My Five Yandere Goddesses

"Embers of Resolve"

Second Age of Elyndros

7th of Februarius, Year 10980

In the Kindred Forest - night time

The scream still echoed in Cael's ears as he lay dazed on the dirt, pain flaring in his chest where the red goblin had struck.

His vision swam, the twisted forms of his enemies circling like vultures. And then - a whistle through the air. A blur of light.

The red goblin standing over him gurgled and collapsed, a magical arrow jutting from its chest. Cael blinked.

Kaleth.

The urban elf stepped into view, cloak fluttering behind him like a shadow unshackled. His bow was sleek and cruelly beautiful, imbued with violet runes that shimmered with dormant fury.

Another arrow slid into place as he muttered something in Elvish. The air shimmered.

The red goblins shrieked in defiance, baring jagged teeth and raising their crude weapons. In a feral swarm, they charged.

Kaleth didn't flinch.

"Try me."

With a flick of his wrist and an incantation under breath, Kaleth loosed his next spell - Tri-Focus Volley.

Three arrows shimmered mid-air, then screamed forward like celestial fangs. They split and arced in the sky, each finding a target: one in the throat, one in the eye, and one through the heart. Three goblins fell before they could even touch him.

"Thornbind." Kaleth tapped the ground with his foot.

The soil pulsed with emerald light. Thorned vines erupted from the earth, ensnaring two goblins and dragging them down, screaming and thrashing. The elf let out a breath, drawing one last arrow.

"Windpiercer."

The enchanted shaft flew faster than sight, slicing the head clean off the largest goblin. The body crumpled, spurting dark blood across the mossy ground.

Cael pushed himself up as Kaleth held the line.

The woman. He had to reach her.

Bound, gagged, and slung like a sack, the young woman sobbed silently, eyes wild with terror. Her golden hair was caked with dirt and blood, and her limbs twitched in panic. Her gaze met Cael's.

"I'm coming," he whispered, and dashed forward.

The red goblins were distracted, and Kaleth's spells tore through their ranks.

Cael weaved through the carnage, dodging bodies and puddles of bile. He reached the girl just as her pleading eyes began to dim. His hands fumbled to cut the binds -

A shriek behind him.

Another red goblin.

It lunged.

Cael grunted as the impact knocked him off balance. He slammed into a tree trunk, breath driven from his lungs. Pain splintered through his spine. His dagger clattered to the ground.

The goblin snarled, raising a jagged blade.

Behind him, the other two goblins seized the bound woman and fled, disappearing into the trees.

"NO!" Cael cried.

Something snapped.

With trembling fingers, he reached for his dagger. The goblin swung, slashing his arm. Blood spilled.

But Cael didn't stop.

He rolled, avoided a second strike, and jammed the dagger upward. It pierced soft flesh. The goblin screeched, clawing at the blade in its gut.

Cael shoved deeper. "You will NOT touch her!"

The creature went still.

Cael panted, dripping with sweat and blood. Then it hit him.

"You have gained a level. New skill unlocked: Celestial Step."

Cael looked at the new scroll.

"Celestial Step. Using this spell will make the user travel faster than light."

"It has no cooldown. But consecutive usage will reduce mana significantly."

A warm surge rippled through his body - his wounds eased, mana rejuvenated. He stood, heart pounding, eyes locked on the direction the two goblins had run.

He would not lose her.

A sigil of light formed beneath his feet.

Celestial Step!

With a crackle of light, Cael vanished.

And reappeared ten paces ahead - blocking the goblins' path.

They skidded to a halt. The one carrying the girl snarled, dropping her to the ground. Both brandished jagged blades.

Cael clenched his dagger.

"Let. Her. Go."

They laughed - a harsh, hyena-like cackle. Then they lunged.

Cael focused. The world slowed.

Celestial Step!

He vanished again - and reappeared behind them.

Steel kissed flesh. One goblin gasped, dropping to its knees as the dagger pierced its spine.

The second turned in rage, striking Cael across the chest. His barrier cracked. Blood dripped from his lips. HP dropped.

He stumbled.

The goblin hissed and lunged.

Cael tried to activate Celestial Step again.

Nothing.

Cooldown active.

Too soon.

Cael braced for the blow, raising his arms -

An arrow sang.

The goblin convulsed mid-air, a magical arrow embedded in its skull. It collapsed in a twitching heap.

Kaleth emerged from the brush, bloodied but upright, bow still glowing.

He glanced at the fallen goblin, then at Cael.

"Nice one," he said, nodding to the dagger still in Cael's hand.

Cael didn't respond. He ran to the girl.

Her bindings were soaked in blood, her face pale from shock. As Cael cut her free, she flung herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"It's over," he whispered. "You're safe now."

Kaleth stood quietly nearby, his expression unreadable.

This boy - this soft, innocent human - had just risked his life for a stranger. Most people would have walked away. Kaleth had.

But Cael hadn't.

A strange feeling twisted in the elf's chest.

Not guilt. Not yet.

But something close.

As the moonlight spilled through the trees and silence returned to the forest, Kaleth watched the boy cradle the girl with trembling arms. And for the first time, he wondered if this naive little human might just survive Elyndros after all.