by Jez Cajiao
I swept across to my right, hooking the base of my naginata between that goblin’s legs and pulling it off its feet. Bob took advantage of the gap to stamp forward, one huge foot ending that goblin’s worries in a permanent way. My first target staggered back toward me, glaring past a broken, bloody nose, and growled, about to attack, when Oracle appeared from behind Bob, lashing both hands forwards at the mage.
At the last second, the armored goblin leapt in the way, its shield absorbing the spell and making the goblin scream in rage and pain.
The sudden unexpected addition of Oracle caused the goblins to freeze for a second, one which Arrin, Stephanos, and Miren made the most of, all firing on the mage who cowered behind his protector.
Both arrows clattered off the shield harmlessly, but the firebolt was aimed better. It slammed into the armored goblin’s leg, blasting him back a few steps and out of position. Oracle’s second lightning bolt hit him directly, rather than his shield.
The armored goblin screeched at the mage and began backing away, even as the mage fired a dark blast at Oracle. She managed to dodge but called out a warning.
“It’s death magic! Don’t let it hit you!”
I stabbed forward, the tip of my naginata sending sparks flying as it skittered across the goblin’s armor. It jumped back with a hiss of fear before slashing wildly at me. I blocked with the haft of my weapon, releasing with my right hand as the goblin’s blade slipped towards it. Leaning forward, I grabbed the top of the creature’s breastplate, yanking it off balance into a headbutt that stunned it long enough that I managed to sweep its legs.
Once it was on the floor, I lashed out hard, driving the metal-clad butt of the naginata down into its face, feeling bone crunch underneath the blow as the body spasmed and went still.
I glanced up just in time to see Lydia block a sword that had been aimed at my face, then lash out with her mace. A loud crash reverberated through the air as her blow met the goblin’s helmet, sending it staggering back. I glanced around again, seeing that the mage and armored goblin had retreated nearly to the door while we’d been killing the main group. I was about to cast a spell myself when the pair moved too close to the corridor, and the darkness resolved into three figures. The first and tallest drove two spears and a dagger into the robed figure’s back, while slashing downwards onto the exposed arm, nearly cutting its hand off with the last dagger.
The other two figures appeared next to the armored goblin. One yanked his shield aside, twisting the arm quickly and violently enough that the snapping of bone was heard clear across the room, while the second figure grabbed its hammer and yanked back, immobilizing that arm. Both figures stabbed out rapidly with their weapons. The long, kinked daggers that seemed to be a signature weapon of the Mer punched through the weakly covered areas such as the armpits, throat, and groin, driving deep and coming out in sprays of blood.
I turned back to the remaining goblins, only to find Bob smashing the last one from its feet, Arrin firing a firebolt into its face a second before. Bob drove a fist down, crushing its skull and ending its life with a messy splat.
I looked around frantically, making sure, but it was over, at least for now. I could hear shouting, and the sounds of more goblins deeper in the building.
Jian was laid to one side, his breath whistling through teeth gritted in pain, while Miren looked like she was going to throw up.
His leather armor was covered in blood, and his left arm…looked like it’d been hit with a hammer blow. The bones were obviously shattered; the arm hung limply, bone fragments poked through the skin, and a quickly widening pool of blood was spreading under him.
Oracle was there already. She didn’t dare waste the mana on shifting sizes, and without her asking, I pulled out the last mana potion, downing it.
As soon as there was enough, Oracle started casting our newly evolved ‘Battlefield Triage’ spell. It tore through the little mana we had quickly, causing me to wince as the expected mana headache bloomed, but Jian rapidly looked better, the wounds on his arm closing as the bones were drawn back into their correct places.
“He’s lost a lot of blood.” Oracle said quietly as I moved to her side.
“I can fight, Lord. I am strong!” Jian whispered, but his face was white with pain still, and I shook my head. I didn’t have the mana to spare for Identify to check on him properly; hell, I’d wanted to use it so many times since this fight began, especially on the last two goblins that had tried to escape the room, the mage and its protector. I just didn’t have enough. The triage spell had pulled him back from death’s door, but he looked terrible, and it had run out of mana before he could be healed fully.
I could see the glowing red ‘1’ symbol in the emptied-out mana bar, and I shook my head sadly at Jian.
“No, mate,” I said quietly, gripping his other shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I know you’re strong, but you can’t keep going, not wounded as you are.” I checked on the others, finding that Miren was trying to hide a blackened side, the skin appearing grey and rotting. I ignored her weak protestations that Jian needed help more and I looked her over, pulling my last health potion out and forcing her to take it.
“Do we have any charges left on the healing rings?” I asked, getting negative head shakes as my only response. I swore, low and fervent, and looked the others over.
None of them were in good shape, save the Mer; even Lydia was trying to hide a long gash on one cheek, and I growled to myself. I checked my mana and did a quick bit of math…
With one point of mana left, and a regen rate of two point six per minute, bolstered by the mana potion by an extra point, it would take me about fourteen minutes to regenerate enough mana to cast Cleansing Fire, and I had no idea if I could alter the spell to not harm my party, or what it would cost.
I looked over the team’s details in my vision; the Mer and I were the only ones above half health, though Miren’s health was starting to tick back up now that she’d taken the potion.
“Okay, let’s get the stone benches over to the doors,” I said, coming to a decision. “We need to create a barrier so we can hunker down and rest for a bit, then we’ll move on.” As soon as I said it, Bob was off, dragging what looked to be a solid ton of weight across the floor.
I shook my head at the strength of the skeletal construct, damn glad he was on my side and not against me.
“Jax…” I turned at the sound of my name to find Flux. He was spattered with blood, and clearly tired, but beyond that, he was okay. I needed to get him and the others some fresh water, as well I knew; yet another thing to add to the list… “We can’t wait. I’m sorry.”
“What? We don’t have a choice here, Flux. Only you three and me can still fight, and I’m out of mana. We need to…” I retorted, confused.
“They’ll kill the captives if we wait,” Flux said sadly, and I groaned, clutching my head, and swearing under my breath.
“Okay, explain that please,” I said, tired and annoyed, my mana headache not helping the situation.
“Goblins live an existence filled with hate and fear. Right now, they’re afraid of us, but as soon as enough of them are together, they’ll get angry again, and come for us. They’ll kill the prisoners rather than risk us freeing them. I can’t wait; I have to try to save the younglings…”
“If you three go in there without help, you’ll all die as well,” I stated flatly, shaking my head. “You know that, mate. We don’t know how many are still alive…”
“Exactly, Jax. For all we know, there could be only a few dozen left…”
“A few dozen? And can you handle a few dozen goblins, the three of you? Considering that’s the best-case scenario here?”
“No, we probably can’t…but we’ve agreed, and we’re going ahead. Please, come when you have rested enough,” Flux said, turning his back and starting to walk towards the door that led deeper into the nest.
“Oh, that’s a fucking low blow, mate!” I snapped, but Flux
just kept on walking.
I considered the group before me, and I knew there was no way they could fight. They were all on the ragged edge, especially as, for some of them, it’d been their first fight. I sighed and called to Flux.
“Wait by the door,” I snapped, then I turned back to the group, gesturing for Oracle and Lydia to join me in walking toward the corpses of the mage and his protector. I was silent for a few seconds.
“You’re not going to like this, either of you,” I said, by way of starting the fight off. “But I’m going with Flux, and you’re both staying here.” Immediately, both of them started arguing. Lydia was respectful, if blunt, but Oracle was anything but.
“Lord, you’re in hardly any better shape than the rest of us; we can’t afford to lose you…”
“Don’t be an idiot, Jax! You…”
“That’s enough,” I said quietly, the cold, serious tone cutting them both off. “Flux is right; if the goblins have time to rest, to regroup and come for us, we might survive, we might not… but the prisoners definitely won’t.”
“They’re not your people, Jax,” Oracle said, hovering right before my face and locking eyes with me. “I know you. You want to stand up for the weak, for the oppressed, but you don’t know these people. What if they’re like the assholes we just sent off into the forest?" "You’re risking your life for people you don’t know! We need you!”
“I know,” I said quietly. “I know I’m needed at the Tower, and here with you, but I won’t abandon these people. Flux and his team are going forward regardless. I can help them; I have to help them.”
“No! No, you don’t… you just…” Oracle snapped at me, shaking her head, before drawing in a deep breath and looking around. “Fine, okay. You know what? If you’re going to do this, at least Bob and I can...”
“Stay here.” I finished for her and she frowned at me. “You need to stay here, and you need Bob to protect you. If there are other goblins, they might counterattack. Hell, they might be out on patrol now and walking down the passageway as we speak. You need to stay here. Once you have enough mana, you can heal our team and get them out safely. You’ll need Bob to protect you until then, and you’ll need him to move the tables, anyway; nobody else can.”
“You need me Jax, I…”
“I need you to protect them,” I said quietly. I hated doing this, but… “Oracle, that’s an order. I need you to protect our people, heal them, and get them home safe if I don’t come back.” I turned to Lydia.
“I go where you go,” she said simply.
“Oh for…Lydia, seriously you need to…” I started, and she cut me off.
“The Tower needs you Jax, we need you. It doesn’t need me. I can go with Flux and the others…”
“And you’d get killed straight away. You’re barely above half health, and I can see the way you’re holding yourself; you’ve broken ribs at the very least, haven’t you?” I asked, seeing the guilty flare of acceptance in her eyes. “Look at me, both of you,” I said quietly, continuing once they both complied.
“I need you both to look after them. Bob can’t understand anyone but us, Oracle, and he’s needed here. Lydia, you’re in no state to move far. Stay here and protect them; if goblins come, they’ll need you. If it makes it any easier on both of you it’s an order,” I finished, and I saw the anger on both their faces. “You don’t have to like it,” I said finally, “you just have to do it.” I got a short nod in confirmation from Lydia, and Oracle spun around and flew off towards Bob.
It wasn’t a win, but it meant they would be safe. It was enough.
I crouched down, quickly searching the goblin mage, hoping I’d find something I could use, ideally a potion or two. After a quick and rather disgusting search…the damn thing was naked under the robe, and it wasn’t a sight I’d ever wanted to see… I found that, apart from a necklace of bones, a few coppers, and the small wand, it had nothing. I didn’t waste time checking the armored goblin over; I just stood and called out that when one of them had the strength, I wanted the goblins searched for anything that could be salvaged. Then I headed to join Flux and the others. Bob had blocked off the far entrance to the room and was dragging another table to barricade another opening when I nodded to Flux.
“Let’s go do something stupid,” I said and walked into the hallway, all three following me closely.
Chapter Ten
“I…thank you, Jax,” Flux said to me in a quiet but firm voice.
“I’ll not let some kids die if I can help it,” I muttered, and got a nod in return.
“Cheena, scout ahead, please.” Flux requested in a low tone, and as she started off, he spoke to me again. “We’ll add this to our debt to you, Lord Jax. It will not be forgotten.” I just shrugged, creeping forward as quietly as I could.
The corridor was short and filled with debris and literal crap, the goblins clearly having no concept of hygiene, and it reeked. At the end was a cross-connecting corridor that led to the left and right, and Cheena had barely paused when she reached it. When we caught up, we saw the left had been clogged with collapsed masonry, while the right led into a square room with a low fire burning in the far-right corner.
We snuck up to the doorway and peered inside, seeing nothing moving, and a second doorway that led to the left. We took that one, entering a second small room that was similarly abandoned. As I started forward towards the far door, Bane grabbed me and yanked me back hard.
Before I could ask him what was going on, a hand was clapped over my mouth and Flux was by my side, staring into my eyes, waiting.
I had a moment of panic; was this a betrayal? Had I given myself up to be slaughtered like a lamb? Then I saw movement in the far corner of the room, and I focused on it with a frown.
Flux, seeing that I was aware something was wrong, nodded, and Bane released me. I crouched and waited, staring at the pile of debris that I was sure had moved, and after a second, another pile nearby gave a twitch as something moved in it.
I froze as Bane hissed out a single word…
“Spiders!”
It was as though the word was a call to arms, and suddenly a dozen spiders the size of cats erupted from hiding across the room, barreling towards us with a horrific skittering sound, dozens of chitinous legs tapping across the floor. I backed up straight away. I wasn’t scared of spiders; I just hated the horrible bastards. They made my skin crawl…and the sight of a dozen of the largest ones I had ever seen heading straight for me…nope!
I lashed out with my naginata at the nearest, while Flux and Bane moved up to either side of me. I cut through a handful of legs on one side of my target, sending it flying, and a gout of ichor poured out.
An angry chittering rose, and the remaining spiders started moving faster, I felt panic rearing its ugly head as they sped up, and I slashed out again and again, screaming involuntarily when one bunched its legs up and leapt through the air at me, flying at my face.
I had a long view of its approach, legs spread wide, foul head facing me, and long fangs extended… when Bane smashed it from the air with one of his spears.
The spider hit the wall with a crunching sound and fell to the ground, its legs spasming before curling up in death.
I took an involuntary step back again, before gritting my teeth and stepping forward again, slashing and stabbing. The tip of my naginata punched through the chitinous shell of the last spider and glanced off the ground below it, filling the air with a scraping sound.
I panted, searching around, and seeing nothing left to kill, and I spun on Flux instead.
“What the hell was that?!?” I snarled at him. “Where’s Cheena? She’s supposed to be warning us about shit like this!” Flux bowed his head in apology and quickly replied.
“She wouldn’t have considered this something to warn us of, Lord Jax. All of our kind can sense the spiders and their kin. We can generally slip through without them sensing us, or kill them with ease, usually. With only a dozen, she would have co
nsidered them a minor annoyance and simply continued on. I didn’t consider it myself, until you almost walked into their trap…” He shook his head and clapped Bane on the shoulder. “If not for Bane, you could have been seriously injured. Our debt to you climbs further. I take full responsibility…I…”
“Oh, fuck off,” I snapped, turning away from the room, and wiping my hand across my face, getting my breathing under control. After a couple of long seconds, I turned back to them, and spoke up quietly.
“I’m sorry, Flux, I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’ve got an… issue with creatures like that. Fucking SporeMother was the same, freaked me the hell out,” I said. I hadn’t let anyone know about it, hiding it even from Oracle so far, but I’d been having nightmares of fighting that damn thing ever since I’d killed it. I kept imagining it at full strength, capturing me and impregnating me with its spawn. Freaked me the funk out.
“SporeMother?” Flux asked, turning to face me again, ignoring the room ahead. Even Bane had jumped, spinning halfway around before he caught himself and turned back to watching the room ahead.
“Yeah…there was one in the Tower, fucking thing nearly killed me,” I muttered.
“You escaped it? Has it bred? The Tower has long been considered a site of ancient evil, even by the soldiers I knew. Adventurers were sent over the years to clear it out, but none returned…”
“It had bred… yeah. Maybe a dozen Sporelings were loose in the Tower when I arrived; they’re nightmare fuel as well. As to the adventurers, I found a few being inhabited by DarkSpore, so if you knew them, I’m sorry,” I muttered, shaking my head and shrugging apologetically.
“Then this area isn’t safe either… We will gather the pod after this and we will move to… wait, you said you were Lord of the Tower… the notifications… you killed it?!?” Flux asked me, clearly shocked.
