Chapter VIII in an ongoing
saga
(Note: This chapter contains descriptions of violent content. Reader discretion is
advised.)
As daylight breaks, the knights gather downstairs for breakfast. Jon,
however, doesn't wake till around nine. As he stumbles downstairs, he hears
the knights talking.
"Have ye seen Eldrick?" one asks.
"Nay, I have not. Did he not go to the city?" another says.
"I do not remember." Sir Gilfried says as he turns. "Jon! I thought you
would sleep all day! Hurry, have breakfast and collect your gear."
Jon nods, still groggy. He walks over to the long table, where an
extravagant breakfast is laid out.
~~Do they `ave coffee?~~ he asks.
"Coffee? I know not what coffee is, but there is cider."
~~That will do...~~ Jon says, and grabs a mug. ~~I 'ave to go get my
stuff.~~
Sir Gilfried nods, and Jon walks back upstairs to his room. He collects
his belongings. ~~I'll keep this `ere~~ he says, and holsters his beretta on his
belt. He then straps the plain sword to his backpack. He walks over to a
window and looks out into the forest.
~~What can I do with this?~~ he thinks as he sees the blacksword.
~~Might as well return it.~~
He picks up his pack and the blacksword and walks to Eldric's room.
Jon sets the sword on the bed and leaves, going downstairs.
~~Sir Gilfried, I'm ready to go kill some goblins!~~
"Good! Let me get my armor. Go out to the stable and get my horse, the
black stallion with the white blaze." Gilfried says as he goes upstairs.
Jon saddles the horse and gives it a bit of grain and water. About five
minutes later, Gilfried walks out, clad in silver plate armor.
"Ready, Jon of Starsmore?"
~~Yes, Sir!~~ Jon says and draws his sword. It is a large longsword, so
he has to hold it with both hands. It is plainly crafted, sturdy but simple. Jon
replaces the sword on his pack.
"Then let us be off." Gilfried says as he sets his horse into a canter.
~~Where are the goblins?~~
"Asleep in their huts. We will raid their 'village' and kill as many as
possible."
~~That's it? Aren't we going to use some sort of strategy?~~
"Goblins do not deserve strategy. They are vile things that deserve to be
wiped clean from the face of the Earth."
~~If we use strategy, we can kill more of 'em, with less 'arm to us.~~
"Boy, you will listen to me! We will rush into their camp and kill the vile
beasts!"
~~Whatever.~~ Jon says, as they come across a clearing. About a dozen
or more small, crude huts can be seen. It looks as if small children are milling
about outside. On closer inspection, the 'children' have greenish skin and
jagged teeth. All of the goblins wear clothing of some sort. Some wear antique
armor and carry old weapons of some type. Garbage is strewn across the
clearing. Two lookouts are standing watch over the path, obviously not very
well.
"On three, we attack." Gilfried says quietly. "One,"
The goblins seem to be eating.
"Two," ~'They aren't doin' anything 'armful.'~ Jon thinks to himself.
"Three!!!" Gilfried yells and kicks his horse into a gallop, sword drawn.
Jon sighs and runs toward the village, his sword drawn also. The goblins
scream something unintelligible, and run at Gilfried to strike him down.
The first goblin swings his axe at Gilfried and misses. Gilfried brings his
broadsword down, connecting with the goblin's neck. Red blood splatters
Gilfried's armor front as the goblin's head flies in front of the horse. As the
horse bears down on the village, it tramples the severed head. The massive
weight of the warhorse crushes the goblin skull, spraying brains, blood and
gore onto the horse's legs. Gilfried turns his horse about to swing at another
goblin, and in the process, crushing the decapitated goblin. The body splatters,
intestinal parts flying onto the horses legs.
A second goblin swings at Gilfried with a large, blood encrusted mace.
He parries the blow and swings his sword, slicing the mace-handle. in half. Jon
slashes at the goblin's legs, slicing them off at the knee. The goblin drops to the
ground, clutching the stumps that were its legs and screaming in pain Jon
drives his sword into the goblin's chest.
Jon fights back revulsion at the sight of the blood pouring from the
gaping wound. Just in time, he blocks the stab of a dagger. He slices down at
the hand holding it, completely severing it. A goblin woman screams, realizing
that her hand is gone. Jon elbows her in the face, shattering her skull and
splattering his arm with brains, blood, an eye, and skull fragments. He looks
up for a moment, spotting Gilfried. The knight's armor is covered in blood and
gore, goblins' bodies piled high around him. He seems to be favoring his left
arm.
Jon snaps out of his reverie, only to see a large goblin bearing down on
him. The goblin is clad in gleaming armor, ~'definitely stolen'~ Jon thinks, and
holds a broadsword over his head. (
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