The blood was everywhere, even if what was shed was hardly anything that more experienced adventurers would have been concerned with. Dark red splattered the leaves as Matteo struggled for air and for escape, his pounding heart only aggravating the injuries already incurred. The blows from the goblin’s club wasn’t enough to break bone or cause internal injury, not one so small, but it left cuts and bruises all the same. The goblin’s assault went unchallenged until Matteo suddenly forced himself sideways, tossing the green creature off like a rider off a bucking horse.

It was incredibly fortunate then, that Muu’s reactions were fast enough to shift the angle of her short sword moments before it sank into Matteo. The sword thrust into the bushes and the dirt instead, as the club-wielding monster sprang up onto its feet once more. Glared at them with hateful eyes, prepared for the next attack…and immediately turned, scrambling to attack the isolated Ash instead.

The knife wielding goblin had gotten off one good stab into Ash’s right calf before the cold kiss of her machete drove into its neck, cutting into leathery skin and sinewy flesh. With a sharper blade, she could have brought her blade into the bone of the beast’s spine. With a smaller blade, she could have held it icepick style and delivered a powerful stab. But the goblin yelped instead, pushing away immediately at the sudden pain and causing Ash to stumble on her punctured leg as well. Retreating a couple feet away, it snarled as its free hand patted against the injury and for a moment, Ash could read the indecision in its eyes.

But the shrill cry of its comrade roused the devil-beast’s own courage once more, and the two of them jumped at her, the club-bearing goblin swinging hard at her injured leg while the dagger-bearing one practically jumped onto her, trying to force her prone.