Static welled up in Vaan’s head, followed by a fragment of a memory.
A cavern, similar to this. A floating crystal, three enemies standing before him.
But as if to filter out the irrelevant information, they vanished, the memory focusing instead on his body.
He wielded a shield and sword, holding both tightly in his hands. And the way he did then…
The goblin took a few steps back, shaking its head in a daze.
In the meanwhile, Vaan adjusted his stance to match what he saw.
The shield, pulled tighter to his body. A firmer grip on the hilt in his right hand, shifting it. His waist, lowered slightly, his feet, spread out and loose, ready to move at a moment’s notice.
The goblin growled, sneering at Vaan’s shield. It charged again, but as if wary of him now, it didn’t go for a straightforward attack. Dashing to the side, quickly juking back and then springing up to avoid the shield.
It was a high level evasive maneuver that didn’t suit what should be the weakest monster.
Recognizing Vaan’s shield as a threat, the goblin attacked Vaan’s right side, aiming for his weaponless right arm.
Ba-dump.
Another headache.
Even with the shield, he would lose. A weapon, like the sword he saw then. That was what he needed to win. The goblins were too quick for him to react when they closed the distance, so he needed something with slightly more reach. A short sword.
“KEEEE!”
Was it screaming at him to die? The goblin screeched and slashed with its knife.
To stop it, he had to attack first. But to do that, he needed a weapon. One he didn’t have.
'So make one. You have the components.'
A hilt in his right hand. Broken fragments of steel.
Vaan’s body moved on its own, abiding by reflexes and instincts that he didn’t possess- No, that were being etched into his body while he moved.
Pivoting with his left foot, stepping back with his right, slashing out with his right hand at the goblin’s neck. Vaan moved as if possessed, executing an attack that he didn’t understand.
The goblin sneered, probably thinking that Vaan had finally lost it. After all, what was he going to do with just that broken dagger? So because of that, the goblin didn’t dodge.
And it was a fatal mistake.
Another spark of light bloomed. With it, a black sword formed in Vaan’s right hand, cutting through the air at the goblin.
The sensation of tearing flesh, like cutting into a ripe melon before hitting something hard and then pulling past it.
Vaan followed through, wrenching his right hand behind him while holding his shield up in front of him, standing like a trained veteran instead of the helpless person he was seconds ago.
The goblin’s body fell to the ground, landing with a sickening thud.
Silence.
Vaan’s heart raced and his head felt like it was wrapped in wool. Even so, he didn’t let his guard down… Or rather, ‘something’ made it so that he wouldn’t.
It seemed like the goblins sensed the change. This time, instead of sneering and chuckling, all of them stared at Vaan with narrowed eyes.
Vaan stared back, quietly analyzing the situation.
‘These aren’t normal goblins. From the tactics and the weaponry, they’re likely mutants. Moreover, they seem to have experience fighting adventurers.’
That much could be seen from the fact that they didn’t run after seeing him kill one of their kind.
Usual goblins were cowardly. These weren’t.
As if to drive that point home, one of the goblins whistled and then the group split up. Four to the left, three straight ahead, and four to the right, a formation to flank Vaan.
‘Don’t let them.’
Before that could happen, Vaan dashed off to the left, charging with his shield.
“Kehe!” A goblin shouted.
Vaan didn’t understand it, but he soon realized what it was.
Faint glimmers of silver in the darkness. Half of the goblins threw their knives before backing off and then the other half ran forward. A staggered attack meant to prevent Vaan from running.
‘Use the terrain to your advantage. You don’t always need to block attacks yourself.’
Vaan stomped his foot and then jumped back, ducking behind another stalagmite. At the same time, he smashed his shield against a stalactite nearby, causing it to fall.
The sound of steel crashing against rock, sparks lighting up the dark cavern.
‘Remember. Even if they’re mutated, goblins are still simple creatures. A single complicated formation is the extent of their brains unless a shaman or a hobgoblin is present.’
Knowledge, echoing in his head like a calm voice. No, memories of him reading notes from a dusty old tome.
Vaan put how and why he knew it aside and instead acted on it.
“Kehe?!”
The goblins were in confusion. The sure kill formation they had was broken and the prey they thought helpless suddenly bared its fangs.
That meant it was his chance.
Vaan leapt out from his position and slashed with his sword.
Three goblins were cut down, but the fourth leapt back, just out of reach.
Instead of advancing, it retreated, making a hand gesture towards its allies.
Before it could reconvene, Vaan spun and threw his sword.
The black blade flew through the air, nothing more than a dark shadow with the lack of light. As a result, the goblin couldn’t react in time and fell to the ground in halves, split at the waist.
At the same time, the blade flew towards the group of goblins that planned to attack straight on, cutting those three down before sending sparks into the air as the blade bit into the cavern wall.
Then there were four.
The last group of goblins broke up into pairs, two heading towards Vaan’s sword and to retrieve some more equipment while the other two charged at him.
Ba-dump.
Another headache. More information.
‘A shield isn’t only to defend. It can be used to force openings and attack as well, even when missing a weapon in the other hand.’
Vaan nodded with the words that popped up in his head and then held up his shield, waiting.
The first goblin arrived, jumping high at his head. The other goblin pounced low, aiming at his shins.
Vaan stepped back and cut down with his left hand, using the edge of the shield. The metal bit into the goblin’s flesh and sent it crashing down, colliding with its partner.
“Kweh?!”
But that other goblin wasn’t dead. Neither were.
‘Follow up immediately.’
So Vaan stepped forward and stomped.
A sickening crack and the sound of something squelching beneath his feet.
Hearing that, the goblins that broke off to retrieve more equipment froze, the two pairs of yellow eyes wide in fear.
Vaan stepped forward.
With a high-pitched squeal, the goblins ran off, leaving Vaan alone.
He didn’t pursue them. Instead, he walked over and wrenched his sword out of the wall before making his way back into the center of the cavern. When he did, he fell backwards onto the floor and let out a relieved laugh. “I… did it…”
