Gauss easily killed the nearest goblin, then darted behind the warehouse.
His movements were so swift and clean that he hadn't alerted the other goblins.
Gauss looked toward the bonfire.
Four goblins were there, sharpening their weapons against a stone.
Holding a communal feast after a bountiful hunt was a universal tradition across cultures and races.
Every goblin in the village now wore the joyful expression of someone looking forward to a celebration.
"Still, I should rescue the people first."
Gauss gauged the distance between himself and the bonfire, while taking in the positions of the other goblins.
If nothing blocked his way, he could cover the distance in a few seconds at a full sprint.
Why not use a spell?
For one thing, the distance was a little too great.
For another, the goblins, the bonfire, and the human civilians were all too close together.
If he lost control and the spell caused an explosion, the flames might spread out of control and hurt someone.
Of course, in a truly urgent situation, there'd be no need to worry about such minor details.
But things weren't that dire yet, were they?
He'd counted the goblins left in the village. There were exactly half of them, about thirty in all.
They weren't especially difficult opponents for him now.
Wick, Whitney, and Kevin had all been beaten senseless. They stared blankly in terror as the grating sound of metal scraping against stone rang in their ears.
Their bodies trembled uncontrollably. A damp pool of urine spread beneath them, and it was impossible to tell who had lost control. Perhaps all three had.
The ropes around their hands had dug deep into their flesh, leaving their arms an unnatural blue-purple.
All three knew what happened to people captured by a large group of