Under Fire

"How'd you get that club to appear?" i asked Jessica.

"Quest reward, i had a short timer to accept it too." She responded, leading our way toward the village. We couldn't be that far away from it, could we?

"What quest did you have?"

"Survive the goblin ambush" She mused. "It didn't let me decline it or anything, seems like quests are generated while just playing the game"

"Ah, i wonder why i didn't get a quest to save you or anything." i said as we lapsed into silence, she seemed intent on scanning the surroundings while trying to cradle her arm and carry a club. With pain on in this game i understood her worries. Wait, i could help her. "Come here quick."

"What? Why?" She looked puzzled, but moved over to me anyway.

I removed my shirt and before she could say anything i wrapped it over her shoulder and formed a sling for her arm. "Does that help?"

"Thanks." She moves her arm into the sling and a brief look of relief crosses her face.

Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Basic Medicine! Maybe it could come in -handy-

I dismissed the popup with yet another sigh. "Look i don't want to start anything but are you okay with that club? I can take it if you want." I offer

"No.. No i'm good thankyou, my arm is just bruised i think. I'll be fine" She steps back from me and turns around, preparing to move. She is clearly at high alert, and moving more comfortably with her sling.

I come to the realisation that i am now, in fact, shirtless and wandering around the woods with a very pretty woman. My face heats up and I wait a step to follow.

I notice, for the first time, that the forest has gone silent. The quiet puts me on edge, there had to be more goblins around. Jessica had distracted me and unless i wanted to get clubbed I had to pay attention.

We stalked through the undergrowth, step by step, both on alert. Try as we might branches would crack under out step, leaves crunch and passing bushes would rustle. Expert hunters we were not, and it was becoming painfully obvious.

The minutes stretched out until Jessica stopped, turning to me she says "Do you smell that?"

I stop and breath in through my nose. "No, i don't sme-" and it came to me suddenly. "Wait, i do, something's burning"

Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill: Perception! So what if someone had to help you? I won't tell if you don't.

These popups were starting to get to me.

She suddenly smiled "I got a new skill off of that, be careful, let's go check it out." turning, she snuck ahead.

"Me too" i say under my breath, grinning. I try my best to sneak even more than before and continue following. We quickly reach the edge of the forest and, hiding, we look out onto a massacre.

The village sits a small distance from the forest edge, it has no walls surrounding it and some small farmland stands between us. From our vantage we can see the outer houses, burning. This place and had been attacked, and recently. "I don't see anyone, you?" I whisper. I wanted to go in and investigate, this seems important.

New Quest Aquired: What in the -blazes-!? Uncover the mystery of Forestside.

Jessica responded "No, I see no one. I got a new quest for this so i want to check it out, you with me?"

"Yeah, me too. I'm with you." i steel myself and take the first step forward. "The quest name seems in poor taste."

"What do you mean?" she says, closely following me for a change.

"What in the blazes? The villagers homes are burning, with a probable goblin attack?"

"Dude, my quest is called "Forestside in need""

"Huh, that's strange" I say. We make our way through the open farmland, the ground seems tilled but nothing planted. I feel very exposed out here with nothing for cover but dirt and my sincere need to not get stabbed. I speed up and Jessica matches my pace, my discomfort is shared it seems.

We clear the farmland and slip between two burning buildings, the gap between them being large enough that the heat is not uncomfortable, but small enough that i wasn't too keen on hanging around. To the left are more houses on both sides of a dirt street, all either fully on fire, or starting to burn. To our right the path continued to what looked like a town square, with the villagers in chains being guarded by a handful of those small green bastards. Dead ahead is another goblin, flaming torch in hand laughing with glee and he sets a building on fire. His back turned, i act out of sheer panic and cross the road in a few broad strides. Grabbing it from behind i lift it far more easily than expected, almost throwing it into the air, and then step forward to smash its face into the building wall. The goblin shrieks out an inhuman squeel that's cut short as its face hits solid wood. I slam it again and then throw it dazed into the fire it had started.

Congratulations! You have slain your first enemy, the mighty goblin! Maybe next time -Face- someone more your size. Reward: 3 Copper, Rusty Dagger, 10 exp