Golden rays of sunlight filtered through the bare branches of the winter forest, scattering a gentle pale glow across the ground.
Soft breezes rustled through the dry branches, creating a whispering sound that evoked both peace and melancholy.
As on any other day, the people of this land were busy with their daily lives.
"Thud... Thud... Thud..."
The heavy, steady sound echoed.
With his strong arms, the elderly woodcutter swung his axe rhythmically into the tree trunk before him, carving deep cuts into its surface.
After a while, he shouted:
"Tree falling!"
The tree, its trunk deeply carved, could no longer hold its stance and collapsed with a crash.
"Whoa!"
A young man cried out as he hurriedly dodged the falling tree.
"Dan, is that you? What are you sneaking around here for?"
"Hello, Uncle Sam! Look what I caught today."
The young man spoke cheerfully, pulling out the prey hanging from his back to show off.
Sam: "Big Mouth Rabbit? You killed it yourself?"
Dan: "Of course not. It stepped into the trap I set."
Sam: "Then it still counts as your kill. Well, well, looks like you've got yourself a feast."
Dan: "Uncle, come join us for dinner tonight; it'll be more fun."
The woodcutter Sam had often helped Dan repair wooden items at home without asking for payment.
In return, whenever Dan caught prey, he happily invited Sam to share a meal.
Sam's wife had passed away early, and his son worked far away, rarely returning. Living alone, Sam gladly accepted such invitations.
Sam: "Then I'll bring some alcohol tonight."
Dan: "Perfect! Then—"
Before Dan could finish, Sam suddenly noticed a large group of Goblins sneaking toward them from not far away.
Alarmed, Sam quickly pulled Dan and shouted urgently:
"Goblins! Run!"
Dan turned his head in panic and saw the dangerous Magical Beasts as well.
Immediately, both of them dashed away.
The Goblin pack, realizing their prey was fleeing, abandoned stealth and charged forward in unison.
While running, Sam's sharp ears caught strange sounds.
Without stopping his stride, he glanced back. There he saw a terrifying sight: a Goblin unusually tall and strong, wielding a spear, riding atop a ferocious wild boar.
They were charging at incredible speed, chasing the two men.
Sam: 'An Elite Goblin? And it even has a mount?'
Sam's face was filled with horror. Knowing they could not escape together, he gripped his axe tightly.
After a brief hesitation, he made his decision and shouted:
"Dan, run back to the village and warn everyone!"
Dan: "But what about you?"
He looked back at Sam, who had suddenly stopped running.
He saw Sam gripping his axe firmly with both hands, ready to face the terrifying enemy rushing toward him.
Sam: "Don't look back! Go, now, immediately!"
He roared angrily, repeating the command to the young man.
Never before had Dan heard such fury in Sam's voice, the man who was always gentle with everyone.
Clenching his teeth, eyes brimming with tears, Dan ran faster, no longer daring to look back.
. . .
Dan: "Goblins are coming, Goblins are coming!"
Just as he reached the village, still gasping for breath, Dan shouted hoarsely, forcing his voice as loud as he could.
The two guards at the village gate rushed forward to question him:
"What happened? Goblins, you say? How many?"
Dan: "Too many… nearly a hundred of them… Uncle Sam… Uncle Sam stayed behind to hold them off…"
His voice was choked with grief as he struggled to recount what had happened.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, the guards immediately rang the warning bell.
At the sound, the entire village was thrown into a state of emergency.
Those still outside hurried back inside. The elderly village chief, along with the young men and able-bodied men, quickly armed themselves and rushed to hear the details.
Village Chief: "So many Goblins?"
Hearing Dan's account, the chief's face grew tense with worry. He swiftly ordered the village gates to be sealed shut.
Everyone hurried to prepare defenses.
Children were gathered into a safe place.
Large pots were brought near the barricades, with women helping to boil water and prepare supplies.
The men divided into groups, climbing onto platforms built beside the fences. From there, they could hide behind the barricades, observe the outside, and strike with spears or bows at approaching enemies.
Nervous and anxious, the villagers waited.
It wasn't long before they saw the Goblin horde advancing.
Hundreds of Goblins, with a smaller group of unusually large ones leading the way. Some even rode ferocious wild boars.
As they drew closer, Dan spotted one towering Goblin missing its right arm.
The limb was tightly wrapped in cloth, fresh blood seeping through, clearly severed not long ago.
In its remaining hand, it held a spear. And mounted atop that spear was a human head.
Dan: "Uncle Sam!"
He cried out in anguish and fury.
The other villagers quickly recognized the face impaled on the spear. A storm of curses, shouts, and chaos erupted, voices filled with both rage and fear.
"Sam's been killed!"
"Those filthy beasts!"
"There are too many of them."
"Ready the bows, they're coming!"
"We'll kill those bastards, avenge old Sam!"
Most Goblins were bare-chested, but one stood out, clad in a patchwork of mismatched garments scavenged from various sources.
Its body was as large as the other Elite Goblins, yet upon closer look, there was something different; most striking were its piercing, intelligent eyes.
Mounted on a wild boar, this special Goblin shrieked something. Immediately, a group of ordinary Goblins wielding wooden clubs charged excitedly toward the village.
But before they could reach the barricades, a volley of arrows shot out to meet them.
Seeing their comrades struck down and collapsing, the Goblins behind them faltered, fear gripping them as they hesitated to advance further.