Hunter: The Royalé Guardian

Chapter 1: Hunter And The Goblin Sphere

The moon is bright. The sounds of crickets and unknown birds were echoing through the canopy of the forest.

Hunter lifts an eye brow. He was sure he left his mark here somewhere. Now it's going to take him extra hour to get back home.

He spotted a tall tree a few hundred feet from where he stands. He rushed his way to its direction. Once he got there, he pulled an arrow and tied a rope on its tail. The moonlight provided him enough light to see his target above.

He focused the bow and released the string as he exhaled. He heard a thud when the arrow penetrated the tree's branch.

He pulled the rope to check its strength. He is about a little less than five feet tall and a bit skinny for an elf. That was enough for the rope to carry him, though. But even so, he can pretty much do well when it comes to climbing and running through trees. Especially when there is an angry mob of goblins chasing him.

He easily climbed his way up the tree, stopping at the spot where his arrow is located. He stood on one of the sturdy branches. It was high enough for him to see the entire forest below. He gasped at the view, marveling the night scene outside their village for the first time. The lime light of the moon making everything visible to his squinted pair of eyes.

At once he spotted the temple from afar and saw smoke and fire blazing through its gates and windows.

That was messy, he thought to himself. He didn't anticipate the goblins to have fire spears thrown at him while inside their cave temple. "Stupid, little creatures," he smirk.

He saw troops of goblins coming in through the forest with their spears and daggers. Hundreds of them, screaming and shouting in high pitch.

He looked at the other side of the forest and saw the river. It's northeast of the forest heading towards the grand waterfalls. If he could get through there, the water will lose his scent and the goblins will no longer be able to track him.

Immediately he slid down the rope and landed on both feet on the ground. He ran through narrow aisles of trees and slipped through many holes and obstacles. His entire life in the forest provided him the skill like that of a fox in maneuvering and running through the forest with ease and agility.

Then he stopped behind a big rock. He spotted a group of goblins nearby, five angry ugly goblins, sniffing his elvish scent in the forest air. How could they catched up so fast, he wondered.

He crawled through the ground, using the bushes and rotting logs as his cover. He saw their level marks imprinted on their left forearms.

"There are three level eight spear goblins and two level seven dagger goblins," he muttered under his breath.

He assessed his weapons and realized he only have four arrows left with him. He sigh. He has no choice but to avoid a head-on battle with the goblins. Under this situation, the goblins could overpower him with their number, considering their high damage levels and high health points. And that is the last thing he wanted. He needed to get away without them noticing.

They were getting closer and he has to move fast or else he will no longer see daylight if those goblins capture him.

He reached for the small pouch tied on the left side of his waist. It contains the invisibility powder. It was running out. The last time he used it was inside the goblin temple where some of it leaked out through a small cut caused by a scratch from the Orthrus, a legendary two-headed beast dog guarding the obelisk containing the sphere. He was sure the beast didn't saw him. But its high sensitive sense of smell almost got him under its jaws. Fortunately, he got out of that room before the magic ran out.

And now, that beast is hunting him again. No wonder the goblins catched up to him so fast.
He poured the last pinch of invisibility powder all over his body. Forty five seconds. That's the time he thinks the effect of the magic would last. It's not enough. But he needs to get as far as he can during that time if he wants to make it to the river. Alive.

He then swiftly jumped from rock to rock to avoid stepping onto twigs and dried leaves on the ground, knowing that any tiny sound he would make will immediately give the goblins his exact location even if he is invisible.

He jumped behind another tree. He paused to check his distance from the goblins, but he lost sight of the beast. He immediately scanned the whole area but could not find it.

He turned around to check his back. But the beast was already sniffing the ground just a few feet from him.

He swallowed hard. He tried to pass through the beast but it suddenly growled in anger, realizing his presence. The second head of the beast tries to bite him but fortunately he was fast to dock.

He jumped and rolled away immediately. The goblins immediately ran to their location believing that the beast finally got him.

He shook his head. "This is not going to be good."

The beast charged forward to where Hunter is standing using only its very sensitive nose to locate him. Hunter now runs as fast as he can towards the clearing. The spell of the magic now slowly taking off, he has no choice but to run faster than he had ever ran in his entire life.

The goblins who were now aware of his presence joined the beast in pursuit, destroying every tree and plant that stands in their way.

Hunter made it through the forest, he now stands near the edge of the grand waterfalls. But he has nowhere else to go.

"You're a dead fairy," one of the ugly goblins chuckled. They all laughed.

"I'm not a fairy! I'm an elf, stupid. And the name's Hunter. By the way," he said, matter-of-factly.

"Whatever. Just give us back what you stole from the temple and we will kill you fast. You won't even feel anything," the other goblin hissed.

"Yeah!" the others agreed in unison and looked at each other with devilish grins. The beast stood beside them, waiting for the goblins to signal the attack.

Hunter looked at his back. The waterfalls is a long way down. It is so high you could not see the bottom of the falls. But it is his only chance of escape. He has no other choice.

"Surrender now or you'll die the hard way." The goblins took a step forward, pointing their spears at him. The beast was growling angrily.

Hunter sighed and lifted his hands. "Alright. You got me."

The goblins were confused but grinning, satisfied with the idea that their prey has surrendered.

But he had already planned his escape just in case things go worse, like this one.

He let out a sly smile. "But I always choose the hard way."

Then without another word, he dive into the cliff. The goblins and the beast came rushing toward the edge to look at him die. Or at least that's what they thought what happened.

"I have never seen a creature as stupid as that," one of the goblins said.

"Well, you do now," the other one commented.

A few seconds before the goblins decided to retreat, they heard a roaring noise coming from below the falls. Then suddenly a giant bird came swooping through the air from the falls. It has Hunter on its back, laughing loudly.

"So long, ugly ones! Wooohooooh!" Hunter laughs and flew far to the east of the forest, leaving the goblins in shock.

The goblins can only watch and grumble. Even the beast got a little disappointed.

"We'll see each other again, Hunter."

A/N:
Hello guys! Finally, I will be updating this story and will be adding strength levels to each characters just like in the real game. This will give the story a more realistic view of each battles. I hope you can catch up!