Page 17

As we got into position, Kuro’s foot snapped a twig. The sound, though small, echoed like thunder in the quiet forest. The kobold’s head snapped up, its yellow eyes scanning the treeline.

“Now!” Kai shouted, nocking an arrow and letting it fly.

The arrow struck true, embedding itself in the kobold’s shoulder.

It let out a shriek of pain and anger, spinning to face us.

Rhia burst from the undergrowth, her fists raised and ready to strike.

Mira, trembling slightly, raised her wand and began to chant.

Another ball of fiery energy shot from the tip, striking the kobold and making it stagger.

Kuro, never one to be left out, charged forward with his sword raised. “For glory!” he shouted, swinging wildly at the creature.

The kobold, though injured, was far from defeated.

It dodged Kuro’s clumsy attack and lashed out with its claws, catching him across the chest. Kuro stumbled back, his armor saving him from the worst of the damage.

Still, there was blood trickling across his skin.

Just the sight of it made my stomach twist into a cold knot.

“Oliver!” Kai called out. “We need you!”

I snapped out of my momentary freeze and rushed forward, my hands already glowing with healing energy. As I approached Kuro, I could see blood seeping through the gaps in his armor. He was hurt worse than I thought.

“Stay still,” I commanded, pressing my palms against his chest.

As my healing magic flowed into Kuro, I heard the sounds of battle behind me. Rhia’s grunts of exertion mixed with the kobold’s snarls and the whoosh of Mira’s spells. Kuro’s wounds began to close under my hands, the bleeding slowing to a trickle. It was some of the best magic I’d done yet.

“Thanks, Ollie,” Kuro muttered, his usual bravado dampened by pain. “Now let me at that beast!”

“Wait,” I said, grabbing his arm. “You’re not fully healed yet. Let the others-”

But Kuro had already shrugged me off, charging back into the fray with a battle cry. I turned to see the kobold cornered, its back against a large tree. Rhia and Kai had it flanked, while Mira continued to pelt it with magical bolts from a safe distance. Kuro barreled in, his sword raised high.

The kobold, realizing it was outmatched, let out a piercing howl that echoed through the forest. My blood ran cold as I recognized the sound - a call for help.

“We need to finish this now!” Kai shouted, loosing another arrow that struck the kobold’s leg.

Rhia darted forward, her fists a blur as she pummeled the creature’s scaly hide.

The kobold snapped at her with its sharp teeth, but she deftly avoided its attacks.

Kuro, still bleeding but driven by adrenaline, swung his sword in a wide arc.

The blade connected, slicing deep into the kobold’s side.

With a final, desperate shriek, the kobold collapsed. Kuro raised his sword for a killing blow. The kobold cried out once more, but it was cut short as the sword came plunging downward.

“Shut up!” Kuro cried. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

The kobold’s body went limp, its eyes glazing over as the last bit of life left it. For a moment, we all stood there, panting and wide-eyed, hardly believing what we’d just accomplished.

“We... we did it,” Mira whispered, lowering her wand with a shaky hand.

Kai nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. “Good work, everyone. But we need to move quickly. That call for help won’t go unanswered for long.”

As if on cue, a distant howl echoed through the trees, sending a chill down my spine. Rhia was already moving, her dark eyes scanning the forest around us.

“We should go,” she said quietly, her voice tense. “Now.”

Kuro, however, seemed oblivious to the danger. In fact, he was slumped on the ground next to the creature, his shoulders quaking. I took a step forward, reaching out a hand to help him up. But it wasn’t until I got close that I saw the tears running down his face.

“I… I don’t think I’ve ever killed anything,” he said quietly.

I backed up, not knowing what to say.

“I’ve got him,” Kai said, swooping down and throwing Kuro’s arm over his shoulder. “Rhia! Pull out as many fangs from that kobold as you can.” He turned to me. “Check his body for any belongings and take them. They could be valuable.”

I nodded, still reeling from seeing Kuro so suddenly broken. “Right.”

As I knelt beside the kobold’s lifeless body, my hands trembling slightly, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of relief and unease.

We had succeeded in our mission, but at what cost?

Kuro’s breakdown was unexpected, and it made me wonder if we were truly prepared for the life we had been forced into in Cindersea.

Pushing these thoughts aside, I focused on the task at hand.

My fingers fumbled through the kobold’s crude leather pouch, finding a few small, shiny objects.

In the dim light of the forest, I could make out what looked like rough stones and a couple of tarnished coins.

I pocketed them quickly without taking the time to look over them.

Rhia grunted beside me as she worked on extracting the kobold’s fangs with grim efficiency. The sound of teeth being wrenched from bone made my stomach turn, but I forced myself to focus on the practicality of it all. He didn’t need his fangs anymore, and we needed to eat.

Another howl echoed through the trees, closer this time.

“We need to move,” Kai said urgently, still supporting a dazed Kuro. “Oliver, Rhia, are you done?”

“Almost,” Rhia muttered, prying out one last fang.

I quickly patted down the kobold’s body, finding nothing else of value. “I’m done,” I announced, standing up and wiping my hands on my cloak.

“Good,” Kai nodded. “Mira, can you cast any spells to cover our tracks?”

Mira bit her lip nervously. “I can burn the area, but I can’t wipe them away.”

Kai nodded. “That’ll be enough.”

As soon as we were a few yards away, Mira worked up another fireball on the end of her wand, this time tossing it at the dead kobold on the ground. Fire exploded in a massive circle around the body, engulfing everything. That, at the very least, would throw them off our scent for a moment.

We fled through the forest, our hearts pounding in our ears.

The smell of smoke from Mira’s fire spell lingered in the air, mixing with the scent of pine and damp earth.

Kai led the way, still supporting a shell-shocked Kuro, while Rhia brought up the rear, her eyes constantly scanning for any signs of pursuit.

As we ran, I couldn’t help but glance at Kuro.

His face was pale, his eyes unfocused. It was unsettling to see him so quiet, so vulnerable.

I wondered if this was how all of us had looked when we first arrived in Cindersea, before the harsh realities of this world had hardened us.

We were still pretty green, but most of us had come to terms with what life would be like now that we were here.

Kuro, it seemed, still had some work to do in that area.

“We need to find cover,” Kai called out between labored breaths. “Somewhere to hide and regroup.”

As if answering his plea, the trees ahead began to thin, revealing a rocky outcropping jutting from the forest floor. A dark opening gaped at its base - the entrance to a small cave.

“There!” I shouted, pointing towards the cave.

Kai nodded, adjusting his grip on Kuro as we changed course. We scrambled over loose rocks and roots, the sound of our pursuers growing ever closer. Just as we reached the cave entrance, a chorus of howls erupted behind us, chilling me to the bone.

“Inside, quickly!” Rhia urged, ushering us into the darkness.

We huddled in the cave’s narrow confines, our breath coming in ragged gasps. The air was damp and musty, but I was grateful for any shelter. Kai gently lowered Kuro to the ground, propping him against the cave wall.

We huddled in tense silence, straining our ears for any sound of pursuit. The kobolds’ howls grew louder for a moment, then fainter once more as they passed by our hiding spot, and continued through the forest.

“I think we lost them,” Kai whispered after several long minutes had passed without a sound.

Rhia nodded in agreement, her muscles finally unclenching. “For now. But we should stay put until we’re sure it’s safe.”

“Good idea.”