Free Delver Magic: Book 06 - Pure Choice by Jeff Inlo Page B

had
witnessed thousands upon thousands of goblins over the past several seasons,
but the creature before him stood far more massive than any goblin Ryson had
ever seen. A slap on the head was not going to achieve anything beyond
incurring the wrath of the creature, and Ryson knew well enough not to grapple
with the monster.
    Weaving about the goblin, Ryson
never slowed. He became a dancing shadow in the rain, moving as if he found the
means to evade each drop of water falling from above. He did not strike the
goblin with his sword, but he called out a dire warning.
    "Recall your minions! Leave
now!"
    The dizzied motion bewildered
Okyiq. He could hear the voice but never focus upon the face that issued the
declaration. The glowing blade rushed about him as if death itself had come to
take his poisoned soul with a spinning, skeletal finger of light.
    The monstrous goblin almost issued
the order to retreat. He had accomplished most of his objectives. He had
entered Burbon and taken the human food. It sounded as if the humans were
offering him free passage back to the hills, back to Dark Spruce.
    The thought of the forest,
however, reminded him of his burning desires. He had gained control of that
portion of the woods. That corner of Dark Spruce belonged to him, and he viewed
Burbon as part of his forest. The
humans would bend to his will, not the other way around.
    As his ambitions rekindled the
motivation for his deeds, Okyiq found the clarity to realize that no human
could move like the form that threatened him. It was another defender of
Burbon, a more dangerous foe than a simple human soldier, and he was aware of
the town's protectors. Without a shred of doubt, he realized he faced the
delver and not the enormously powerful wizard. In that thought, he found
courage. He called out to every goblin within Burbon.
    "Attack this delver... or die
by my hands!"
    The order was roared out as if a
lion had become enraged, and it brought a great pause to the goblin frenzy
throughout the area. They ceased their shrieking. They stumbled to a sudden
halt. Many dropped treasures in momentary confusion. They looked to their
leader, saw that he was engulfed by the legendary movements of the speedy
delver. Despite their fear of Okyiq, they were at a loss of what to do.
    Attack the delver?
    Did they dare? That was like
attacking the wind... but that was the order. Okyiq frothed with rage, and the
goblins could not deny the quandary before them. Attack the delver or face
their leader's wrath—it was like a choice of trying to grasp rushing water or
standing before an avalanche of boulders, a true dilemma that left the goblins
dumfounded.
    Ryson decided to break the
momentary stalemate. He ignored the surrounding goblins. They were never a
threat to him. Even with so many around him, what could they do? They carried
short swords, not bows. They would have to get within arm's length to use their
weapons. Even had they not carried sacks heavily loaded with plunder, they
lacked the physical ability to match the delver's speed and quickness. No, the
goblins throughout the streets posed no real danger.
    Okyiq was the one real threat to
Ryson's home. The large goblin orchestrated the attack, used his unnatural
strength to its fullest potential. It was not the frantic call of the horde
that urged the goblins forward, but rather the harsh voice of their leader. It
was not the furious stampede of the dark gray host that pressed the goblin
storm onward, but rather the raised fist of one titanic monster. If Ryson
wished to end the conflict, he needed to neutralize the leader of the raid.
    With surgical precision, Ryson
stabbed at the monstrous goblin's shoulder. The tip of the Sword of Decree
broke through the skin, but only by the smallest of margins. It was just enough
to invoke the enchantment of the blade, a blade which was capable of burning
the spirit, no matter how decrepit in nature.
    Okyiq howled in indescribable
pain. His eyes shot open wide as