It began just before dawn.

The still air around the stilted house trembled, pierced by the clattering rattle-rattle-twang of a tripwire trap—a rusted tin can filled with rocks whipped into motion by a taut string, now shrieking a warning across the bush.

Lights flared—motion sensors, half-broken and hanging crooked from their mounts, blinked awake with weak yellow halos. Some fizzled. Others sparked. But a few caught movement—shapes hunched and low, darting forward across the gravel and dirt.

Tarni was already at the northern shooting slot, bow raised. "Bloody hell," he muttered. "They're coming in thick."

"Sounded like a bloody stampede," Zane growled from the western side, gripping his machete with white knuckles.

Lily was the first to call it. She'd used her skill, Very Basic Appraisal, and her voice cracked through the tension like a whip.

"Chief's here! He's level seven! And his name is Eye Stabber Ha-Rashion. The Hobgoblins are between level four and five. Goblins, all level three!"

Kia sucked in a breath. "if the Chief is here then That's probably the entire warband."

From the shadows of the trees came a thunderous crack, followed by a pained shriek. A goblin had stumbled blindly into one of the spike pits—then another, and another. Five fell in total, impaled and twitching as their shrieks turned to wet gurgles.

Bell loosed an arrow from her perch near the kitchen window. It hissed down into the dark, finding its mark with a thunk and a shriek.

But Eye Stabber Ha-Rashion wasn't waiting. He surged into the half-light with no fear, dragging a protesting hobgoblin by one arm. The war-chief's grotesque form gleamed with sweat and rage.

Then, without a second thought, he hurled the hobgoblin bodily onto the barbed wire barricade, impaling the wretch.

"What the—" Zane blinked.

The Chief stepped onto the twitching, screaming hobgoblin as if it were nothing more than a soggy log in a creek. Bone cracked beneath his bulk as he used the corpse as a stepping stone, flattening it into the wire to cross safely. He barked out harsh commands in Goblin-tongue, and the remaining attackers surged forward, flanking around the pits.

Arrows hissed from the house. Kia and Lily loosed shots in quick rhythm. Bell dropped another goblin with a clean headshot from across the veranda.

"Tarni, right flank!" Zane called.

"Already on it, mate!"

But the hobgoblins were closing. A pair of them ducked past the remaining barbed wire, catching only shallow cuts, and began charging toward the house supports.

"Zane!" Tarni shouted. "Let's go!"

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Without hesitation, Zane vaulted over the veranda's edge, landing hard on the ground below. Tarni was a half-step behind him, his new Crude Hobgoblin Short Sword +1 Slash Damage gleaming in the dim light.

The first hobgoblin met Zane head-on—and lost. Zane's machete bit into its neck with a crunch, sending black blood spraying across the dirt. Tarni clashed blades with another, parrying and countering with a slash to the thigh.

"Behind you!" Lily screamed.

The Chief had picked something up—one of there own sharpened spikes, it was dripping with thick, dark grease. With a growl, he hurled it like a javelin. The makeshift spear hit Tarni square in the hip.

"Argh—! Son of a—" Tarni collapsed to one knee, the shaft quivering where it had struck.

Zane lunged, covering him with his body and slashing furiously at an approaching goblin. He hacked down two more before kneeling beside Tarni, blood dripping from his own side.

Tarni yanked the spike out with a grunt and spat on the dirt. "Finally! That bloody poison resistance skill of mine's earning its keep!"

"Shut up and focus," Zane growled, parrying a hobgoblin strike and slicing the creature's hand clean off.

Kia and Lily scrambled down the ladder, Kai holding his hands aloft. "Don't move, Tarni!"

Lily stood over her brother, arrow drawn, scanning the dark. "Hurry, Kai!"

Light shimmered around Kai's hands as Very Basic Healing Touch activated. The wound sealed slowly. Tarni hissed but held still.

Bell's next arrow punched through a goblin's skull as it tried to flank the group. "Four left!" she shouted.

Between Zane, Tarni, and Lily's arrows, the remaining hobgoblins and goblins fell one by one, until only Eye Stabber Ha-Rashion remained, panting behind the cover of the yellow excavator.

The ground trembled as he stomped around it, hefting his great sword. Some of Bell's arrows were sticking out of his upper chest.

"I got this," Zane muttered, stepping forward.

"Zane—" Bell warned from above.

But he was already activating his skills.

[Create Light] A glowing orb blazed to life, floating directly in front of the charging chief's face. The brute bellowed in surprise, momentarily blinded.

[Defensive Stance activated. Incoming damage reduced by 25% for 10 seconds.]

The Chief crashed into Zane like a runaway truck. Zane's machete punched deep into the war-chief's gut—but the impact sent him flying.

"DAD!" Lily screamed as he smashed into her, both of them tumbling to the ground.

Blood poured from Zane's mouth. A system message blinked in his vision.

Your HP is below 10%. Title activated: Who needs Blood? Not you! (+20% Constitution for 2 minutes)

Groaning, Zane forced himself upright, staggering toward the fight.

Because he had been brought to a stop, Tarni was able to hold off the Chief alone now, dodging wild swings of the massive rusted blade.

Then came the shout.

"POWERSHOT!" Bell's voice rang like thunder.

Half a second later, the crack of the spear gun echoed across the clearing.

The steel bolt ripped through the Chief's right eye like a missile. His head exploded into gore and shattered bone. The rest of him slumped forward, collapsing with a meaty thud that shook the ground.

Silence fell.

No one moved. No one breathed except Kai, who was making his way to where his Dad now stood, laying his hands on him for healing. He had put 4 of his best heals into him before Kai's knees could not hold him up anymore. Zane caught him and lowered him to the ground, where he sat panting.

Then the bodies of the slain goblins began to dissolve, breaking apart into ribbons of smoke that spiralled into the ground and vanished.

Lily leaned on her bow, panting. "Is it… over?"

Zane limped toward the centre of the battlefield, wiping blood from his mouth. "I bloody well hope so."

Tarni sheathed his blade and gave a shaky laugh. "Bet that bastard didn't see that coming."

"Nice shot, Mum," Kia said, eyes wide with admiration.

Bell stood tall on the veranda, still holding the spear gun. "Didn't even need to reload."

Together, they stood in the breaking dawn, bruised, bloodied—but alive.

It started with Tarni, then moved through everybody except Zane.

Ding!

LEVEL UP!

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