Chapter 3- Boss Battle!

How long would I be stuck here?

"You're going crazy Ace. Just continue, there has to be an end. That or this is hell" 

I could see the similarities and my seemingly un-aging body. An endless loop that could be considered torture, the faint hope that there is an exit. I'm sure I've read once about a part of hell like this.

'Just get up and keep going' I decided these thoughts were worthless and continued forward. Careful to mark the map that now extended from my daggers sheath to the thigh of my leather armor.

After stabbing another rat my mind began to drift to a startling realization. At this moment I believed I covered over half of this maze. Looking at my rough leather map I've went down every path except one.

The funny part? 

"I shouldn't have gone with my fucking gut" I said with a scowl as I returned to the very first choice of right or left.

It was obvious to me at this point that that entire path I chose was incorrect.

'Two weeks….. for nothing' It was cynical way to look at it, but at least whatever I walk into I'll have two weeks of practice, positives.

At least that's how I first thought until I arrived in a rather large room. "The boss room" My video game knowledge burst through before I even noticed what the room was for myself.

The room itself was pretty barren, stone floors and walls. A few tapestries decorated the furthest wall while torches lined in perfect symmetry. The only oddity was a large campfire in the center of the room.

'So what's it going to be? A tiger sized rat?' I wondered as I prepared my equipment, paying special attention not to actually break the barrier between the hallway and the boss room just yet.

It has been a long two weeks in all honesty, I've fought and killed at least seven hundred giant rats and not once received an injury besides a few scratches. 

I currently had thirty crossbow bolts left, my leather armor was still in decent condition and my spear looked in top shape besides a little more wear on the shaft.

"Enough procrastinating, let's get out of this damn maze" I said with resolve as I gave my spear a little flourish as I walked into the boss room.

A sound got my attention, towards the end wall where the tapestries were an ethereal plaque appeared. 

'Goblin Swordsman Niwack' the name pulsed dark red as part of the wall fell away. 

The first sound that marked this encounter was the drag of metal, sparks flew along the ground in two strips before the boss entered the room. 

Unsurprisingly a goblin appeared adorned in leather armor. Two scimitars scraped the ground marking the monstrosities' approach. I noticed the green glow that was very similar to my spear coming from the weapons, they were enchanted.

Why did I call it a monstrosity? It was too 'real'. A look of intelligence lit in its eyes as it noticed me and stopped its approach. 

It seemed it decided to size me up as well, an unspoken agreement seemed to pass between us as we began watching each other.

It wasn't the basic bright green goblin with a big belly. No, it looked like a real warrior. Scars lined its body while a more gruesome one passed over an eye and marked its dark green skin. 

It was at that point I noticed a red gauntlet that covered it's entire forearm down to its knuckles, worse it also gave off a light blue ethereal glow. The only worrying thing was that I was pretty sure that it wasn't always red, the steel gauntlet was stained red from blood, most likely human blood.

Even from here I noticed the array of what I could guess were runes that lit with an orange glow. He was better armed than me.

"Guakkk ziii oviii?" It spoke but we both soon realized that this was a language barrier neither of us could bridge.

"Peace?" I asked curiously as I did the universal sign to wait and changed my spear point so that it pointed toward the ground instead of at the goblin.

The goblin seemed confused as it looked over my posture, it raised an eyebrow before a growl reverberated from its throat. 

It pointed at my spear before making a grabbing motion to itself. 'Peace for my equipment?'

I sighed before in a smooth motion, drew my crossbow and fired. 

The goblin did not expect that, it barely got its two blades up in time to block its vitals. 

'I wasn't aiming for that' I observed as the bolt sunk into the goblins knee. 

I charged then as I discarded my crossbow on the ground for a later pick up, the ten second reload time would be impossible against a humanoid enemy.

It growled as it fell to its knees and ripped the bolt out. The goblin took me by surprise when it stabbed one of its swords into the ground, and pointed it's gauntlet clad arm at me, palm facing me. 

At the first wisp of fire I stopped my charge and rolled away. A wave of heat passed over me as I caught the sight of a real fireball passing over me, about the size of a beach ball or three feet in diameter. 

'Magic!' 

It exploded behind me as I got back to my feet and turned to the goblin with a touch of fear.

Niwak smirked at me before its arm twitched again, I was zig zagging before the flame even began to flicker.

'Fuck it' I decided as I rose from roll into a twist, at the end of it my wrist flicked. 

The goblins' bulging eyes were the only tell that I did something it didn't expect. Proven by the steel shaft that now stuck from its chest.

"Gula fucka yuraa!" It gurgled out as once it finished speaking it began throwing up purple blood like a chocolate fountain, oddly thick. 

"Yeah, fuck you too….. I think?" And I could admit that the goblin had a point, I fought dirty as hell. But thank god I did because the damn monster had a fire cannon strapped to its arm.