Free Unicorns' Opal by Richard S. Tuttle

practiced precision, Fredrik hurled the throwing knives at two of the approaching goblins and hit each of them in the head. Niki tossed a throwing knife and hit the third goblin in the chest, but he kept on coming forward.
    Fredrik grabbed his staff as he took two steps forward to meet the goblin before the creature could get too close to Jenneva or Niki. The staff twirled in Fredrik’s hands as the end of the stick poked the charging goblin in the chest. His momentum stalled, the goblin appeared surprised when the other end of the staff smacked into his head just below his ear. The end of the staff followed the goblin to the ground as he fell and Fredrik jabbed the end of the stick into the creature’s throat.
    Another round of arrows flew out of the clearing and each produced a howl of pain as it found its target. For a moment the goblin charge halted and Fredrik returned to his spot and retrieved his bow. Noises came from the forest in several different directions and Tedi called down softly from his perch in the oak tree.
    “They are spreading out,” Tedi informed the rest of the Rangers. “They will be coming at us from more than one direction this time.”
    “Niki,” called Fredrik, “put a shield around you and Jenneva. Hold it while she uses some more of those Tree Mines.”
    Niki nodded and Jenneva watched as a transparent blue sheen appeared around the two of them. The shield was visible only to a mage and only if one were looking for it, so Jenneva knew that the others had no idea that is was erected. She did want to toss more Tree Mines, but she was afraid to catch Alex in the explosion. She knew he would not be in the direction from which the original assault came, but the goblins were no longer there, so she stayed her hand.
    Goblin arrows flew into the clearing and the Rangers sought cover behind the tall oak trees. The goblins were not visible so the Rangers did not waste arrows firing back. The situation became dangerous when goblin arrows came into the clearing from yet another angle and the Rangers no longer had any safe hiding spots. Jenneva heard a scream from the goblin ranks on one side and smiled. She immediately turned and tossed a Tree Mine into a tree on the other side of the clearing as far away as she could see.
    The explosion brought numerous screams and she tossed another and another. Suddenly, the goblin arrows stopped coming in from that side and the goblins started to rush the clearing. The other goblin archers continued to fire and arrows started to bounce off Niki’s shield as the goblins got close enough to see into the clearing, instead of just firing blindly.
    Tanya and Tedi start shooting arrows at the goblin archers on one side of the clearing while Fredrik grabbed their staff and Arik grabbed his sword. Fredrik and Arik rushed to meet the goblins charging from the other side of the campsite. The goblin archers finally spotted Tedi and Tanya and turned their attention towards the Ranger archers. Jenneva prepared to toss another Tree Mine when the shield started to break up and diminish. She watched in horror as it shrunk to cover only Niki. Jenneva abandoned her plan to toss Tree Mines at the approaching goblins and prepared to erect her own shield when Niki suddenly popped another separate shield around Jenneva. Shaking her head in confusion, Jenneva returned her attention to the rushing goblins.
    Arik and Fredrik fought the goblins pouring into the camp. Fredrik’s staff twirled rapidly as he jabbed and swung more quickly than Jenneva could follow. Arik’s mastery with his sword would have been something to watch and enjoy if this had been a tournament, but it was not, and Jenneva’s eyes did not linger on the young Ranger as he sliced into the goblins. Turning around, she saw Tanya and Tedi still shooting quickly and surely. Each arrow produced a cry from the forest and goblin arrows coming into the clearing had practically halted.
    Tanya suddenly dropped her bow and