Chapter Forty Three

Joe clenched his jaw then blinked, flicking a glance towards the other three before releasing a sigh in relief. At least the auto-translate didn’t kick in! Wait? Why didn’t it? Joe’s clenched jaw changed to a grimace as he remembered that small conundrum. Well, not the time or place.

Joe considered the situation, and didn’t like his options. He knew that beginner dungeons were only supposed to have one or two core creatures, but Joe wasn’t feeling comfortable after the fight with the goblin king. Nor was he comfortable with a creature that was supposed to be a boss of a creature like the goblin king.

Joe took a couple of minutes before he decided to delegate, using his apprentices as he was supposed to, “So, any hints as to how we can get out of here?”

The three shuffled quietly around him, offering nothing and Joe tried once more, “Hey guys. I’m serious. Is there a way we can get out?”

The silence was tinged with discomfort and Joe glanced over to see the three embarrassed and refusing to look towards them although Garndell did seem more willing to look him in the eye. The two siblings actually focused their attention on Garnedell, expecting him to take the lead, obviously, and Joe finally sighed.

“Alright. What is it? Spit it out.”

“Joe… we cannot leave a boss fight… uh… I mean, I’ve never heard of being able to leave a boss fight.”

“Huh!” Joe considered this response with a bit of consternation, uncertain how to respond.

Kilniara looked up to Joe this time, asked with a timid hope, “Have you lost and left boss fights before, Master Joe?”

“Yeah. Of course!” In a video game! Joe sighed, a bit frustrated and tense, replying with a bit of heat.

The three, however, seemed to take Joe’s statement with a hint of hope and excitement, quickly energizing. “Should we look for a way out, Joe?” Garnedell asked quickly.

“Definitely, but look around back here. Don’t go towards the front of the room,” Joe replied, although he felt a bit guilty and tempered their hope, “But don’t get too excited. We might not be able to get out. Some boss rooms don’t let you get out.”

“Ah…” Zilnek gasped, then quickly covered his mouth, and Joe smirked a bit, laughing at the young man’s flustered cry.

The three scrambled around Joe, looking everywhere for several minutes, allowing Joe to continue to evaluate the noble golden goblin still on the stage, considering carefully. The golden goblin had calmed, tension flowing from it although it still showed a subtle rage that simmered underneath the smirk. It had ended its laughter of schadenfreude and now simply watched on, mocking humor flitting across its features.

The three finally returned a bit later, a look of disappointment and embarrassment on their faces, although Kilniara and Zilnek’s countenances held a hint of fear. They worried about dying? Man…

“Relax. I told you. Some bosses don’t let you out, and the way this thing was laughing when we tried to leave… well, let’s just say I was pretty sure there wasn’t any way out. Besides, I’ll keep us all safe. I went four on one just before and we’re all OK, right?” Joe finished as he nodded, then glanced at the two siblings and smiling in affirmation. “We’ll have to fight but don’t worry. You guys stay back here, alright?”

Garnedell replied quickly, obviously used to Joe’s style, while the two siblings stumbled in their response but replied well enough. Joe nodded and sighed, preparing himself and checking his weaponry. As before, he decided to keep what he’d had before, with the sword and club sheathed and holding the spear and shield. A spear and shield just added so much safety for the coming fight, giving him what he hoped would be enough time to figure out this thing and its fighting style. Since he had the time, he took it to stretch himself, making sure to spend extra time on his left arm after the snow’s attack.

Right. Let’s do this.

I can just take it nice and slow.

Gotta bit of a short reach.

It’s not too tall.

It’s relaxed.

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No weapon.

In control.

Control fear.

Caution required.

Possible mage.

Unarmed combat.

Monk?

High ground.

Stay back.

Smiling.

Smiling more.

Joe struggled out of his combat, his mind suddenly screaming in a panicked warning, his mind surfacing to consider this new data, his steps freezing as he looked up at the slightly insane grin. Happy… Why? Joe’s eyes hooded, thoughts considering. Why is it so happy?

Joe took another cautious step or two forward, watching the monster carefully, and noticing it smiling with a bit of a care free and confident smile with a tinge of mocking and… something else? What? Anticipation!

Joe froze, staring at the creature for a bit before ending his advance, rising out of his stance slightly. Joe considered, confused by the golden goblin’s anticipation. Is he excited to attack me? Or…

Joe thought for a bit, stepping forward for a bit, then retreating a few steps, but found nothing he did made the creature unhappy. In fact, his waffling only seemed to increase the golden goblin’s mockery and cruel anticipation. Joe sighed, just about to continue on as his whirling mind couldn’t figure out why the creature was so … Joe’s eyes hardened, narrowing as he flickered a glance between the creature and his apprentices crouched in a semi group hug in the corner.

He slipped back to his apprentices and settled in front of them, but the look didn’t really change on his opponent’s face. Joe was once again left uncertain. What other variable could there be? What’s… maybe. Joe considered another option and made a choice.

“Garnedell. Kilniara. Zilnek. Follow me to the front, but stay right behind me and against the wall. There’s… something’s just not right. Stay against the wall and behind me, OK?”

Joe started walking down the hall once again, the other three staying behind the columns against the wall. Joe watched the goblin carefully while keeping his eye on the other three, making sure they maintained their pace behind him and kept him between them and the golden goblin. As they began making their way down the hall, Joe was able to notice a slight flicker of annoyance slip through the golden goblin’s façade and Joe felt his heart settle before climbing again as the ramifications set in.

So, he was hoping to target the other three. At least I’ll be able to protect them now, but if he was sure of being able to attack them… Joe’s mind solidified on that fact and started to feel unsettled.

He was sure he could take out the other three.

He’s got range.

Or he’s got speed.

Fast swordsman or maybe an assassin or rogue.

Or a mage or ranger of some kind; a bowman?

No weapons though, mage?

Mage.

Swordsman, ranger, rogue: shield.

Mage, maybe shield.

Magic; teleports or area attacks.

Rush or stay back?

No. Stay back! It was happy for the separation.

Spear, shield, hold.

Joe settled into his stance, shifting behind the colonnade and keeping his place in front of the other three, staying close. Joe ended up catching sight of the creature through flashing moments as the columns cleared his line of sight.

They soon made the front of the hall and the creature still had not moved as they came around the last column, facing towards Joe but still standing without concern. Joe stopped, standing at the bottom of the dais steps, refusing to climb. They stood frozen, watching each other for some minutes until Joe finally grimaced and decided he would have to climb. Need trigger… climb?

Joe flicked his hand backwards to tell the other three to stay behind as he climbed the stairs. Joe’s first foot slipped silently and firmly onto the first stair, his weight shifting forward smoothly and cautiously. Nothing occurred and Joe swapped legs, moving his other foot up to the next step. He did not stutter or move slowly, simply smoothly and cautiously placing weight in a cautious increase while maintaining his balance on his rear leg so he could immediately remove his forward foot if needed without putting additional weight on the forward leg. He didn’t want to trigger anything, but needed to continue forward. His only option was to walk forward and press down cautiously, feeling for any shift in the stone in front of him.

Joe made it to the top without any response from the creature, but as soon as his foot stepped on the top of the dais, the golden goblin grinned wolfishly and suddenly spread its arms. Armor seemed to slide out of its body as if rising from hidden depths. Simultaneously, a sword slid out of its arm and into its right hand while he began to slowly rise into the air, swirling snow circling in a tornado around it while lightning seemed to crackle from the creature into the surrounding snow storm. As Joe watched all this occur, he finally recognized the armor that appeared, the signature curlicues prominent on the major pieces: helm, breastplate, rerebrace and vambrace, cuisse and greaves. More armor! Joe’s cautious nature had him quickly scamper back down the stairs to keep his friends safe, but he would now need room, and he flickered a hand behind him rapidly.

“Back up! Back up! But stay close! Not too close, but back up!”

Joe slid backwards until he caught sight of the golden goblin between the columns and settled, stiff and waiting, shield up and protecting his torso and head, spear resting over the top of it.

The goblin simply smirked, still not speaking while it floated down the dais stairs, magic seemingly ‘coming online’ in a way Joe didn’t quite understand, the magical snowstorm first, but growing in power, followed quickly by the lightning storm as it too continued to grow. The floating power obviously had something to do with the two affects, but what caused him a lot of concern was the fact that he had lit up four of his armor pieces curlicues. The golden goblin was significantly more capable than the mukfrog. Snow storm. Lightning storm. Floating. Four armor pieces!

Joe sighed, but kept himself focused. He brought the spear out, sliding outward into the hall so as to have room as he called out quietly, “Keep me between you and this guy! And make sure to always stay behind a column. Don’t let it see you! Run right away if I tell you! Run towards the door.”