Spirit Game

But Thraigar . . .

"Thraigar!" Rain shouted, but he didn\'t know what to say.

"My friend, run away! Take the others with you! I will hold him off!" Thraigar said, as if he knew what Rain was thinking.

Rain\'s face was drained of color. "I will not leave you here!"

Veins bulged on Thraigar\'s hands and face. His muscles strained as he exerted all his strength to stop General Gralnor\'s axe from cleaving him in two. The blade came dangerously close to his forehead, and his limbs shook from the effort. The Hobgoblin General was so powerful that he could contend with the strength of a Goliath!

"Gerrgh!" Thraigar gritted his teeth, his limbs trembling as he held the axe at bay. The blade pierced his forehead, drawing blood.

Chin, Chill, and Chick all rushed at the Hobgoblin General, thrusting their swords into his torso. Yet, General Gralnor seemed unfazed. His strength only doubled, even tripled, as a dark red aura flowed around him.

"If I\'m going to die, I\'m going to take you all with me!" General Gralnor roared.

Rain\'s eyes widened in horror as Thraigar\'s knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground, one knee down. The blade pierced deeper into his forehead, drawing more blood, while the wound on Thraigar\'s hand reopened, pouring blood.

Thraigar couldn\'t hold on any longer! Rain thought desperately. Chin, Chill, and Chick twisted their weapons to inflict more damage on the Hobgoblin General, but it was no use.

Rain gripped his sword and quickly raised it, aiming to cut off General Gralnor\'s hand. He didn\'t know if he could penetrate the General\'s thick skin, but if he didn\'t do something, Thraigar would die!

Rain brought his weapon down, but an arrow shot through the air, striking his sword and sending it flying. Rain fell to the ground, his shoulder dislocated by the force of the arrow. He screamed in pain and when he looked over, he saw General Varkis and the other Hobgoblins rapidly approaching.

There was no time. They had to escape!

"Go now!" Thraigar urged.

Rain knew what he wanted, but if they left . . . Thraigar would definitely die. He didn\'t want that! But if they didn\'t leave, they would all die!

Never in his life had Rain thought he would face such a heart-wrenching decision. He panted, his heart slowing, but it felt like it would burst from his ribs. Being a lord meant making sacrifices and on-the-spot decisions for the greater good. But that didn\'t make it any easier.

"Go, Rain!" Thraigar urged as the Hobgoblin army closed in.

There had to be another way. Another way! Rain thought desperately. But as General Varkis drew his bowstring and the Hobgoblin army advanced, he had no time to be indecisive.

The words were on Rain\'s lips, but he couldn\'t give the order. He just couldn\'t!

~WhoOoSsH!~

An arrow shot through the air, sudden and swift. The next thing they knew, a large arrow lodged in General Gralnor\'s skull. The red, vengeful aura around him dissipated, his bloodshot eyes turned white, and he fell to the ground, lifeless, with the arrow still lodged in his skull.

Rain and the others were stunned, and even General Varkis paused. The Hobgoblin army halted as one of their Generals fell, shock on their faces.

~Chi!~

A chirp echoed through the battlefield, and Rain turned to see Chi perched atop a distant hill, her bow still raised. .net

"Chi!" Relief flooded Rain\'s heart. He had never felt so relief as he did at that moment, seeing Chi alive and well.

It looked like Hana\'s herb had worked, and Chi had come as soon as she was healed, evident by the rise and fall of her chest. She had exerted all her effort to get here, and Rain thanked the universe that she had made it in time.

~Chi!~

\'I\'ll cover you! Run now!\'

Rain nodded. "Everyone, let\'s run for it!"

Thraigar forced himself to his feet, suppressing the urge to cry out in pain. He moved swiftly as he could while Chin, Chill, and Chick ran eastward.

"Don\'t let them escape!" General Varkis roared, releasing an arrow. Simultaneously, his troops loosed their arrows, raining death from the sky.

Thraigar swiftly scooped Rain into his arms, shielding him from the barrage of arrows as they ran. Chin, Chill, and Chick did their best to parry the arrows heading their way, but some still pierced Thraigar\'s back.

"T-Thraigar!" Rain said, worried.

Thraigar forced a smile, his gaze never wavering forward. "Don\'t worry, friend. This is nothing. Their arrows won\'t kill me."

"S-still . . ." Rain wanted to say that blood loss would, but he refrained .

Rain could only grit his teeth in helplessness. If only he were stronger, he could have protected himself and wouldn\'t need others to get hurt protecting him.

At a distance, Chi never stopped releasing arrows, each shot meeting the enemy\'s arrows, giving Rain and the others precious time to escape. Her aim was precise, her focus unwavering, and her presence a beacon of hope amidst the chaos.

Thraigar\'s steps were heavy, each one a testament to his indomitable spirit. Despite the arrows lodged in his back, he pushed forward, driven by a willpower that refused to be broken.

"Just a little further!" Rain urged, his voice a mixture of hope and desperation.

The sound of Chi\'s arrows continued to resonate, a rhythmic reminder of their last stand. With each arrow that found its mark, she carved a path for them, her efforts a lifeline in their dire situation.

Finally, they reached a point where the barrage of arrows lessened. Thraigar, Chin, Chill, and Chick kept moving, the urgency of their escape fueling their strides. Chi stopped firing arrows and joined them as they passed her position, seamlessly blending into their retreat.

Rain thought that they would made it, but the sound of thundering hooves suddenly grew louder, and within moments, the Battlehog riders were upon them. They were fast! The massive creatures charged forward with terrifying speed, their riders brandishing weapons and snarling with fury.

The Hobgoblin army had caught up with them, and it didn\'t take a moment for General Varkis to encircle their position. In mere seconds, Rain and his companions found themselves surrounded by the Hobgoblin forces, with no path to escape.

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|| A/N ||

We\'ve reached 100 chapters!

Thank you all for your support throughout this journey. Reaching this milestone wouldn\'t have been possible without your support.

Here\'s to many more chapters ahead!