In a forest, three children who looked about 9 to 10 years old were walking. The boy in front had brown hair and held a wooden sword while wearing an excited expression.
The other boy had black hair and a sensible look for his age. The last child was actually a girl with blonde hair, and she happily followed the two boys.
—Nim, let's not go too far, there could be wild beasts.
Even though the three children were only at the edge of the forest, the black-haired boy still worried.
—Don't worry, Leo. If a wild beast shows up, I'll hit it with the sword. —Nim made a gesture with the wooden sword.
—That's exactly what worries me. —Leo glanced behind.—Besides, Fauna is following us this time.
—Don't worry, we're almost at the flower garden Fauna wanted to see. —Nim kept his cheerful tone.
—Alright… —Leo sighed.—Let's go, Fauna. Nim might be a lot of things, but he doesn't lie.
—Sometimes you act like an adult, Leo. —Nim complained.
Nim, Leo, and Fauna's parents were friends, so the three had known each other for as long as they could remember.
Leo knew how impulsive Nim could be at times.
He was someone who preferred to stay in the village's small school to keep reading, and Nim was someone who couldn't sit still.
Fauna always seemed to be in her own world and almost always followed them everywhere with a smile.
This time they had come to the forest because Nim said he had seen a huge flower garden. The other two knew Fauna would like to see it.
And that was why they were in this situation.
The three children walked a bit further until they stopped at a small cliff. In front of it, a vast flower garden could be seen.
—See? I wasn't lying. —Nim puffed out his chest.—Come on, over here's a vine that'll help us get down.
Moving to the side, they saw a thick vine tied to a tree.
—I made this vine. —Nim.
—That doesn't look reliable. —Leo looked at the vine with doubt.
—I've used this vine before, so it's safe. —Nim repeated.—Alright, I'll try it and you'll see.
Then, like a monkey, Nim quickly slid down until he reached the ground. —See? It's easy. —Nim shouted from below.
—Easy for you. —Leo muttered and looked at Fauna.
—I'll go first, Fauna. Watch how I do it.
—Okay. —Fauna.
Leo carefully grabbed the vine and slowly went down. Since it wasn't too high, he reached the ground quickly.
—Come on, Fauna. It's your turn. —Nim shouted.
Fauna also held onto the vine and began to descend slowly. Halfway down, she looked down. Although it wasn't very high, Fauna felt a bit of vertigo and nervously stopped midway.
—What's wrong, Fauna? You're almost there. —Nim didn't understand why Fauna had stopped.
—Fauna, what's wrong? —Leo grew anxious seeing Fauna frozen with her eyes closed.
—I'm scared. —Fauna.
—Right… —Leo had been too worried about where Nim was taking them, and he forgot that Fauna was a bit timid.
—Wait, Fauna, we'll help you. —Although he said that, Leo didn't know what to do at that moment.
—I can't. —After holding on for so long, Fauna lost strength in her arms and fell.
—Fauna!! —Leo, alarmed, tried to catch her.
Suddenly, Nim leaped nimbly and caught her in the air, falling with her in his arms.
Fauna, who had kept her eyes closed until now, opened them only to see Nim holding her.
—Nim… —Fauna felt a strange sensation because of the situation.
—Fauna, are you okay? —Leo quickly approached when he saw Fauna had been caught by Nim.
—Yes… Nim, put me down. —Fauna said, noticing Nim hadn't let her go.
Nim nodded and gently lowered her.
—You scared me, Fauna. —Nim, who never seemed like a serious person, said those words.
Leo, seeing the whole situation, felt an unfamiliar discomfort.
—Alright, now that we're here, let's explore the garden. —
Breaking the strange atmosphere, Nim resumed leading the way.
After that little incident, nothing else strange happened. Fauna happily looked at and picked some flowers while smiling.
Nim, as usual, kept watch over the area, moving all around. Leo looked at Fauna thoughtfully.
After a couple of hours, Nim, seeing the sun begin to set, said: —Alright, time to head back. —and started to lead the way.
Leo, used to Nim's behavior, followed along with Fauna.
—Fauna, this time climb on my back when we go back up the vine. —Nim pointed to his back.
—Okay. —Fauna smiled.
Leo followed them in silence.
When they reached the small cliff, they spotted the hanging vine. Just as Nim was about to approach it, he suddenly stopped.
—Nim, what is it? —Leo asked, noticing Nim's strange behavior.
Nim seriously pointed beside the vine. Leo moved to Nim's side and saw a boar lying next to the vine.
The boar didn't surprise him, but next to the boar was a green humanoid being eating it; the green being was covered in the boar's blood.
—That's… a monster!! —Leo's eyes widened in alarm.
Leo had read about monsters in books. There were all kinds, and he knew they were far more dangerous than wild beasts.
—What is a monster doing here?
Monsters were supposed to be found in dungeons or deep within forests. Leo didn't understand why he'd see one here.
—That doesn't matter. It's already seen us. —Nim gripped his sword tightly.
—No, Nim, it's dangerous. —Leo knew Nim's physical abilities. If it were a wild beast, he could trust him, but a monster was a different concept.
—Go with Fauna and get away. There's more than one entrance to this place. You just need to go around the cliff to get out. I'll handle this. —Nim didn't want to keep arguing and started moving forward.
—Nim… —Leo murmured, unable to stop him. Turning to Fauna, he saw she was frightened by the monster's sudden appearance.
Stopping his hesitation, he grabbed Fauna's hand and ran with her to another place. They had to return to the village as quickly as possible and ask Mr. Smith for help.
Nim had acted quickly and approached the monster when it spotted them. He had to do it, or it might've gone after Leo or Fauna.
The monster was a goblin, almost the size of an adult man. It wore only a worn-out cloth and held a rusty dagger.
Although Nim had never fought a monster before, he had hunted many wild beasts in the past.
Relying on that experience, Nim quickly ran toward the goblin.
Nim tried to land a strike with the sword, but the goblin growled and countered with a slash.
Swosh!
Seeing the incoming attack, Nim backed off without finishing his strike.
The goblin was fast, but so was Nim.
Nim tried again, but this time he circled around and attacked from behind.
The monster, seeing him approach, turned quickly and slashed again. Nim stepped back once more, unable to land a hit.
Seeing that he couldn't land any attacks, Nim didn't get discouraged.
In fact, this dangerous situation awakened a new emotion within him.
An emotion for battle.
After feeling that emotion, his senses sharpened.
Taking a moment to reflect, he decided to take a different approach.
At that moment, the goblin advanced and slashed at Nim.
Seeing the incoming attack, Nim didn't retreat. He sidestepped and dodged just in time.
Though he avoided the strike, the blade grazed his cheek, leaving a bloody cut.
After dodging, Nim struck the goblin's legs with all his strength using the wooden sword. A strength unmatched for a child his age hit the goblin.
The goblin staggered backward, and Nim, seeing the opening, rushed at it again.
Nim landed a strong blow to the goblin's wrist. The impact made the dagger fly from its hand.
With the goblin disarmed, Nim struck several vital points with his sword.
Enraged by the pain, the goblin counterattacked with its bare hands.
Nim dodged and kept hitting. Now that the goblin didn't have the dagger, its reach was slightly shorter.
After several strikes, the wooden sword couldn't withstand Nim's blows and broke.
Seeing that, Nim quickly stepped back and observed the goblin.
The goblin had large bruises all over its body and was bleeding in some areas.
The attacks weren't enough to kill it.
The angry goblin started looking for the dagger. Upon finding it, it rushed toward it.
Seeing that, Nim ran after the goblin.
Nim jumped and landed a heavy blow that stopped the goblin.
It quickly turned, trying to grab him.
In midair, Nim spun his body and landed a strong kick to its face.
Taking the hit, the goblin lost its balance and fell. Nim also hit the ground, but without waiting to get up, he rolled toward the dagger and grabbed it.
With the dagger in hand, he ran toward the goblin lying on the ground and plunged it deep into the goblin's throat.
Blood splattered and soaked Nim.
The goblin struggled as a large amount of blood gushed from its neck.
Seeing that it wasn't enough to kill it instantly, Nim pulled out the dagger and stabbed it in the goblin's chest.
The goblin, having its heart pierced, stopped abruptly and died.
After killing the goblin, Nim felt a strange energy entering his body.
That energy felt warm and made him feel lighter, even stronger than before.
Seeing the dead goblin, Nim's nerves finally relaxed. As a result, he felt a bit of fatigue from the battle he had just faced.
(I have to go back quickly, or everyone will worry.) Nim thought.
Without wasting time, he found the vine again and returned to the village.