Civilization

A cloud of smoke in the distance, rising up into the sky and small black dots circling the cloud.

"Luke…"

"I know, Stellar. We need to go there. Our best chance in attacking that encampment is right now. Everyone, let's move."

I howl at the wolves and told them to lead the way. Everyone started to run after Belle and Dawn without much complaint. I see the nervous expressions on our new companions as they follow my lead towards the unknown.

As we ran through the place where Sylvia and the others fought the goblins, we took the goblin weapons and shields and proceeded to move onward. Out the corner of my eye, I see Sylvia holding the hobgoblin's club and whip.

When did she take those?

As I was about to say something, she notices my gaze. With a carefree smile, she points forward, and I follow her finger. The wolves at the front had stopped and were growling.

I in turn stop as well and put my hand up hoping that everyone would stop as well. Luckily, they did, but a wave of uncertainty washes over us.

Nothing in front us.

No sound around us.

Which is already a sign of danger.

The forest should be buzzing with insects, however right now it was as silent as a grave.

I carefully watch our surroundings. Observing every small movement my eye can catch.

But.

Nothing.

No movement.

Only Belle and Dawn, silently growling.

I gulp nervously.

My  sweat dripping down my cheek.

A slight tremor below my feet.

Like the ground had a heart and it was beating slowly and rhythmically.

Turn back?

Stay?

It's like I'm in a loop.

Always deciding whether to push forward or to turn back and retreat. Never an easy option.

The tremors become stronger by the second, and the wolves become more and more agitated.

What do they see in front of us that I can not?

An enemy right?

Move back Luke.

Move back.

We should move back.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

Retreat.

"Retreat…"

My thoughts escape my mouth very so quietly.

But it was enough. Sylvia sensed my distress and immediately yelled out to everyone else.

"MOVE BACK. RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!"

Like mice scurrying away from a cat, everyone bolted backwards towards the encampment.

I ran as fast as I can as well, but I noticed Belle and Dawn not moving. I howl at the top of my lungs for them to get back, but maybe I was too late in my decision.

I finally saw it.

Crashing the trees down as if they were saplings and emerging from the depths of the forest was a golem with a giant horn on its forehead wielding a white great sword.

"The general golem…?"

Stellar's voice trembles as she notices the monster behind us. From what I heard from wolf's description when it originally saw it, I didn't realise it was going to be so huge. With a body as big as a house with a sword as big as its body, it towers over Belle and Dawn.

But they didn't retreat. Instead, they dash in opposite directions, targeting both sides of the golem. Ramming the legs with their whole body and then dashing away was their strategy and due to their agile steps, and they were able to dodge the golem's attack.

I stood there dumbfounded.

You can do that? You don't need to just run away?

Seeing me stop, Sylvia told everyone to pause on the running. She jogs up to me and asks me a question I was asking myself.

"Do you think we can fight it?"

I look at her. My face full of confusion.

"I…I don't know."

"Both Belle and Dawn are doing okay, but it might not last long. They will eventually tire out and with them constantly ramming the golem they might be taking more damage with each hit while the golem looks perfectly fine to me. We don't have a weapon that can hurt it, unless you think maybe this club can?"

She waves the club in front of me with a nonchalant face.

"She is right, Luke. Even if we try to attack it, we have no weapon to fight it. It's better off for us to run."

Stellar joins the conversation with her own point, and frankly I agree with it.

"What about Belle and Dawn? I can't leave them, and they didn't listen to me when I tried earlier."

"Hehehe, Luke you just need to try again and this time we can have Hugo try too."

Sylvia grabs Hugo off the ground. The little wolf cub had been busy following Val and Spike and hadn't been bothering anyone.

"I'll try again. Hugo call for Belle and Dawn with me, okay?"

With a short howl at Hugo to get the point across, I breathe in a huge amount of air and howl at the sky. A high pitch howl occurs next to me as Hugo joins in. Noticing our call, both Belle and Dawn respond as well, and after dodging the golem's attack once more they start to run toward us.

"Okay, everyone move we need to get away as fast as we can."

One foot in front of the other, faster and faster. We run and run back to the goblin encampment. Val and Meg were the slowest, so I grabbed Val and swept her off the ground and carried her and seeing my actions, Stellar helped Meg.

However, I could feel it. Below my feet.

The ground trembling as we run on top of it.

The shaking becomes stronger and stronger and not daring to look behind us, I focus on moving. Being at the back of the group doesn't make it any easier, too.

"LUKE DUCK!"

Val's words pierce through my thoughts. Without even thinking, I duck my head and pushed my body forward into a roll. A gush of wind brushes above me and the crashing of trees fill my surroundings.

It caught up.

It's right next to me.

Shit.

What now?

I stand up and look at the golem.

Being so far away before, I didn't even notice the disgusting expression it was making. A cheeky grin from ear to ear and eyes like a crescent moon. It looks at me from above like it is looking at an insect. I can only imagine what kind of expression it was making while it was chasing me

"LUKE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING, RUN!"

"No Sylvia. If I run, it can potentially kill all of us. Get everyone back to the goblin encampment. I'll try and fight it. Toss me the hobgoblin's club, Sylvia."

"What no. Luke just run."

"Trust me. I'll be fine. Val run away now, okay?"

I put Val on the ground while keeping an eye on the golem. It didn't even try to attack. Is it just confident that it can kill me and then move on to kill the rest.

"Luke. Don't die okay…"

Sylvia tosses the club towards me before picking up Val and running away.

" .Ɉʜϱiʇ ƨiʜ ni miʜ ɈɔɘɈoɿq bnɒ

bnɘiɿʇ γm ƨƨɘld nυƨ ɘʜɈ γɒM

Shield!

ʞɔɒd ƨiʜ Ɉƨniɒϱɒ wold ƨbniw ɘʜɈ Ɉɘl bnɒ

bnɘiɿʇ γm ƨƨɘld nυƨ ɘʜɈ γɒM

Haste!

Don't die on us, Luke. "

Solar was able to cast her buffs on me before she left and standing next to me was Belle and Dawn growling at the golem once again.

"I won't. I'll come back in a bit."

My whole body trembles and I can feel a chill on my neck as I look at the golem. I take a deep breath and howl towards the skies.

Another fight.

Another chance to lose my life.

But another chance to grow stronger.

I grip the cold wooden club in my hands and exhale. I can do this. How hard can it be? Just a golem twice or even three times the size of me. Hard skin which would break the tiny goblin knives which I normally use, and a giant sword which would squash me rather than cut me. I should be fine!

Almost instinctively, the wolves dash to the sides as the golem lifts its sword above its head. Time to move. I dash forward while keeping an eye on the sword, but I greatly underestimated the golem's speed. In the nick of time, I jump to the side and the ground shakes from the impact of the sword. Dirt and dust cloud my vision and in a futile attempt I slam the club against the golem's ankle only to feel the force bounce back into my arms.

The wolves continuing their attempt from before while ramming their bodies into the golem's legs, but maybe it was luck, or maybe it was working, the golem shook slightly to one side as Belle hit it with her body.

Another chance for us.

I'm bait.

Belle and Dawn are the ones truly doing damage to the golem.

"Hey, big guy. I don't know if you can understand me, but you have to do better than that if you want to hit me with your sword."

It's face contorts and shifts. The once cheeky grin replaced with a large frown. The crescent eyes replaced with an angry stare.

It can understand and it knows.

Well, shit.