Book 2 Chapter Ten: Night 2

TEN

The goblins did not come in waves. It was a tide itself, green skinned and armed with obsidian blades they poured from the trees with suicidal intent. Defensive mobs fired their crossbows in waves, slaughtering hundreds of the goblins before they could cross half way to the walls. Ramparts began to build, the small corpses piling up, goblins forced to crawl over their dead kin only to fall back with the next wave of bolts.

Roan saw that there were plenty of climbers on the walls who had bought ranged weapons. Bows, crossbows, slings, or light weight javelins. He didn’t think the javelins were the best choices, not for a horde battle, but they were earning points while he was forced to stand on the ramparts.

“I have a gift for you.” Roan told Moira, summoning the slice of mushroom and offering it to the alchemist.

“Why thank you,” Moira said, plucking the mushroom and disappearing it into her ring.

“And how would I thank you?” Moira asked. She was leaning against a crenelation, her slab of metal currently a slender rapier, perfect for stabbing.

“One of those more powerful healing potions would be nice,” Roan said with a shrug and smile.

“I can do that. This is enough material for four or five of them,” Moira guessed. The two of them kept looking back and forth along the battlements. There were none of the horde officers yet, just the endless stream of goblins dying in mass.

“Glad to be of service. I would also like a look at that alchemist manual when we have a chance.”

“I can do that. Though I’d warn you about spreading yourself too thin. Find a few options to master rather than a bunch that you can barely begin to learn.”

“I got a bit of an edge when it comes to learning. But you’re right, I’m going to have to consolidate my efforts shortly,” Roan said. He leaned back as an obsidian tipped spear flew over the wall, nearly skewering him.

“I wasn’t enthused about being stuck in the alchemist role. But there’s some elixirs I’m looking forward to brewing once my tier goes up. Also helps when we start pushing through body tempering,” Moira said, her sword turning into a round shield that she lifted over her head. A second later a spear broke against it, showering them in bits of sharp obsidian.

“Enchanting has a lot of uses,” Roan said, looking at his warhammer. Without an offensive skill, which would likely need a mana core to be useful, he would have to use items. There was a general, hordemaster, and dragon to kill and after seeing the strength of the hobgoblin, Roan knew he wasn’t strong enough to kill any of them.

Even the hob would be a challenge. Even with his body tempering and recent increases in his physical stats. It grated on him to know that he still wasn’t the strongest of them, but he was gaining. There were few left who could match him, only the pinnacle fighters.

With every dead goblin though, those weaker than him slowly cut the lead down. Or at least created the opportunity for them to catch up to him. He needed the wealth of the dead goblins to continue strengthening himself. From the woods came ladders, dozens of them carried by the goblin horde. Then came the ogres, carrying heavy slabs of wood.

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Roan watched as the ladder carriers followed behind the massive ogres with their wide shields. Bolts and rocks slapped against the shields with no effect, the ladders quickly making their way closer to the walls.