The Goblin Onslaught

Ariana, facing this concerning dilemma, made a decision. She chose to interfere, but in a way that wouldn't cause significant problems. Using her divine powers, she influenced the mind of the goblin who had encountered Theo and Noah. The goblin, now subtly under the goddess's influence, began spreading information among other goblins, encouraging them to explore and seek the human camp.

The goblins moved through the forest with agility and stealth. Among them, a small goblin with a sharp nose and alert eyes sniffed the air, searching for any sign of humans. His senses were as keen as those of an animal, and soon he detected a scent that seemed to be the trail of humans. With an audible grunt, he caught the attention of the other goblins, who immediately gathered around him.

With caution, the goblins followed the trail, staying hidden among the bushes and trees. Their steps were silent, and their voices muffled as they were determined to reach the location where humans had been spotted. Among them, a hobgoblin, an imposing and powerful figure, and a goblin mage whose magical staff radiated a mysterious energy stood out.

Safira was at the edge of the forest, and a strange feeling of being watched put her on alert. She hesitated for a moment, noticing movements and sounds in the underbrush around her.

When she decided to dismiss that feeling, two bright fireballs were suddenly launched in her direction. Safira reacted quickly, raising her hand and creating a water barrier that partially protected her from the impact. The explosion of the fireballs made her fall backward.

The other camp members heard the loud explosion and rushed outside. Aurora, who was closest to the forest, was the first to reach Safira. Skillfully, she used her healing powers to alleviate Safira's injuries, channeling a special energy.

The normally serene forest was now filled with tension, and the other humans, armed and vigilant, remained alert to any potential threat that might emerge.

A horde of goblins emerged from the forest, running toward the human camp. The plantation, a vital source of food, appeared to be their main target. Aurora shouted indignantly, "Our food! Get out of here, you monsters!"

Aqua, observing the goblins' attack on the plantation, felt her anger growing. Her eyes shone intensely as she raised her hand. The trees around her began to shake, and their roots extended rapidly, capturing the invading goblins. While she couldn't cause direct harm to them, her abilities allowed her to keep them under control for some time.

Theo quickly drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and released it with precision toward the goblins captured by Aqua's roots. The goblins screamed in agony, displaying a mixture of pain and anger on their faces.

Noah and Ekiles acted with determination, wielding their sharp swords. They advanced toward the goblins struggling to free themselves from the roots. The disparity of strength between the two sides was evident, with Noah and Ekiles demonstrating clear superiority over the smaller goblins.

The goblins attacked with sharp claws and teeth, but the humans were skilled in the art of the sword, easily disarming them. Some goblins tried to sneak up from behind, but Theo remained vigilant, eliminating them with accurate shots whenever they attempted to attack outside of Noah and Ekiles' line of sight. The battle was intense and relentless.

From the depths of the dense forest emerged a larger goblin than the others, holding a staff. With a motion of the staff, fireballs were conjured and flew toward the human house.

Safira, now recovered from the previous explosion, acted swiftly. She fired several water shots at the fireballs, causing them to explode in the air before reaching the house. The goblin mage, seeing his ability once again neutralized, became visibly frustrated. He began to grunt angrily toward the forest, as if complaining about something.

It was at this moment that a hobgoblin stepped out of the forest shadows. Unlike the common goblins, he was better armed, wielding a large wooden sword. His eyes were fixed on Safira, and an expression of determination and threat was evident on his face.

The hobgoblin's eyes glowed with an intense red, and he rapidly advanced toward Safira, considering her the primary threat. Noah, who had been fighting the smaller goblins alongside Ekiles, quickly ran toward the hobgoblin.

Noah appeared before the hobgoblin, who received him with a swift and precise sword strike.

Noah withstood the hobgoblin's attack firmly, resisting the assault. He retaliated with a series of sword strikes that forced the hobgoblin to step back, yielding to Noah's determined offensive.

Meanwhile, some goblins remained hidden in the forest, hurling rocks with force toward the human group. Aqua, recognizing the threat, used her magic to control the tree branches. The branches extended and captured the goblins, hoisting them where they could be seen. Theo, skilled with his bow, quickly drew the string and released accurate arrows, eliminating the goblins.

Aurora, witnessing the chaotic battle unfolding before her eyes, felt helpless in the face of the violence that had suddenly arrived at their peaceful home. Her healing abilities, while valuable in times of peace, were of little use in the heat of battle. She found herself unable to contribute directly to the group's defense.

Nevertheless, her presence remained comforting to the others. Even without the ability to cause direct harm to the enemies, Aurora was the emotional anchor of the group, providing moral support and healing when needed.

The battle raged around them, with only a few surviving goblins remaining. Ekiles and Theo had already eliminated most of the enemies, but now they faced a greater challenge. The center of attention was on the hobgoblin, a larger goblin, and the goblin mage emitting a mysterious aura.

Noah and the hobgoblin continued their intense duel. It was clear that the hobgoblin was starting to feel the pressure, but the turning point happened in the blink of an eye. The hobgoblin, in a fierce roar, saw his eyes flare with a deep red while his body unexpectedly expanded, becoming slightly larger.

Noah, caught off guard, was thrown aside, colliding with Theo. Seeing the situation unfold, Aurora ran worriedly toward the two and immediately began healing them.

"The impact severely injured Noah's arm. It will take some time for me to finish healing it," Aurora said, her expression reflecting her determination.

Aqua and Ekiles, seeing the appearance of that frenzied hobgoblin in front of them, felt a shiver down their spines. Aqua quickly used her abilities to try to bind the hobgoblin's legs with the surrounding roots and plants, but to their surprise, the hobgoblin broke free from the roots with pure brute strength.

Safira, realizing that the hobgoblin was preparing to attack Ekiles, decided to intervene. She prepared to use her magic, but before she could do anything, she was interrupted by a fireball that came her way. It was clear that the goblin mage didn't want her to interfere.

One, two, three fireballs were launched toward Safira, one after another. She acted quickly, manipulating the nearby water to create a barrier to protect herself from the fireballs.

Watching the scene from above, Ariana became increasingly concerned about the situation. Her initial intention was just to make the humans aware of the presence of the goblins in the forest and better prepare, but things seemed to have spiraled out of her control. The unexpected arrival of the hobgoblin and the goblin mage was making the situation even more complex, and she didn't know how things would unfold from there.

Observing the scene below, Ariana noticed that without Safira's presence to assist Ekiles, the hobgoblin fiercely advanced on him. At this moment, the monster was no longer wielding its sword but was about to attack with sharp claws and teeth.

Aurora couldn't help but let out a cry of despair when she saw the imminent danger that Ekiles faced. Anguish overtook her as she imagined she might lose him.

In a last act of desperation and courage, Ekiles grabbed the orb Safira had handed him, which was tucked away in his pocket, and threw it straight into the hobgoblin's open mouth. The monster, hungry and thirsty for blood, bit into the orb, but had no idea what awaited it.

A vast reserve of mana was contained in that orb, and when the hobgoblin bit down, an explosion of energy was unleashed. The magical force released was overwhelming, causing the goblin to have its head ripped brutally from its body. Blood splashed out in all directions, dyeing the ground and nearby combatants with a bloody crimson rain. The hobgoblin's decapitated body fell heavily.

The impact of the explosion not only put an end to the imminent threat but also sent a shockwave of awe and fear among the remaining goblins, who, without hesitation, began to retreat in panic in the face of the impressive display of human strength.

As the smoke from the magical explosion dissipated, the battlefield revealed a severely wounded Ekiles, lying on the ground, unconscious and with serious injuries. What was once a chaotic and perilous scene was now shrouded in a tense and ominous silence.