The goblin stood in the corner of the hallway, scratching its butt.

It sniffed one finger over and over and laughed.

A cardboard box hung over his body like armor, and it had stabbed its crude dagger through it so it wouldn't need to hold it, the same kind of dagger that stabbed my arm.

Then he started to piss in the corner, using his two hands.

I always fuck up in the most important moment.

I bit my other hand, the one that was hurt, just to make sure I didn't make a noise. I could feel my heartbeat through my teeth.

Sweat formed on my back. Did it just look this way?

I closed one eye and concentrated. I told a hunter once, "No plan survives anything with reality or something like that." I always forget it midway.

I hoped that was wrong.

Swallowing once.

Inhale.

Breathing stopped.

My arm was unsteady, still angry.

I took hold of the crossbow with my two hands.

Pulled the trigger.

The snap of the string down the hallway.

The goblin turned to me and pointed in my direction.

It opened its mouth.

Three colored pencils entered itsmouth, silencing its shouts.

And exited through the back of his throat.

All of them hit the wall, pinning themselves to the drywall as if they were bullets.

The goblin stepped back and then fell; his legs twitched.

I hid behind the corner and dropped the crossbow on the ground.

I looked around the corner, expecting to see the goblin moving.

But it was still there, not twitching anymore.

I approached it.

It looked wrong.

Its face was punctured with colorful Fiber Casttel colored pencils.

My legs gave out.

I slid along the wall and sat on the floor.

Exhale, inhale.

It was scratching its ass and picking its nose a few seconds ago, and I ended it.

I then looked at my hands. "I should cut the serial killer thoughts..."

"And now I am talking to myself."

I pulled the crossbow from the ground and yanked the pencils from the walls.

Laika, I am coming.

I put the pencils in the crossbow repeater magazine and started to walk down the hallway.

I had never been so deep in training.

1 - 2 -3

A goblin had been flung around, thrown against a wall, and its head had made a hole through the drywall.

6-7-8

One of them had almost half his body through a computer monitor.

9-10?

Dead goblins with claws and bite marks over their throats and bodies.

Barely looking like a body.

Ten goblins?

She didn't look dangerous this morning.

But she just killed ten fucking goblins alone. I had trouble with one.

"Hey, I think Laika is in trouble," I responded.

They are just goblins. 

She just killed what... twelve goblins?

 maybe more.

"That's the problem, maybe more." I heard rustling, shouts in their dark language, and a slap. I kneeled behind a desk and observed.

I checked the crossbow clip to make sure it was charged, then closed it, keeping the bow in my hands.

3 goblins, together, were walking around. They started to pull a computer and everything they could hold, then ran down a hallway.

"She is one hundred percent in trouble."

"You don't get it?" I pulled my crossbow again.

"In the files, they qualify seven or fewer goblins as a scout party." I reached the corner of the hallway and saw them carrying things to a mountain of desks, with computers blocking the way.

I looked at the walls and noticed claw marks, as if the fight had moved through there.

There was a sign that said "Dungeon simulator room."

She is lying. She is still watching

And I think she is expecting me to get hurt.

I placed both my hands over the corner, and looked as the goblins continued to pile things onto the barricade they made.

One of them turned around, stopped, and looked at me with its yellowish, glowing eyes.

It started to smile and pull at his dagger.

I pulled the trigger. Or to be exact, tried.

It was stuck.

I hit the side.

It fired multiple times.

The strings snapped one after another.

I fell backward.

I closed my eyes and grabbed the arm I fell on.

My wound lit up.

But I opened my eyes and looked.

Two of them lay pinned against the barricade, twitching.

The one who had noticed me was on the ground, slowly crawling away.

She was telling me I had to do it.

I stood up and walked next to it. It looked at me.

I looked away and pulled the trigger.

I need to find Laika.

I started to doubt she would do anything.

I scaled the heap of trash and walked through the hallway.

"Goblins are dangerous, yes, but they are also very stupid. Unless there is someone shouting orders."

So like you.

"I am thinking right now."

GRRRR

I heard a sound, Laika.

I ran into the room. The simulator room was a wide-open, empty space. Goblins littered the ground, and Laika was there, standing, breathing slowly.

Was it really her? My feet balked when I saw her fur, matted and bloody, between her ragged clothes.

The hairs on my arms went up the moment I heard her breathing through her teeth. I could hear a laugh, but it was feral.

My grip tightened, and I almost raised my crossbow.

"Laika?"

She didn't look like the shy office girl I saw this morning.
She was a bulkier beast with sharper teeth and bony knuckles.

Her jaw was out even when looking at me. I almost felt like she was gonna lunge.

"Why are you here!? You might get hurt! I TOLD YOU TO STAY PUT!" She stepped toward me.

My mouth fell shut. I shook, and my feet didn't want to move.

But, hidden behind that terse and harsh voice, there was the voice of someone who wanted me alive.

I forced my mouth open. "W-we need to leave now!" I shouted.

She was right next to me, her claws almost touching me. "Everything is in my control. If you just stay there, no one is going to HURT YOU." Her breathing was uneven.

I shook my head. "No, it's not." I looked at her black eyes. "We are getting cornered."

Pointing at the downed goblins, I said, "We are against a tribe! And the textbook says a tribe always has a— "

The doors to the north slammed open, and a gaggle of green midgets entered the room while laughing.
Behind them, an almost human-sized figure.
It was red and muscular, and with an actual sword in its hand and a whip in the other. 
It hit one of the goblins with its whip, and the laughter ended.

I flinched. Discipline.

"Hob." I pulled my crossbow and pointed, "And we are where he wanted us to be."