After Roy sent the treant tumbling down the cave once more, this time with a kick as his hands were full, he decided to take a small risk. He went up to the cliff face and attempted to climb up and on top of the cave overhang. He did not make it all the way up but still found purchase about three feet up where he was out of the line of sight from the mouth of the cave. Unless they turned around after getting out, at which point they would be blinded by the light, he reckoned he would have time to get the jump on them after they all filed out. The last thing he wanted was one running back down and bringing back an army. The largest risk in doing it this way was that he had no way to run if too many came to investigate.
It did not take too long for scuffling to be heard, but this time it was accompanied by shouting as well. Roy could not understand a word, but one of the goblins was yelling nonstop for whatever reason.
The first goblin to emerge was not carrying the treant but rather wielded what might have once been a machete, now chipped and rusted to the point that it appeared useless. The goblin walked out and started looking around, which worried Roy, but he held his ground. As it began wandering off, the first goblin carrying the treant appeared, soon followed by a second, but the one shouting was yet to be seen. Only after they hefted it halfway to the water did it show itself, adorned in all manner of tribal garb. It wore a skull on its head, appearing somewhat canine with a flat snout. It had armbands and bracelets made of smaller bones strung together, as well as a necklace that had what appeared to be fingers of various races hanging off it. In its hand, it clutched what could have been a walking stick but, for it was a staff, topped with another diminutive version of the skull on its head.
It was definitely some kind of leader, with it constantly yapping and swinging its staff at the other goblins, but how high up the pecking order it may be, Roy had no clue. Regardless, it was a win for him, as it stood on its own just a short bound away.
Hoping no more were coming and not daring to miss out on this opportunity, Roy hopped off his perch and ran full tilt as soon as he landed with his spear pointed straight ahead, positioned under his armpit. It was alerted by his drop-down, turning around but only in time to witness the spear plunge straight into and through its chest, letting out a horrified scream of pain. Its frail body got carried back by the momentum of the spear charge as it got skewered, weighing it down for Roy. He let go of the spear and transferred his dagger from his left hand to his right as the goblin toppled over.
The remaining three goblins were alerted by now and turning to face him, two in front and one further back. Not wanting to waste time dislodging the spear and letting them group up three on one, Roy threw his dagger imbued with the Rebounding Shot skill, not trusting his aim yet with the splitting to hit both. As the dagger flew and struck the one on the left, it flinched and stumbled back from the impact, falling on its behind. The dagger had made an instantaneous, sharp turn to face the second goblin, leaving the first with nothing more than a bruise but a clean stab in the side of its intended target. It doubled over in pain as it clutched its wound.
Roy used this opportunity to grab the goblin's staff that lay at his feet and rushed forward with a wide swing aimed right for the head of the injured goblin. The impact shattered the staff in two and sent the skull flying along with the goblin. Left with nothing but a splintered stick and the buckler, with the armed goblin fast approaching with a swing and the dazed one ready to leap with tooth and claw, Roy threw the splintered remains with a Rebound at the floor. He did not wait to see and hoped his aim was good, as he had to brace his buckler with his other hand to stop the goblin from jumping on him. The spike had impaled the goblin, but it was not enough to stop it as it clung to the rim with its hands, weighing him down. In his peripheral, he saw the charging goblin had stopped momentarily, clutching between its legs and missing the opportunity to strike it had been presented.
Not letting it impede him, Roy charged in return as the goblin hung on his buckler as a meatshield and barreled it into the other one. It never got the opportunity to swing as its machete flew out of its grasp as Roy let himself drop on them both, squishing them with his weight and impaling them further with the spike. They both let out gasps as the air got knocked out of them.
With them both pinned down but lacking the means to finish them off quickly, Roy looked around for where the machete had dropped. It was too far for him to reach as he was, so he scrambled to his feet and yanked the buckler out of the goblin's abdomen, getting another scream of pain from it.
As he picked up the machete and turned back to face them, the one below had tossed off its companion and was getting back to its feet, malice flashing in its eyes, but did not charge in as Roy expected it might. Instead, it began circling in the direction of the stream.
Unsure what it was up to, as it did not appear to be fleeing, Roy continued to stare it down and began a slow approach, brandishing the machete to unnerve it. However, soon enough, its plan was revealed, as Roy heard the roar of a fire right behind him as a burning impact struck his exposed back, sending intense pain up his rear and him down to the ground.
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