Key To A Goblin's Heart

Mike's POV

The once beheaded Hobgoblins rose, their heads dangling at an odd angle from their neck and threatening to topple off but still they were miraculously alive. They let out a shriek, which for their part might have been some kind of hideous laughter, and they approached Maland with a renewed ferocity. 

Maland seemed to be expecting the attack, because he dodged and sweeped to the other side of the room. Our host commanded a herd of Hobgoblins who seemed to join the force once again. The whole room was now full to the brim, green ghoulish creatures shrieking and sprouting up from every corner of the Earth. 

"You cannot kill us so easily." The creature howled, "We are the Ancient. Our powers are as old as Magic itself, and we are immortals! The Gods have gifted us with the boon of life, it is not to be snatched by a petty Goblin like you. We are the destroyers, created to maintain balance on the face of the Earth."

The other Hobgoblins started singing in a strange tone, as if supporting his comment through their peculiar ritual. 

"Oh shut up! You vile creatures have the audacity to declare yourself as the proponent of nature's creation force! I have never been more disgusted." Saying so, Maland approached the Hobgoblin and struck his sword right through his guts. 

The creature fell with a groan, as Maland twisted his sword inside his intestines and a pool of blood formed on the floor. Still, the Hobgoblin rose, bloodied and mangled, intestines sprouting out of the open gaping hole in his abdomen, and smirked like a ghost. 

"We will only rise up stronger!" He proclaimed in a shrill voice, "until we destroy all of your kind!"

"There must be some way to kill them!" Jake shouted, effectively dodging attacks from a dozen Hobgoblins at once with surprising skill. He shoved me aside and instructed me to hide under the table, to which I reluctantly agreed, because I had no means to defend myself. I felt like a fool for not bringing my sword, but still I knew that my skills would be of little use in front of these immortal deadly creatures.

In front of me, a battle raged. One that I had never anticipated, between Maland and Jake on one side, and The army of Hobgoblins on another. Jake was trying hard to lodge his sword at every possible body part of the Hobgoblins, trying to find their weak spot, but he wasn't very successful yet. No matter how mangled they became, they eventually would rise and fight again. It was really impossible to kill these creatures. 

I have never been much religious in my life before, but the situation at hand prompted me to pray now. I couldn't see a way to escape this crisis, except perhaps our inevitable death. Maland and Jake were trying really hard, but they were just two men against hundreds of these creatures. The oddd have been against us from the beginning. We really should have listened to Maland when he said that we might be in danger in Mafhaelore. Who would have known that such creatures as these existed?

"You guys need to escape." Maland gritted his teeth and said, "I am distracting the force, while you guys run and find somewhere safe. Then immediately transport yourself back to the Island and don't, ever come back!"

"And, what about you?" Jake said, swinging his sword to deflect an oncoming attack, "you seriously don't think that we'll leave you here to die? No, that is out of the question. If we escape, we escape together, or we die fighting!"

"Don't be unreasonable!" Maland growled, "your lives are more precious than mine. I have nothing to hold me back, I have no family to speak of and my country doesn't want me any more. My life would have been over the night I lost my hand, but for the cruelty of fate that made me live through the agony. But you, don't throw your life away, just run!"

"We will not be leaving you! I can't let another one of my friends die, while I sit back and do nothing!" Jake shouted. 

"This isn't about your dead girlfriend!" Maland answered, exasperated, "You can't do anything here. It's either that we all die fruitlessly, or few of us survive. I think you can see which is the reasonable option here. I had promised Sofosys to take care of you and defend you!"

"Why does everything have to be about yourself and your stupid promises? I am not leaving you here and that's my final word!" Jake said stubbornly. 

Then suddenly, I saw one of the Hobgoblins had creeped dangerously close to Jake as he was busy replying Maland. Jake didn't notice the fellow as he grinned menacingly, malice playing at hi eyes. 

"Jake, watch out!" I shouted. 

Jake turned immediately and saw the Hobgoblin who had raised a spear and struck immediately. It took a split second for Jake to react as he flipped his body aside, so that the spear struck his shoulder rather than the abdomen for which it was intended. It was a very close save. 

Jake's shoulder started bleeding profusely and he fell on the ground groaning in pain. 

Maland ran towards him but his path was blocked by the Hobgoblins. Maland looked at Jake helplessly, trying to dodge as many attacks as possible on the Hobgoblins but all his efforts looked futile. 

Time was slipping from our hands and I could see the Hobgoblins circling around Jake who was too injured to even look up. 

At that very moment, an image came to my mind. Linda coming in front of Jake and taking a spear on his behalf, as I watched helplessly from the corner. I could feel the entire scene playing out in front of my eyes at this very moment, only I am not bound this time. This time, I am free to act, and I just can't sit here and watch another friend die. 

I could feel my body warming up, the familiar sensation returning to my hands as I summoned fire. I know that I haven't practised enough with this, my powers aren't fully ready yet, but I had to try. I clutched my hands, a fireball was forming inside them and as it was fully manifested, I aimed and threw it at the group of Hobgoblins surrounding Jake. 

The effect was instantaneous. The crowd dispersed immediately, and the ones who were targeted by the fireball were completely charred. They lay in a puff of smoke, and this time they didn't get up. 

The Hobgoblins started muttering among themselves and they looked at me angrily. I felt my body was on fire, only it felt like a pleasant heat on a cold Winter's day as I summoned ball after ball of fire and threw them at my enemies. Soon, the whole place was an inferno, the Hobgoblins were shouting and retreating, many of them had fled and all of them had forgotten Jake and Maland. They tried to come in my vicinity, by my energy somehow repelled them. 

Maland got to Jake, who was still groaning in pain and with Maland's support he stood up. He looked at me and shook his head, pointing to the direction of the nearest exit. I got his meaning, while I kept these creatures busy, he and Jake would flee and I would then follow. 

They did so as expected, and as soon as they were out of the door, I immediately dashed towards it, leaving a trail of burned bodies in my wake. The Hobgoblins didn't dare come much close to me, for the fear of getting fried. I was soon out of the dreadful hut, and immediately put it on fire. 

I didn't have time to notice the aftermath of my actions because I saw Maland beckoning me from the corner of a bush where he hid with Jake. 

I reached them, and saw Jake lying unconscious on the ground, his left shoulder had turned a dark green colour, as if the wound had festered. 

"Is it bad? Can't you heal it?" I said in alarm. 

Maland shook his head. 

"The spear that had hit him was impregnated with Hobgoblin poison, and so I can't simply magically heal him. We would need the antidote, otherwise he will die."

"But, how will we find the antidote? Can't we don't something?" I said hysterically. Jake can't just die after everything that I had done. It can't all go to waste!

"I know where we can find the antidote." Maland said, "but it will take a while to reach there. We don't have that much time because he'll bleed out. I... I can do something else though." Maland looked a bit hesitant. 

"Please just do whatever it takes to save him! Please don't let my friend die!" I said, tears rolling down my face. 

Maland nodded firmly. Then, he went forward and placed his right hand on Jake's heart, and muttered something under his breath. 

Jake's wound still looked green, but he stopped bleeding. Colour returned to his face and his lips which had started turning blue, returned to their original pink. He slowly opened his eyes, and stood up.