Ch 20 - Breaking A Rule (2)

Albion stood firm as he was ready for the charging goblins. Albion gripped hard on the hilt of his sword. Remembering the mistakes he previously made in hunts leading up to this. Correcting on all of them. The goblins began to surround him as he backed up and kept them all in his view. Many of them began to become annoyed with their short fuses as they went to attack Albion. From the sides and in front of him. All holding basic daggers, all different, most likely stolen from previous hunts. Stolen from people they killed.

As they came Albion prepared. Not only looking at his surroundings with mana sense a very basic technique Lily taught him. Keeping an eye on those in close proximity.

The first one that tried to stab him was immediately disarmed. Their hand cut off with a small but strong movement of Albion's sword across his reach. Then with a quick recovery, Albion sliced through the same arm and cut the head off the goblin. The cut was clean with his well-kept sharp sword. The head, the arm and the body fell onto the floor with the hand. The grass stained a crimson red. The other goblins become shaken watching the goblin being dismembered so fast. Quickly killed by what they assumed was an older kid or young man no less. Albion stepped on the dagger. Making sure it wouldn't be picked up again to be used by another goblin.

Goblin 3: This… This isn't any ordinary kid kikiki!

Albion: And you're pretty ordinary goblins compared to the others I've fought. At least those ones had a brain.

Albion lifted his foot and dug l under the dagger. Flicking it up and catching it. Holding it in reverse grip with his sword in his right hand. Even with the paladin sword technique and his accelerated learning. He was never able to perform it at 100%. The technique needed a shield. So Albion began to use a dagger after asking his father to teach him. Using that instead of a shield. Turning a sword and shield technique into a dagger and sword technique.

Albion: Are you too scared? Ki. Ki. Ki.

Albion made fun of their speech as he taunted them to attack. Smiling as he did it. An angered enemy was one that didn't completely focus in battle.

Goblin 3: YOU! YOU SHIT KIKIKI!

All the goblins charged in a frenzy besides the two Albion was concerned about. Albion charged at the goblins. As they were about to reach him. Albion quickly formed a barrier around him. Translucent and white in appearance. Something his father taught him when he asked.

The barrier hit all of the goblins as it expanded outward, throwing them off balance. Albion used this opportunity as he dispelled the barrier. Quickly killing two more goblins with a slash of their throats. Albion drew his sword hilt into him turning to a goblin at his side and stabbing it in the side of their head with his dagger. Drawing it from the skull and slashing it around. Cutting another goblin's neck open with his sharp blade.

Goblins slowly recovered and threw their daggers at Albion. But he quickly ducked down as his sword and dagger were placed back in their stance position. As he flicked his left arm slightly backwards to his side. Launching his dagger into another goblin. One that tried to get behind him. The dagger penetrated their eye as it dropped dead.

But then Albion heard a shatter as he was hit in the back of the head. Falling face first into the ground as his vision went slightly blurry from the force.

Albion: {Was that my Danger Barrier?!!}

He quickly rolled as he expected an obvious impact. An impact was heard where he previously landed. He felt the ground break and crack under a heavy pressure. He wasn't paying enough attention to his surroundings with mana sense. He completely missed that the goblin in armour joined the fight. Metal-plated armour on parts of his body. A mace way too big for his body being swung like a toy. Albion tried to recover his senses but he was hit hard.

Albion: {A Goblin variant. Great. And if that one's a variant. The chances of the other one being a variant are high too. I'll need to try that.}

Albion then sensed multiple daggers thrown at him as he quickly casted a Barrier to protect him. But it slowly fell apart as one dagger stabbed into his shoulder. Albion went to use Purify but it didn't work. His spells weren't working anymore.

The armoured variant was fast as he brought the mace down hard. But Albion practised this in the paladin swordsmanship technique. This exact scenario. He was perfectly focused. The world moved slowly as his hard work had made this technique muscle memory. As a surprising blue glow exploded from his body he kept on. Parrying the strike beside him with his sword across his body. With a hard flick, he slashed hardback. But the goblin lowered its head as the helmet took the impact. The helmet crumpled under the sword. The sword didn't falter for a moment. Mrs Winchester wouldn't give him a blade that would fail him.

While the strike didn't kill the goblin. With the blade shining bright and the sudden crumple of the helmet Albion noticed the goblin wince its eyes. Albion using another technique. Withdrawing his sword quickly to his side and stabbing it into the armoured Goblin's neck with a charge. Able to completely lift the armoured goblin off its feet with the mace in its hand. Albion was surprised by his sudden strength. But the mace was dropped as the goblin died on the sword. It's body going limp

Multiple daggers hit the armour of the goblin as they fell to the floor. But Albion felt himself getting weaker. His left arm feeling numb.

Albion tried to use purify again but when it didn't work he noticed the goblin in robes flash a magic circle at him.

Albion withdrew his sword and threw it hard at the other goblin variant. But another goblin dived in the way to take the hit. Dying on impact. Four more goblins charged at Albion. Two throwing daggers.

Albion: {IT HAS TO WORK!}

Albion was putting all of his eggs in one basket now. As he threw his right arm up a strong burst of air threw the daggers into the air. Albion smiled as he saw the shock on the other variants' face. It wasn't a spell that Albion had used so it worked as intended. It was his Mana Lines. The manipulation of his strong affinities.

Goblin mage: HOW?! I-I WAS USING UNIQUE MAGIC GIVEN TO ME BY THE DEMONS KIKIKI!

Albion: Demo…

Albion's slight bit of curiosity got the better of him as a goblin stabbed him in the other shoulder. Just missing its intended target his chest. The goblin was in panic. Albion grabbed the goblin by the face as fire burst out from Albion's hand. The goblin's face charred. Dropping dead to the floor. Albion ripped out the dagger and gave a basic parry and a stab to the other goblin that got the courage to try to stab him.

Albion saw two goblins trying to grab daggers but they were pulled away by two roots. The daggers being pulled into the ground. The goblins then tripped over roots that formed on the floor. Albion was getting too tired using his ability to manipulate his affinities and the poison was spreading too much to do anything else. His body felt so weak. He quickly walked over and pushed his body weight into the stab as roots slowly wrapped around the goblin's legs. Albion stabbed down on both the goblins. Exhausted.

Albion was bleeding and panting. Unable to move his left arm as he held the dagger. His right arm was practically useless now completely unable to move it as it hung open. The ringing in his ears from blue notifications drowned in the noise that was the goblin mages shouting. The wounds of Albion regenerating slowly it was nearly unseen. The regeneration he was so happy about was only able to heal a few scratches slowly.

Albion: {I… I need… to kill… that one. Or… I'll die.}

Albion panted. But the manipulation of the elements was too much for him. Just learning how to control them from his father. The roots that came out of the floor were slow as they tried to move to the goblin mage. Albion was completely exhaustion. Both physically and mentally.

Goblin Variant: SO YOU WERE A SPIRIT HYBRID! I WAS WARNED ABOUT SPIRITS KIKIKI! HAHAHAHA! YOU'RE A PATHETIC ONE AREN'T YOU KIKIKI!

The goblin laughed out. Albion couldn't even question things in his head. Like why a demon was near his village or why it gave a goblin unique magic? He was too exhausted. A red magic circle fired a fireball that burned the slow-moving root to ash. Crumbling to the burnt floor.

Goblin Variant: I'LL KILL YOU! THEN I'LL HAVE MY WAY WITH THIS VARI…

A dagger slit the throat of the goblin before it could finish. Its blood spilt on its robes and the burnt grass. Albion was panting. On the verge of collapse. He looked forward but was barely conscious.

He hobbled over to the woman. The world spun around him as he fell on his knees.

Albion: {Don't collapse here. You'll look stupid in front of the female you saved. Don't look stupid…}

Albion's thoughts were then stopped as looked up and saw a beautiful woman. She was short. Long, messy, raven black hair. It was thick and full of volume. Amazing yellow and orange eyes like the sunset he would see walking in the village or from his house before night took over. Something beautiful he would always stare up at to watch. The woman ran over to him with a worried look on her face. Tears in her beautiful sunset eyes. The tears glistened like crystals in the moonlight as Albion's vision blurred.

Albion: {This beautiful woman… wait… is that… gree…}

Albion fell face-first into the mud as he passed out. Rain slowly started falling from the trees as he was collapsing on the ground.

The least heroic ending he could have ever imagined.