A Tree, A Lumberjack and A Librarian

“You’re good with the sword.”

Joy looked at Voidborn who was running towards her, casually casting another volley of blue fireballs.

“Thank you.”

The fireballs smashed into another vine wall that the shaman had erected, burning mini craters in it before spreading its hungry flames across.

But it was never enough. The shaman would simply send the vine walls flying to the side, discarding it before summoning another one.

There was no end to the cycle. None of them could get the upper hand on each other.

“It’s unfortunate, but to kill it off, I would need to use an advanced spell. I need some time to cast it.”

“Got it.”

Joy tore a page from her tome and held it out.

“Take this. Use it on your weapon.”

Voidborn looked at it. It had a spell diagram on it. The diagram was simple yet intricate in detail.

A large glowing upward-pointing triangle was enclosed in a perfect circle which had flame-like drawings adorned all around it. Inside the triangle, intricate flaming symbols burned in shades of orange and crimson, speaking of the inescapable heat it contained.

It was as if he was looking at a symbolic sun.

“It’s a fire enchantment spell,” Joy said. “Chant Ignite when you cut the paper with your sword.”

“Does the enchantment hurt the weapon?”

“No.”

“How long does it last?”

“About ten minutes? But of course, if your sword gets drenched by water, the fire goes out.”

Voidborn nodded.

He took the paper from her and did as she instructed.

The moment the blade cut through the piece of paper, the air above the sword wavered.

He could see no flames, perhaps due to the Cloth of Light, but he could feel the inextinguishable heat radiating from his sword.

Then he knelt down.

“Are you not going?” Joy asked.

“I am.”

Then he clenched his leg muscles and sprinted towards the shaman.

A vine was sent piercing towards him, but Voidborn simply ducked to the side and sliced the root. The vine flopped to the ground like a piece of discarded rope, flames spreading across the vine from the slice point.

He looked at his blade and nodded internally.

It was time to burn and rip the weeds.

A deafening crash echoed from the other side of the camp.

Voidborn glanced over instinctively.

A hut collapsed into splinters.

Chaewon burst through the debris like a raging beast, blood dripping from her forehead as she chased the retreating hobgoblin.

The monster swung its crimson greatsword.

Rei answered with a volley of fireballs, each one flying towards the joints of the hobgoblin.

“Fucking shit,” Chaewon grumbled. “When will that stupid armour break? How dare you use my leader’s skills.”

Cracks were seen all over the red plate covering the hobgoblin’s body, but no matter how much Chaewon punched or kicked, it refused to break.

“This is the only time I hate my leader so fucking much,” she growled, rolling between the hobgoblin’s legs, before lunging upwards to drive a fist into its back. “Why did he have to be so strong.”

Her knuckle clashed into the red armour, bouncing off with a loud clang.

The hobgoblin twisted and swung its greatsword around, trying to cleave the human apart, but she had crouched down to duck.

It was an irritating human, constantly rolling between its legs, weaving between its blind spots.

But it was not stupid.

Already anticipating another roll, it used the momentum of the missed half-moon cleave, and twisted its bottom into a sweeping kick.

Its foot crashed into the human’s arm as she raised to deflect it with a guard, but the hobgoblin growled and flexed its quadriceps and sent her flying into another hut.

“Fuck—that hurt, you piece of shit.”

Chaewon darted out from the debris, charging towards the hobgoblin again.

Her body was bruised with wounds all over, and blood flowed out of her skull, flowing down her face in branching streams.

But Chaewon wasn't unhappy.

In fact, the more she got hurt, the wider she smiled.

“You suck at using a greatsword, stupid goblin,” she taunted.