Cracks in the Staff

Can you please stop staring at me and run away! I’m dealing with enough shit today without having to keep protecting you! Gwen screamed mentally, clenching her teeth as she held back the heavy sword.

The woman stood stuck, eyes staring at her back.

“Don’t stand there like an idiot, move!” Gwen roared coldly, sweat pouring down her face. The wood began cracking, splinters flying upward.

After a slight pause, the woman’s boots echoed against the ground, growing farther as she moved.

“Took her long!” She muttered.

Gwen jumped back, allowing the sword to drop to the ground. She lifted her staff and fired off a stronger arrow at the new goblin, but the monster batted the flame away with the back of its hand. Continuing the motion, the monster swung its weapon in a horizontal arc.

She barely had time to raise her staff when the attack hit the middle of her weapon, snapping it and launching her backwards. She slid to a stop a few feet back, her arm throbbing from the blow.

“Aww, crap, my staff,” she muttered, holding the broken pieces in her hands. “This is what I get for not taking the Duke up on the special one he had made for me.”

The goblin smirked and rested its weapon on its shoulder. With its other hand, the monster motioned for her to come at it.

Gwen didn’t take the bait; instead, she gripped the small staff pieces tightly. The light around Gwen brightened, lighting up the hallway as she took a stance.

She channeled magic into the broken staff, casting ignite; much to her delight, it worked. Flames sprang to life, wrapping around the wooden pieces, giving off a slight cracking sound.

The goblin, tired of waiting, let out a mighty roar and charged at her.

Instead of blocking the attack, she stepped, jabbing the broken edge of the staff toward its stomach. The goblin tried to rotate, but didn’t have a chance to block before the strike landed.

The smell of burnt flesh filled the air as Gwen drove the stick deep into the monster's stomach, then immediately yanked it back out before it could get stuck. She ducked under a sword swing, the edge grazing the top of her hair.

She continued the downward motion, driving the second staff piece into the top of its thigh, but the monster moved back, ripping the weapon out of her hand.

“Aurgha!” the goblin roared, swinging its arm.

Gwen didn’t dodge in time, and the strike caught her in the side of the head. She flew to the side, and her back bounced off the wall, spit flying out of her mouth.

Before she could catch her breath, the goblin appeared in front of her, cleaving its sword downward. At the last moment, Gwen rolled to her left.

The sword cracked the floor, sending pieces of rock into the air.

Gwen scrambled to her feet, putting some distance between herself and the monster. Blood mixed with spit dripped out of her mouth; every breath she took was harder than the last.

Ugh, this is what I get for trying to be a hero; now I’m going to die!

Taking advantage of the moment,t she quickly healed herself. The green energy washed over her body, healing the majority of the wounds she felt, but didn’t do much to help with the fatigue she was feeling.

The healing finished at the right moment, as the goblin appeared in front of her. She leaned to the left, dodging the thrust, and immediately leaped back to dodge a vertical slash.

“Miss Gwen, catch!” a young woman’s voice called out.

Gwen risked looking over her shoulder to see a sword flying toward her. She spun around, reaching up with her right hand, and grabbed the sword. Completing the spin, she faced the goblin and, using the edge of the blade, deflected its attack to the side, knocking it off balance.

She quickly took advantage of its distraction to cut the top of its other thigh.

The monster’s leg shook and buckled, dropping it to the ground on one knee. It lashed with the sword, and she leaned out of the way. Flicking her wrist, she cut off the monster's hand; the sword dropped to the ground.

Still clutching the remains of her staff in her left hand, she pressed the wood directly against the blade in her right. She channeled her fire magic through the splinters, and the sword lit up with bright orange flames. With all of her might, she spun the blade around and cut off the monster's head. The flames from the sword caught the monster's body and turned it to ash.

Sadly, the blade in her hand also couldn’t handle the strength of her magic and shattered into pieces in her hand. Oh great, I’m going to be even shorter on funds now owe these people a blade. In anger tossed the hilt to the ground and spat on it for good measure.

“M-miss Gwen,” a timid voice called out.

The sudden voice stopped her before she decided to kick the broken sword. Her anger must have shown on her face because when she turned, Claire flinched back. Ugh, this is not going to help me imagine at all.

“What do you want?” Gwen asked, her voice coming out harsher than she intended.

Claire flinched again, but didn’t move away. “I-I just wanted to thank you for saving my brother and me!” She said, bowing her head.

Gwen wanted to rub the back of her neck. Truthfully, I only helped because if they died, I might’ve been accused of causing it due to my shitty reputation.

She didn’t voice those words; instead, she said out loud, “Stand strong, and take a lesson from this and grow stronger before adventuring in the dungeon.”

The pink-haired woman raised her head, a slight gleam in her eye. “Miss Gwen, I promise that I’ll grow stronger in the future!” She vowed, placing a closed fist to her chest. “I promise that my brother and I will repay this debt in the future!”

“There’s no need for you to do that.”

“The honor of the Radford Clan!”

Radford Clan… I’ve never heard of them.

Gwen noted the conversation, walked past Claire, and started making her way to where the brother was lying on the ground. “Do what you like, just don’t expect me to save you again.” She said as she passed.

Claire clapped her hands in excitement. “After today, I promise my brother and I are going to train our asses off!”

Take the hint! Just leave me alone, but don’t spread around that I do weird poses. Gwen screamed to herself mentally. She made sure to keep her face composed as she glanced down at the brother lying on the ground. His breathing seemed to be easier, and the blood was less.

“Your brother would need to get his wound looked at once he wakes up, but he is out of danger,” she observed, her eyes flicking to Claire.

“Again, thank you!” Claire replied, her chest bouncing as she bowed one last time.

“Again, don’t thank me. Also, here, cover yourself up with my robe.” Gwen offered, taking off the cleric robe and holding it out to her.

“I don’t think—”

“Take the damn robe!” She growled, her eye twitching, already over dealing with people.

Claire jumped and quickly took the robe, putting it on.

Gwen gave her a swift nod and brushed past her. My everything hurts; despite the healing, I still feel the impact from when my back hit the wall. She gave Claire a slight wave as she screamed out, ‘Thank you once again’.

A heavy breath escaped her lips; finally, that weird oppressive feeling had disappeared. Before she made it any further, the ashes where the goblin died. She stopped and glanced down at the remains of the monsters.

“I’m going to have to stop burning monsters to ash,” Gwen admitted as she made her way toward the exit, thoughts of what her next staff should be running through her mind.