Silence dominates the forest, as the sun slowly turns from day to dusk, bringing with it the dazzling whites and occasional gentle gold of sunlight breaking through the dense canopy. The occasional leaf rustles, the occasional foliage shifts, and the occasional small and harmless denizen of the forest goes about their day in peace and tranquillity. All is as it should be, in this quiet part of the world.

  Up until our three adventurers burst through the foliage, tearing aside leaves and small shrubs without a care as they try to eke out every little bit of speed they can muster from their laboured, well-abused bodies.

  Out in the front is Nora, her athletic body weaving around the grabbing branches and snagging shrubbery that threatens to slow her and above the ensnaring roots that threaten to trip her like she was born to the forest. Without sparing a moment to look back, she calls to her companions:

  “Are they still after us?”

  “I don’t know!” replies Emily, as she tries her hardest to dodge the branch that Nora just slipped by and getting her shirt snagged in it anyways. “Alistair? What’s it look like back there?”

  Crashing through the foliage like a rampaging bull is Alastair, his arms pumping up and down and his body tilted forward as he sprints in a straight line through anything in his path, crushing brush beneath his heel and snapping branches with his forehead as he goes.

  With a quick glance back, Alastair slows down and easily spots their pursuers: a party of goblins, their weapons held high and their faces twisted into raucous glee as they chase after their prey.

  He turns back just in time to dodge a tree, resuming his top speed.

  “Yep, still chasing us!”

  “Do you think they called for reinforcements? Should we stop and fight?” Nora asks, jumping over another thick tree root.

  Suddenly, way out in the distance, from the direction of the goblin encampment to be specific, the sound of a hunting bugle pierces the silent air and echoes out into the wider forest. A second bugle picks up the call from the left, followed by a third one to the right.

  With the blood draining from his face, Alastair puts on another burst of speed.

  “Don’t stop. Don’t stop. Don’t stop!”

  With a few more bounding, frantic steps, he manages to catch up to Emily, hastening her along as much as he can.

  “They’ve called for reinforcements! Move it, people! Move it!”

  Emily lets out a curse under her breath, putting on a little more speed, wishing for the millionth time that she could be in town right about now, helping those who really need it.

  Distracted by thoughts of cooked bread and a bed, Emily fails to notice as a goblin bursts out from the foliage to the left of her, its little legs bending and kicking off of the ground in a flying leap straight towards her, its spear held high and ready to stab as it grins gleefully.

  Emily glances towards it, her eyes widening with horror. With a fumble, she skids to a stop and tries to bring her hands up in time, a low glow starting to appear as she prepares a spell that she knows is going to come just too late.

  Alastair shoulder-checks the goblin just in time, knocking it to the ground before smoothly stabbing it through the chest in one motion. Pulling his sword out, he stabs it a second and then a third time, finishing the kill.

  “Th… Thanks.” Emily sputters out, her heart still trying to break out of her chest and her hand glowing a brilliant white.

  Alastair turns away from Emily, his brows furrowed in thought. He spots their pursuers as they swiftly run to catch up. With a small curse under his breath, he steps in front of Emily, his sword raised.

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  “Nora!” he screams, pulling his sword up to block the lead goblin’s strike just in time, his leg striking out and kicking the goblin away, creating some space between them. Before the goblin could jump back into the fray, an arrow finds its way home in its skull, knocking it to the ground.

  “I’m here!” She shouts, as she skids to a stop behind Emily, her bow at the ready, another arrow nocked. “What’s the plan?”

  Alastair shuffles from side to side, his sword held up as he watches the other goblins hurry towards them. “Stand and fight?”

  “Is that a question? Why are you asking us? You’re the leader!” Nora responds.

  “Just… Give me a second to think!”. Alastair takes a step forward, angling his body to the side in order to narrowly dodge the spear that was coming for his stomach. With a swipe, he takes off most of the goblin’s head in retaliation, stepping back again with a breath.

  “Could you think a little quicker?” Emily asks, her hands held up, the glow becoming almost too bright to look at.

  Four more goblins burst out from the dense foliage, brandishing their weapons high as they squeal in glee at finally catching up to their prey. They rush towards the trio, one of them getting an arrow through the throat for its troubles. Emily sweeps her hand out, a sharpened blade of wind whistling through the air and cleanly bisecting the legs of two more of the goblins.

  Alastair steps forwards to take on the last goblin, his face set as he narrowly parries the last goblin’s club, another arrow finding its mark in its throat. Alastair turns to Nora, giving her a nod of appreciation. Sweeping his gaze swiftly across the clearing, he finds it empty.

  “Okay… Now! Run for it!” Alastair shouts. “Nora, find us a clear path!”

  Nora nods, holstering her bow. “Got it.”

  She breaks off into a sprint, Emily following after her, with Alastair bringing up the rear, his sword in hand. Thick trees and dense shrubbery blur past as they careen through the forest, heading ever deeper.

  They burst through some thick foliage and find themselves face-to-face with another group of goblins, both sides pausing in shock for a moment. Nora, still in front, responds first, pulling out her bow and, within the same breath, nocking and releasing an arrow that sinks right into the lead goblin’s eye.

  The rest of the goblins, seeing their leader drop lifeless to the floor, go into a frenzy, rushing towards Nora with murderous intent. Alastair swears to himself, rushing into the fray, his sword ringing out as he works to get in-between Nora and the goblins while Emily fires out a blast of sharpened wind, slicing across a few of the goblins and giving the team some breathing room.

  Suddenly, a small goblin appears out of seemingly nowhere right next to Emily, screeching as it raises an oversized rock over its head. Emily turns, trying for the second time today to prepare a spell in too short of a time. Unfortunately, this time, Alastair is too busy to protect the squishy mage. The goblin brings its rock down, smashing it into Emily’s side with force.

  Emily tips over and falls down to the ground with a cry, the little goblin letting out a cry of glee as it stands over her and raises the rock high above its head. Before she can react, it brings it down on Emily’s head with a sharp, painful thunk.

  Emily reels as stars burst out in her vision, her head swiftly growing fuzzy. She raises her hands in an attempt to fend off the nasty little goblin and its horrible rock, grabbing at the little goblin’s arms and wrestling against it.

  It shoves her attempts away with contempt, bringing the rock down on her head again. Emily’s head grows heavy, the edges of her vision turning dark. For a horrifying moment, she realizes that she might die here.

  She reaches out again with gusto, her hands managing to snag the little beast’s arms and holding on tight. They start to fight over the rock, monster against human.

  The two tumble over each other, Emily ending up on top thanks to her superior reach and weight. She snatches the massive rock from the goblin’s arms, raising it up with a cry and bringing it down with a sickening crunch onto the goblin’s head. The goblin struggles much like Emily did, but unfortunately for it, Emily is stronger. She brings it down again and again, the goblin’s struggling growing weaker and weaker as Emily smashes its head in, her arms growing heavier and heavier and her breaths coming out ragged and shaky.

  She feels a hand grab onto her upper arm and tries to swing the rock at whatever new threat this is. The new enemy dodges her easily, and another hand firmly grabs her other arm, preventing her the leverage necessary to swing again and almost causing her to drop her precious rock.

  She’s dragged up onto her feet, the earth swaying underneath her like she’s on a rickety ship in a storm. Someone’s trying to speak to her, but all she can think about is the fact that she can’t let go of the rock.

  “I’m on a boat.” She says with amusement, as she watches the forest spin and sway around her. “I’m on a rickety, old boat. I love boats."

  She lets her head drop as she enjoys the swaying for a moment. A feeling of contentment swells in her chest, before turning into a deep sense of worry. "Wait a minute. We're landlocked."

  She hears a sigh and some more muttering, before she’s hoisted off her feet and slung onto a broad set of shoulders. The world blurs around her chaotically and lurches, her stomach heaving. The world suddenly starts moving around her at a blistering pace, twisting her stomach into knots.

  "Oh. I see. I'm being kidnapped."

  As the world kaleidoscopes around her, Emily throws up, followed by blissfully passing out as the world passes around her.

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