The corpses of the goblins were gone.
But their weapons were still there, scattered across the ground like discarded bones.
It reminded me of a video game, where defeated enemies vanished but their loot remained behind. But this wasn't a game. This was real. And dangerous.
The missing bodies confirmed my worst suspicion: They were coming back.
Not maybe. Not eventually. They would return.
That thought tightened something in my chest. My nerves, already strained, tensed even more.
I forced myself to breathe. Deeply. Slowly. Panicking wouldn't help. If I let anxiety take over and rush things, I could lead us into a disaster.
We'd end up dead before we even saw our enemies.
No...We had to stay calm. Move steadily. Prepare smartly.
And most importantly, level like our lives depended on it.
Because they did.
Steady pace... breathe in.
Steady, but fast... breathe out.
I glanced over my shoulder at the rest of the goblins.
They were winded—most of them gasping for air.
