Chapter 56: A Song of Blood and Fire

Kaius and Porkchop tore across the open square, dancing over the mummified bodies of armoured dwarves as they closed in on the hobgoblin Champion. Their target was quite literally foaming at the mouth, lost in a furor as it charged to meet them. Its axe held high.

“Split!” Kaius called. Porkchop reacted instantly, peeling away from him to approach the Champion from a different angle.

Watching as their foe started to flick its gaze between them, Kaius screamed a wordless warcry. The hob locked onto him, fanged jaw twisting into a snarl as it redoubled its pace.

Now that they were closer, Kaius could see that it almost perfectly matched him in height. Unfortunately, it also looked to be double his weight in pure muscle. Ritual scarification covered its chest in a ropey network of twisting scars. The red whorls and loops standing out in stark relief against the monster’s dark green skin.

The axe that it held so comfortably in its hands was positively massive. A thick and lacquered haft sprouted a double sided axe head easily the size of Kaius’s torso. It definitely had the reach advantage, that could be a problem.

The battle started like a clap of thunder. Hurling its axe into a heavy overhand, the hob opened with a stone shattering blow. Kaius lurched to the side, getting showered with chips of flagstone as the axe cracked the ground. Despite the obvious power of the champion, Kaius felt in control. Ready for the battle ahead. Returning the assault with a cross cut, he cut deep into its arm and chest.

He could feel the rush of battle building in his blood. Making his heart thump with a strong rhythm. Growing hot. A few more seconds and Porkchop would arrive. He only had to keep it occupied until then.

Refusing to take its wound lying down, the hob yanked on its axe. Shifting its whole body into a fast horizontal swing that sailed uncomfortable close to his chest. Narrowly avoided with a hurried backstep.

Momentum of the swing tugged the hob along with it, the Champion struggling to control the heft of its weapon. Kaius slipped in, marring its chest with another cut of his sword. The monster’s flesh was almost woody, resistant to the biting edge of his blade. It roared, thick spittle splattering on Kaius’s armour. Kicking out with a thick leg, the hob forced him back.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kaius spotted Porkchop sprinting for the hob. Coming in from its left side. To his joy, the Champion hadn’t noticed yet. Too focused on the object of its rage. Kaius dove for the right, feinting an attack.

The hob twisted, lashing out with its axe to ward him off. Leaving its flank undefended.

Porkchop hit the Champion like a charging bull. Claws tore into its green back, renting great strips of flesh free. Unprepared for the collision it stumbled forwards. Its guard dropping.

Explorers Toolkit twinged. Kaius lunged, thrusting his sword and running the Champion through its chest. Green blood erupted from its throat, splattering against the stone. Its eyes started to burn. Shifting its grip on its axe, it slammed the haft into kaius’s chest like it was a quarterstaff.

**Ding! Explorers Toolkit has reached level 12!**

Letting out a cough, Kaius felt the air driven from his lungs. His bones creaking as he was forced back, his blade slipped free from the Champion’s chest. Mana flashed, the head of the hobs axe shimmering red.

“Porkchop!” Kaius tried to shout a warning, his words weak and breathy thanks to his winding. His friend didn’t hear, to focused on tearing into the hob from behind.

It whirled, axe blurring in speed as it turned on Porkchop. Kaius blanched as his friend tried to doge. Too late. Too slow. The axe tore clear through the front of Porkchop’s shoulder, metal squealing as it sundered armoured plating.

Now facing away from him, Kaius got a look at the damage his friend had done. Deep furrows had torn through the hob’s muscular back. Leaking greenish blood and revealing the bones of its ribs. Already the flesh was writhing. Growing to cover the lacerations. Fast too. Faster than he expected.

Gritting his teeth at his friend’s plight, Kaius pressed the hob as his skill flared in his mind. The undefended back of the Champion too tempting of a target to ignore. Rising his sword into an aggressive high guard, Kaius threw himself back into the fray. If it had some sort of healing general skill they had only one option. Hurt it faster than it could recover.

Kaius tore into the hob’s back with a heavy descending chop. He twisted with the swing, whirling it around to deliver another slash. Moving into a third.

The Champion howled. Aura flashed again. It spun on him, swinging with enhanced speed in an upwards slash. Kaius blanched. Too fast. Way too fast. He wasn’t going to be able to dodge, not completely.

Gritting his teeth, Kaius slammed his blade into the incoming axe. Pressing his whole weight into the collision. Blade edges met in a crash of screaming steel. The Champion’s strength was undeniable. Crushing his defence with ease.

Kaius jumped back, using the pressure of the clash to send himself flying back. The hob’s axe continued unhindered, sailing through the spot he had been standing in an instant earlier. He hit the ground with a stumble. Reeling to get his legs properly underneath him. The hob snarled, taking a step forward. Kaius brought his sword up in front of him, ready to defend. A new nail sized chip disfiguring its edge.

He stared at the damage to A Father’s Gift in shock. That never happened. He’d been half certain that nothing on this layer would be enough to damage the blade. Gritting his teeth in forced acceptance, Kaius stepped forwards to meet the Hob. Already preparing its axe for another swing.

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Ever the stalwart ally, Porkchop refused to let that happen. Snaking forwards, the meles sunk his teeth into the hob’s leg. Taking a chunk out of its hamstring.

Thick leg buckling, the hob howled in rage. Kaius watched as it smashed its elbow into Porkchop’s face, stunning his friend. Kaius’s stomach dropped as Porkchop stumbled, shaking his head in confusion. The hob didn’t wait to celebrate. Its axe came up.

Kaius rushed in, cleaving into one of the Champion’s thick arms. Blade cut through the muscle, glancing off the bone. Too reinforced to cut through. It had to have invested heavily in Endurance to be that durable, it was the only thing that made sense to him. Worse, it meant the Champion would have a massive pool of Health.

Luckily, it was enough.

The Champions arm went limp, grip slipping from the haft of its axe. Losing control of its swing, gravity rotated the axe’s head. It slapped into Porkchops shoulder with a heavy thwack, sending him stumbling.