broken in two at my side, splitting the head of the goblin that once wielded it.
At my feet lay Dosheb, breathing ragged, his arm was broken and bleed rapidly, his face and legs all were torn open. His bronze chest piece was cleaved almost in two, just keeping his guts from spilling out… I looked at him as he looked up, his mind seemed gone from his body, and I contemplated ending his pain and letting him depart.. But, NO! No I would not let him go, He clung to life even now. I looked at the corpse of
Uggi who I already carried so far. I carried his corpse to our goal, I would not carry another with me.
For the next three nights I made camp at that spot, The bodies and corpses of the goblins around us always. I felt at any moment we would be attacked again, yet we seemed to be left alone. Perhaps the goblins would not face such a foe again…
For those three days Dosheb said not a word to me, his eyes seemed distant and dead. Only once did I hear him mutter “
Lost, my Pike, lost to me” but it was all but a whisper…
On the dawn of the third day, I helped him up as his resolve to live seemed to grow day by day. Toegther we hiked to the edge of the woods. The endless forest ended at last, and far, far in the distance I beheld Salvation!
A city at LAST!!!
((NOTE))
I have had companions die at the drop of a hat, But Dosheb seems made of pure Bad-Assium! Most of his body was yellow, and his arms and legs red. I honestly didn't think he would ever stand again. I was going to rest for 5 days, and if he didn't heal would leave him behind. But by Day three he was back on his legs and following me... I tried to find his spear to carry with us, but it seemed totally gone. Either way it;s twice he SHOULD have died, but has lived, the guy is a monster
Author
Topic: NEW CHALLENGE: starting at the dawn of time! (Read 541110 times)