Chapter 3: Survive 2
Survive 2
The hunched figure blew the horn long and hard, its sounded reverberated breaking through the clamour from before, this horn was sending one simple message.
'They are here'.
Fear gripped everyone at the sight of this strange figure, barely a metre high and covered in gnarled bumpy skin, coated in a swamp like green. The word 'goblin' sprang to Kales mind as he watched its sinister smile grow, it was happy, pleased it had found them.
The goblin's smile grew larger and larger, flashing its small crooked teeth as it spread its lips wide, "KRRIiiiee!!" The battle cry erupted from the goblin's mouth as it jumped and span on the spot, banging its small fists on its chest as it went mad.
It wanted blood now, it didn't want to wait for its brethren.
"Men to the front. Women behind. Grab anything you can for a weapon… there might be more," Captain Hyun attempted to quell the fear rising in them all with his words and actions, he stood at the forefront of their group with his fists ready.
Ready to kill whatever it was that confronted them.
Tensions grew as Captain Hyun's words were ignored, instead everyone huddled in a large group like panicked sheep. Kale himself stood on the outskirts prepared to flee at a moments notice, he knew he was no hero. Their world had all but killed that notion, there were no hero's after the War of Tears, only monuments and memories.
And even they, were beginning to fade.
The gentle swaying of the trees grew violent as Kale heard manic rustling, the leaves were stirring and bouncing like crazy. Slowly more green figures emerged from beneath the canopies surrounding them, there was a pack of them, wielding wooden spears topped with stones and clubs in hand, barely covered by what Kale could only guess to be animal fur of some kind.
"Krieeeee"
"Shreeek!"
Everyone paused to stare at these strange creatures before them, unsure of what to do, only Captain Hyun Park and the soldier eyes them warily. They had not come with good intentions.
The standoff didn't last for long, the humans weren't given a choice, despite vastly outnumbering the small goblin band they were still attacked, the goblins charged and waved their primitive weapons with reckless abandonment. The goblins were fast despite their small size as they spread out and picked their targets amongst the crowd, eager to spill blood. People began to run as Kale helplessly followed, it was one of humanity's base instinct to flee in the presence of danger.
No one wanted to die.
"STOP!"
Kale ignored Captain Hyun's shouts as he ran, he was jostled side to side as those who were faster ran around him, everyone wanted to gain the lead, to get away first.
A scream sounded next to Kale as a body crashed into him sending him stumbling to the ground, the wind knocked out of him as the woman on top of him desperately scrabbled to get up, hitting and clawing at Kale in the process, entangling them both.
Captain Hyun could only watch the mob of people run away in despair, no one would survive like this, shaking his head he picked up the weapon from the goblin he had slain. Despite their small sizes they had surprising strength but didn't take hits well, he had punched the one that attacked him a few times whilst avoiding its wild jabs with the spear, knocking it down and finishing it with a stomp to the neck. They were dangerous at first sight but had no cohesion or training, Captain Hyun knew they could win if everyone banded together, but it was too late.
"Aaahh...."
Screams rang out from across the meadow, the direction where everyone had run to. They had all aimed to break in amongst the trees and find safety, instead they were met with the pointed spears of more goblins, who shrieked in delight as bright red blood was spilt.
A foreign colour to their drab world.
With feral smiles the smaller pack of goblins descended on the humans pinned to the end of their spears, they ripped and tore at the strange beings they had never seen before, they were enjoying themselves, it was a new taste to savour.
In fear a few of those who managed to avoid the goblins surprise attack fought back and wrestled with the smaller figures, like cornered animals they lashed out, driven by fear and terror.
Kale couldn't help but swear at the woman still wildly scrambling on top of him as he managed to push her off, wincing from the bruises she had given him in her madness to flee. Nausea rose in Kale's throat as he stared, stunned at the mad melee that was taking place. Goblins ripped into soft flesh as people in their mad haste barged into the goblins and lashed out with weak fists or picked them up and swung them into the trees, bludgeoning them to death.
Staggering to his feet Kale stumbled away as his eyes reeled from the scene he had witnessed, he could barely see as shock began to settle in.
"ARGH"
A high pitched scream assaulted Kale as he turned to look at the source, the woman he had pushed away still lay on the ground as a goblin stabbed at her in wild ecstasy, despite the mad waving of her arms the goblin continued to plunge its spear down as it shrieked and cried in delight, its mad green eyes seeking new prey and spotting Kale.
With a mighty shriek the goblin charged, Kale begun to run as the goblin chased him, bounding and pouncing like an animal as its little legs pumped furiously. It was drawing closer as Kale was already struggling to breathe, he could barely think straight. What was going on?
A familiar voice entered his mind and cleared it slightly as he obeyed the command.
"GET.DOWN."
Throwing himself to the floor Kale watched as Captain Hyun stepped over him and impaled the goblin on the spear he had picked up, making use of his longer reach to stab into the goblin's neck.
Green clotted blood sprayed the duo as the goblin continued to gnash its pointed teeth as it bled out, wanting to chew on them one more time. Kale watched in horror as its body continued to twitch, with practised movements Captain Hyun removed the spear impaled in the goblin's neck and picked up the now ownerless one.
"Sorry lad."
Before Kale could make sense of Captain Hyun's words he felt a stinging pain across his face as Captain Hyun slapped him, the fresh bout of pain snapped Kale out of his confusion and shock, allowing him to look around clearly again.
The goblins were all dead but so were most of the people that had been summoned here.
Looking around Kale saw that the soldier who talked against Captain Hyun was gone, along with his small group. Stragglers like himself who hadn't run fast enough milled around as the group of people that fled towards the trees were all dead, it was a grisly scene that no one would expect to see even in a war. Bile threatened to erupt from Kale's mouth as he struggled to control his retching, others had already lost control of theirs.
Shock and horror was plastered across stiffened faces as the goblins lay dead with glee and rapture across theirs, this was not a place that mankind was ever meant to step foot in.
A hard wooden object knocked Kale away from his thoughts as Captain Hyun passed him one of the spare spears he held.
"Help me gather everyone up, we must leave now, in case there are more on the way. The timer hasn't stopped yet."
Kale barely registered the Captains words as he clasped the spear, it was odd to hold such an object in his hands, slick with goblin and human blood alike, wet with the blood of the woman he pushed over.
The same woman who had cried for the child she couldn't find, at least now she would be free of worry.
Kale just wanted to go home, but the timer was still ticking.
[Time remaining : 23:48:12]
"Everyone to me!"
The friendly tone was gone from Captain Hyun's voice, he wasn't asking, he was commanding.
Looking around Captain Hyun was shocked at how few were left, despite the group that had run with the solider he had only sixteen people left, many of which were elderly or past their prime, only a few such as Kale were young enough or strong enough to be of any help.
"Everyone gather the weapons dropped by these 'things' on the floor and regroup, you have one minute starting now. Count using the timer. Go."
Silently praying to himself Captain Hyun began to worry about where they were going to find food or fresh water, how do you survive on a foreign planet when you don't know what anything is. For all he knew what appeared to be water here could just as easily kill them. What if food didn't exist on this planet? Was it even oxygen they were breathing?
Kale's mind was filled with different thoughts as focused on the sounds in the distance, the drums were still beating, there were more goblins out on the hunt, tracking their prey. Kale knew he might not be so lucky next time.
[Time remaining : 23:46:33]
In the distance just barely discernible to Kale and his group was another flock of double beaked birds as they flew high into the sky, something had disturbed them as the drums increased their beat, it was the direction that the soldier fled towards.
Captain Hyun swore as he caught sight of them, they had to run, hopefully the others could buy them more time.
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BookFiend
BookFiend I hope that people are enjoying the start of this novel so far. I am going to aim to upload every Monday or Tuesday and Friday or Saturday if I can, all depends on work in RL.
Chapters will remain roughly 1500 - 2000 words in length for now and fingers crossed increase in future.
BookFiend. ^^
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