Tarak—the veteran goblin who'd survived eight previous battles and become an informal leader among goblin defenders—faced Sergeant Kelvan, a human veteran with fifteen years' experience.
The battle was fought in a collapsed building's rubble, both fighters using terrain for advantage.
Tarak's guerrilla tactics served him well initially. He used goblin agility to strike from unexpected angles, his blade cutting Kelvan's arm, then disappearing into rubble before the sergeant could counter.
But Kelvan adapted, using his superior reach to control space, preventing Tarak from getting close.
The decisive moment came when Tarak attempted a risky flanking maneuver, jumping from collapsed beam to attack from above.
Kelvan anticipated it—his sword thrust upward catching Tarak mid-jump.
The blade pierced the goblin's stomach, a mortal wound.
But Tarak's downward momentum drove him onto the sword even as his own blade struck Kelvan's throat.
