They were ready at last. The time they spent getting their powers had changed them. It got rid of the first surprise and put in a cold and a clear focus.
They were a team now. They had skills that seemed impossible. They knew the hard fact that only six of them would live.
The forest in Zone E was their starting place. It had the weakest monsters. It was here they would learn to kill.
They walked through the dark woods. Jin and Eric went in front. Their eyes looked into the deep shadows.
Talia moved like a shadow on their side. Her steps made no noise on the wet, moss-covered ground.
Masha and Erica walked in the middle.
Rina was their healer. She stayed safe in the center of the group.
Dante, Neil, and Juno went at the back. They were the thinkers of the group.
'They are learning,' Dante thought. He watched how they moved in order. 'Fear teaches well.'
"Stop," he said in a low voice. He lifted his hand.
The team stopped right away.
Fifty yards in front, a bent-over creature was siting low by a stream. Its skin was looking of a sick and spotted green. Its long and pointed ears was moving at every sound.
It chewed on a root with sharp, yellow teeth. Its black, small eyes shone with a hungry, bad smartness.
In one hand, it held a rough club.
A goblin. This was their test.
"Edgar, check it," Dante said in a quiet voice.
Edgar's eyes lost focus for a second. "Goblin Scout. Rank E," he said softly. "Very low health and stamina. It has one skill, 'Vicious Strike'. No special ways to defend. It's weak."
"Juno?" Dante asked.
Juno kept his eyes small. He added more info. "It's hungry and afraid," he said in a low voice. "Its left leg is hurt. It's not putting much weight on it. That's the weak spot."
'Good. A hurt, worried target. The best first kill.'
"Okay," Dante said. The plan came to his mind. "A clean kill. No errors. Jin, you go first. Hit the weak leg to stop it from moving."
He looked at Masha. "When he starts, freeze the ground around it. I want it to slip."
"Erica, wait with your fire unless it tries to run," he went on. "Talia, be ready to block it. Let's do it."
Jin nodded quick and ran from the trees. His sword was a silver line in the low light.
SCREEE!
The goblin made a loud scream. It was a high, rough sound of full fear. It tried to get away fast. It was worried, but it was not quick enough.
"Masha, now!"
Masha pushed her hand out. A flat layer of slippery frost spread fast on the ground.
The goblin's feet slid out from under it. Its scared run turned into a bad slide.
That was what Jin needed. He got close. His blade hit with exact aim at the creature's hurt leg.
The goblin made a loud cry of pain and anger. It swung its club in a wild way. The rough weapon had a soft, dirty glow from its 'Vicious Strike' skill. But Jin blocked the bad attack with ease.
CLANG!
The sound of wood on steel came out loud. The goblin saw it was losing. It tried to pull itself away. Its claws scratched hard at the slippery ice.
"Erica," Dante said in a calm way.
A small ball of fire came from Erica's hands. It hit the ground right where the goblin was going. It sent hot sparks all over it. The creature moved back in fear. It fell right into Jin's waiting sword.
With a clean, fast push, the blade went into the goblin's chest. It made one last, bubbling sound and dropped.
A faint, hard-to-see bit of energy came up from the body.
"Jin, take it in," Dante said.
Jin paid attention. The bit of energy went into him. His eyes got big. It was an odd, warm feeling that went through his blood. It pushed away his tiredness.
"I feel it," he said with a breath. "It's not a lot, but I feel stronger."
A feeling of dark happiness went through the team. They had done it. Their first kill. It was a good plan, a win with no flaws.
But the goblin's death scream had been like a warning bell. And others had heard it.
From the deep shadows, a group of the same high, sharp cries started. The sound of leaves moving got louder. It was like a wave coming at them. Many pairs of black, small eyes lit up in the dark like bad coals.
They came out from the trees. First ten, then twenty, then more. A loud group of green skin and rough weapons. This was no hunt now. It was a hard fight to stay alive.
"Get in position! Rina, stay in the middle! Eric, protect her!" Dante yelled. "Masha, make an ice wall, now!"
A shining wall of thick ice came up fast. It stopped the first group from running at them. They hit it with bad thuds. They scratched and hit at the frozen wall. More were already coming around the sides.
"Talia, left side! Edgar, right side! Jin, hold the front!"
The world turned into a fast mix of fighting.
Erica became their big weapon. She sent fireball after fireball into the group. Each blast made goblins fly away. But for every one she burned, three more climbed over the dead ones to take the spot.
Jin was like a storm of metal at the breaking ice wall. But the big number pushed him back. "There are too many!" he said with effort.
"Don't let them get through!" Talia shouted. She moved like a fast fighter. Her foil was an exact tool for killing.
She moved away from a club that would have broken her head. She hit back with a sharp push to a goblin's neck. But as soon as one fell, two more jumped to fill the place.
Eric was like a wall of strong body. He was a live shield for Rina.
CRUNCH.
A club hit his shoulder. He made a sound of pain but did not move. Behind him, Rina's hands had a soft green glow. She fixed the hurt muscle. Her face was white from the work.
Dante's mind went fast. A goblin with wild eyes got through the line and ran at him. Before he could do anything, a point of ice came up from the ground. It stuck the goblin.
Masha did not even look at him. "Think about leading, Dante!" she yelled. She sent a bunch of ice pieces into the coming group. "We will keep you safe!"
But they were getting worn out. Their mana was getting low. A club touched Erica's arm. Her next fireball went wrong. Jin got a small cut on his leg. His step slipped for a key moment.
They were getting hurt. They were wearing down. They were like an island getting washed away slow. They were all around, and the goblins kept coming.