The party set out for Traville, and Caisin set a brisk pace that had them at the town before the sun was fully down.

Arriving there, the party entered the Bird and Baby and sat down at their normal table for a hot dinner. After, they all went up to Lance's room to open the box they had retrieved from the wraith's temple.

"Any concerns about opening this?" Lance looked around but no one responded. "Okay, then."

Lance pulled the top of the box open and looked inside. He reached in and pulled out a sword almost identical to the sword the dragon had demanded from him. This should be worth some more rewards. He set it on the bed.

He reached in again and pulled out what looked like a holy book but was covered in the same awful pictograms that the temple had been in. Looking around for any objections and finding none, Lance walked over to the fireplace and dropped the book into the flames which quickly caught and burned the small book.

Returning Lance looked inside and pulled out four more items. A bracelet, a ring, a wand, and a piece of embroidered cloth.

He looked closely at the cloth and read aloud, "Increase defense rating against humans." Okay, that makes sense as a prize they may use at times. I suppose you would attach this to your armor?

Cletus popped up and looked at the piece. "Yes that is what they call a patch, it will only work on cloth armor. If you cut a similar size piece out of a cloak it will merge perfectly with the cloth while staying distinct."

Lucinda looked at the square of cloth and then asked, "Is it cursed."

"Are there any more magic words on there?" the large rodent dressed up in leather asked.

Lance examined the piece closely and then shook his head.

"It is okay then."

Lucinda asked if anyone minded and when everyone shook their head she took the piece from Lance, cut a similar-sized hole in her cloak near the bottom seam, and placed the patch in the hole. The threads of the cloak and of the patch seemed to come alive and interweave with each other. When the work was done the patch was obvious but still perfectly integrated with her cloak.

Ian turned back to the other three items and picked up the ring. He peered at it hard as he turned it in his hand but came away shaking his head. "I can't see any markings. What does that mean, Cletus?"

"It means there are no magic markings on the ring that you can see. That's it. Nothing more I can tell you."

Setting the ring aside, Lance grabbed the bracelet. Again, he examined the item closely but this time spoke sooner, "Okay, this one seems obvious. Only one set of markings. Heals cost half mana." He handed the item to Poly who immediately put it on and cast a heal at Grog.

"Yup, that works as advertised. Double heals will be great."

Everyone murmured their appreciation.

Lance took up the wand and again spoke quickly, "Illusion three times. This seems strategic more than the other items, mind if I keep it?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"So what do we do with the ring then? Should we sell it? Bury it? Burn it?"

Casion spoke up, "I think we should at least sell it, why waste resources like this?"

Lance handed Casion the ring indicating that he should get what he could for it.

"Okay, time for some sleep, but tomorrow, we should return to the dragon and give him the other sword."

----------------------------------------

Moving through the dappled light near the edge of the forest Lance motioned for the party to drop down and be quiet as he and Lucinda entered stealth and moved silently to the final row of trees. From there they were they could make out the small encampment the goblins had made outside the valley where Lance had begun his journey, to his distress Lance could clearly see several goblins standing around the camp. At least one of them looked like the goblin sergeant he had bested on his first day.

"I see four", Lance whispered.

"Five", Lucinda said as she turned to return to the group.

Lance looked back one more time and shrugged, "Probably more than that." He said to himself.

When they were gathered together again under the dappled shade of a mix of oaks and pine Lucinda let the party know what they had seen. "Lance saw four goblins and I saw five."

Lance piped in, "There may be more up in the valley behind the encampment. Basically, we have no idea what we are facing. But if this is something that is designed to catch us or stop us then five is not enough, I would expect that these are to tempt us in so those hidden up in the small canyon can rush out at us."

Caisin looked worried, "They must have figured out that all of this started here." He snapped his head around to look at Grog, "Any chance we can get those wolves to help us again."

Grog looked a little sheepish, "My two wolves are nearby now, but the others." He shrugged, "Not much of a chance, I talked them into helping us out that one time, but the reward was small for losing so many of the pack."

Caisin nodded.

Lucinda spoke up again, "We could wait for nightfall and Lance and I could sneak over there and take a look. A night attack would likely be best anyway."

The party pulled back into the woods a few hundred feet and settled in to wait out the day in a small clearing that let the warm sun through the normally heavy canopy. A few hours into the wait they moved back under the trees as a light rain began to fall.

"This weather could not be better for a night attack." Lucinda said, "With the moon and stars blocked they will never see us coming."

"I agree, but something just does not feel right," Lance said. He shook his head, "What are they doing here, it just doesn't make sense." Maybe we can capture one of the goblins on our way back from scouting and interrogate it.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Are you prepared to torture a goblin?"

Lance looked uncomfortable, "I know it's just a game, but no, I am not prepared to do that. Killing in war is one thing, torturing is another. But the goblin would not know that and they are not known for their bravery."

Lucinda nodded, "Okay, let's go then."

Lance and Lucinda both moved into stealth mode and silently moved across the open ground toward the goblin camp. As they approached they skirted the main area trying to move unseen around the camp and into the valley behind it. The goblins had lit a fire and it made eerie shadows dance all around but in the canyon the shadows were down right spooky. Shadow goblins as large as giants moved in a wavering way along the walls. As they approached they were able to overhear some of the conversation around the campfire.

"Okay, time is up you five, back into the canyon and send out group three."

"Aye aye, Lieutenant," The goblins grumbled but one by one they got up from the fire and moved back into the canyon leaving the larger goblin alone by the fire for a moment. A moment after they walked in a group of goblins jogged out of the canyon apparently eager to warm themselves by the fire. None of the goblins were looking at the entrance as Lucinda and Lance slid along the rock wall and into the canyon.

As they came to the bend Lucinda put her hand up motioning for Lance to stop, even knowing she was there he could barely see her. She sent through party chat "25 regulars here and 2 more sergeants. I have a plan, can you set a trap or two right here? Lance nodded bent down for a couple of seconds and then stood. They slid back out and slowly returned to the group.

"Okay, they have two sergeants and another 25 goblins back in the canyon. That makes a lieutenant, two sergeants, and thirty goblins total. Lance has two traps set at the entrance to the canyon.", Lucinda said as they sat down to discuss her plan.

Half an hour later they were moving quietly toward the encampment. Twenty feet out Caisin waved for them all to duck down as Lance and Lucinda pulled up their bows. The lieutenant was standing a few feet away from the fire where the other 5 goblins were chatting with great animation. Two arrows suddenly sprouted from the lieutenant, one from his right eye and the other from his neck. As he was falling two more goblins suddenly dropped with arrows in their hearts.

Sparky whispered "Charge!" as electricity jumped from his fingers to impact the other three goblins sitting by the fire.

The party rushed past the camp up to the edge of the canyon, Lance nodded at Lucinda who crept into the canyon stealthed.

About five seconds later a booming voice came out of the canyon, "Who dares invade my domain? I will crush you!" The canyon erupted with sounds of chaotic movement as a jumble of goblins came running around the corner and as the group saw the party standing in the entrance the first ten goblins slid to a stop just as the first trap Lance had set exploded with light. The party charged in as all of the goblins dropped. As they rounded the corner one group of goblins was facing the entrance to the underground dungeon with their weapons drawn, and the other was standing trembling in the middle of the valley. Caisin charged directly into the middle of this group swinging his axe in broad arcs cutting goblins asunder.

A large cloud roiled over the canyon striking goblins left and right. Lance and Lucinda dropped from the walls of the canyon and each backstabbed one of the sergeants dropping them on the spot. After a few more seconds the goblins were all down and the party stood there smiling.

Polly was the first to speak up, "If all of our battles are that easy then I should just stay home and relax instead. No need for any healing on that one."

Casian smiled, "What kind of punks do they think we are, they totally underestimated us."

As he finished speaking there was a rumbling sound out near the camp and Lance quickly opened the door to the dragon's lair. A shadow from the campfire began forming on the wall of the canyon and it was impossibly large. As it slowly approached it continued to grow. Lance began laying traps near the door as it slammed open revealing three wraiths. The ghostly creatures slid out of the doorway like smoke rising out of a mostly extinguished fire pit.

"Polly in the middle, Lucinda and Casian find out what is coming from the other way, Grog and Sparky we are taking these wraiths out," Lance yelled.

Everyone sprang into motion. The traps Lance had laid earlier erupted in light searing the wraiths. Lightning flew from Sparky's hands and then leaped from wraith to wraith clearly weakening them. Lance moved quickly forward drawing a sword and dagger, suddenly disappearing. Grog waded in swinging his mace through the nearest two spectral figures. Suddenly all three wraiths rushed in on him piercing and slashing at him with their cold hands. Lance appeared suddenly backstabbing one of the wraiths with his short sword held in two hands. The blow was too much for the creature and it dissipated like smoke before a strong wind. Lance lurched forward as Grog dropped to a knee under the barrage of blows from the remaining two wraiths.

"Not good over here", Caisin yelled from the other end of the short canyon, "We have a giant incoming, and it is a big one. Two more sergeants too."

Sparky loosed another lightning bolt that struck one wraith and then leaped to the other. But when it did the wraith was wrapped around Grog and the bolt struck them both together. They both went down Grog's body fading while the wraith's dissipated.

"Grog is down", Lance yelled as he struck out at the remaining wraith with his dagger and sword. The wraith lashed at him at the same time striking a bone-chilling blow across his chest and right arm. His health bar dropped by a third. The wraith retreated a step, just out of striking range.

A cloud of green appeared over Lance's head and he immediately felt better as Polly's spell began to heal him.

The wraith screamed wordlessly and charged, but Lance was ready and shifted out of the way of the wraith's lunge while swinging both of his weapons. At the same time, Sparky extended a hand and said, "Spark". A smaller bolt left his fingers striking the wraith in the face and causing it to scatter like smoke. They turned and ran up the valley to where Lucinda and Caisin were preparing to battle the giant. As they approached Lance noticed that the ground was trembling as the giant plodded toward them.

Lance darted forward to set his traps and caught sight of the Giant. It was huge, at least 20 feet tall. It was shaped like a man but broader. Its face also had a flattened quality to it as if it had been repeatedly hit with a frying pan. It was well-muscled and most of its body was covered in furs. It wore iron boots that Lance was sure he could bathe in if needed. It carried a huge war hammer that must have weighed as much as five to ten men. Lance returned to his companions and shuddered, "That thing is terrifying."

"Why don't we just go down through the door to the dragon's lair? That thing is way too big to fit down there.", Polly asked.

"I am afraid that this is exactly what they want us to do," Lucinda said. "I expect that there is a huge trap of some sort down there and we are going to need to take our time moving that direction. I think we can take this guy."

"I'm going to take out the goblins.", Sparky said as he leaned around the corner and let loose with a blast of lightning.

Just then the giant rounded the corner, only to be engulfed in flame by the traps that had been laid. It did not even slow down but came on lifting its hammer off its shoulder, ready to strike. Lucinda and Lance disappeared as Caisin stepped forward and bellowed a war cry. At the same time, the giant hammer descended to crush Caisin but the fighter was ready for this and stepped out of the way at the last moment double striking at the giant's exposed wrist with his axe. The giant bellowed and swatted at Caisin with an open hand, catching him a glancing blow and spinning him around.

Just then Lance and Lucinda appeared leaping out of the shadows of opposite walls onto the giant's shoulders, both slicing at the creature's head. It dropped its hammer and reached up to grab at the irritating things by its head. But Lucinda and Lance quickly jumped down behind the monstrosity. But the giant simply fell backward, a move that neither thief could avoid, crushing them under its immense weight.

Sparky yelled as he fired twin bolts of lightning from his outstretched hands directly into the giant's iron boots which conducted the electricity extremely well all over the giant's feet, but as it was already laying down it only howled from the pain.

Caisin having recovered from the blow he had taken and having received healing from Polly, rushed into the space between the Giant's legs. But the giant sensed him and slammed his legs together trapping him between meaty thighs. The giant slowly sat up and then used a finger to flick the fighter's head from his body.

Polly looked over at Sparky and said one word, "Door?"

Sparky nodded and the pair of casters sprinted for the open door leading down to the dragon's lair. As they slid down into the hole an intense burst of flame from a trap erupted from below, frying both of them to a crisp.