Kaius circled the goblin champion at the summit of one of the slight hills that rolled over the fungal farms. Every few seconds it would test him, lunging forwards with a clumsy stab of its pike. Kaius would dance back, happy to take the time to let his ribs heal before he fully committed to an assault.

    Behind him he could hear Porkchop in full blown battle with the dismounted goblins warg. Their extended tussle had moved to the base of the hill, after a particularly successful tackle on Porkchop''s part had sent them rolling down its slope in a blur of claws and teeth.

    He knew his friend would come out on top. He already would have called for him if there was any true risk of something going awry.

    Kaius parried another of the Outriders'' thrusts. He felt the itching heat die down on his ribs as the flesh finished reknitting itself. He checked his resources.

    Resources:

    Health - 246/300 (2/min)

    Stamina - 184/200 (2/min)

    Mana - 140/140 (2/min)

    The drain had stopped. Though he was surprised at how little it had taken to heal the wound. It had felt like his entire side had been flayed.

    "Though, looking at that weapon, that''s no real surprise." He thought, staring at the bloodstained barbs that lined the spear points edges.

    Thrusting again, the outrider screamed in fury when Kaius parried its blow once more.

    "Vrakk! Grhuzkar ghul snar mi vhok!"

    Kaius shot the goblin a taunting grin. Whatever it tried to say was strangled in a furious cry. It launched forwards with a thrust. Smashing the stab aside, Kaius snapped out with his off hand, grabbing the weapon by the haft just below its stride long blade.

    Before the goblin could process the move, Kaius yanked. Sending it stumbling towards him. He returned the goblin''s aggression with a stab of his own. Enchanted steel was sharpened further by warforged, cleanly punching through the goblins studded leather armour to bury itself deep in the goblins chest.

    Green blood erupted from the Outriders mouth, spilling down to stain the front of its armour.

    Kaius pulled his sword free. The goblins aura pulsed. Its hand snaked for its back, ripping free a curved knife the length of Kaius''s forearm. It stabbed, glowing in the sight of Sense Mana. He tried to parry, still holding his sword with a single hand. The blade seemed to glide around his defence, somehow warping the path of his blade.

    No way to avoid it, not if he wanted to keep up the pressure. He leaned on Adamant Body, twisting at the last moment to protect his vitals. With unnatural luck the longknife found a gap in his armour, sinking into the side of his stomach. Pain flared, quickly locked away by Rapid Adaptation. Blood filled spilled free, staining gleaming scales red.

    **Ding! Adamant Body has reached level 12!**

    Roaring in fury, Kaius yanked on the goblin''s pike, pulling it forward. The knife shoved deeper into his stomach. He ignored it in favour of driving his knee deep into the Champion''s own. The goblin gasped, dropping its weapon. Kaius tossed the pike to the side, laying into the goblin''s jaw with a heavy haymaker.

    It stumbled, stunned by the shock of the swing. Kaius stepped back, the goblins knife still planted in his stomach. Gritting his teeth, he ripped it free. Tossing it behind him out of the goblins reach. He charged back in, swinging his sword in an upwards diagonal slice.

    Shaking itself free of its daze, the champion danced back. Avoiding its swing. It pulled free another knife from a sheath on its back, tossing it to his dominant hand with a hiss. Kaius refused to give the Outrider a moment to breathe, rushing in with a flurry of tight swings.

    Unburdened by its burdensome polearm, the goblin was an agile demon. It danced around his swings, cutting parries shunting his sword away. It wasn''t entirely successful. A growing number of cuts rent through its leather armour, wounds staining its torso a dark green. Even if it was nominally stronger than him, Kaius had the advantage of height and reach, and a knife was a poor match up for a longsword.

    A whine of despair came from behind him, followed by a savage crack and the sound of tearing flesh. He heard porkchop snarl his victory, announcing his domination of the warg.

    Kaius scowled. His friend had beat him. Unacceptable. No matter, his fun was drawing to a close.

    He stepped forwards, the goblin trying to ward him off with a messy slash of its knife. It''s body was failing it. Blood spilled free from a dozen deep rents in its flesh, and a myriad smaller cuts. A slab of its chest hung free. Revealing grizzly muscle and exposed ribs. Kaius had no doubt even if he left it, the Champion would expire of its wounds on its own.

    He would not be denied satisfaction.

    Another snarl of fury, Kaius heard his friend charging in from behind him.

    His hand flung out. "No! You had your fun. This one is mine," his voice was unyielding.

    Porkchop hissed. "Fine. Yours by right," his tone was clipped. Understanding, but in no way happy with withholding himself from more glorious battle. Kaius could feel it, rushing across the bond. The bloodlust. The desire to feel flesh give way beneath claw. For bones to crack underneath his teeth.

    It should have been maddening. It only heightened his lust.

    A savage cry tore at his throat. A scything cut coming in heavy. The outrider tried to block. Bracing against the blow with its whole body. His sword smashed into the tip of its knife. Overwhelming the point of poor leverage.

    A Father''s Gift rammed home. Cleaving flesh and bone alike. The goblin screamed. Right arm falling free with a spray of blood.

    Kaius pressed the assault. It might have felt agony. Might have known hate. It was still a depths-born. It did not flee. Did not beg. Even as it cried in horror of the approaching doom, it did its best to gut him. Shaky parries and dogged slips turned life ending blows into yet more mortal wounds.

    Moment by moment, it faltered. Nearly unable to stand. Joy flushed through Kaius''s blood. The satisfaction of a fight well fought. It had been a good opponent. Stronger, faster, with all of the advantages. It still crumbled before his might.

    It was over now. There was no honour, no song, to be had in toying with a finished opponent.

    He ended it.

    A cleave smashed its knife aside. Kaius whirled with the momentum. A follow up blow cleaved through the Outriders neck. Its malformed head flew free with a final gush of vital fluid, scowl frozen on its face forever more.

    **Ding! You have slain a Champion: Goblin Outrider - level 25 Ironlash Rider!**

    Kaius let out a scream of victory, channeling the crescendo of violent satisfaction that had been building the entire fight. Porkchop joined him, letting out a rumbling snarl.

    "Good fight!"

    "It was." Kaius panted, feeling the rush of battle lust slowly leave him. His exhaustion and aching wounds flooding back as his single minded focus ebbed.

    Staring at the ruined corpse of the Champion, he sheathed his blade. Spawn of the Depths and dwarven scourge it might have been, it had still given him a good fight. For that, he had a modicum of respect..

    Turning to Porkchop, he was about to ask his friend about searching for their loot when another system notification stopped him fast. Rooting him to the spot.

    **Ding! Significant Feat of Strength performed under Observation. You have been awarded an Honour: Born for Slaughter**