As we departed from the village, we took the road leading through Eldoria Wood, a forest path near our home. The quiet road was shrouded in tall trees, their branches swaying in the light breeze.
Nervous excitement buzzed through me. My heart raced with anticipation, but at the same time, a strange unease crept up on me.
My mother noticed my tension. She smiled softly, her warm voice bringing comfort.
"Don't worry, Cain. Just enjoy the trip. We're here for you."
"Yes," I replied, though the knot in my stomach didn't go away.
Minutes passed, and the odd sensation grew stronger.
What is this feeling? I thought to myself, feeling suffocated, as if the air itself was thick and hard to breathe.
Sofia, sensing something was wrong, turned to me.
"Cain, are you okay?"
Her voice was laced with concern.
I nodded quickly, but before I could respond, I heard the sound of footsteps—like someone running, coming closer to our carriage.
"I feel something coming," I said to Sofia, my voice trembling.
"What? Who's coming?" she asked, her expression turning serious.
Just as she spoke, I could hear the distant rumble of more footsteps. The tension in the air thickened.
"Something's wrong," Sofia muttered, her eyes scanning the surrounding woods.
She immediately turned to my father.
"Draven, monsters are approaching."
"What?" My father grunted, his hand instinctively reaching for his sword.
The carriage lurched, and then the monsters appeared—goblins, their grotesque faces twisted in hunger. They swarmed toward the carriage, shrieking in unison, brandishing rusted weapons.
"Cain, get behind me!" My mother ordered, her voice sharp.
I barely had time to move when my father and Sofia sprang into action.
Draven drew his sword with practiced ease, lunging forward to meet the first goblin. He struck with precision, his blade slicing through the goblin's chest, green blood spraying from the wound. The creature crumpled to the ground.
Sofia was right beside him, unfazed. She raised her hand, and the air crackled with heat.
"Scorched Lance!" she chanted, a blazing spear of fire shooting forth, cutting through two goblins in a single strike. Their bodies ignited, leaving nothing but smoldering ash in their wake.
But the goblins kept coming—more of them, charging recklessly with wild, savage energy.
Draven moved like a blur. He dodged an incoming blow, ducking beneath a crude axe and countering with a powerful upward slash. The goblin's head flew off, its body collapsing in a heap.
Another goblin lunged from the side, but Draven reacted instantly, driving his blade into its gut. He pulled his sword free, sending the creature tumbling lifelessly to the ground.
Just as it seemed the battle would end, the ground trembled beneath us. From the forest emerged a hobgoblin, twice the size of the regular goblins. Its muscles rippled beneath its crude armor, and it swung a massive iron club with a terrifying roar.
"Watch out!" Sofia shouted, her voice urgent.
The hobgoblin swung its club with deadly force. Draven barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side just as the ground cracked where he had stood moments before.
Sofia wasted no time. She slammed her staff into the earth.
"Earth Bind!" she commanded.
Thick vines shot from the ground, wrapping tightly around the hobgoblin's limbs. It howled in frustration, struggling against the restraints. But it was too powerful—the vines cracked and snapped.
Sofia clenched her fists. She needed more strength.
"Molten Eruption!" she cried.
The ground beneath the hobgoblin began to glow red-hot, and with a deafening roar, a geyser of molten lava shot up, engulfing the beast. It screamed in agony, thrashing against the fiery onslaught, but the heat melted its armor, searing its flesh.
Yet, even with its body burning, the hobgoblin kept coming.
Draven gritted his teeth and charged. He dodged the beast's next swing by mere inches, the gust from the club's impact slicing his cheek. The hobgoblin's raw power was formidable. But Draven wasn't intimidated.
He sidestepped once more and lunged forward. His sword drove deep into the hobgoblin's side, cutting through muscle and bone. The beast staggered, letting out a ferocious cry.
That was when Sofia struck.
Her violet eyes glowed with power.
"Flame Tempest!"
A vortex of flame exploded around the hobgoblin, consuming it entirely. The monster's roar filled the air one last time before it collapsed into a pile of smoldering ash. The fire burned until there was nothing left but charred remnants.
The remaining goblins, witnessing their leader's gruesome defeat, turned and fled back into the forest with panicked shrieks.
Draven exhaled deeply, wiping sweat from his brow.
"That was tougher than expected," he muttered, lowering his sword.
Sofia didn't respond right away, her breathing heavy as she relaxed her stance.
"Tough, but predictable," she said, a hint of satisfaction in her voice.
"We should leave before more show up," my father said, his voice strained from the effort.
Sofia nodded.
"Let's go," she instructed the driver, her eyes scanning the forest for any lingering threats.
I stood frozen, still processing what I had just witnessed. I hadn't realized how skilled my father was with a sword. I was stunned. And terrified.
"Are you both okay?" My father's voice was gentle but firm as he turned to check on me and my mother.
"Yes," my mother replied, though she still looked worried. "But Cain saw the whole battle. He's just a kid."
My father looked at me then, his gaze softening.
"Cain, you need to be ready. You're growing up fast, and soon enough, you'll be the one fighting out there." His words were heavy, like the weight of the world was on my shoulders.
"The world isn't just about happiness and peace," he continued, his expression grim. "It's full of hardship and struggle. You need to understand that."
I nodded silently, the weight of his words sinking in.
I whispered to myself,
"I already know that,"