NOVEL NEXT (Book 2) Episode 80: The Fury of Bolg
EPISODE 80:
THE FURY OF BOLG
Bolg hefted his heavy two-handed chopper, stalking menacingly towards Vash. Mana thrummed in Vash's Core as Bolg piled on several Talents hidden from Vash.
Probably boosting his strength and speed, Vash thought. It's what I should be doing.
He began pushing mana into Enhance Ability, but cut off when Bolg let loose a howl and charged. Rag-wrapped feet slapped against the damp stone with a strange pat-pat sound as the goblin rushed forward.
Vash retreated, avoiding the first wild swing from Bolg's chopper. It passed a hair's breadth from Vash's face. The goblins had long arms, giving them a longer reach than Vash expected. He backpedaled while Bolg struck out with a backhand swing, trying to impale Vash with the spikes on the back of the crude weapon.
Vash felt the edge of the dais with one foot. Bolg backed him to the very edge of the fighting surface, and now Vash was a half-step from tumbling into the surging water behind him. Pushing mana into his Agility, Vash sidestepped, moving around the incoming blade and off of Bolg's line of attack.
Bolg stumbled as his strike swept through empty air, the force of the blow throwing the goblin off balance.
Vash rushed in, taking advantage of the moment, preparing the formula for Sneak Attack in his mind. His short sword aimed just beneath Bolg's armpit. The flash of warning from his Danger Sense came only a heartbeat before Bolg's long arm shot back, fist colliding with the bridge of Vash's nose.
Stars flashed, pain flared, and Vash heard a terrible crack from his nose, then a warm wash of blood flowed down his face. Concentration broken, Vash felt his Talents falter.
He stumbled backwards on instinct alone, blinded by pain and his reeling senses. He knew that the edge of the dais was nearby, but he also knew he needed to put some distance between himself and Bolg if he didn't want to end up on the wrong end of that chopper.
Danger Sense flared again, and Vash leaped blindly away from the sensation, feeling the rush of wind from Bolg's attack and hearing the goblin cackling madly.
"Stupid elf, Bolg got power." The goblin gloated in his high, rasping voice. "Bolg got the magic too. Smiley wanted much gold, but Bolg got him something better."
Who the hell is Smiley? Vash's addled brain latched onto that part of Bolg's gleeful rant.
He forced open his eyes, blurred by tears, and saw Bolg standing a few paces away. The goblin boss had his chopper raised high, and a wild look in his bulging red and yellow eyes. Bolg strutted back and forth, taking his time. Vash shook his head to clear it and spotted something on the far end of the dais, a glint of metal.
My dagger! Vash thought.
Bolg paced, eyes locked on Vash, wary in his exultation. "Bolg fought magic fighters like you before. You think goblins dumb. You think goblins weak."
Vash watched Bolg, mentally willing him to move to the right spot.
"You the dumb one, elf!" Bolg shouted, raising his chopper high. "Now you die!"
"Astochi!" Vash called. The dagger flew in a straight line to Vash's extended hand. In the way was Bolg's knee. It collided with the side of the goblin's joint with a solid crack. The dagger knocked Bolg's leg to one side as it flew to Vash. Bolg shrieked in pain and hobbled backwards, left leg bent at a strange angle.
Vash rose, eyes still stinging and swollen nose obscuring his vision, then grabbed hold of his Core once again. Mana surged into his body, dulling pain and sending a warm rush of strength into his tired limbs.
"All right, ugly," Vash said, sounding like he was suffering from a head cold. "Let's try that again."
Corwin's foot slipped as he rushed along the rocky outcropping above the now-surging river. He saw Vash fall when the dam collapsed, then drag himself out of the water onto the dais. Vash was now locked in combat with the boss goblin. Corwin tried not to pay attention to the fight; his focus was on the group of archers that emerged from a side tunnel just ahead of him.
The archers hadn't noticed him yet. They were busy watching the fight and getting their bows ready to attack as soon as Vash gave them an opening. Even as Corwin stumbled, rock falling away beneath his big, clumsy feet, they didn't look up from the battle waged just below them.
Thank the gods for the obliviousness of goblins. Corwin thought, pushing mana into Enhance Ability and directing it to his Agility. His natural Agility was probably half of what Vash was capable of, and the extra boost would just keep him from stumbling over the loose rock as he charged. But that should be enough in this situation.
"Think Bolg get cranky if I shoot elf-man in the butt?" One goblin asked, compulsively giggling after he said 'butt'.
"I not know." Another growled. "Bolg make no sense after he go to Jester's Hold."
"Magic make you a dick." The third complained.
"I shoot elf-man." The first goblin said. "Bolg not like it? Bolg can kiss my—"
He never finished the sentence. Corwin lunged at the goblin as he raised his bow to take aim. Releasing Power Attack, Corwin felt the mana coursing through him, adding strength to the blow. His sword sliced into the goblin where the shoulder meets the neck. The blade cut through the goblin's torso like a hot knife through butter, bisecting him in one fluid strike. With a choked gasp, the goblin fell into two pieces, dead instantly.
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"Kiss your what, Roog?" The next goblin in line asked. He turned, bulging eyes going wide, but Corwin was already mid-swing. The goblin's head flew up into the air, spinning like an oddly shaped ball. A small fountain of dark green blood jetted into the air while the goblin's body toppled off the ledge and into the frothing waters below.
The last goblin shrieked, having finally noticed the death of his compatriots. He fled, scrambling away along the ledge.
Oh, no you don't. Corwin thought and lunged. His magically enhanced muscles gave him the power to bridge the gap in the blink of an eye. Corwin's sword sank into the goblin's back and burst out through his chest. The goblin shrieked in pain and terror, swatting at the gore-covered sword point sticking out of his chest.
Corwin pulled the sword back, and the goblin bled out in a rush. Moaning, collapsing on the rocky ground at Corwin's feet. Barely breaking stride, Corwin shoved the dying goblin off the ledge with a kick. He risked a glance over at Vash. His friend was stumbling back, blood pouring from his swollen nose.
Even with Talents, I can't make the jump from here. Corwin cursed inwardly. Movement caught his eye further along the ledge. Goblins gathered at the tunnel mouth above the dais. Corwin couldn't hear them, but they gestured at the hostages, getting ready to go down and drag them up into the tunnels.
Gods dammit! Corwin thought, picking up speed, charging towards the new arrivals.
A cry from the dais caught Corwin's attention. Vash had recovered his dagger and done some damage against Bolg. The two of them now faced off on more or less equal terms. Corwin felt a surge of relief. He could focus on protecting the hostages if Vash wasn't in immediate danger.
Turning back to the new goblins, Corwin felt a tug from his Danger Sense. A goblin dog — large, wiry, and slavering — charged him after being let loose from its leash. Beady black eyes locked onto Corwin, and it ran with the sole purpose of hunting him down.
With nowhere to dodge, Corwin brought his sword up between himself and the dog. Letting out a strange, coughing bark, the dog leaped at Corwin, jaws clamping down on the blade of his sword. Corwin stumbled, dropping to a knee as the force of the dog's leap rammed into him. The dog growled, shaking its head back and forth, trying to yank the sword out of Corwin's hands.
Corwin shifted his Enhance Ability from Agility to Brawn and felt a sudden flare of strength flood his body.
"Sorry, pup." Corwin said, yanking the sword and the dog's head down, then bringing one heavy fist down onto the dog's head. The strike landed just behind the dog's tiny, shriveled ear. It yelped and then crumpled, losing consciousness.
Danger Sense flared, Corwin looked up to spot a goblin drawing an arrow and pointing it at him. Corwin growled in frustration, hurriedly freeing his sword from the unconscious dog's mouth.
The goblin loosed his arrow. Corwin had already called up the Deflect Talent, but now he pushed mana into the formula. Time seemed to slow around him. The arrow flying towards his heart moved swiftly, but now he could see and counter it. With his focus moved from Agility to Brawn, Corwin's arms felt sluggish and leaden. He got the sword up and deflected the arrow just in time. The arrow veered off course, slicing along Corwin's bicep rather than punching into his chest. His breastplate might have held, but Corwin learned some time ago that armor didn't mean you were invulnerable.
Time returned to normal when Corwin released the Deflect Talent. Pain flared across Corwin's arm, but he ignored it, focusing on the goblin archer. Surprised, the goblin blinked and reached for another arrow, fumbling as he put it in place. Corwin closed the distance and chopped down on the goblin, digging deep into the smaller creature's shoulder. Blood spurted, and the goblin wailed. The wound wasn't immediately fatal, so Corwin continued the motion, sweeping the goblin off the ledge and sending him plummeting into the rushing waters below.
Shrieks of challenge came from the remaining goblins. Two squared up, almost as big as Bolg and carrying slightly smaller choppers. Corwin pressed forward, slashing at the goblin fighter to his right. With his chopper, the goblin deflected Corwin's attack, looped the tip around the big man's sword, and pushed it wide. The second goblin used the opening to dart forward and stab at Corwin. The rough blade of the chopper bit into the metal of Corwin's breastplate, leaving a shining silver gouge. Taking advantage, the goblin's chopper raked further, scoring a slice across Corwin's ribs.
Corwin hissed in pain, bringing his sword back, pommel first, to collide with the side of the goblin's head. The collision made a satisfying crack, and the goblin fighter staggered back, green blood flowing down the side of his head.
Wasting no time, Corwin pivoted and thrust at the goblin who had parried his first attack. Steel scraped against iron with a grating screech. The goblin diverted Corwin's thrust away from his heart. Corwin had the advantage of height and strength, though, and before the goblin could push the sword completely away, it punched through the goblin fighter's shoulder. Corwin twisted the blade, causing as much damage as possible, before drawing it back again. The goblin fighter screamed, one arm going limp. The goblin dropped his chopper.
Corwin brought his sword around in a flat arc, lopping off the goblin's head in a fountain of emerald blood. The second goblin had staggered to his feet. Corwin reached out and grabbed him by his greasy black braid. Corwin flung the goblin off the ledge and into the waters below.
The remaining goblins had scurried down the slope from the ledge to the dais, looking about wildly for some way to defend themselves. Corwin jumped from the ledge, bypassing the slope entirely, landing on the dais between the huddled hostages and the bewildered goblins.
Corwin gave the remaining goblins a feral grin. "If you were smart, you'd run."
The goblins looked at each other, then as one they scampered up the slope and scattered into the tunnels above.
"Gods above, you took your time!" Vash called, his voice nasal and gummy from the broken nose.
Corwin looked up. Vash and Bolg were circling each other. His friend never took his eyes off the goblin boss, but he had a relieved grin on his face.
"Ran into a little trouble." Corwin called back. "Want some help?"
"I've got this," Vash said confidently. "Get the hostages out. I'll be right behind you."
Corwin nodded, turning to the group of bewildered hostages. "Hi, I'm Corwin Walker, and I'll be handling your rescue today. Those who can walk, help the ones who can't. Now, get yourselves up that slope and over to the third tunnel on the left."
The group stared at him, mouths hanging open.
Corwin glanced up at the ledge. Some tunnels were showing movement again. "Hey folks, unless you want to get boiled alive in a goblin stew pot, I'd suggest we get moving!"
The hostages shook themselves and scrambled to their feet. The human male reached for the unconscious dwarf, struggling to get him up onto his shoulder.
"I can get him…" Corwin began, moving to sheath his sword.
"The hell you will!" The man snapped, giving Corwin a sharp look. "You keep your sword handy and keep those little monsters off our backs!"
Corwin blinked in surprise, then he felt a thrum of mana in his Core. At first, Corwin thought it was coming from Bolg, but the goblin boss was busy with Vash, and this power was coming from the man in front of him. Suddenly the human straightened, carrying the dwarf easily over one shoulder.
"Let's go!" The man said, and Corwin spotted a familiar bronze medallion hanging from his neck.
"You're a Wayfarer?" Corwin asked, stunned.
"The name's Garret Fel, and I'll be happy to talk to you later, once we're out of here!" Garret said, trotting towards the slope, following the others.
Corwin gave Vash a last glance. The half-elf was engaged in a series of feints and dodges with Bolg. He couldn't tell if Vash was winning or not. Corwin moved to help his friend, but the cries of angry goblins on the ledge stopped him short.
The hostages had frozen just ahead of the escape tunnel. A knot of goblins was charging around the ledge. Garret moved to join the rest of the group and shot Corwin a meaningful look.
Corwin cursed and charged up the slope. "Get moving! I'll take care of these bastards!"