NOVEL NEXT Chapter 28: Complete Party
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the paddock as the family's makeshift target range came to life with chaotic energy. A row of old boxes, plastic jugs, scrap metal sheets, and one very smug-looking goblin sketch drawn by Zane were lined up against the fence like a bizarre gallery of doom.
Kai squinted down the spear gun's sights, tongue poking from the corner of his mouth as he tried to steady his aim. "Okay... easy... easy…"
Thunk.
The spear buried itself in the dirt several feet to the left of the target.
Tarni clapped politely. "Nice. You missed it by a postcode, but your form's improving."
Kai groaned. "This thing kicks like a mule!"
"Here, let the professional have a go," Zane said, cracking his neck and flexing unnecessarily before taking the spear gun. With exaggerated flair, he aimed and fired—
Thwump!
The spear sailed clean over the targets, over the fence, and disappeared into the neighbour's paddock.
A startled moo echoed across the field.
Everyone turned slowly toward him.
Zane held up both hands. "Okay, in my defence, I was compensating for wind."
Tarni nodded sagely. "Wind must've been travelling at eighty kilometres an hour and aiming at livestock."
Lily rolled her eyes. "We're gonna get a very awkward phone call."
Then Bell stepped forward.
"Alright," she said, adjusting the strap on the spear gun. "Let Mum show you how it's done."
She lined up a shot with quiet precision and fired.
Thunk.
Dead centre. The spear struck the box squarely, embedding with a satisfying vibration.
"Boom," Bell said casually, reloading the weapon.
Everyone clapped, impressed. Zane looked simultaneously proud and betrayed. "Okay, so now you remind us you used to go spearfishing?"
Bell grinned. "I was saving the surprise."
"Go again, Mum!" Kai said, eyes shining. "Try the little one!"
Bell narrowed her eyes at the smallest, furthest target—a battered paint tin perched on a broken post.
But instead of firing normally, she paused. Her hand hovered over the trigger for a second, and her brow furrowed with concentration.
"Let's see what this 'Basic Powered Shot' can do…"
There was a faint glow along the spear gun's barrel. Nothing flashy, just a shimmer in the air and a low hum like the weapon had taken a deep breath.
Bell pulled the trigger.
CRACK-THWUMP-KRAKOOM!
The spear didn't just hit the target—it obliterated it. The tin exploded into shrapnel, the post snapped clean in half, and a puff of smoke wafted lazily in the aftermath.
Everyone stood frozen.
Tarni was the first to break the silence. "Well... that escalated."
Zane's mouth opened and closed like a landed fish. "That was your basic shot?"
Bell blinked in surprise. "I guess it powers up more if you concentrate."
Kai looked between his mum and the smoking crater. "Can I get that skill?"
Lily folded her arms. "Forget goblins, Mum just became the apocalypse."
Bell turned, smiling sweetly as a gleam entered her eyes "I wonder if I can level it up?"
As the sun finally dipped below the horizon, they gathered around Tarni's small firepit, still buzzing from the display of power. Bell sat back in her chair, mug in hand, spear gun resting against her leg like a well-trained dog.
Zane leaned toward Tarni and muttered, "Remind me not to argue with her ever again."
Tarni nodded. "Mate, I'm going to start agreeing faster."
The sun had dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with lingering streaks of purple and gold, now quickly giving way to the deep indigo of early night. A faint breeze rustled through the gum trees, carrying with it the scent of eucalyptus and the distant sounds of settling wildlife.
The house glowed softly from within, lanterns and candles casting flickers of warmth against the shadows creeping in. Everyone was gathered around the kitchen table, the last of their dinner cleared away, the air still buzzing from the excitement of training earlier that day.
Zane leaned back in his chair, wiping his hands on a tea towel. "Alright," he said, glancing toward the window, "night's falling. Might be time we went out looking."
Tarni cracked his knuckles eagerly. "Yeah, perfect time to flush a few cheeky green buggers out of the scrub."
Kai swallowed hard but nodded. He wasn't exactly thrilled to be hunting goblins, but the idea of helping his sister get into the System gave him a sense of purpose he hadn't expected.
Bell sipped her tea calmly. "You boys go do your macho goblin-wrangling. Lily and I'll hold down the fort."
"Just don't break any more stairs," Lily quipped, folding her arms.
Zane smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."
They suited up in the reinforced leather jackets and pants they'd gotten from the motorbike shop, the layers stiff but sturdy. As Zane buckled his belt, a soft chime rang in his ears.
You have equipped: Reinforced Light Armour.
+1 Constitution while worn. Slight reduction in mobility. Moderate resistance to slashing and piercing damage.
"Hey, I forgot to tell you, Tarn," Zane said, looking up with surprise. "I got a message from the System when I put this on yesterday. Says it's 'Reinforced Light Armour.'"
Tarni tilted his head, interested. "Yeah? What else did it say?"
Zane shared the message aloud, and Kai's eyes lit up. "So gear can have bonuses too?"
"Looks like it," Zane said, tugging at the sleeve. "Might not be much, but it's something. Bit of Constitution never hurts."
Tarni chuckled, adjusting his own jacket. "Reckon I could use a bit more stab resistance, personally."
Lily, leaning against the doorway, watched with arms crossed. "You three be careful. Don't forget the goal—catch one, not get yourselves killed."
Bell waved them off cheerfully. "We'll keep watch here. And if any goblins come too close, I'll just use my 'Basic Powered Shot' and turn them into mist."
Kai laughed nervously. "Remind me not to stand in front of you."
Zane gave Bell a quick kiss on the cheek. "Love you."
"You'd better," Bell teased. "Now go catch me a goblin. My daughter's got a system to join."
The men stepped out into the darkening yard, flashlights and torches in hand, blades and improvised weapons strapped to their backs. The last light of the day had vanished now, leaving only moonlight and stars to guide them.
Back inside, Bell and Lily settled into the lounge with cups of tea and a vigilant eye on the perimeter.
With the sun long dipped below the horizon and only the soft hum of insects and distant wildlife echoing through the darkened bush, the house felt quieter than it had all day. Bell leaned against the kitchen counter, a cup of tea in her hands, her eyes glinting with renewed life. Across the room, Lily stood peeking through the lounge room window, one hand tucked under the curtain, the other gripping her phone like it might suddenly become useful again.
"No goblins yet," Lily muttered. "Not that I'd know what one looked like in the dark. Do they glow? They should glow. That'd be helpful."
Bell chuckled, sipping her tea. "Unfortunately, no. They're more the lurking-and-jumping-out-of-bushes variety."
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"That's comforting," Lily said, stepping away from the window. "So we're just… waiting here like bait?"
Bell arched a brow. "We're the trap, darling. Very different."
The two women sat at the kitchen table again, a half-eaten packet of chocolate biscuits between them. The earlier conversations were still fresh in Lily's mind — goblins, system skills, healing potions — the kind of talk that should be reserved for comic book stores and late-night fantasy marathons. Yet here it was, stitched into the fabric of her family's new reality.
"Okay," Lily said finally, "I'm trying not to freak out. But if you tell me next that dragons are real, I'm calling an ambulance."
Bell smiled. "Fair. But honestly, after everything we've seen, would you really be that surprised?"
Before Lily could answer, a rustling outside made them both freeze. Bell was up first, calm but alert, stepping toward the door.
"Wait—what are you doing?" Lily hissed, following behind.
"Just checking. Could be an animal… or worse, your father crashing into something again."
They crept toward the front window and peered out. Nothing moved.
Bell sighed and turned. "If something was coming, we'd hear it."
Lily relaxed slightly, but then narrowed her eyes. "So… what else can you do? With the System, I mean."
Bell shrugged. "Well, I've only got one skill so far — Basic Powered Shot. And you have seen that."
"can you do it again?"
Bell grinned. "Let's find out."
She reached over to the corner where the spear gun rested, lifted it carefully, and stepped outside on to the veranda with Lily close behind. A makeshift target — a battered wooden board propped against a tree — still sat from earlier in the day. Bell squared her stance, lined up the shot, and whispered, "Powered Shot."
The spear fired with a sharp crack — louder, brighter, glowing for a split second — and smashed through the wood like it was wet tissue paper. The spear embedded deep in the tree behind it with a satisfying thunk.
Lily stood there, mouth open. "Okay. That... was awesome."
Bell looked smug. "Yeah, your mum's kind of a badass now."
They stood in silence a moment longer before Lily added, "Okay, maybe I do want to kill a goblin."
The sun had long since dipped below the horizon, the fading twilight giving way to the cool shadows of night. Out in the bush, under a canopy of rustling gum trees and the distant calls of night birds, the team moved quietly through the bush, moonlight guiding their steps as they fanned out across what looked like a goblin trail. Zane led, machete low and eyes alert. Tarni walked to his left with the net-stick resting on his shoulder. Kai brought up the rear, his gaze darting between shadows.
It wasn't long before they found movement ahead.
Three goblins, hunched and muttering in their guttural language, rooted around near a tree stump. One had a rusted cleaver, another dragged a crude sack. The third swatted at mosquitoes and looked thoroughly annoyed.
Zane gave a hand signal.
Tarni moved first. He crept in low and fast, then launched the net with a clean arc that tangled two of them before they even noticed. Zane darted in and cracked the third with his padded bat, dropping it with a dazed grunt. Kai dashed forward, quickly binding the limbs of the struggling goblins with pre-tied ropes.
It was over in seconds.
"We are getting bloody good at this," Tarni whispered, breathless.
Kai nodded. "Way smoother than last time."
Zane gave a satisfied grunt, looping rope around the necks of the captives to lead them like leashed goats. "Alright, let's move—"
A twig snapped.
"Ambush!" Zane shouted just as five goblins burst from the scrub, eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
One of them was different—taller, broader, wearing what looked like a patchwork vest of scavenged leather. It pointed and barked orders in a sharp, snarling voice. The smaller goblins fanned out in response, circling the group.
"Watch left!" Tarni yelled, swinging his bat and catching one across the jaw. It squealed and staggered back.
Kai stayed near the captured goblins, arms up defensively. "They're going for the ones we caught!"
Two goblins dove for the captives and, in a brutal frenzy, slit their throats before the team could stop them. The bound creatures gave short, sharp screams before falling completely quite.
"No!" Zane roared, charging forward and swinging his machete. One goblin ducked, but another wasn't so lucky—Zane's blade buried itself deep in its chest. As it dropped, another lunged and slashed across Zane's arm.
Blood sprayed.
"Dad!" Kai sprinted toward him.
"Focus!" Zane growled, clutching his arm. "Get the big one!"
Tarni flanked wide, net stick ready. He launched it toward the large goblin, but the creature batted it aside with a bone-club and charged Tarni, knocking him down.
Zane staggered back as another goblin came for him, but before it could strike, Kai placed a glowing hand on Zane's shoulder.
Healing Touch Activated.
Zane's wound stopped bleeding and started to seal before their eyes, and energy surged through his body.
"Back in it," Zane growled. He spun and delivered a brutal blow to the attacker, sending it flying into a tree with a sickening crunch.
Kai pulled his spear and jabbed at another goblin, keeping it at bay.
Tarni got back on his feet and finally slammed his bat into the big goblin's knee. It howled in pain—and that was all Zane needed. He pounced, his blade flashing once, twice, and the large goblin fell.
silence followed.
Only one goblin remained, stunned and bleeding from a gash to the head. Tarni quickly hogtied it before it could recover.
They stood in the dark, panting, hearts pounding. The bodies of the fallen had already started to vanish into smoke.
DING!
Zane's System window blinked into view.
LEVEL UP!
You are now Level 4.
+3 Stat Point
(+1 to all stats from "First Blood!" title)
DING!
Kai's System window popped up, too.
LEVEL UP!
You are now Level 1.
+3 Stat Point
(+1 to all Stats from "You Just Made It!" title)
"Holy shit," Kai whispered, still shaking. "That... that worked?"
Zane flexed his freshly healed arm and nodded. "Yeah, mate. You did good."
Kai nodded, wide-eyed but grinning. "We did it. We actually handled an ambush."
Tarni whooped and slapped both of them on the back. "Bloody legends."
Tarni nodded grimly, and the three of them tied up the unconscious goblin tight, extra rope for good measure. As they went to leave the area Zane spotted some curved wood on the ground where the large Goblin had died.
"wait a sec." he called out to the other two before they could go too far, as he picked up the item
Ding!
Basic Bow +1 to agility
"Holy hairy goblin nuts, we got another item drop from the system" Zane could not help but blurt out
Tarni and Kai both came back dropping the tied up goblin onto the ground, they had a look at the Bow,
After holding it for a while, Kai asked, "Why don't I get any system messages about it?'
As Zane was checking the rest of the area for any more item drops, Tarni answered him, "We believe it's your Dad's skill, Basic Item Appraisal"
"Yeah, that makes sense, I guess"
After the group was sure there were no more item drops. Tarni and Kai picked up the tired up goblin
They carried it back through the trees, silent now, their earlier excitement washed away by adrenaline and caution.
By the time they loaded the goblin into the tray of the ute, the night had grown colder. Zane looked back at the small track they had followed out of the bush.
"Next time," he muttered, "we're keeping a lookout behind us."
Together, they hefted the unconscious goblin onto the back of the ute. It wasn't the clean operation they'd hoped for—but it was a win. And one step closer to getting Lily into the System.
As they neared the house, the faint golden glow of the porch lights cut through the darkness. A soft breeze rustled the dry leaves, and the night remained peaceful—eerily so after the chaos they'd just endured.
"Alright," Zane said, turning off the ignition and killing the headlights. "Before we head in and explain to the girls why we smell like burnt armpits and rage, let's sort out our points."
Kai pulled up his System screen with a practised thought and stared at it. "Three points to spend... Alright. One into Strength to stop feeling like a weak noodle, and two into Intelligence—I reckon that'll help the healing work better."
Zane nodded approvingly. "Smart thinking."
Tarni leaned over the front seat. "You sure Intelligence helps with healing and not just Sudoku?"
"I don't know," Kai said with a shrug, "but I'd rather be good at both than dead."
Zane opened his own screen, his thumb hovering for a second before confirming, "One into Constitution. That gash earlier wasn't fun. And two into Dexterity—so I can dodge next time instead of face-tanking a goblin's rusty butter knife."
Tarni grinned. "Look at us, min-maxing like pros."
Zane finished tapping and felt the System hum in his chest—like a subtle surge of electricity warming his bones. "Alright. Feels like we're on the last step. Just gotta get Lily in, and then we'll be… well, still wildly unqualified for this madness, but at least we'll be wildly unqualified together."
Kai looked toward the house, where soft yellow light spilled from the kitchen window. "You think she'll go for it?"
Zane paused, hand on the door handle. "She'll believe it when she sees it. And when she does…" He glanced over his shoulder at the unconscious goblin tied up in the tray. "She'll have her chance."
They climbed out quietly.
And they were one step closer.
The air was still, thick with the scent of eucalyptus and something metallic that lingered faintly near the unconscious goblin tied up at the edge of the clearing. The fading light of dusk was quickly replaced by the soft glow of the moon overhead, casting long shadows across the bushland. Inside the circle of torchlight, Lily stood silently, her arms folded across her chest, staring at the creature.
It wasn't as monstrous as she'd imagined it would be. Smaller than a person, lean and wiry, with greenish-grey skin, a sharp nose, and long ears. Its chest rose and fell with slow, shallow breaths. It was out cold. Not exactly the heroic battle she'd envisioned when her mother told her she'd need to kill one to access the System. But necessary.
Bell stood beside her, offering silent support, while the others lingered nearby — Zane, Tarni, and Kai giving her space, yet ready if she needed help. The tension was different from earlier; this wasn't a life-or-death goblin fight. This was a threshold. A rite of passage.
Lily stepped forward and took the spear gun from her mother's hands.
"You're sure this is the only way?" she asked quietly, eyes never leaving the goblin.
Bell nodded. "It's not just about the potion anymore. Once you're in the System, you'll be able to protect yourself. And us. This world's changed, Lil."
Lily inhaled deeply, her fingers tightening on the spear gun. Her rational mind still screamed that this was insane — System messages, goblins, skills, stats. But everything she'd seen, everything she'd been told… and the look on her mother's now-vibrant face — none of that could be denied.
Zane cleared his throat from behind her. "If you hesitate, it might not count. The System seems to want intent. Just… do it clean."
"Right," Lily whispered.
The spear gun felt heavier than she remembered. The safety clicked off with a soft snap. The goblin stirred faintly in its bindings but didn't wake.
She took aim.
One deep breath. One squeeze of the trigger.
Thwack.
The spear hit the goblin squarely in the chest. It twitched once, then stilled.
A heartbeat of silence passed.
Then Lily stumbled back, gasping, as a brilliant light flashed in front of her eyes. A strange, musical chime echoed in her head, and then, a line of blue text appeared in her vision.
Welcome, Lily Rider.
You have met the conditions for System Initialisation.
Title Gained: "You Took Your Time" — +1 XP to all stats per level until Level 5.
Skill Gained: Basic Rapid Appraisal.
level 0.
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 5
Constitution: 6
Intelligence: 7
Wisdom: 5
Charisma: 6
She blinked, dazed, as the glowing text faded.
"Oh… my god," she whispered.
Kai whooped. "She's in!"
Tarni punched the air. "Bloody oath!"
Zane just grinned, pride and relief evident on his face.
Bell stepped forward and wrapped her daughter in a fierce hug. "You did it."
Lily hugged her back, still reeling. "I… I saw it. The message. The title. It's real."
"Welcome to the madness," Kai said, grinning.
They stood there under the moonlight, the small fire crackling nearby, and for a brief, perfect moment, the world felt like it had settled — like the family was no longer half-in, half-out of the new reality. They were all in now.
Together.