Chapter 24: Windbell Park Massacre
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Chapter 24: Windbell Park Massacre
Riktor pulled out the only card in his set and flicked it like a skilled gambler. "Play card: Eagle Eye."
"You take out the ones on the left, I'll handle the rest," Xander advised.
"These are just low-level Implings. I can kill the whole colony myself," Riktor snickered, with arrogance flashing on his face.
As the Implings rushed at them from all sides, Xander fired six shots in quick succession, taking out five of them with perfect headshots and missing just one. With his revolver empty, he quickly holstered it and crushed the other clay tablet to conjure his second weapon.
The mere sight of the Dream Cleaver was enough to instill fear in the hearts of the whole colony.
Unlike the Ghouls and Skeletal Warriors, the Implings weren't mindless walking corpses. They possessed just enough intelligence to realize that getting anywhere close to the enchanted scythe would spell their doom.
Seeing the Implings backing away in fear gave Riktor just enough encouragement to push forward and start popping heads.
Blood and bone splattered all around as Riktor's shotgun exploded their heads like ripe watermelons. The card that he had just played boosted his accuracy, making it impossible for him to miss even a single shot.
"Nine down. More to come!" Riktor cried out ecstatically. Though he had a few doubts in the beginning, he was starting to enjoy it now.
"Come on, Xander! If I keep going like this, I'm gonna leave you far behind. Get cracking, hotshot."
"It's not a competition," Xander grumbled. "Don't drop your guard. These little freaks are cleverer than they look."
"Apparently not clever enough to take on two Dreamwalkers," Riktor jeered as he continued shooting the Implings.
Xander rushed in close with his scythe to take out the larger ones at the back. Their bulkier appearance and longer claws made them stand out from the rest of the colony. Even an inexperienced Dreamwalker could tell that those five bigger ones were the Elders.
As long as the Elder Implings were alive, the Grunts still had a slim chance of mounting a counterattack. To prevent this from happening, Xander slashed through the Scavenger Implings and made his way to their backlines.
Despite being afraid, the smaller Implings pounced at the Dreamwalker to protect the Elders. Xander's scythe cut them down like ripe corn, slicing through flesh and bone in one fell swoop.
Blood and guts splattered all around, dying the green blades of grass in incarnadine hues. The Implings kept lunging at him, hoping to slice his throat open with their razor-sharp claws, but Xander's quickened reflexes allowed him to dodge all their attacks effortlessly.
Tearing through the smaller Implings in his way, Xander unleashed a devastating horizontal slash with his glowing scythe. The charged attack sent out a wave of chaos energy which obliterated the Elder Implings in a blinding flash of violet.
With their leaders eliminated, Xander expected the rest of the Implings to flee, but the tables turned in an instant when another colony of Implings rushed out of the portal.
"God damn it! This is gonna take forever," Xander grunted in frustration.
"Don't worry. I came prepared for this fight," Riktor yelled from the other side. Holstering his shotgun, he pulled out a Moondust Grenade from his pocket. "Time to make it rain. Let's see how you handle this, fellas!"
Gripping the sparkling white orb tightly inside his sweaty palm, Riktor hurled it upward with all his strength.
As the enchanted grenade exploded, the sky lit up with a blinding flash, and the whole park was bathed in light. For a fascinating second, it seemed like the sun had reclaimed the skies at the most unnatural hour, ushering in an early noon.
Horrendous shrieks resonated across the park as Moondust rained from the sky, showering the Implings with dazzling white flakes. Where it touched their bodies, their skin hissed and smoldered. Some tried to run to the safety of the nearest bushes while others rolled on the ground, squirming in agony.
Though harmless to the creatures of the real world, Moondust was deadly for all Ethereals. It not only burned their bodies, but stripped them of all their powers, rendering them frail and vulnerable.
"Works like a charm!" Riktor trilled with excitement. Reloading his shotgun as quickly as his sweaty fingers would allow, he jumped right back into action.
The Implings, now crippled with pain, were easy targets for the reckless Dreamwalker. Riktor kept exploding their heads at will, trying his best to look like a thorough professional.
"That's twenty-nine! I'm on a roll!"
The words were barely out of Riktor's mouth when a massive boulder fell from the sky, crushing him under its weight. Blood spurted out of his mouth and nostrils, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
Riktor's right hand jerked erratically for a few seconds as if trying to cling on to life by its fraying threads. And then it stopped. The shotgun fell out of his grasp as his arm slapped the ground.
It was a grotesque sight. One which sent shivers down Xander's spine. Xander tried to look away but his eyes lingered on Riktor's distorted face of their own volition. In that moment, time seemed to have come to a standstill.
Xander's hands turned cold as he recalled that dreadful moment when the boulder came crashing down on his partner, snuffing out his life in one careless second.
A distant growl eventually shook Xander out of his deathlike stupor. The Implings weren't the only ones affected by the Moondust shower.
As Xander turned around, his eyes made out a gigantic figure standing behind the trees. It was the Goblin Berserker.
So far, the Goblin had been busy collecting trinkets for its personal treasure trove, but the sudden stinging sensation upon its skin had driven it mad with rage. And the first human it had spied as it looked up happened to be Riktor.
Sweat streamed down Xander's smooth cheeks as he stared at the Goblin in the distance.
It was nearly as tall as the tallest tree in the park, and far more muscular than its smaller cousins. Greenish veins popped up on its skin as its bulging biceps pulsated with rage.
The Goblin was covered in patches of greenish-white hair from head to toe. Its massive chest was bare for all to see, but it wasn't completely naked. There was a thick leather quilt wrapped around its waist and a bracelet of bones strapped to its right wrist.
The Goblin Berserker wasn't a plundering thief like its more common relatives. It was one of the strongest fighters in the pack and could decimate hordes of smaller enemies in seconds.
Though it wasn't proficient in wielding enchanted weapons or casting magic spells, its muscular physique, and boundless stamina easily made up for these minor shortcomings.
Just looking at the enormous hunk of muscle and rage was enough to send lesser creatures running for cover, but Xander didn't have the luxury of beating a hasty retreat.
The Implings had him surrounded from all sides, and the Goblin Berserker was staring straight in his direction. Trying to flee would only make the job easier for the brute.
"Xander's gonna get killed out there. We need to send backup," Detective Locksley urged his superior.
Chief Volgin, however, didn't seem to share his concern. "I'm not pushing my men into a fight they cannot win. Xander is a Dreamwalker. If he can't defeat those things, we barely stand a chance."
"So, we're just gonna stand here and watch?" the Detective asked, his voice ringing with disbelief.
"I have notified the authorities. We stay here and wait for the Rapid Response Force to show up," the Chief replied.
Inside the park, the Implings were inching closer to Xander, their snarling cries punctuating the deathly stillness.
The sudden Moondust shower had dappled their shabby green skins, covering their bodies in hideous blisters. Xander could tell that the Implings were in excruciating pain, but it only made them more ferocious.
The presence of the Goblin Berserker on the battlefield seemed to have emboldened their spirits, making them fearless beyond reason.
Xander quickly conjured his Beast Companion card and summoned his direwolf. The sudden appearance of the ferocious predator caused panic in the ranks of the Implings, throwing them into disarray.
Though these menacing pack hunters loved to overwhelm weaker prey with their sheer numbers, they were wary of larger carnivores, and this dire wolf looked like it could easily make a meal out of every last one of them.
Having the trusty canine on his side gave Xander a fighting chance, but he still needed to deal with the Berserker. "Time to hunt, boy. Kill the Implings!" Xander commanded.
Without giving the Implings any chance to react, the direwolf pounced on them and started tearing them apart, limb by limb. The frightened younglings ran for their lives as the beast sprinted across the park, targeting the Elder Implings and mauling them to death. noVE-LB-1n
While his direwolf kept the Implings occupied, Xander focused on the bigger threat. Fixing his eyes on the Goblin Berserker, he raised his voice in a challenge. "You should have stayed in your own world. Riktor didn't deserve to die like this. You hear me, you big fat oaf?"
The Goblins weren't the most intelligent of Ethereals, but the Berserker understood enough to grin at Xander. It raised the sturdy brown log it had fashioned into a club and growled at the Dreamwalker, exposing its rotting yellow teeth.
"I'm gonna carve out your liver, you damn bastard!" Xander grunted and rushed at the Goblin with his scythe slicing through the Implings on his way like a hot knife through butter.
The Goblin laughed aloud as if mocking the Dreamwalker's efforts. With its free hand resting on its bloated belly, the gluttonous giant waited patiently for Xander to get close.
In a fit of blind rage, Xander sliced the last Elder Impling blocking his path, and charged at the Goblin Berserker.
Even after seeing the glowing scythe in Xander's hand, the Goblin didn't look afraid. It held its ground, waiting for the Dreamwalker to come within his arm's reach.
As Xander stepped in close to strike at the Goblin's legs, it took a wild swing with its club, sweeping an arc from left to right. The blunt weapon was inches away from Xander's head when he jumped over it and slashed at the Goblin's right shin.
Green blood oozed out of the jagged scar on its leg as it groaned in pain. The Goblin retaliated by trying to kick Xander with its other leg, but once more he proved to be far too agile.
Though the Goblin Berserker's enormous body gave it an unfair advantage against smaller enemies, this time it proved to be a bane. Its movements were obvious and slow, making it easy for Xander to dodge its attacks without breaking a sweat.
Xander leaped in the air and swung his scythe again, sending out a devastating energy surge that split the Goblin's right knee open. It stumbled backward, roaring in pain.
Though the scythe looked tiny compared to the Berserker's massive proportions, the energy strike was imbued with chaos magic that was known to induce infernal agony in its victims.
Sensing a sliver of opportunity, Xander rushed in to deal a decisive blow. But suddenly, the Goblin's pupils turned blood-red, and the muscles on its body bulged out to make it appear even more menacing.
The Goblin's face was still distorted in pain, and blood was steadily dripping from its wounds, but it looked like there was still plenty of fight left in it.
Although Xander had never encountered a Goblin Berserker during his several visits to the Nightscape, he had read plenty about them to realize what was happening.
The searing pain induced by the Dream Cleaver's chaotic touch had sent the Berserker into a Blood Rage, boosting both its physical strength as well as its agility.
Xander breathed out a cold puff of air as the Goblin stared at him with raging eyes. Faced with the daunting challenge, the Dreamwalker clutched his scythe tightly and cursed his fate.
As Riktor's bloodied face flashed before Xander's eyes, his stomach knotted in fear. He knew one wrong step could spell disaster for him. But he wasn't one to run away in fear.
"It looks like I underestimated you," Xander chuckled softly, staring at the enraged Goblin Berserker. "But I'm still gonna kill you."
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Chapter 24: Windbell Park Massacre
Riktor pulled out the only card in his set and flicked it like a skilled gambler. "Play card: Eagle Eye."
"You take out the ones on the left, I'll handle the rest," Xander advised.
"These are just low-level Implings. I can kill the whole colony myself," Riktor snickered, with arrogance flashing on his face.
As the Implings rushed at them from all sides, Xander fired six shots in quick succession, taking out five of them with perfect headshots and missing just one. With his revolver empty, he quickly holstered it and crushed the other clay tablet to conjure his second weapon.
The mere sight of the Dream Cleaver was enough to instill fear in the hearts of the whole colony.
Unlike the Ghouls and Skeletal Warriors, the Implings weren't mindless walking corpses. They possessed just enough intelligence to realize that getting anywhere close to the enchanted scythe would spell their doom.
Seeing the Implings backing away in fear gave Riktor just enough encouragement to push forward and start popping heads.
Blood and bone splattered all around as Riktor's shotgun exploded their heads like ripe watermelons. The card that he had just played boosted his accuracy, making it impossible for him to miss even a single shot.
"Nine down. More to come!" Riktor cried out ecstatically. Though he had a few doubts in the beginning, he was starting to enjoy it now.
"Come on, Xander! If I keep going like this, I'm gonna leave you far behind. Get cracking, hotshot."
"It's not a competition," Xander grumbled. "Don't drop your guard. These little freaks are cleverer than they look."
"Apparently not clever enough to take on two Dreamwalkers," Riktor jeered as he continued shooting the Implings.
Xander rushed in close with his scythe to take out the larger ones at the back. Their bulkier appearance and longer claws made them stand out from the rest of the colony. Even an inexperienced Dreamwalker could tell that those five bigger ones were the Elders.
As long as the Elder Implings were alive, the Grunts still had a slim chance of mounting a counterattack. To prevent this from happening, Xander slashed through the Scavenger Implings and made his way to their backlines.
Despite being afraid, the smaller Implings pounced at the Dreamwalker to protect the Elders. Xander's scythe cut them down like ripe corn, slicing through flesh and bone in one fell swoop.
Blood and guts splattered all around, dying the green blades of grass in incarnadine hues. The Implings kept lunging at him, hoping to slice his throat open with their razor-sharp claws, but Xander's quickened reflexes allowed him to dodge all their attacks effortlessly.
Tearing through the smaller Implings in his way, Xander unleashed a devastating horizontal slash with his glowing scythe. The charged attack sent out a wave of chaos energy which obliterated the Elder Implings in a blinding flash of violet.
With their leaders eliminated, Xander expected the rest of the Implings to flee, but the tables turned in an instant when another colony of Implings rushed out of the portal.
"God damn it! This is gonna take forever," Xander grunted in frustration.
"Don't worry. I came prepared for this fight," Riktor yelled from the other side. Holstering his shotgun, he pulled out a Moondust Grenade from his pocket. "Time to make it rain. Let's see how you handle this, fellas!"
Gripping the sparkling white orb tightly inside his sweaty palm, Riktor hurled it upward with all his strength.
As the enchanted grenade exploded, the sky lit up with a blinding flash, and the whole park was bathed in light. For a fascinating second, it seemed like the sun had reclaimed the skies at the most unnatural hour, ushering in an early noon.
Horrendous shrieks resonated across the park as Moondust rained from the sky, showering the Implings with dazzling white flakes. Where it touched their bodies, their skin hissed and smoldered. Some tried to run to the safety of the nearest bushes while others rolled on the ground, squirming in agony.
Though harmless to the creatures of the real world, Moondust was deadly for all Ethereals. It not only burned their bodies, but stripped them of all their powers, rendering them frail and vulnerable.
"Works like a charm!" Riktor trilled with excitement. Reloading his shotgun as quickly as his sweaty fingers would allow, he jumped right back into action.
The Implings, now crippled with pain, were easy targets for the reckless Dreamwalker. Riktor kept exploding their heads at will, trying his best to look like a thorough professional.
"That's twenty-nine! I'm on a roll!"
The words were barely out of Riktor's mouth when a massive boulder fell from the sky, crushing him under its weight. Blood spurted out of his mouth and nostrils, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.
Riktor's right hand jerked erratically for a few seconds as if trying to cling on to life by its fraying threads. And then it stopped. The shotgun fell out of his grasp as his arm slapped the ground.
It was a grotesque sight. One which sent shivers down Xander's spine. Xander tried to look away but his eyes lingered on Riktor's distorted face of their own volition. In that moment, time seemed to have come to a standstill.
Xander's hands turned cold as he recalled that dreadful moment when the boulder came crashing down on his partner, snuffing out his life in one careless second.
A distant growl eventually shook Xander out of his deathlike stupor. The Implings weren't the only ones affected by the Moondust shower.
As Xander turned around, his eyes made out a gigantic figure standing behind the trees. It was the Goblin Berserker.
So far, the Goblin had been busy collecting trinkets for its personal treasure trove, but the sudden stinging sensation upon its skin had driven it mad with rage. And the first human it had spied as it looked up happened to be Riktor.
Sweat streamed down Xander's smooth cheeks as he stared at the Goblin in the distance.
It was nearly as tall as the tallest tree in the park, and far more muscular than its smaller cousins. Greenish veins popped up on its skin as its bulging biceps pulsated with rage.
The Goblin was covered in patches of greenish-white hair from head to toe. Its massive chest was bare for all to see, but it wasn't completely naked. There was a thick leather quilt wrapped around its waist and a bracelet of bones strapped to its right wrist.
The Goblin Berserker wasn't a plundering thief like its more common relatives. It was one of the strongest fighters in the pack and could decimate hordes of smaller enemies in seconds.
Though it wasn't proficient in wielding enchanted weapons or casting magic spells, its muscular physique, and boundless stamina easily made up for these minor shortcomings.
Just looking at the enormous hunk of muscle and rage was enough to send lesser creatures running for cover, but Xander didn't have the luxury of beating a hasty retreat.
The Implings had him surrounded from all sides, and the Goblin Berserker was staring straight in his direction. Trying to flee would only make the job easier for the brute.
"Xander's gonna get killed out there. We need to send backup," Detective Locksley urged his superior.
Chief Volgin, however, didn't seem to share his concern. "I'm not pushing my men into a fight they cannot win. Xander is a Dreamwalker. If he can't defeat those things, we barely stand a chance."
"So, we're just gonna stand here and watch?" the Detective asked, his voice ringing with disbelief.
"I have notified the authorities. We stay here and wait for the Rapid Response Force to show up," the Chief replied.
Inside the park, the Implings were inching closer to Xander, their snarling cries punctuating the deathly stillness.
The sudden Moondust shower had dappled their shabby green skins, covering their bodies in hideous blisters. Xander could tell that the Implings were in excruciating pain, but it only made them more ferocious.
The presence of the Goblin Berserker on the battlefield seemed to have emboldened their spirits, making them fearless beyond reason.
Xander quickly conjured his Beast Companion card and summoned his direwolf. The sudden appearance of the ferocious predator caused panic in the ranks of the Implings, throwing them into disarray.
Though these menacing pack hunters loved to overwhelm weaker prey with their sheer numbers, they were wary of larger carnivores, and this dire wolf looked like it could easily make a meal out of every last one of them.
Having the trusty canine on his side gave Xander a fighting chance, but he still needed to deal with the Berserker. "Time to hunt, boy. Kill the Implings!" Xander commanded.
Without giving the Implings any chance to react, the direwolf pounced on them and started tearing them apart, limb by limb. The frightened younglings ran for their lives as the beast sprinted across the park, targeting the Elder Implings and mauling them to death. noVE-LB-1n
While his direwolf kept the Implings occupied, Xander focused on the bigger threat. Fixing his eyes on the Goblin Berserker, he raised his voice in a challenge. "You should have stayed in your own world. Riktor didn't deserve to die like this. You hear me, you big fat oaf?"
The Goblins weren't the most intelligent of Ethereals, but the Berserker understood enough to grin at Xander. It raised the sturdy brown log it had fashioned into a club and growled at the Dreamwalker, exposing its rotting yellow teeth.
"I'm gonna carve out your liver, you damn bastard!" Xander grunted and rushed at the Goblin with his scythe slicing through the Implings on his way like a hot knife through butter.
The Goblin laughed aloud as if mocking the Dreamwalker's efforts. With its free hand resting on its bloated belly, the gluttonous giant waited patiently for Xander to get close.
In a fit of blind rage, Xander sliced the last Elder Impling blocking his path, and charged at the Goblin Berserker.
Even after seeing the glowing scythe in Xander's hand, the Goblin didn't look afraid. It held its ground, waiting for the Dreamwalker to come within his arm's reach.
As Xander stepped in close to strike at the Goblin's legs, it took a wild swing with its club, sweeping an arc from left to right. The blunt weapon was inches away from Xander's head when he jumped over it and slashed at the Goblin's right shin.
Green blood oozed out of the jagged scar on its leg as it groaned in pain. The Goblin retaliated by trying to kick Xander with its other leg, but once more he proved to be far too agile.
Though the Goblin Berserker's enormous body gave it an unfair advantage against smaller enemies, this time it proved to be a bane. Its movements were obvious and slow, making it easy for Xander to dodge its attacks without breaking a sweat.
Xander leaped in the air and swung his scythe again, sending out a devastating energy surge that split the Goblin's right knee open. It stumbled backward, roaring in pain.
Though the scythe looked tiny compared to the Berserker's massive proportions, the energy strike was imbued with chaos magic that was known to induce infernal agony in its victims.
Sensing a sliver of opportunity, Xander rushed in to deal a decisive blow. But suddenly, the Goblin's pupils turned blood-red, and the muscles on its body bulged out to make it appear even more menacing.
The Goblin's face was still distorted in pain, and blood was steadily dripping from its wounds, but it looked like there was still plenty of fight left in it.
Although Xander had never encountered a Goblin Berserker during his several visits to the Nightscape, he had read plenty about them to realize what was happening.
The searing pain induced by the Dream Cleaver's chaotic touch had sent the Berserker into a Blood Rage, boosting both its physical strength as well as its agility.
Xander breathed out a cold puff of air as the Goblin stared at him with raging eyes. Faced with the daunting challenge, the Dreamwalker clutched his scythe tightly and cursed his fate.
As Riktor's bloodied face flashed before Xander's eyes, his stomach knotted in fear. He knew one wrong step could spell disaster for him. But he wasn't one to run away in fear.
"It looks like I underestimated you," Xander chuckled softly, staring at the enraged Goblin Berserker. "But I'm still gonna kill you."
Chapter 24: Windbell Park Massacre Riktor pulled out the only card in his set and flicked it like a skilled gambler. "Play card: Eagle Eye." "You take out the ones on the left, I'll handle the rest," Xander advised. "These are just low-level Implings. I can kill the whole colony myself," Riktor snickered, with arrogance flashing on his face. As the Implings rushed at them from all sides, Xander fired six shots in quick succession, taking out five of them with perfect headshots and missing just one. With his revolver empty, he quickly holstered it and crushed the other clay tablet to conjure his second weapon. The mere sight of the Dream Cleaver was enough to instill fear in the hearts of the whole colony. Unlike the Ghouls and Skeletal Warriors, the Implings weren't mindless walking corpses. They possessed just enough intelligence to realize that getting anywhere close to the enchanted scythe would spell their doom. Seeing the Implings backing away in fear gave Riktor just enough encouragement to push forward and start popping heads. Blood and bone splattered all around as Riktor's shotgun exploded their heads like ripe watermelons. The card that he had just played boosted his accuracy, making it impossible for him to miss even a single shot. "Nine down. More to come!" Riktor cried out ecstatically. Though he had a few doubts in the beginning, he was starting to enjoy it now. "Come on, Xander! If I keep going like this, I'm gonna leave you far behind. Get cracking, hotshot." "It's not a competition," Xander grumbled. "Don't drop your guard. These little freaks are cleverer than they look." "Apparently not clever enough to take on two Dreamwalkers," Riktor jeered as he continued shooting the Implings. Xander rushed in close with his scythe to take out the larger ones at the back. Their bulkier appearance and longer claws made them stand out from the rest of the colony. Even an inexperienced Dreamwalker could tell that those five bigger ones were the Elders. As long as the Elder Implings were alive, the Grunts still had a slim chance of mounting a counterattack. To prevent this from happening, Xander slashed through the Scavenger Implings and made his way to their backlines. Despite being afraid, the smaller Implings pounced at the Dreamwalker to protect the Elders. Xander's scythe cut them down like ripe corn, slicing through flesh and bone in one fell swoop. Blood and guts splattered all around, dying the green blades of grass in incarnadine hues. The Implings kept lunging at him, hoping to slice his throat open with their razor-sharp claws, but Xander's quickened reflexes allowed him to dodge all their attacks effortlessly. Tearing through the smaller Implings in his way, Xander unleashed a devastating horizontal slash with his glowing scythe. The charged attack sent out a wave of chaos energy which obliterated the Elder Implings in a blinding flash of violet. With their leaders eliminated, Xander expected the rest of the Implings to flee, but the tables turned in an instant when another colony of Implings rushed out of the portal. "God damn it! This is gonna take forever," Xander grunted in frustration. "Don't worry. I came prepared for this fight," Riktor yelled from the other side. Holstering his shotgun, he pulled out a Moondust Grenade from his pocket. "Time to make it rain. Let's see how you handle this, fellas!" Gripping the sparkling white orb tightly inside his sweaty palm, Riktor hurled it upward with all his strength. As the enchanted grenade exploded, the sky lit up with a blinding flash, and the whole park was bathed in light. For a fascinating second, it seemed like the sun had reclaimed the skies at the most unnatural hour, ushering in an early noon. Horrendous shrieks resonated across the park as Moondust rained from the sky, showering the Implings with dazzling white flakes. Where it touched their bodies, their skin hissed and smoldered. Some tried to run to the safety of the nearest bushes while others rolled on the ground, squirming in agony. Though harmless to the creatures of the real world, Moondust was deadly for all Ethereals. It not only burned their bodies, but stripped them of all their powers, rendering them frail and vulnerable. "Works like a charm!" Riktor trilled with excitement. Reloading his shotgun as quickly as his sweaty fingers would allow, he jumped right back into action. The Implings, now crippled with pain, were easy targets for the reckless Dreamwalker. Riktor kept exploding their heads at will, trying his best to look like a thorough professional. "That's twenty-nine! I'm on a roll!" The words were barely out of Riktor's mouth when a massive boulder fell from the sky, crushing him under its weight. Blood spurted out of his mouth and nostrils, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Riktor's right hand jerked erratically for a few seconds as if trying to cling on to life by its fraying threads. And then it stopped. The shotgun fell out of his grasp as his arm slapped the ground. It was a grotesque sight. One which sent shivers down Xander's spine. Xander tried to look away but his eyes lingered on Riktor's distorted face of their own volition. In that moment, time seemed to have come to a standstill. Xander's hands turned cold as he recalled that dreadful moment when the boulder came crashing down on his partner, snuffing out his life in one careless second. A distant growl eventually shook Xander out of his deathlike stupor. The Implings weren't the only ones affected by the Moondust shower. As Xander turned around, his eyes made out a gigantic figure standing behind the trees. It was the Goblin Berserker. So far, the Goblin had been busy collecting trinkets for its personal treasure trove, but the sudden stinging sensation upon its skin had driven it mad with rage. And the first human it had spied as it looked up happened to be Riktor. Sweat streamed down Xander's smooth cheeks as he stared at the Goblin in the distance. It was nearly as tall as the tallest tree in the park, and far more muscular than its smaller cousins. Greenish veins popped up on its skin as its bulging biceps pulsated with rage. The Goblin was covered in patches of greenish-white hair from head to toe. Its massive chest was bare for all to see, but it wasn't completely naked. There was a thick leather quilt wrapped around its waist and a bracelet of bones strapped to its right wrist. The Goblin Berserker wasn't a plundering thief like its more common relatives. It was one of the strongest fighters in the pack and could decimate hordes of smaller enemies in seconds. Though it wasn't proficient in wielding enchanted weapons or casting magic spells, its muscular physique, and boundless stamina easily made up for these minor shortcomings. Just looking at the enormous hunk of muscle and rage was enough to send lesser creatures running for cover, but Xander didn't have the luxury of beating a hasty retreat. The Implings had him surrounded from all sides, and the Goblin Berserker was staring straight in his direction. Trying to flee would only make the job easier for the brute. "Xander's gonna get killed out there. We need to send backup," Detective Locksley urged his superior. Chief Volgin, however, didn't seem to share his concern. "I'm not pushing my men into a fight they cannot win. Xander is a Dreamwalker. If he can't defeat those things, we barely stand a chance." "So, we're just gonna stand here and watch?" the Detective asked, his voice ringing with disbelief. "I have notified the authorities. We stay here and wait for the Rapid Response Force to show up," the Chief replied. Inside the park, the Implings were inching closer to Xander, their snarling cries punctuating the deathly stillness. The sudden Moondust shower had dappled their shabby green skins, covering their bodies in hideous blisters. Xander could tell that the Implings were in excruciating pain, but it only made them more ferocious. The presence of the Goblin Berserker on the battlefield seemed to have emboldened their spirits, making them fearless beyond reason. Xander quickly conjured his Beast Companion card and summoned his direwolf. The sudden appearance of the ferocious predator caused panic in the ranks of the Implings, throwing them into disarray. Though these menacing pack hunters loved to overwhelm weaker prey with their sheer numbers, they were wary of larger carnivores, and this dire wolf looked like it could easily make a meal out of every last one of them. Having the trusty canine on his side gave Xander a fighting chance, but he still needed to deal with the Berserker. "Time to hunt, boy. Kill the Implings!" Xander commanded. Without giving the Implings any chance to react, the direwolf pounced on them and started tearing them apart, limb by limb. The frightened younglings ran for their lives as the beast sprinted across the park, targeting the Elder Implings and mauling them to death. noVE-LB-1nWhile his direwolf kept the Implings occupied, Xander focused on the bigger threat. Fixing his eyes on the Goblin Berserker, he raised his voice in a challenge. "You should have stayed in your own world. Riktor didn't deserve to die like this. You hear me, you big fat oaf?" The Goblins weren't the most intelligent of Ethereals, but the Berserker understood enough to grin at Xander. It raised the sturdy brown log it had fashioned into a club and growled at the Dreamwalker, exposing its rotting yellow teeth. "I'm gonna carve out your liver, you damn bastard!" Xander grunted and rushed at the Goblin with his scythe slicing through the Implings on his way like a hot knife through butter. The Goblin laughed aloud as if mocking the Dreamwalker's efforts. With its free hand resting on its bloated belly, the gluttonous giant waited patiently for Xander to get close. In a fit of blind rage, Xander sliced the last Elder Impling blocking his path, and charged at the Goblin Berserker. Even after seeing the glowing scythe in Xander's hand, the Goblin didn't look afraid. It held its ground, waiting for the Dreamwalker to come within his arm's reach. As Xander stepped in close to strike at the Goblin's legs, it took a wild swing with its club, sweeping an arc from left to right. The blunt weapon was inches away from Xander's head when he jumped over it and slashed at the Goblin's right shin. Green blood oozed out of the jagged scar on its leg as it groaned in pain. The Goblin retaliated by trying to kick Xander with its other leg, but once more he proved to be far too agile. Though the Goblin Berserker's enormous body gave it an unfair advantage against smaller enemies, this time it proved to be a bane. Its movements were obvious and slow, making it easy for Xander to dodge its attacks without breaking a sweat. Xander leaped in the air and swung his scythe again, sending out a devastating energy surge that split the Goblin's right knee open. It stumbled backward, roaring in pain. Though the scythe looked tiny compared to the Berserker's massive proportions, the energy strike was imbued with chaos magic that was known to induce infernal agony in its victims. Sensing a sliver of opportunity, Xander rushed in to deal a decisive blow. But suddenly, the Goblin's pupils turned blood-red, and the muscles on its body bulged out to make it appear even more menacing. The Goblin's face was still distorted in pain, and blood was steadily dripping from its wounds, but it looked like there was still plenty of fight left in it. Although Xander had never encountered a Goblin Berserker during his several visits to the Nightscape, he had read plenty about them to realize what was happening. The searing pain induced by the Dream Cleaver's chaotic touch had sent the Berserker into a Blood Rage, boosting both its physical strength as well as its agility. Xander breathed out a cold puff of air as the Goblin stared at him with raging eyes. Faced with the daunting challenge, the Dreamwalker clutched his scythe tightly and cursed his fate. As Riktor's bloodied face flashed before Xander's eyes, his stomach knotted in fear. He knew one wrong step could spell disaster for him. But he wasn't one to run away in fear. "It looks like I underestimated you," Xander chuckled softly, staring at the enraged Goblin Berserker. "But I'm still gonna kill you."
