<div style="text-align: center"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 26px">Annie, The Hero</span></span>​</div><br/>They reached the cart, and Annie leaned against it. She the heat was uncomfortable, something she had tried her best to get used to in the past. But the fight was still on. Annie once again continued her attempts at picking off the goblin archers, trying to see where Mue was attacking to focus their fire.<br/><br/>"RAAAAUGH!" From their left, a goblin let out a screech! It was a small creature, with a notable eye patch and curved blade. It had managed to sneak past, flanking the cart. Annie had no time to shoot the goblin, instead casting her bow aside as the goblin charged her. Annie drew her brother's hunting dagger, and at the last moment threw herself at the goblin. The two clashed together, falling into the snow. The goblin and Annie thrashed about as they wrestled in the slush and mud, Annie trying her best to keep the goblin's sword pinned. The goblin screamed and laughed, and sunk it's pointed teeth into Annie's shoulder. Annie tried to retaliate with her hunting knife, but the goblin just grabbed the knife.<br/><br/>For a moment, the two were in a deadlock as they rolled in the snow. If she didn't come ahead here, she would be killed. Not only that, this goblin would get past her. Kill the new goblin girl. Kill Lady Silvid. Kill Val, Mystera, Dayyan, Ian, everyone. And she could not let that happen.<br/><br/>"Ortluc.... Erarugluf!" Annie called out. The heat in her core lowered slightly, traveling from her core to the hand holding the dagger. There was a loud crackle of electricity as lightning traveled up the blade of the dagger and into the goblin's hand. The goblin screeched in pain, recoiling back. A perfect opening for Annie to stab the miserable creature in the neck. The goblin let out another gurgled screech, falling onto it's back. Thick red blood spurted from the wound, splashing Annie's face. The goblin writhed on the ground a moment longer before falling limp.<br/><br/>Annie stared at the goblin, breathing heavily. Another screech brought her out of her stupor, and she jumped back to her feet ready to fight. But it was no longer time for that. The goblins were in rout! Annie lowered her brother's knife, breathing heavily. She looked over the battlefield. The corpses of goblins laid strewn about, and to her sadness, the corpses of a few of the guards as well. Annie's eyes widened as she saw Val. Terrible wounds on his back, but he was being seen to by Dayyan and was close to the Professor. Annie began to walk towards Val.<br/><br/>"... How about a kiss...?" The woozy voice of the goblin girl made Annie stop, and she looked over to see the woman had practically stripped herself naked and passed out. Why did... oh, right. The core. Annie sheathed her dagger, walking over to the unconcous form of Mue and picking her up. Overheating from the core or not, if Mue stayed out here in the nude, it would not go well. Annie draped some of Mue's clothes over the goblin girl to provide at least a little bit of modesty. Noting the pouch and wand, Annie picked up those as well and carried Mue to Annie's tent.<br/><br/>Right, what did grandpa's tome say about overheating cores? Annie was having a difficult time remembering, or even thinking straight. And she was starting to feel cold, now that she had ditched her heavy animal pelts. Annie staggered out of the tent, trying to wipe the goblin blood off her face but just succeeding on smearing it around.<br/>"P... Professor! M... Mr... Mr. Dayyan!" Annie called out.