The Ambush

“It’s stuck,” Alan gasped, trying in vain to push the wagon from the mud puddle it had fallen into. Even the combined efforts of the others wasn’t enough to push it free.

“There must be something we can do,” Buckstone coughed, wiping some sweat from his brow. “I’ve had this wagon for ten years. I can’t abandon it now.”

“It’s holding up the line,” Ren pointed out, gesturing to the row of angry wagons behind them.

“Going to have to scrap the wagon,” Anissa shrugged, before turning and scanning the treeline once more. She was the party’s first line of defense against attack.

“No, not the wagon!” Buckstone cried.

“Come on,” Will patted Buckstone on the back. “Let’s clear this thing out.”

The five of them, save Anissa who kept watch, worked to tear the wagon to pieces, clearing up the way for the others in the back. They used several planks of it to cover up the mud puddle, preventing other wagons when getting stuck. Each of them loaded up as much merchandise as they could into the pack, trying to save some of Buckstone’s livelihood.

“They’re still not telling us anything,” Will noted, lifting his overweight pack onto his back. “I don’t get what’s so big that we’d have to turn the whole expedition around.”

“Maybe a boss stronger than anticipated,” Ren speculated. “Beat up the S ranks real good, then they turn tail and ran.”

“Seems about right,” Alan chuckled, before suddenly coming to a stop.

“What is it?” Mina asked.

“It’s going to rain,” Alan looked up at the false sky.

“You mean outside the dungeon?” Will asked.

A raindrop fell from the canopy. Soon several more drops fell. Wind roared through the tree as torrents of water fell, making it nearly impossible to continue.

“The rain’s not letting up!” Alan screamed over the storm.

“Why is there a storm inside the dungeon anyway?” Mina let out, nearly tripping into a deep mud puddle.

“I can barely see the wagon in front of us,” Ren said, trudging forward against the beating rain.

Will tripped, not seeing the puddle Mina had nearly fallen into, falling face-first into the mud. He spat out some of the water, trying to find where his companions were. He barely made out of the silhouette of Anissa. She was yelling something.

The arrow zoomed past Will’s face, narrowly missing him. He drew his weapon, noting several shifting shadows beyond the treeline. The goblins came riding atop dire wolves, equipped with spears and clubs.

“Guys! We’re under attack!” Will yelled.

In the confusion, the goblins attacked, sending up a panic as everyone swung their weapons at the surprise enemies. Will parried a club swing, getting knocked over in the process. Scrambling up, he swung wildly, cutting down a goblin as it tried to skewer him with its spear. All the while, the rain continued to pour, the mud puddles filling up to their ankles. Will bumped into a body, ready to swing his sword, only to find himself face to face with Ren. He gave him a look, before turning his back. Will did the same, the two swordsmen guarding the other’s flanks.

“I can’t count how many there are!” Ren screamed, blocking an attack, before vainly swinging at the air, missing the wolf riding goblin.

“Keep fighting!” Will responded back. “Can’t let them break through!”

The rainstorm began to quiet after a few minutes of fighting. Ren and Will stood ever defiant, nursing a few cuts from stray goblin attacks. Will spotted Alan perched over by an overturned wagon. He was bleeding on his left arm, which hang limp on his side, preventing him from using his bow. Near him, Buckstone cowered, shakily holding a knife, his eyes shut as he poked timidly at the air.

Dan was over by a tree. He seemed unscathed, a bloodied mace in his hand, with two goblin corpses laying at his feet.

“Will!” Mina screamed.

The part-time priestess had an arrow lodged into her shoulder. She was crouched over Anissa. There was a lot of blood on the cat girl.

“Anissa!” Ren cried, starting to move towards her, his boots sinking into the ankle deep mud puddle that formed around them.

Will cautiously scanned the treeline, catching glimpses of goblins dashing between them, some of them still mounted of their wolves. Down the wagon line he could finally hear the screams, followed by the sound of clashing metal and whirling magic being cast It would seem the whole baggage train was under attack by one of the largest goblin armies ever seen.

Will followed after Ren, continuing to keep watch.

“She’s got hit in a vital artery,” Mina explained, hands focused on healing her. “I stopped most of the bleeding, but I don’t have any stronger healing spells.”

“Shit,” Ren cursed. “Dan!” He yelled for the priest.

Dan tumbled over, dragging his mace behind him, before crouching down and healing Anissa.

“Should be enough to stabilize her, but we need to get out of the dungeon, or get her to a higher level healer,” Dan explained.

An explosion erupted somewhere down the line, followed by the sound of intensified fighting.

“I don’t think we can move her,” Alan limped over, wrapping a bandage around his injured arm. “Not till we get out of this ambush.”

Another explosion erupted, this time much closer. They watched as the plumes of fire arose from a wagon some distance from them. The goblins were blowing up the wagons somehow.

“Mina, you’re hurt,” Will pointed to the arrow still jutting from her shoulder.

“It’s fine,” The girl shrugged his concern off. “We need to focus on Anissa right now.”

A fireball soared through the air, coming from the treeline, slamming into a wagon near them. Despite being soaked by rain water, the canvas ignited instantly, completely engulfing it in flames.

“Over there,” Alan pointed.

The monster had green skin, much like a goblin, but unlike the short creatures, it easily towered over most humans. Its biceps were like tree trunks, thick and knotted, covered in tribal tattoos. It’s dark, ropelike hair fell down to its waist, swaying as it lumbered forward. Around its waist,it wore a leather belt adorned with the humanoid and animal skulls that rattled with each step. It dragged behind it an enormous rock club. It was coated in blood.

“Orc,” Alan gasped.

Two others followed behind. They were thinner and shorter, most of their features obscured by hooded cloaks. They, too, wore bones adorned on their bodies, which rattled as they moved. The orc shamans each carried a staff, a deer skull affixed at the top of them.

“Orc shamans,” Ren gritted his teeth, readying his shield.

The orc huffed as it approached, not bothering to react to them as anything more than a bother. Will stepped forward, blade at the ready. This would be his greatest challenge yet.