(Episode 4: First Blood!)

The trail led down and with it the young adventurer also perceives the stench of a mix between wet dogs and blood. 

He recognizes the stench of blood since he's been gutting and skinning the rabbits from his mother's farm since he was 7. The wet dog part, that reminded him of an old stray dog he used to feed from time to time...but wait, let's get back to the story!

He hears the snap and crunch of bones but after a clunk of his armor the noise stops and silence leaves only the sense of smell and what's left the dimming light from the entrance behind.

All of the sudden he hears a sound ahead while at the end of the staircase. A light whistle in the air which is immediately followed by the sound of something hitting the side of the shield that ricochets and snaps on the steps behind.

"An arrow? An arrow!!?" 

He looks ahead and barely see's a strange creature behind a corner who lets go yet another arrow. 

*Thunk! As this one sticks onto the shield. 

"I gotta close the distance or back up into the stairs!" 

He takes a deep breath, takes 3 steps back up the stairs and uses the momentum to leap forward as much as he can while keeping his shield well in front of him. While in mid air another arrow hits the shield and in the dim light he sees what he believes are two kobolds behind the corner as he lands.

"Arrrggghh! "

Something has pierced the bottom of his right foot! But he can't stop now and think about it! With the forward movement of the leap he rushes the archer running on his right tiptoe and slams the kobold hard with the shield sending it flying against the opposite wall.

The other one is armed with a dagger and a short rusty sword and lunges at him while snarling with his bloodied snout. 

After a vicious series of attacks between the two that miss and graze each other, the kobold manages to pierce his right leg with the dagger as the young boy grimaces in pain. He backs off a bit and sees with a glimpse of an eye a mangled arm beside the snarling creature.

"The strangers arm!!

All of the sudden a feeling of anger engulfs him while he focuses on the what he was told above and a sense of meaning ensures him on what his mission is.

The kobold and the young adventurer clash again but this time a well timed overhead slash cuts deeply into the kobolds left shoulder all the way to the mid ribcage. The kobold slumps on his knees while spurting blood. 

"Can't...nudge...the damn...sword....!"

A raging sound from behind startles him while he is still attempting to unlodge his blade! The Kobold archer awoke from his momentary stun and lunges towards him with a sharp dagger!

He lets go of the sword and readily braces himself with his shield while the kobold slams onto it trying rabidly to climb it to hit him on his back or on his head.

Many hits slam onto the top of his wide helm and his pauldron and a few pierce his bedroll on his backpack. While trying to keep the growling kobold's weight on his shield he quickly extracts his dagger and starts to stab it on the side until one goes in deep and the creature lets out a shriek of pain.

That's the last one of the week! The story continues, no worries