Azrael's POV:
After a while of entering the forest, it became so quiet that even I started to feel scared.
A kid.
Alone in a forest full of monsters.
Come on now, Azrael. This is not the time for you to chicken out.
As I kept walking, I did not even know how far I had gone anymore.
On the way, I grabbed a long sturdy bamboo stalk near the forest edge and broke it off, sharpening one end with a rock. It was not a real weapon, just something I quickly made in case I needed to defend myself. It was crude, but it was better than nothing.
Then after a while, I saw blood on a rock.
It looked fresh.
And I strongly suspected it was my father's.
I quickly scanned the area, searching for more signs that could lead me to him.
"Father?" I called softly as I searched.
I did not want to raise my voice too much, fearing I might attract monsters.
As I walked further, I heard voices.
Goblin voices.
I carefully peeked through the thick foliage.
Then I saw a goblin village.
Goblins are green colored creatures, usually around the height of a human child. Even though they are intelligent creatures, goblins were still considered monsters due to their ravaging nature.
I can only see three goblins.
Three only? Where are the others?
Something felt off, but I did not have time to think further.
Then I heard a human groan.
My breath stopped.
I saw a cage, as I squint my eyes I saw my father was inside.
My chest tightened.
Beside him, another man and a girl who's I think are around my age.
I saw one goblin stood near the cage.
"KAKA muYA gar!" It talked as it faces the cage whete my father is.
That was enough, as the other two goblins were still distracted.
I moved quickly.
I rushed in before I could stop myself.
The goblin felt my presence and turned fast, but I was already close enough to strike and hit its arm with my spear.
It recoiled and screamed.
"GWAAAAAAAA!"
The other two goblin got startled by the call of their hoblin comrade and rushed towards us.
No time, before they could get here.
I ran to the cage and started pulling at the rope. It won't budge, I started to use my spear to cut it through.
Come on.
Come on.
The knot would still not give.
Come on.
Come on.
My hands shook harder as I forced it again and again.
I could hear the two goblin getting closer from my behind.
The girl inside was shouting for my father to wake up.
Finally, the rope snapped.
I dropped to my knees from the sudden rush of tension leaving my body.
"Shit..."
I clenched my teeth.
At a time like this.
Why am I like this.
I forced myself to quickly back up.
I turned back quickly turned towards the goblins.
As I was startled to see one was already charging at incredible speed.
I tried to dodge, but I barely got in time and stumbled as I avoided it.
It did not stop.
It kept coming again, forcing me to step back.
I gripped the bamboo spear tighter, arms shaking from both fear and adrenaline.
Then the older man suddenly burst out of the cage and kicked it hard, breaking the door completely open.
Without hesitation, he rushed in and fought the goblins barehanded at first, taking hits and throwing them back with raw strength.
One goblin swung at him, but he grabbed it and slammed it aside.
In the chaos, he managed to steal a crude weapon from one of the goblins and immediately turned the fight.
Almost I didn't when the wounded goblin turned back to me.
As it came fast when it rushed towards me with anger.
Claws aimed for my face.
I dodged, but slipped and hit my knee hard again.
Pain shot up my leg.
It came again, more aggressive.
I barely recovered in time and avoided it, but my balance was off.
It did not give me space.
Again.
I stumbled backward, almost falling completely.
I barely got in time.
It raised its claws again to me recklessly, where then I saw an Opening to it's attack.
I quickly moved to stepped in and drove the bamboo spear straight into its stomach.
It pierced through the back.
The goblin froze, shocked of what just happened.
A broken sound left it's mouth.
It staggered, then collapsed.
No movement.
The older man was already fully engaged by the fight using the stolen goblin weapon to finish off the other two goblins.
I quickly ran towards my father who is thankfully is still alive, but barely conscious.
"Azrael, why are you here? It's too dangerous," he said weakly.
"We are getting out of here," I replied immediately as I assisted him in getting up.
He forced himself up despite the pain.
"We need to stop the bleeding," I said.
"I'll be fine. We need to move first," he insisted.
No time to argue.
The older man suddenly shouted. Who just killed the two goblin hurriedly over to us and says "Hey- The others are coming back. We need to leave now, let's just escape through the back of the village! We can't fight them head-on; they have a chief who ambushed us earlier!"
"Wait, grab me a weapon! I can still fight!" my father insisted.
The man quickly handed him a spear, and we took off running, adrenaline fueling our escape.
And we had just gotten some distance from the village when a loud, deep scream echoed from the goblin village, sending chills down my spine.
"That's the Goblin Chief! Hurry before they find us! The Goblin Chief is too strong for us to fight!" the man urged, leading the way. "This place seems familiar; there's a watchtower this way, but it's a little far. "Hurry up and follow me!"
Pant**
Pant**
Running***
As we ran, I heard a loud thud behind us, something massive charging straight at us.
"Dodge!" the man shouted as he pushed us away, forcing us to scatter completely.
My father and I hit the ground hard as we rolled out of the way.
"It's the Goblin Chief! Hurry and leave, just go straight ahead and you'll reach the watchtower where you can call for help. I'll hold him off!" the man said.
The Goblin Chief roared, its guttural cry shaking the air.
"GWAAAAH!"
It was massive, three times the size of a fully grown adult human, with bulging muscles rippling under its rough green skin.
In one motion, it grabbed a massive rock and hurled it at the man.
He barely dodged, rolling away just in time.
Then he charged at the Chief, aiming his spear at its stomach.
But despite its size, the Goblin Chief moved fast, dodging the strike with ease.
In a blink, it countered with a punch that sent the man flying into a tree.
"Ughhh..." he groaned, clearly hurt.
I glanced at my father. He could not stand.
Before I knew it, three goblins were coming straight for me.
I grabbed my spear, ready to fight again.
My hands were shaking, but I forced myself to breathe.
One goblin rushed at me, swinging its claws.
I dodged and went for a stab, but something felt off. My instincts kicked in.
I ducked just in time as another goblin leapt at me from behind.
Crap. They are attacking together.
I tightened my grip on the spear.
Another one charged.
I swung my spear to keep it away and stabbed its arm.
"WAAAAAAH!" it screamed as I dragged it into a tree and slammed it hard.
It struggled.
I kicked it in the stomach and tried to pull my spear out, but it would not move.
Crap. I am not strong enough.
Before I could react, another goblin jumped on me from behind.
Pain exploded across my back as its claws dug in.
I could feel it riding me, digging deeper.
My father could only shout my name, weak and helpless.
I needed it off.
I ran full speed toward a tree and slammed my back against it.
The impact knocked it loose.
It dropped, stunned.
Another goblin came at me immediately.
I barely dodged and stumbled to the ground.
It crawled too fast.
I kicked it in the face, forcing it back.
My back burned like hell. Blood was running down it.
Then I turned just in time to see the first goblin still alive, the one I had slammed into the tree.
It was charging again, my spear still stuck in its chest.
I dodged, scraping my legs as I moved back, breathing hard.
It leapt at me.
We hit the ground together.
I grabbed dirt and threw it into its eyes.
It screamed, blinded.
I yanked my spear from its chest. It took effort, but adrenaline pushed me through.
The goblin shrieked in pain, blood pouring from its wound.
"Kyeeek!"
I did not think.
I drove the spear straight through its heart.
"KYYYYAAAK EEEK!"
It twitched, struggling, then slowly went still.
One down.
Two left.
The remaining goblins saw what happened.
They froze for a second, shocked, then rage twisted their faces.
Both rushed me at the same time from different sides.
I could not dodge both.
"WAAAAH!"
My father suddenly moved.
He appeared beside me and slashed one goblin clean in half with a single strike.
It dropped instantly.
But he collapsed to his knees right after, groaning in pain.
The last goblin kept charging.
I dodged at the last second and it crashed into the ground.
I turned and stabbed it from behind.
It screamed.
I kicked the back of its head repeatedly as it struggled.
Slowly, it stopped moving.
Dead.
Silence.
Only heavy breathing.
Only blood.
Then it came back.
That feeling again.
Like something was being pulled out of me.
My vision wavered.
And then—
A screen appeared in front of me.
The same one from six years ago.
/===
System Notice:
Congratulations! You've met the requirements to fully activate the Boundless Necromancer class.
Requirements fulfilled:
Kill at least any three creatures as sacrifice.
1st kill: Normal Goblin
2nd kill: Normal Goblin
3rd kill: Normal Goblin
You can now gain a skill!
===\