A smile crossed the goblin’s face. “I would never!”
Bataar tried to grab his bow but the goblin hugged it tightly to his chest.
“Maybe we should let him keep the bow,” I said. “It’d be unfair to let him lead us without at least some form of protection.”
Bataar squinted his eyes at me and let go of Grimy’s bow. The little goblin stuck his tongue out but was forced to dodge a strike from Bataar.
“I don’t trust him.”
“Neither do I,” I agreed.
The goblin placed his head through the bow and let it dangle around his neck. “You two do realize I’m standing here, right?”
“Shut up,” said Bataar and I in unison.
Bataar picked up another flaming piece of wood and both of us followed the goblin back the way we came. It wasn’t but a few steps out that he stopped and bent low to the ground. He blew out a puff of air sending a cloud of dirt. This revealed a small square etched into the cavern ground.
“See this?” Grimy asked, pointing at the square with a broken fingernail. “This here is a booby trap! Strong enough to kill a player of Level 18 in one hit. You two are lucky.”
The goblin snickered and continued to walk. Bataar and I exchanged glances and were extra careful to walk directly behind him.
Bataar: Think he showed us that to get us to trust him more?
Tharis: Probably. I’d have done the same, I guess.
We made it back to the intersection in one piece and just before Grimy was about to take the other path the party, chat glowed. It was Guud!
Guud: Guys? Guys, are you there? You didn’t leave me right? Right?”
Tharis: Hey! Are you okay?
Bataar: Do we look like the kind of guys to just leave a player behind?
Tharis: Where are you?
There was no update from Guud for quite a while and so I told Grimy to pick up the pace.
Guud: Ugh, I don’t know. I’m stuck to the wall. That… thing… he’s saving me for dinner, I think.
Bataar: Just hold on! We’re coming.
Tharis: The Grottopus can be killed with fire. Any ideas?
Bataar: Another bomb?
Guud: I’m all out. I’d need ugh. Hold on.
Guud: I would need two copper ores. I have the rest of the supplies for just one more bomb.
Tharis: Where could we get copper ore?
Guud: There may be a few copper veins somewhere in the cave.
Grimy: I have some copper.
Bataar and I stopped walking and stared at Grimy, who, hearing that we had stopped, turned and gave us a questioning face. “What?”
“What do you mean, what? How are you reading our chat?” Bataar asked. “That’s private!”
“No, it isn’t, stupid Archean! You’re talking in General Chat. You have to switch it to party!”
“Oh,” Bataar said. Then, realizing he’d been called stupid, lunged at Grimy with both hands extended.
“Wait!” I cried. “Don’t hurt him. Grimy, you have at least two copper ores?”
Bataar was holding him up by his jerkin, a scaled fist pulled back and ready to punch. Had he forgotten that Grimy was three levels above him?
Grimy nodded his head. “I do.”
“Can we use them?”
“Can I live?” he asked.
Bataar let go of Grimy and the goblin landed on his butt.
“Yeah,” I said. “Your life for two copper ores.”
Grimy stood and walked up to me. Standing there, his head at my waist, he extended his hand upwards. “Deal.”
Reluctantly, I took the hand and gave it a shake. It was cold and rough.
The goblin turned and rubbed his palms together like he was conducting some evil scheme. I didn’t like it but he was the only option we had at that moment. It was either this or forget about Guud and The Lionheart’s Journey entirely. I could always run away and dig a hole in the ground to live the rest of my days. However, I knew none of that was an option now. I could never live with myself.
Guud: Who’s Grimy?
Tharis: A friend.
Bataar: A prisoner.
Grimy: A goblin.
Guud: I don’t understand, but please hurry. It’s not here right now but I’m afraid that when it gets back it may be ready to eat!
The three of us double-timed it, not taking the time to create chat texts but focusing only on running. A blue light shone ahead and Grimy came to a walk.
“We’ve made it to the river. We must cross one at a time at the bridge ahead or else it may collapse.”
“Ok, lead the way,” I said.
“Tell your friend to extinguish his fire. It won’t be needed. The parts of the cave ahead are lit by Luminmoss, a plant that gives off blue light.”
Bataar, although not happy to take indirect orders from the prisoner, did extinguish his fire and we kept walking. The sound of the river became noticeable to me first, then Bataar which I could tell when he perked up his head.
We entered a vast room illuminated by what Grimy had called the Luminmoss which covered almost the entirety of the cavern walls. Below us, I could see the river flowing rapidly down the center of the cave. In front of us was a bridge that had seen better days. The wood looked to have rotted a long time ago and there were holes on each and every plank. There was no rope to hold on to so each of us would have to balance. My hands grew clammy just thinking of it.
“Ready?” Grimy asked.
“You first,” said Bataar.
“What if he runs away once he makes it to the other side?” I asked.
Bataar thought about it a moment, “Good point. Then, you hold on to him here and I’ll go first.”
I nodded at him and gripped on to a piece of the goblin’s jerkin.
“Why is everyone grabbing my clothes? I’m not going anywhere! I want that damned thing killed just as much as you two!”
Bataar couldn’t hear us by now. He’d taken his first two steps onto the bridge and extended his long arms in both directions to keep his balance.
“Why do you want it dead?” I asked him. “Don’t all of you cave dwellers work together?”
Grimy spat, “Hardly. Hondren basically keeps us held captive as well. All of us were too afraid to go against him. Wait till you see that big ass oaf. And that Grottopus, well… it’s killed too many of my friends to count!”
I didn’t say another word but nodded my head. I hated myself for actually feeling sympathetic for the nasty, little creature. But who was I to judge, really? Were these the right thoughts to have, being that I was now Enlightened? Didn’t every being deserve a chance?
“I made it!” called Bataar from across the bridge, his claws cupped over his dragon snout. “Send over the green booger!”
Grimy wiggled under my grip and I could see him grip his fists. I let go of his jerkin.
“Go easy on him,” I said. “He’s not too bad of a player. He’s just been screwed with by a lot of other players.”
Grimy looked up at me and I couldn’t tell what he was feeling because his black, beady eyes gave nothing away. He then looked back at Bataar and slowly made his way across the bridge.
Now, it was my turn. I walked up to the edge of the creaking bridge and instantly felt my stomach drop as soon as I looked down. There was no way in hell I’d have enough stamina to survive those rapids!
I let out a deep breath and took my first step. So far so good. I took another step, then another, then… CRACK!
The two lines that connected the bridge behind me snapped and I was tumbling downwards. I fell forward and gripped one of the planks. The bridge was still attached at the top and the now swinging ladder smashed hard against the other rocky cliff.
Health: 72%
Pain surged up both my hands and I could see that I had smashed my fingers between the board and rock. I gritted my teeth as tears filled my eyes.
“Oh shit! You alive down there? Tharis!”
“Yeah!” I called up.
“I’m all right! Just give me a minute.”
There was no way I could use my fingers to climb, not in their condition. I would have to find another way to make it to the top.
30
I could feel the bridge lowering. I looked up and could see the rope fringing on the sharp edge of the cliff. I needed to think fast.
My fingers were useless, but luckily the adrenaline that rushed through my veins dulled the pain allowing me to think. I flattened my hands and used my palms rather than my fingers to start my climb.
Although the pain wasn’t as bad as it could have been, my slow ascension was still agonizing. My forearms were shaking terribly every time I lifted them to place my palm on the next plank. I could feel Bataar’s and Grimy’s stares on the top of my head. Neither of them said anything, thankfully, allowing me to concentrate fully.
Then, the worst possible thing that could have happened, happened…
The durability of the rope hit zero and snapped. I dwindled motionless in the air before plummeting down. I was just about to let go of a scream when the bridge came to a sudden halt. The jolt sent my left hand flying off, leaving me with just one palm still connected.
I looked up to see not just Bataar, but Grimy as well, holding on to the remaining pieces of rope. I could see the veins on their faces from here as their stamina slowly drifted closer to zero.
It was now or never.
I quickened my pace, ignoring the screams coming from my fingers. I let out a huge huff of air with every level until, finally, I pushed with my last bit of stamina and went just half a foot into the air, both my arms sprawling above my head.
Grimy and Bataar were there. Each of them grabbed a wrist and pulled me up. All three of us laid there, our breath heavy and loud. It was cold in there. How was I cold from all that exertion? Probably because my blood had chilled from the fright of it all. I’d almost died.
Then, something strange happened. We all started to laugh. Not just a chuckle, but a full on laugh! I guess that was the sort of thing that happened when you brushed so close to death.
“Ok,” I said. “We need to get going.”
Tharis: Guud, you still with us?”
Guud: Yes, but please hurry. I’m… scared.
Tharis: Don’t worry. We’re coming.
“So, how are we going to get out?” Bataar asked, leaning over the edge of the cliff.
“The bridge will respawn after a time,” answered Grimy. “It should be up by the time we get back.”
I looked back at where the bridge should have been and dreaded the thought of having to cross over it again.
We stood and took off down the next tunnel which was also lit by the Luminmoss. The ground and walls were slowly getting more and more slippery, a white, translucent slime now covering them. That was how we knew we were getting close to the Grottopus’ home.
Guud: I can hear you guys. Hurry, it isn’t here yet.
We turned the last corner and found Guud stuck to the cavern walls about two feet above the ground. This was another large room with two large doors on the opposite side. I guess that was probably where Hondren’s living quarters were.
I ran up to Guud. His face was more pale than usual and I could see his cheeks turning blue. It looked like he was running out of oxygen. Quickly, I pulled out my sword, targeted the slime and struck. The goo faded to white smoke and Guud fell to the ground, gasping for air.
“Thuh… thanks!” he gasped.
Bataar walked up to him and beat on his back. Slime flew from his mouth and there was more where that came from. A coughing fit came next and so did more batches of the slime. I didn’t want to think how all of that got inside of him.
Grimy stood back from us, gagging at the sight.
“This should be nothing for you!” Bataar yelled at him. “You probably eat this stuff for breakfast.”
“We goblins may have appetites for vile things but… that’s too much.”
I bent down next to Guud. “We have the two copper ores. Can you make the bomb?”
Guud coughed up once more and nodded his head.
“Grimy! The two copper ores please!”
Grimy waddled over to us, his hands in his bag. He pulled out two palm-sized ores and handed them to Guud, who, upon seeing the green hand and yellow fingernails, was hesitant before snatching them up.
He sat on his butt and pulled out a few more of his own supplies which looked to me like a hammer, some metal wire of some sort, and cotton. He placed all the supplies on the ground and hit them once with the hammer. A white light shone for an instant before disappearing, leaving a small bomb.
“Now, I gotta learn that trick!” exclaimed Grimy.
“Where did you see the Grottopus go?” I asked Guud.
He was shaking now, his face still blue but not from lack of oxygen. He cupped the bomb in trembling hands and held it to his chest.
The ground beneath us quaked and I asked again, “Guud! Where is it coming from?”
Guud looked up at me but didn’t answer. In fact, he asked me a different question entirely. “I heard you say you saw Lehn, my brother. What happened to him? I can’t reach him through chat…”
The question took me off guard. I didn’t know how to respond, but my open mouth and wide eyes must have given him the answer he needed to hear. His face went zombie-like and turned an even lighter shade of white which I didn’t think could be possible.
He stood up and so did I. I wanted to apologize, I really did, but I was stunned. No words formed in my head and none came out of my mouth.
The quakes stopped. There was a small crack in the far side of the room and that is where the Grottopus squirmed out its head. Two red eyeballs found us immediately. It wasted no time before pulling itself out and making a dash for us.
“Quick! Guud! Give me the bomb!” I thrust my hand out but Guud did not give it to me.
“Give him the damned bomb, you idiot!” cried Bataar, charging at him.
Guud, seeing Bataar coming for the bomb, ran away, directly into the path of the Grottopus.
I watched as the young blacksmith pulled flint and stone out of his pocket. With only two hands he was able to snap the flint and stone and light the fuse, all the while running to meet his doom.
There was no saving him now.
Guud stopped right in front of the Grottopus’ path and hugged the armed bomb to his chest. He did not look back at us. His knees and elbows were not trembling.
I watched as the ten foot beast swallowed the boy whole, blood shooting across the room and onto the opposite wall.
Then… BOOM!
31
I hadn’t known it at the time, but I had been running towards Guud, trying my best to catch him. My injured right hand was out in front of me ready to push him out of the way.
The blast took me off my feet and slammed me backwards into Bataar who slammed backwards into Grimy. We were covered in the beast’s sticky gore.
I rolled off of Bataar and used my index finger to pop a hole into the slime that covered my mouth. I took a big, deep breath and cried out in frustration. This was two times I had lost someone in this damned world! I hadn’t even been alive for more than a month and, already, I had lost two friends.
Bataar put his hand on my shoulder. We were quiet for a bit until he said, “Enlightenment comes with a cost. We feel things others do not, Tharis. I don’t need the wizard to tell me that.”
Tears dripped out of my eyes. My ears were ringing. My health was below 15%. I was miserable.
Grimy walked up to us. He wasn’t smiling his usual smile but crossed his arms in front of his waist and bowed his head. We gave Guud a moment of our thoughts. Neither Bataar nor I realized that we had just leveled up. Myself, once, and him twice.
Grimy turned out to be a very useful goblin. He built us a fire and was able to catch a few rats to put over its flames. The food restored my health and brought my hands back to normal. Bataar fell asleep, leaving just me and Grimy to
talk.
“Why’d you do it?” I asked him.
“What are you talking about?”
Grimy snatched another rat just as it had peeked its head out of a small hole in the wall. He pierced it with his stick and placed it over the flames. I watched as the small animal cooked. After a while the fire would change the rat’s status to edible and they didn’t taste half-bad.
“You know what I mean. Why’d you save me?”
Grimy spun the stick in his hand, pulled the rat out of the fire and took a bite from it. He chewed a bit until he said, “I guess… I don’t know… I guess I was just returning the favor is all.”
At first, I didn’t know what he was talking about and then, thinking back, I guess I did sort of save him from Bataar. Even though the old Archean wouldn’t have been able to finish off the goblin, I certainly would have stepped in and done it myself. Grimy must have known this.
“Yeah, well, I guess I’ve seen too much violence lately.”
“What? You don’t like killin’ things?”
“It’s not that. I love the feeling of leveling up and all, it’s just… I lost a good friend back in my starter village. Things have just been too real. The feelings and emotions. The strange thoughts that constantly run through my head. I…”
Grimy had stopped chewing and stared at me with his black eyes. I watched the fire dance in their reflection. The goblin had a face that rested only in a state of anger but I could tell that he wasn’t mad or anything. He looked intrigued.
“Go on,” he said, taking another bite.
Figuring there would be no harm in telling him about the quest Bataar and I shared, I did so. I told him everything. From Ushmoe’s dying, to the Golden Alliance, to The Lionheart’s Journey. The goblin stayed quiet, only nodding his head at the pauses in my story and, of course, the occasional bite of his charred rat.
“And that’s my story,” I said, finishing up my life’s epic in a five minute speech.
Grimy snorted. “I’d heard about the Lionheart. Never did I guess you’d come to Hondren’s Cavern, not in a buzzillion years.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.”
“So, now you’re here to save Ronin, eh? That’s gonna be tough. Hondren’s a Level 30 Orc and he’s big. Very big.”
The Lionheart: a LitRPG Novel (No Respawn Book 1) Page 15
