The group looked around the dust and debris from the collapsing tunnels. Swift only spun in fire as he activated his cloak to rid himself of all the dust, whilst the dryad similarly lifted it off her and Adil shot air out blowing the dirt away from him. Seras looked around at the team magically cleaning themselves in disdain as a gust of air blew dirt her way.

"Are you ladies ready yet?" She asked, now coated in more dirt than before.

"This way." Adil said. leading them towards another distant path. They heard growls and clatter along the path and Adil sensing what was going on picked up the pace. Reaching a space more brightly lit with insects and mushrooms he saw a black mass with teeth moving towards an armoured goblin defending an unarmoured one.

One gust of air blew the beast to the side, collapsing it against the wall and then he loaded up an arrow.

"Get back," Adil said in goblin. having the other two back off slightly.

he shot out one of his explosive arrows ad it caught the beast in the leg, making a black sludge pop off from it scattering on the floor. Swift came then and shot out a fire that caught all the black leaving it to stay alight along the pathway. Seras then arrived putting the goblins on alert, until the dryad had caught their gaze.

Enemy slain    XP     

Mutated wolf     100

(failed)

First kill note:

The taint failed to combine with the wolf. Instead, the wolf was consumed and turned into a manifestation of pure taint.

"We are here to help," Adil said in goblin-speak.  The smaller goblin was holding his misshapen weapon at the group waving it at them, not trusting what they said. The armoured goblin put down his weapon and pointed further down the tunnel. 

"More fighting, darkness takes. Kill slowly. Many trapped." Taint was clearly visible protruding from under his chest plate. The dryad took the cursed liquid out from the two as Swift burnt it again.

The goblins were again taken back, the feeling of relief clearly visible on them as though they had never known such mental clarity. "Lead the way." The dryad said trying to hurry them along. They came to an area closed off within the catacombs, where a small barricade had was holding off creations of taint like he had just seen before. The creatures though, as frightening as they were, did not seem to be making much of a move, just staring down the goblins ferociously trying to hold them in one place.

Swift shot fire into the first one as Adil fired three air empowered arrows into the other beast, finishing them off quickly. 

"We're getting you out of here," Adil said to the other goblins.  The area held heavily mutated goblins unable to move half collapsed to the floor, a wreathing infestation coating their body, all the conscious goblins could do was look up in utter confusion.  Though it was clear that the goblins could handle the corruption more easily than trolls or wolves, it was tearing their bodies apart.

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The group got to work cleansing the goblins taint. Swift got another notification as his ability to cleanse had reached the status of holy fire. Echoes of gnarls and screams resonated once again down the tunnels as they progressed through the goblins.

"If you hold them we can finish here and move out together," Swift said to Adil.

"I'm on it," Adil replied and gathered with Seras to the barricades, a goblin crossbowman two fighters and one with armour stood next to them.

The first demented creatures shadow appeared in the distance, Adil shot an arrow into the creature hearing a screech.

"What's your name bud." Adil said to the armoured goblin, he didn't reply for a while but then after a brief pause said.

"Ezra." 

"Well Ezra, we have to hold the line here and then we can get out, are you ready for that?"

The goblin looked at Adil wide-eyed and over to Seras, she held her new axe with two hands staring down the upcoming forces.

"You help goblins?" He asked. 

"Yeah, we help goblins." Adil replied.

A wave of black congested clawing arms seemed to charge out of the depths. Adil shot another two arrows focusing the storm within him to fly them through the sky. The impacts held a strong kinetic force but it appeared to have little effect.  The other goblin archer fired off shots with him and one of the fighters pushed down a barrel. The barrel fell down until he threw a lit torch onto it seeing it explode and cover the beasts like napalm.

The creatures screeched in pain but didn't appear to take much damage from this fire. When they finally reached the barricade Adil stepped out and let out a mighty gust, exerting all his mana built strength. The creatures flew away and the goblins looked towards Adil in surprise before bracing again for the creatures.

With that Seras had stepped out, slamming her axe into each creature making it fly away before exploding with the after effect the weapon brought. Each goblin fighter helped closer to the barricade pushing the beasts back so they could get a few more arrows and slams from Seras.

Adil was still recovering from the ground and could only see Seras get swamped with more of the creatures, demented corrupted goblins and masses of black tar encircling her. As Seras slammed another wreathing mass with her axe bracing for the impact a dog launched at her back. The armoured goblin dove into elbow the goblin out the way, and connected eyes with Seras as she saw what he had just done. 

They seemed to be winning the battle, the monsters before them being too weak that even in their numbers they could be held back. Adil had managed to get to his feet again when he saw the mass of darkness spread out amongst the creatures slain congealing into something more. 

"Get back!" Adil shouted, and Seras managed to spot the incoming danger, slamming her axe into the side of the wall before backing away, an explosion of rock and dust scattering what was chasing her. They managed to get behind the barricade as the fighters pushed over another barrel with a spark of flame. The scattered fire did little damage to the mass as it took shape, only illuminating it.

"Swift, are you fucking done yet," Adil shouted.

"Last one." he replied. 

Adil got ready, charging a final burst of air as the group saw what had formed before them. 5 differently shaped legs connected to an abdomen protruding some sort of head made only for teeth. Eyes appearing across its body, moving around. It took a step towards them, Seras and Ezra holding behind the barricades while the other fighters overcome with fear and trepidation could only move back.

Suddenly a blast of fire as bright as the sun shot through, burning through the creature like a beam. A fighter back to his senses launched another casket at the beast catching it onto the flames and scattering napalm around it which dissolved through the black mass, spreading the cleansing properties of Swifts fire. Adil on that mark launched out a gust of wind into the fire. The area beyond had a wall of cleansing fire pass through, dissolving everything in its path. Reaching the end of the passageway to make the place appear like a normal cave it once was.

A series of notifications popped open for Swift and Adil.

killed behemoth,

4 mutated goblins

2 failed mutations

6 mutated wolves

level up.