I watch as the boss goblin, Cheiften? Shaman? Who knows and who cares now that it's dead, drops to the ground with an undignified thwump.
I feel an emptiness from within as my man's bottoms out and my vision starts to spin. However, I don't have a chance to let that happen as I hear the last alive goblin shuffling towards me from my side I try to spin in its direction but a sense of vertigo overtakes me and I stagger from the loss of ballence. This manages to help somwhat as instead of reviving a stab to my side from its rusty dagger I only get cut across my arm.
Still this shock of pain momentarily clears my head enough for me to focus and glare at the last goblin standing, I am met with a vicious blood filled grin as the mutilated goblin glares right back at me holding its blood covered blade out pointed towards me.
I don't have the mana left for a vine whip so I tighten my grip on my sword and quickly rush forward, only stumbling slightly as I swing wildly for the creature that just cut me. The goblin attempts to black but due to its injuries its movement are jerky and slow allowing my blade to reach its destination and remove its ugly head from its body.
2 thumps are head as I take deep breaths, shuddering slightly as the realisation that I managed to win overcomes me.
[Congratulations, you have successfully cleared out the Goblin Nest.]
[Quest Complete
Rewards - unlocked the skill Natures touch]
[Natures touch - lay your hands on an injury and allow nature to aid in the recovery]
As the screens pop up my headache returns and I close them down before accepting anything closing to leave it for later as work on steadying my breathing. My entire left side hurts and looks an unhealthy red from tanking that fireball, then my left arm is also has a nasty gash down the forearm that is slowly leaking blood.
After a few moments and once I have my head on straight I decide that I should try and find the girl that I saw these goblins capture. Thinking that I turn towards the central hut and start making my way there.
——-
~Kana POV~
After the first 3 snaps are heard I watch as the goblin in front of me scowls and lashes out with a vicious kick to my guts sending me rolling away and grunting in pain. This is followed by the yipling and howling of the goblins outside. The goblin in the room with me turns around and heads towards the door, as it opens the sounds of combat can be heard as more snaps and slaps echo around the cave outside.
I hold my breath hoping that whoever or whatever is fighting outside is at least friendly towards me.
However my gut clench's as I watch the goblin Shaman slowly build a ball of fire above its hand as it tracks something just out of my limited view. Then it raises its hand at last and releases the oversized fireball with a flash of light and a accompanying whoosh.
My heart drops when I hear a scream that defiantly didn't come from a goblin quickly followed by a crashing sound. Fearing the worse I struggle to make my way over to my pouch in the corner hoping to get a weapon of some kind to free myself and help whoever it is that is fighting the goblins.
But I do t make much progress before the sound of coughing and a clatter of debirs is heard from outside, reigniting a small flicker of hope in my heart. Quickly glancing back to the door I watch as the Shaman begins to build another ball of fire whilst cackling to itself only to be shocked as I watch 3 vines grow out of the ground and strike down the shaman displaying the spell it was building.
I blink in shock as I'm pretty sure that was nature magic of some kind but my mind spins wondering what could possibly use such magic's. Nature magic is notoriously one of the rarest types with most races being unable to learn it and only some Demi-Humans such as the elusive Dryads having any mastery over it.
My racing thoughts are once more I terupted by another small scream of pain from outside shortly followed by the sound of a blade cutting through flesh and finally by 2 thuds, one much lighter than the other. I find myself holding my breath as I hear ragged breathing coming from outside for a minute before I hear the sound of slow yet steady footsteps making their way towards the hut I am bound within.
My heart races as I try to figure out what it is that I will see, will it be a goblin or this mysterious creature that weilds rare magics. Time seems to slow as the footsteps get closer until I can see a shadow cover the doorway. The next moment a figure walks into view.
It takes me a moment to realise what I'm looking at but when I do my breath hitches and I can feel a blush enveloping my entire face. In the entrance stands a vision, short in stature maybe a full head shorter than myself. Starting from the bare feet that seem so delicate to the pale and long legs that stretch up towards what looks like a dress made of flowers, a heady mix of muted reds, purples and other earthy tones cover wide hips that beg to be held. The dress seems to have had better days as its left side is half burned away showcasing a slim waist and a nearly fully exposed breast flipping my head to the right side to check I realise that there isn't actually much missing from this beautiful flower dress there just wasn't much their to begin with. A deep cleavage is proudly displayed, her right arm is crossed over her body and is holding her left arm as blood gently drips down from a nastily looking cut. Finally I fully look up towards the face of this vision in front of me, a full head of gently curling red hair frames a delicate face with gently but pronounced features adding an air of elegance to the otherwise sinful body. Emerald eyes that seem to glow look back at me with a gently arching eyebrow causing my blush to deepen. Lastly I notice that she has gently pointed ears causing my brain to short circuit as I realise I'm looking at an Elf, a very attractive elf that has just saved me from a fate I wish not to imagine.
My messy thoughts run to a stop as a gentle voice that seems to reminds me of nature itself speaks out, " hey, how you doing down there?" I nearly let out a squeak as my blush impossibly deepens and I pass out in the spot.
———
~Lilliana POV~
Well I didn't expect the girl to pass out after I spoke to her, it was quite fun watching her blush as she quite openly gawked at me. I did enjoy that I must say.
Returning the look I am surprised to find that the woman has skin a little too pink to be human, coupled with a pair of quite cute horns poking out the side of her head, her figure is mostly covered in tattered rags but from what I can see it is quite the figure indeed. Her arms are bound behind her back causing her sizable chest to be proudly displayed making me slightly gealous of their size. I also notice a tail poking out from above her shapely bum as it is curled around one leg.
All in she is very pretty but also looks pretty banged up and has definitely seen better days. I get to work at untying her and work to move her into a more comfortable position, hissing as the pain from my cut arm lets itself be known again. Cursing under my breath I wish I had some healing magic only to pause as I look at the skill I have just unlocked.
[Natures touch - lay your hands on an injury and allow nature to aid in the recovery]
Slapping myself on the forehead in annoyance I reach over to my arm only to pause as I remember the headache that has only now started to fade due to low mana. Taking a look inside I can feel that I have maybe 1/8th of my mana back. So instead of rushing things I plop myself down across from the recently freed woman and close my eyes to enter a negative state as I keep an eye on my mana reserves and watch as they slowly fill back up.
——
~Kana POV~
I come back to consciousness slowly and open my eyes and see the woman from before sat across from me with her eyes closed and a look of concentration across her face. Trying not to make a sound I watch as a green swirl of mana flows from her right hand down to the cut on her other arm and I watch in fascination as green vines seem to cover the wound almost knitting it together only to dissipate not long later revealing slightly pink but undamaged skin. I do gasp in supprise then causing the woman's eyes to snap open and lock with my own.
"Oh your awake, I was worried you wouldn't be getting up any time soon" the woman's soothing voice reaches my ears which are definitely not heating up, nope I am definitely not blushing again just from her voice! "Oh my name is Lilliana but you can just call me Lilly, what's your name?" She asks.
Feeling myself fumbling over my own words somewhat I take a moment to try to compose myself before answering, "M my name is Kana, t-thank you for saving me I don't want think think about what could have happened if you didn't get here what you did!" I sincerely state, just thinking about it sends a shiver up my spine as I recall some of the tales about what goblins do to any women they capture.
"Well it's a pleasure to meet you and I'm glad I could help you, truth is I was attached earlier by them so I was in the process of hunting them down and watched as they took you into this cave, sorry I could t help you earlier" her voice lowered and she looked flushed in embarrassment as she got to the later end of her statement, with her hand lightly scratching her chin in embarrassment.
Feeling my own cheeks flush I stammer out "oh you d-don't have to worry! You managed to get here before any harm could be done so I cannt complain!" Then taking a moment to think and realise that I am still in quite a bit of pain I hesitantly ask, "do you think you might be able to heal me slightly? I noticed that you managed to heal up your arm?"
Lilly gets a slightly chagrined look on her face as she answers "I definitely can but I'm afraid I'm basically all out of mana right now, I used up everything in that fight and only just got back enough to heal up my arm" she says as she shows me her still bloody but otherwise healed arm. " if you give me some time I can give you a look over once I get some more mana back though!" She perks up towards the end.
My heart flutters slightly at that as I mumble out "that would be much appreciated"
———
Aww she maid her first 'friend' let's see how this plays out eh?