The Goblin Nation - 60 Strike When The Iron Is Ho

Rock was Furious. He clenched his fist and charged forward and slamming his body against the troll’s chest. The troll took a few steps back from the knockback. “Don’t even think about hurting her, you damn monster.”

Smoke ran to Stick and helped him get back on his feet, “Monster? Aren’t we monsters too?” He jokingly said to Smoke. “If not, what are we then? And what the hell is Rock even? He just shoved that troll like it was nothing.”

“Well, we are red goblins now. I think they call us ‘conquerors.’ Anyway, go help your followers with the barrel. I’ll stay here and help Rock.”

“Roger that, bro!”

Stick ran towards the back of the tall white building, and Smoke ran to Dawn. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m doing fine.” Dawn stood up.

The two were about to assist Rock when suddenly a strong gust of wind blew them away. “Come on, not again!” Smoke yelled. He got on his knees as quickly as he could. He looked up and saw something remarkable; Rock did not move.

Rock’s feet were firmly in place while holding his buckler with both hands in front of him. And the buckler changed colors. Instead of a muted grey color, it was now has a bright blue tint coloring. Stick, now on top of the building on its third-floor balcony, saw the whole scene unfold before him.

The troll continued to launch a barrage of attacks with its ax and sword. Rock dodged and parried all of them while barely breaking a sweat. Then the troll pulled its ax back while a thin blue veil emerges out of its skin and travels along the ax in a twirling motion. Stick saw this phenomenon before. Back at the barn, when he was fighting Cala, a blue mist poured out of his flesh and enveloped itself on his boots, letting him travel so fast he appears to have vanished only to reappear next to you.

The troll then released the energy in his arms to catapult the ax forward, releasing an explosive blast of wind at Rock. But instead of dodging, Rock decided to extend his arms forward. And that same blue mist released from the troll’s body came out of Rock’s chest, making its way towards his buckler.

Stick could not believe what he was seeing. How could Rock do that? Rock has always been the stubborn one. He refused to use weapons, and his brothers were forced to coerce him to at least learn how to use them just in case. And now here he is, facing off against a troll by using the same unknown technique Cala used against Stick.

Stick looked down on his sickle feeling a little defeated, knowing his naturally strong brother was far stronger than him despite his thorough training with his sickle. But the loud explosive sound of the air hitting against Rock’s buckler woke up Stick.

His followers took off the lid of the barrel. The thick metallic smell of the black tar was overwhelming the goblins. Stick chopped off the railings and had his followers move the barrel to the edge of the balcony.

On the ground, Rocks the short respite ended with the troll continuing its attacks once more. The troll was surprised to witness Rock block such an attack, but it knows that it must continue its assault. The troll thought Rock would eventually collapse from the pressure, but Rock stood his ground until the troll’s attacks began to slow.

Attacking Rock with its heavy weapons began to take its toll on the troll’s body. Its muscles began to ache, and its lungs were exhausted. Suddenly, Rock moved closer after the troll’s speed began to diminish. As Rock closed in, the troll, for the first time in its life, felt fear.

The troll freed itself from the heavy weapons that were slowing it down and tried to pull away from Rock, but it was too late. Rock sprinted to close the gap. Once within reach, Rock leaped and shot left jab on the troll’s stomach.

When Rock landed on the snow, he used the energy stored in his legs to propel himself once more and deliver a devastating right jab. The troll continued to retreat this time extending its arms to distance itself from Rock. But that did not work. Rock pushed aside the troll’s arms and ducked underneath its grasp before delivering another strike to its belly.

The troll pulled back its arm and guarded its body against Rock’s attacks. Rock could burst through the troll’s arms, but he could still attack the side and push it further to the building where the barrel was waiting. Inch by inch made the troll move back. Rock’s fist continued to push it into a corner.

But the troll did not give up. It burst its arms open, hitting Rock to the face with its backhand. The troll tried to return the favor by throwing a straight punch towards Rock. “Watch out!” Dawn yelled.

Rock ducked the punch, but the troll followed with another swing, which too did not connect. Rock bob and weave around the troll’s punches while moving forward. Eventually, this bob and weave motion turned into the Dempsey Roll. When Sun was teaching them boxing, he mentioned this boxing technique used against larger opponents, and Rock nearly fell in love with it. But he never got the chance to use it because he never found a goblin big enough to spar with until now.

The troll was mesmerized by Rock’s eight-figure motion. Then suddenly, a fist slammed against its chest. Rock leaned in on his leading legs and continued delivering his punch, building up the momentum for each body sway, step, and punch he gives.

The troll lost its ground to the advancing Rock. Its coat could not sustain the hits, and its legs are nearly ready to give in. Then suddenly, Rock pulled back, ending his attack. “Drop it now!” The troll looked behind; it saw a large white house blocking its way and realized there was no escape. He was stuck between Rock and a hard place.

Stick and his followers pushed the barrel off the balcony. The troll got covered in the black tar, and the barrel covered its head and blocking its view. Shuja took an arrow and lit it on fire then shot it towards the black troll.

The fire quickly grew from the arrow and consumed the troll, which was screaming in agony. Rock watched the fire burn away the troll’s coat revealing its tattered, burnt skin. Then the boiling flesh turned into stone, and the troll was left there standing still in a pose wringing in pain. After watching the fire dance on the troll, Rock collapsed and landed in Dawn’s arms. She caressed his head and gently kissed his forehead. “You were amazing Rock.” She whispered.

Smoke ordered his followers to fetch hammers and clubs to break the statue before nightfall. Stick climbed down the building and told his followers to return to their station. They still have one more troll to fight.

“Rock!” Someone yelled across the square. It was Rock’s mother that fed him when his birth mother was killed, Natasha, and she was running towards Dawn and Rock. “Is he ok?”

“Yes,” Dawn responded in a robotic tone. Dawn didn’t know how to act with Rock’s mother present. She is a slave, but Rock and his brothers treat them like family.

“Ms. Natasha, what are you doing here?” Stick asked.

“Sun mother left. Go to wall!” Ren, Rock’s former caretaker, answered. “Rock mother chase after. Me follow Flute order.”

“What!”

“It’s true, Mari left the barn!” Natasha said, “I don’t know what’s gotten into to her, but we need to find her. Before she gets hurt!”