It took longer than it should have to get towards the settlement but even then it wasn’t long enough to allow me to change my job beforehand. Though I tried to see as much as I could it was far bigger than any other settlement before and the raging storm hid most of it, only enabling me to see the general shape, row after row of tents, leading upwards to an even bigger one, all surrounded by a palisade.

Still, we had an archer with Sarah, far more capable with seeing through the dark than me by now. “The mages are still here, one down at the entry, two on the upper level. The generals are scattered all around. They placed lookouts, hiding in the dark.”

“Can you get them?”

She lifted her bow, arrows rushing into the dark. Given that anything remained silent, their end was obvious. We then continued into the camp, the guards at the gate falling as silently as their lookouts. When we rushed into patrols Alice rushed at them, cleaving her sword through their bodies. Any goblin lucky enough to be out of her reach soon ended with an arrow piercing into them.

After the third group we crossed the first mage. It noticed us before we attacked, screaming out to alarm the other goblins. Alice stormed forward, swinging her sword down. In return it raised an earthen wall, just like the first one we met, but her increased strength coupled with the bigger sword just smashed through it, the goblin stumbling backwards at the obliteration of his defense only to meet his end soon afterwards.

Warned by the scream goblins rushed towards us, a few carrying torches to light the way for the others. Let me help you with that. I released my mana into the surroundings, taking over the flames and letting them rush over to the goblins. Some flailed around, crashing into other goblins or into the tents, setting them on fire. Others let themselves fall towards the ground, rolling in the mud to erase the flames, only to let their surroundings fall into darkness once more.

I watched the surroundings, careful of any ambushes by the higher goblin, while Alice rushed towards the burning ones, leaving those in the dark to Sarah. It ended all too quickly, the lower ones either dead or running away. Not like their experience is worth much anyway.

In exchange for the normal and hobgoblins came their generals, leading the way banded together as one with the other two mages following behind them. Most of them held a sword, the most used weapon of the goblin apart from daggers and clubs, though these two types were mostly by lower variants. Though that didn’t mean that there weren’t some that still used them as generals, seeing how one crouched in the back, the small blade hidden in the dark.

The real surprise however were two other goblins, one holding a spear and one holding a bow. Goblins never were a species that fought with much skill, only swinging their weapons as hard as they could. Therefore, weapons which required dexterity weren’t seen that often especially from the generals.

Alice stepped forward, blocking their path with Sarah covering her weak spots. Quickly an arrow shot towards the archer before it could even aim, taking him out as the fight began. As the two took the attention of the generals onto them I sent out a Fireball towards the dagger user just in time to stop him from hiding in the dark, possibly ambushing us.

As I was finished with it, I turned my attention towards the pair of mages who already spilled their mana into a magic circle, created together by both. Then it lit up, a snake of water rushing outwards, flowing towards us.

“[Fiery wings]!” Flames spread out around me, rushing towards the snake. It fizzed as fire hit on water, the fire extinguishing while the water turned into smoke. My spell couldn’t stop the snake, but it weakened it enough to render it harmless. Seeing how they couldn’t get past me that easily the two mages created more circles, water rising up to turn into icicles.

I raised a Flame Shield, blocking the icicles raining down on me, only for them to turn into vapor, blocking my vision. I raised the temperature, erasing the vapor around me, only to face another water snake, ready to bite down on me.

“[Fireball; Modify: Explosive].” I shot the Fireball at the snake, it crashing into its mouth. The head of the snake exploded outwards, water splashing around me as I was pushed back. Then it began to ripple. I created a circle beneath me, pushing my fire outwards as spears out of water shot at me, clashing into it. One of the mages held the spell up, keeping me busy as the other build another spell.
A grin spread on its face thinking that it finally got me, icicles forming above it. If I still could've used your experience you two would've been dead by now.

Beside me I heard Alice's sword crashing down, the earth shacking through the sheer force, disturbing the goblin generals. Sarah on the other hand let off the generals, aiming at the mages that were fixated on me.

Before the one keeping me busy even noticed it the one next to it crashed backwards as its icicles fell towards the ground. It shot around to its partner but ended with an arrow in the head before it could see the one sticking out of the others chest.

“Took you a while.”

“Sorry, they were harder to kill than expected.”

Now there were only a few goblins left alive, wary of their impending fate. But as they stepped back a scream rang out behind them, stopping them in their tracks. “Giaaaaa!” Out of the shadows a goblin stepped forwards, it was old and wrinkled, a long beard hanging down form its chin. His robe shifted with every step it took towards us, leaning on a staff all the while.

Seeing it come forward Sarah got into position once more, pulling the string of the bow backwards as she filled both it and her arrow with mana. “This one’s mine. [Powershot]!” She let loose, the arrow flying straight towards it, before flames shot out from nearby torches, crushing against it. As they extinguished only ashes were left, soon to be blown away with the wind.

She knocked on another arrow, but I raised my hand, blocking her path. “Let me take it on.” Analyze.

Let’s see whose fire is stronger.