The goblin wasn't dead.
The weight of an entire shelf was hardly enough to kill it. But it didn't come out unscathed either.
From the pavement where he lay the street lights were not nearly as affected and even this part of the street seemed relatively peaceful. The chaos from the other side had not yet reached here.
The orange glow from the street lights spilled into the entrance of the store giving Liam an ample view of the goblin.
Purple blood fell down its head, one arm hung limply to its side and even as it 'walked' towards him Liam could see a limp in its step.
Honestly, Liam didn't know how the creature had managed to throw its sword with such force but the how didn't really matter. He was lying on the ground, injured and in pain, and the goblin was making its way towards him. Due to the limp in its strides the goblin's approach was slowed somewhat but it was only a matter of time before it caught up to him and when that happened…he would surely be finished.
Suppressing a groan, Liam reached forward and with his right hand, his fingers wrapped around the shard of glass lodged in his left arm.
The instant he did, it was like he had poured fuel over a fire. The pain he was already experiencing intensified. A roar of agony fell from his lips as he pulled on the glass. The tears that had gathered at the corners of his eyes finally spilled they fell over his cheeks like a dam unleashed.
Slowly it slid out inch by bloody inch.
Behind him the goblin had reached the shattered glass doors on the store. It stepped out into the orange light, its yellow slit eyes glowing malevolently. Glass particles crunched beneath its feet but it barely reacted.
It was entirely focused on Liam who was still struggling to pull out the glass shard.
It had suffered at the hands of this prey. It was only right it inflict the same kind of pain. With its one good hand the goblin reached for its sword and pulled.
Liam's mind almost went numb but just the same he focused on the task at hand. With the sword out of his leg, his ability kicked in, faint hues of green seeping from the wound on his leg. The pain dulled considerably.
Taking advantage Liam quickly got on his knee and spun around. He thrust both arms forward, a sharp pointed glass shard between his fingers. His blood still dripped from it, still warm.
The goblin who had raised its sword high with its good arm was caught completely off guard. Its eyes were still staring at him wide when he plunged the glass shard into its chest piercing through its heart.
The goblin stumbled back. The sword fell from its grip. It could feel the life draining from its body. Falling on its knees the goblin let out one final shriek.
This one so loud and grating Liam felt his ears hurt.
But just as suddenly the shriek was cut off and the goblin fell to the side. Dead
Liam laid on his back staring out at the sky. His breaths heavy. Sweat fell down his brows.
He really felt like if he could he would certainly fall asleep right here without a care in the world. He really needed to rest. What little Aether he had recovered had gone into healing his leg and what little of it that remained wasn't enough to completely heal the wound on his arm.
There was another problem too. He had lost a lot of blood during this short time and he was starting to feel the effects of it.
His body felt weaker than usual…way weaker.
For a moment he just laid there and when he felt his body calm down just a little bit he sat and got up with a groan.
He had just gotten up when he felt the ground quake almost knocking him off his feet.
"Damnit what now?"
The only response he received was more shaking, followed by the collapse of the building right next to the convenience store. The fall of the building seemed to intensify the quakes. A wall of dust was blown off in all directions.
Dust filled his lungs and obscured his vision. Even as he coughed a feeling of intense and ominous dread took hold of his body. Liam could even hear his heart being frantically in his chest, every fiber of his being told him to run.
'Where was this feeling coming from?' Liam struggled to peer forward.
The dust slowly cleared and Liam as his vision started to clear the shadow of something large shifted in the middle of what should have been absolute devastation. Liam's heart began to palpitate.
Finally, the dust cleared completely and Liam's pupils constricted.
'Hobgoblin'