Eve and Sam ran down the street.
“We’re almost there, hurry up!”
They reached the house and Eve grabbed the door handle. “It’s looked. Hey Aiden! You there?” She shouted and slammed her fist against the door. “Open up!”
“The key, lass.”
“Yes. You’re right.” She grabbed her key and pushed it into the keyhole. As she pushed the door it hooked on something and didn’t open completely. “Stupid door, open up.” She kicked the door. With a loud bang it finally opened further and crashed into the wall on the side. As Eve rushed inside, she looked around frantically. “He’s not here.” Eve collapsed. “What do I do if I don’t find him?” Tears run down her face.
Sam crouched down and laid his hand on her shoulder. “Keep calm, we’re goin’ to find him. For now, let’s search the area, maybe he’s somewhere nearby.” She looked up at him, eyes turning red from the tears. “I promise.” He stood up and turned around, walking out of the house and looked at the sky. “Shit, the rain is comin’. Com’on lass, we don’t have the time to sit here.”
Eve pulled herself up. I’ll find you Aiden. Thunder growled, announcing the coming of a storm.
Flames flickered in the wind, keeping patches of the city wall from falling into darkness as night came. A guard walked atop the wall, making a late patrol.
“Yawn, why do I have to do this again.” He rubbed his sleepy eyes. Ah, there is the next guard, leaning against the railing. At least I’m not the only one sleepy. He started to walk a bit faster, trying to keep himself from sleeping by speaking to him. As he walked closer to the guard, he noticed something amiss. Wait, why does he lay there atop it? He seemed to realize something as he tried to scream.
“Ene…”
An arrow borrowed its way through his neck. He tried to turn around as his legs gave away. In his eyes a reflection of green before they lost its luster.
A green body ran across the wall in the direction of the gate as rain began to fall, washing away the traces of blood.
Boy, where are you?
Eve and Sam ran through the streets as the rain began. The denizens of the slums went to their homes, as a few tried to get shelter under something. Sam walked up to an old man even older than himself.
“Hey, you there, have ya seen a little kid around here somewhere?”
“Just the usual few.” He answered. “Looking for someone special?”
“Little fella with grey hair. Quite quick.”
“Did he piss of one of the gangs?”
“Shit!” Sam clenched his hand. “Where did he go? Fast!”
The man pointed at an intersection. “Right past there and then left.” Sam took off and ran, Eve following him. “Better not to get your hopes up, they were quite angry!”
They turned around the corner, ignoring the words of the man, but as Eve tried to run even farther Sam stopped her.
“What are you doing?”
“Wait lass, there signs of fightin’ here”
Eve shuddered at the possibility. “You don’t mean?”
Sam looked around. “See the ladder? Most likely run up there but then fell down here” Sam took a few steps.
No. no. We will find you. Eve stepped back. I can’t lose you too. She turned around, as tears began to gather again. As her eyes passed an abbey, she saw something in the dark. “Aiden!” She ran into the abbey.
Raindrops fell on his face, awakening the boy from his slumber. He tried to move as a sharp pain struck him.
“Arg!” He screamed. Fucking hurts! He looked at his body, cuts and bruises showing all over his body as he began to remember. Shit, that asshole. Wait, what happened to my leg. He looked down his body expecting to see his mangled body-part. It’s… fine? He was astonished to see his own leg, clearly remembering it being broken by One-eye. Why is it fine?
He tried to stand up as a sharp pain stung him and he lost his balance.
Okay, not fine. Once again, he tried to stand up, this time leaning on a nearby wall with his hand. As he stood up, he once again winced in pain but kept standing this time. Well, at least I can walk.
Keeping his hand on the wall he staggered forward, nearly falling again.
Damn leg, just stop hurting already. He felt a rush of heat building up inside his leg. Okay, you can hurt but don’t go weird on me! Already expecting things to get worse he started to curse his earlier remark, but as quickly as the heat came it went again. What the…? He took a step and felt nothing out of the ordinary. That was weird. Guess I should be thankful?
He took a step, then another, quickly breaking into a run as the quietness of the night was broken by a scream.
“Lass, what’s wrong!?” Sam run into the abbey as he saw Eve lying on her back, trying to back away from something. Quickly he steeped in front of her as he saw what was standing in the dark.
“Goblin!” Before him stood a sickly creature, green-skinned, with filthy teeth and an ugly grin on his face. The wind came down the abbey carrying a smell far worser than the usual smell of the slums. “What’s a Goblin doin’ here?” Sam was bewildered. Surely everybody thought about One-eye as one, but a real Goblin should’ve never made its way this far into the city.
As he stood there stunned about the sudden encounter the Goblin ran towards him. Fuck. He grabbed the hilt of his sword, but the goblin was faster as he swung a dagger down.
Taking a step back he evaded the knife barely. In the side of his eyes he saw Eve, still lying on the floor behind him. Can’t mess up now! He prepared to strike, noticing that the goblin was already in front of him again. Too near. Without enough room to swing his sword properly he took a page out of his old mercenary-days.
The Goblin wanted to strike once again it and jumped at Sam, pulling his skinny arm back to gather more power for the next stab. Now, nearer than ever the Goblin saw grey hair rushing towards him.
Sam’s forehead crushed into the face of the goblin throwing it back. Ouch, I forgot I don’t wear a helmet these days. He looked at the goblin before him. It already began to stand up once more, grimacing from the pain. “Thanks for jumpin’ up, saves me some serious back-pain at my age.” Sam grinned.
Of course, the Goblin didn’t understand his words, but clearly understood that the white sack of flesh before him mocked him. Anger replaced pain as the goblin rushed forward once more. All he wanted was to kill this creature who hurt him.
Three steps. Sam grabbed his hilt again. Two steps. The blank steel was pulled out of his scabbard. One. He swung his sword horizontally.
Realizing his prey was faster than it seemed the goblin tried to block the sword. Sword and knife collided. The knife was thrown to the side as the sword sliced at the skin of the goblin, creating a shallow wound.
Curses, I grew to old. Sam wanted to swing his sword another time as a loud bell broke apart the silent city. He looked to the center of the city; eyes wide as he saw a big flame. “An attack!?” Fuck, I should keep my eyes on the enemy! He looked around, back where the Goblin was, but as he looked around, he only saw Eve, sitting on the ground, scared and crying.
He tried to speak to her, “Hey lass”, but she just cried on. He slapped her cheek. Confused she looked at him, eyes puffy and trembling with her whole body. “Lass, I know you’re scared but we got to move now! Shits going on and we still haven’t found the boy.” Eve sat there quietly. Whereas she was still scared her mind raced through the thought of never seeing her brother again. Making up her mind she stood up, shaking like a newborn foal. She took a few steps and crouched again, hand reaching out to grab a crude dagger, left behind by the goblin.
What’s going on? Aiden ran through the streets. After the bell was struck there was a series of screams nearby. As he ran around a corner the boy saw a silhouette in the dark. He walked near it, trying not to make a sound, thinking it could be one of the thugs from earlier.
As he neared it a pungent smell made itself known. Trying not to gag he took a closer look. A green-skinned something sat there, wrapping some sort of cloth around his arm. A Goblin! What is a Goblin doing here!? Fear filled the boy’s eyes as he took a step back. Keeping his eyes on the Goblin he backed away further as his foot landed in a puddle of water creating a loud splat.
Damn! The boy looked at the goblin, which sat still in the shadow. HaHahahLooks like the sound of the rain muted it. As Aiden breathed a sigh of relief the goblin turned in his direction, eyes clearly locked on him. “Fuck, why can things never go my way!” The boy started to run.
The goblin rushed out of the shadows. While it did get hurt previously it was still strong enough to fight such a little thing. And just when it was getting hungry again.
Running even faster than earlier this day he passed by the houses. Turning around each corner he tried to leave the goblin behind, but it stayed near him, enjoying the easier hunt. Soon he was in a part of the slums he had never been to. As he reached another corner he stopped, looking at a dead end.
Behind him the Goblin slowed its steps, pleased with itself, that it managed to drive its prey in a corner. The boy turned around, looking in its eyes. As the goblin stepped forward, he stepped back, further and further back to the wall. Now, with the goblin directly in front of him he could see it clearly. It was small, even smaller than him, with a sickly, malnourished body. From its left arm dropped trails of blood, where it tried to bind the wound with a cloth. It breathed heavily, exerted from running behind him.
Maybe I can take it on. A new sliver of hope began to burn inside the boy. He started to run at the Goblin, trying to punch it, as the Goblin threw out a kick hitting him in the stomach. “Gah!” Landing on the ground the boy grasped for air as the Goblin sprung at him. It ripped its mouth open, showing sharp, yellow teeth. The boy pushed his arm in front of him as the goblin bit him. Shit, it hurts. Teeth started to sink into his flesh. Blood started to flow as his arm turned red. He punched the Goblin, trying to get it of himself. Angered by the sudden resistance the Goblin swung his claws at the boy’s body, scratching his chest and leaving small red marks.
“Get of me!” Aiden screamed, still hammering at the Goblin. It doesn’t work! What can I do? Panicking the boy looked around, searching for something to help fight off the beast. The Goblin grinned, thinking it was nearly finished with this prey. Flailing his hand around the boy finally reached something behind him. Grabbing it, he swung it at the Goblin, hitting it at its head. A loud crack sounded out as he realized that he hit the Goblin with a broom just, breaking the broom in the process and pushing the Goblin away.
Fuck, better than nothing. The boy pushed himself up from the ground, claw marks all over his body. In front of him the Goblin stood, shaking his head. Clearly it didn’t expect a blow. Looking at the Goblin the boy staggered. Everything hurts. Shit, what can I do? The boy looked around, searching for some way to stop this enemy, which was clearly to strong for him right now.
But as the boy looked around the Goblin focused again, locking his eyes on the stubborn prey. Realizing he didn’t focus on him the Goblin once again attacked him.
“Damn, stay away!” Noticing the Goblin running at him the boy swung the broken broom. Although he hit it, it still crashed into the boy, tearing him to the ground. Blood began to pool around them, as a green body lay atop one other body covered in red.
