Spirit Game

"We can't outrun them!" Rain shouted.

Thraigar, despite his injuries, readied himself for another fight. "We'll make our stand here!" he bellowed, his determination undeterred even though he couldn't move his other hand.

Chi nocked an arrow, releasing it swiftly at any Hobgoblin who dared to approach too close.

Chin, Chill, and Chick took up positions, their weapons at the ready, determined to protect Rain at all cost.

The air was thick with tension as the Battlehog riders closed in, their fearsome mounts kicking up dust and debris.

Rain drew his sword, his grip tight. They were surrounded, but he believed they could break through and push eastward a little more.

The first of the Battlehogs reached them, and Thraigar met its rider head-on, his massive frame a barrier between the enemy and his friends. With a powerful swing, he knocked the rider off his mount, sending him crashing to the ground.

Chi's arrows flew nonstop, each shot finding its mark. She picked off the riders who were getting too close for comfort.

Chin, Chill, and Chick fought ever straying too far from Rain, their coordination and teamwork evident as they defended against the oncoming horde.

Despite the overwhelming odds, they held their ground. Rain readied the [Duds], planning to create a path through the enemy lines as he fought alongside his companions, his sword flashing in the light as he parried blows and struck down enemies.

He didn't fully know what he was doing, adrenaline was taking over his body. He got cut and stab but nothing serious that his troops couldn't heal.

Good thing that the Hobgoblin soldiers weren't exactly expert fighters either. Rain could handle them, except for those with advanced skills and combat experience, like General Varkis and some of his elite troops. When that happened, Chi and Thraigar intercepted their attacks to protect them.

Rain and the others were pressed from all sides, the relentless Hobgoblin army closing in. The air was thick with the stench of battle and the deafening clamor of clashing weapons.

Despite their dire situation, Rain's mind was calm. With a swift move, he hurled the [Duds] towards the weakest line of the Hobgoblin formation.

The [Duds] exploded with a blinding flash and a concussive force, tearing a gaping hole in the enemy ranks.

Seizing the opportunity, Rain and his companions surged forward, cutting through the stunned Hobgoblins. They fought with desperate intensity, their weapons slashing and stabbing in a flurry of steel.

For a brief moment, hope flickered in Rain's heart as they broke through the line. But their respite was short-lived.

The Hobgoblins quickly regrouped, and soon, they were surrounded once more. The grim realization set in as they saw the sheer number of enemies hemming them in from all sides.

A few hundred meters more, and they would have been within the range of the warship's cannons, where a decisive strike could have obliterated the Hobgoblins.

It would have only taken a few seconds to cover that distance, but they fell short.
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They failed that crucial task that would have secured their victory.

What now?! Rain started to panic, his mind racing.

"Enough of these games!" General Varkis bellowed, his voice a thunderous roar. "This is your end!" He raised his hand, signaling his archers to rain arrows upon them.

With nowhere to escape and Hobgoblins closing in from every direction, it seemed like death was the only outcome.

The archers drew their bows, and the tension in the air was palpable. Rain and his companions braced themselves for the onslaught.

~BLAAAARRRNNN!~

A horn sounded in the distance — the signal from the warship.

Reinforcements had arrived!

Rain didn't know what was happening. The warship shouldn't have signaled for an attack; they were still out of range. But his doubts were replaced by awe and disbelief when he looked around and saw the astonished faces of his companions.

A few hundred meters away, the horizon erupted with a massive surge of ravaging waves. Thousands of Ebizo soldiers, their forms dark and imposing, rode atop the water, their disciplined ranks cutting through the ocean like a living tide. At the forefront of this awe-inspiring force, a colossal warship sailed majestically atop the waves, its cannons primed and ready for battle.

In the center of this formidable armada stood General Varlox, his scarred face stern and resolute, exuding an air of unshakable authority. His arms were crossed over his broad chest, overflowing with confidence. It was as if the chaos of the battlefield was beneath his notice, a mere distraction to his commanding presence.

The sight was nothing short of breathtaking. The Ebizo soldiers, masters of the sea, manipulated the waves with a skill that bordered on the supernatural. They moved in perfect harmony, their synchronized efforts propelling the warship forward with unstoppable momentum. The sunlight glinted off their armor, casting a dazzling array of reflections that danced across the water.

As they approached, the very air vibrate with the raw power of their advance. The Hobgoblin army, caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, faltered in their assault. General Varlox's eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto the battlefield ahead, assessing every threat with a tactical precision honed through countless battles.

"My lord," General Varlox shouted, his voice booming across the battlefield like a clarion call. "Reinforcements have arrived!"

Rain's mouth fell open. Reinforcements? Since when? What? How?

Rain hadn't asked for reinforcements from Lord Izumi and certainly hadn't expected thousands of Ebizo to carry a warship on top of ravaging waves.

The waves roared as they surged forward, threatening to crash against the Hobgoblin army. Faced with the overwhelming power of the sea, the Hobgoblins began to retreat in disarray. The warship fired its cannons, each thunderous blast raining destruction upon the enemy, scattering their ranks like leaves in a storm.

With a mighty crash, the waves smashed into the ground, and the thousands of Ebizo soldiers swiftly disembarked, forming an impenetrable line of defense in front of Rain and the others. The warship, now safely landed behind them, armed and ready to rain hell upon the Hobgoblins.