NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Attack
With everything done, now, it was time to attack.
"That's the goblin settlement closest to us, Chief." Elda pointed at the map.
Ethan nodded and tapped the magical projection.
Instantly, a prompt appeared on the projection.
Scout.
Without hesitation, Ethan tapped onto the option and the map changed.
It now displayed the overhead view of a small clearing with a yellow hut in the middle, surrounded by a small cannon and a wooden tower atop which stood a goblin with a bow. There were also some small houses at the edges and two gold mines in close proximity.
It was not unlike what the game displayed in terms of attacks, but here, the entire clearing was much much smaller and one could actually see the goblins going about their business. Some ran around snatching gold from each other. Others chopped down the smaller trees and the rest gathered the berries from the bushes.
"Hmm. That seems easy enough." Ethan nodded to himself and pressed on 'attack'.
The projection changed again.
Now, at the bottom was a strip of cubes. On the first cube was the picture of the Barbarian.
"Now the map is in attack mode chief. You can select the troops and place then however you like." Elda said.
Ethan listened to her explanation. As he understood it, there was no real time limit in this universe. Because it was very much real. An attack will continue until the other party either retreats or is defeated. The alternative is the destruction of the defenders.
Ethan stared at the Goblins going about their business and hesitated.
No. They would have attacked us regardless. He thought and selected the Barbarians, 20 in number.
Though there is something I'd like to test out.
He narrowed his eyes and his finger hovered directly over the archer tower.
He tapped.
~~~
~~~
The Goblin village was peaceful for the most part.
This small settlement was situated in the far reaches of the magic forest, making it especially difficult for the larger goblin tribes to move here.
Goblins roamed around the small clearing. Some snatched gold from each other and got into fights. Others, with their pickaxes rested on their shoulders, headed off into the mines for the day's work. While the rest worked on gathering berries and meat.
Goblins had no elixir collectors, meaning their energy needs had to be quenched through lesser magical food like berries and hunted animals like hogs and sheep.
The birds chirped in the trees and the grass below their unprotected feet was caressed by a gentle breeze.
Some laughter echoed in the air and the magic was abundant.
Everything was peaceful.
Aaaaaarrrrghhhh!
Until it wasn't.
A furious roar, that of a warrior the goblins knew all too well.
A hulking man with ripped muscles appeared out of thin air, holding in his hand a large claymore.
Aaaaaarrrrghhhh!
The Barbarian.
Then, it was Chaos.
Barbarians rained down from above without any warning, rapidly increasing in number and rushing at the poor goblins.
"What the-!?"
"Aaargh!"
"Help!"
The goblins screamed as the Barbarians rushed upon them without mercy and slashed their claymores!
The Elixir that made these magical creatures seemed from their wounds as the Barbarians cleaved their flesh in a single swing. Their carcasses slammed into the ground, soon transforming into elixir that the ground made no haste sucking clean from the grass.
The cannon turned instantly, so did the goblin on the archer tower.
However, just when the goblin drew the bowstring, he heard a roar.
And then blackness overtook him.
A Barbarian had appeared directly above him, clearing his head into two and letting the elixir flow down!
Aaaaarrrrggggghh!
The roars of Barbarians continued to reverberate in the air. The goblins dashed out from their homes, carrying swords, pickaxes, shovels, axes or anything they could conceivable use to defend themselves.
The cannon fired cannonballs, each the size of an average man's torso, enough to smash right through most walls!
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The cannonballs hit the Barbarians, doing little to ward them off and more to enrage them further.
Their snarling faces rushed at the buildings and their claymores found resistance for the first time since entering the battlefield!
Clang!
Bang!
Aaaaarrrgghhh!
Bang!
Clang!
Smash!
Aargh!
Bang!
Bang!
Screams of agony, roars of brutes and cannons with the destruction of buildings. A harrowing scenery of battle enveloped the otherwise peaceful area in a single instance!
The barbarians' swords cleaved straight through anything the goblins could arm themselves with, drawing fresh exilir through their veins and delivering them to join the sea of exilir in the ground.
Bang!
A Barbarian finally succumbed to the fervent shots of the cannon, instantly dissolving into exilir!
Yet, the loss of one gave no resistance to will of the others. For even if every soul except one were to die in the exchange, it would still rush into the battlefield without a shred of fear.
These were barbarians that had conquered their fear, and would now conquer the wills and land of other men all around!
Bang!
Crash!
Aaaaarrrrggggghh!
A small horde of Barbarians rushed at the cannon, their individual claymores meeting the cold yet hot metal of the cannon!
Cling!
Bang!
The cannon continued it's assault, as did the Barbarians!
It was a battle of attrition. It always was. But here, it seemed more to be a massacre instead...
Crash!
Soon, the cannon was destroyed by their attacks, their metal cleaving through the cannon's and their swords cutting through the wood supports!
The goblin hall which was yellow in colour had been painted a pale pink due to the elixir that marred it's walls.
To the Barbarians, it served no resistance whatsoever!
The houses crumbled and so did the defenses. And last was the goblin hall.
In just a matter of moments, everything in the small clearing was destroyed, leaving nothing for the goblins and nothing for the Chief.
But Ethan knew that everything had been plundered.
He looked at the scene from above, his face a mix of seriousness and elation.
Elation at the fact that he had won the first battle. Seriousness at the fact that he realized it now. How easy it was for him to take a life in this place.
He was the Chief of a village.
Armies and people were his to command.
He could invade other villages and other goblin settlements, destroying them for the sake of loot.
Sigh!
Ethan sighed as he saw the Barbarians slowly disappearing. By words of Elda, every troop that survived would be back at the Army Camp. The ones that were harmed would be given some elixir for healing.
He still had no idea what the weight of a life was like here.
The clash universe was filled with troops dying all over. And they only seemed to dissolve into elixir upon demise. Perhaps the way life was pondered upon in this universe was unlike his own.
This World was bound to have different morals. But how should that affect him?
Ethan shook his head, deciding to ponder about such matters afterwards.
For now, let us think about upgrades and the buildings I can create.
A smile blossomed on Ethan's face.
~~~
A/N: Not dropped yet boys.
Patience is key.