Chapter 10 - At The Entrance

Edna peered over the edge of the massive sinkhole, her eyes tracing the winding steps leading down to the swamp below. The air was thick with humidity, and the sound of waterfalls echoed up.

"Well, no use standing around gawking," Hildebrin grumbled, adjusting her shield. "Let's get this over with."

Edna nodded, taking the first careful step onto the slick stone. The stairs were narrow, barely wide enough for one person, and covered in a slippery sheen of moisture and moss. She placed each foot with deliberate care, her leather boots finding purchase on the uneven surface.

Behind her, Hildebrin's heavy armor clanked with each step, the sound echoing off the old stone walls. Makaik brought up the rear, his light footsteps barely audible.

As they descended, the air grew cool and damp. Edna's eyes adjusted to the gloom, picking out details in the rock face. Strange, phosphorescent fungi clung to the walls, casting an eerie green glow over their path.

"Watch your step," Edna called back to her companions. "These stairs are treacherous."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than she felt her foot slip. Her heart leaped into her throat as she teetered on the edge, arms wind-milling for balance. In a flash, Hildebrin's strong hand gripped Edna's gloved hands, steadying her.

"Careful there, lass," Hildebrin said, her voice gruff but concerned. "Can't have you tumbling down before we even reach the goblins."

Edna nodded her thanks, taking a moment to catch her breath. The close call had sent a surge of adrenaline through her, sharpening her senses. She could feel every muscle in her body tensed, ready for action.

As they continued descending, Edna's mind wandered to Warfrost. Was he scared? Had the goblins hurt him? She pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. She couldn't afford to be distracted, otherwise she might die and never reunite him with the soul stone.

The stairs seemed to go on forever, winding deeper and deeper into the swamp. The air grew thick, filled with the scent of stagnant water. Edna's legs began to ache from the constant motion, but she pressed on, driven by determination.

Seeing something, Makaik turned and stopped, his voice breaking the silence. "There's something moving down there."

Edna froze, her hand instinctively moving to her pocketed weapons. She squinted into the gloom below, trying to make out what Makaik had seen. For a moment, she saw nothing. Then, a shadow moved, quick and furtive, disappearing behind a jutting rock. Then several more moved as well.

"Goblins," Hildebrin growled, her voice low. "They know we're coming."

Edna nodded, her mind racing. They were still too exposed on the stairs, sitting ducks for any archer with half-decent aim, if goblins even had such a thing. "We need to move faster," she said. "But be careful. One misstep and we'll be joining whatever's lurking in that swamp below."

With renewed urgency, they picked up their pace, the stairs becoming a blur beneath their feet. Edna's heart pounded in her chest, a mix of exertion and anticipation. She kept away from the edge, just in case she slipped again, and moved quickly.

As they neared the bottom, the stairs widened slightly, offering a small measure of relief. The swamp stretched out before them, a maze of twisted trees and murky water. The cliff face rose tall around them, with waterfalls pouring in from high above. Somewhere below this landscape was Keggma's Grotto.

Edna's keen eyes scanned the swampy ground, picking out the telltale signs of goblin tracks in the mud. The footprints were not difficult to spot, and she moved with quiet confidence through the murky landscape.

"This way," she whispered, gesturing to her companions.

Hildebrin trudged behind her, the heavy armor surprisingly quiet on the soft ground. Makaik brought up the rear, his movements fluid and silent.

The tracks were fresh and numerous, leading them on a winding path through the swamp. Edna's heart quickened with each step, knowing they were drawing closer to their quarry, and to Warfrost.

After slogging through the muck, the swamp suddenly opened up before them. There, set into the side of a moss-covered hill, stood an enormous set of wooden double doors. The craftsmanship was crude but effective, with iron bands reinforcing the weathered wood.

It wasn't the doors that really caught Edna's attention. It was the eight massive goblins standing guard before them. Each one was easily twice the size of a normal goblin, their muscles bulging beneath mottled green skin. They carried crude but deadly-looking weapons like spiked clubs, rusted axes, and jagged swords.

The moment Edna and her companions stepped into the clearing, eight pairs of beady eyes locked onto them. Yet, to her surprise, the goblins didn't move. They remained at their posts, watching with an eerie readiness that set Edna's nerves on edge.

Her gloved hands instinctively moved to her hidden weapons, body tensing for combat. Beside her, Hildebrin hefted her hammer, its weight reassuring in her grip. Makaik settled into a fighting stance, his hands clenched tightly with the power of his gods.

"What's the plan?" Hildebrin muttered, her eyes never leaving the goblin guards.

Edna's mind raced, assessing their options. "We're outnumbered," she whispered back. "Of course, I think we can handle this easily, but if we can take out the big ones quickly, that will make things a lot easier."

Makaik suddenly stiffened, his head turning sharply. "Wait," he said, his voice tight with tension. "We have a problem."

"What is it?" Edna asked, not daring to take her eyes off the guards.

"We're being surrounded," Makaik replied, his voice barely audible. "There are more goblins closing in from all sides. Dozens of them."

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Edna and Hildebrin looked quickly around. They could hear the goblins now that they focused their energies on them.

Edna's heart raced as she processed Makaik's warning. The goblins were closing in, and they were vastly outnumbered. She took a deep breath, centering herself. This was what she had trained for all those years ago.

"I'm making the first move," she said quickly, "hold off and see how many I get first."

Hildebrin was going to argue, but Edna was faster than the half-Dwarf expected.

With a fluid motion, Edna reached into her hidden pockets and pulled out two six-pointed hira-shurikens. The shiny metal flashed in her gloved hands, familiar and comforting. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, establishing the connection between her mind and the weapons.

As the first wave of goblins burst from the underbrush, Edna's eyes snapped open. She flung both shurikens in a wide arc, her mind guiding their paths. The blades spun through the air, glinting in the dim light of the swamp.

The first shuriken sliced through the neck of a goblin to her left, then curved sharply to the right, cutting down two more before they could even raise their crude weapons. Edna felt a grim satisfaction as the flying blade responded to her mental commands, weaving a deadly path through the approaching goblins.

The second shuriken took a higher trajectory, spinning over the heads of the first wave of goblins. As it reached the back of the group, Edna willed it to drop. The blade fell like a stone, cutting through the skull of a particularly large goblin before ricocheting off the ground and into the legs of three more.

Edna's mind raced, keeping track of both shurikens as they carved their way through the goblin ranks. She could feel every impact, every cut as if she were wielding the blades herself. The weapons danced to her silent commands, cutting down goblin after goblin with ruthless efficiency.

A group of goblins tried to flank them from the right. Without taking her eyes off the main force, Edna sent one of the shurikens spinning in that direction. She heard the satisfying thunk of metal meeting flesh, followed by guttural screams cut short.

The other shuriken continued its deadly work in front of them, keeping the bulk of the goblin force at bay. Edna guided it in tight circles, creating a whirlwind of steel that none dared approach.

Controlling the blades took a great deal of effort, and she was already tiring. Edna willed the blades back to her, and she deftly snatched each from the air in her gloved hands as they returned.

At least thirty dead goblins surrounded them, but many more were already replacing the dead ones.

"Your turn," Edna exhaled, looking and feeling tired.

Hildebrin was nodding approvingly, impressed by the flying blades. "Aye, lass, yeah!"

With a fierce battle cry, Hildebrin charged into the fray.

The first goblin never saw it coming. Hildebrin's hammer connected with a sickening crunch, sending the creature flying through the air. It crashed into two of its comrades, knocking them to the ground in a tangle of limbs.

Hildebrin didn't pause. She pivoted, her armor gleaming in the dim light, and brought her hammer down on another goblin's head. The creature crumpled instantly, its skull caved in.

Three more goblins rushed her, brandishing crude spears. Hildebrin met their charge head-on. She swung her hammer in a wide arc, catching all three in one devastating blow. The force of the impact shattered their weapons and sent them sprawling.

Edna watched in awe as Hildebrin became a whirlwind of destruction. The half-Dwarf's strength was truly impressive, each swing of her hammer felling multiple foes. A particularly large goblin tried to flank her, but Hildebrin was ready.

She spun, using the momentum to add even more force to her strike. The hammer caught the goblin square in the chest, the sound of breaking ribs audible even over the sounds of battle.

Two more goblins fell in quick succession, their bodies crushed beneath the relentless onslaught of Hildebrin's hammer. She moved with a grace that belied her heavy armor, each step purposeful and each swing precise.

A group of goblins tried to overwhelm her with sheer numbers, but Hildebrin stood her ground. She swung her hammer in a full circle, the weapon whistling through the air. The goblins closest to her were sent flying, while those further back scrambled to retreat.

Edna couldn't help but admire Hildebrin's technique. The half-Dwarf was using her hammer not just as a bludgeoning weapon, but as a means of crowd control. Each swing created space, keeping the goblins at bay and allowing her to pick her targets.

As Hildebrin continued her assault, Edna noticed a change in the goblin horde. They were becoming hesitant, fear replacing their earlier bloodlust. Hildebrin had become a force of nature in their eyes, and they were scared.

When Hildebrin looked to be almost overwhelmed, the boy jumped into action.

Makaik's first move was so fast Edna almost missed it. One moment he was standing still, the next he was in the midst of a group of goblins. His fist connected with the first goblin's jaw, the impact sending the creature flying backward. The goblin crashed into its companions, knocking several of them down.

Without pausing, Makaik spun on his heel, his leg sweeping out in a low arc. The kick caught another goblin in the chest, and Edna heard the sickening crack of ribs breaking. The goblin fell, gasping for air.

Two more goblins rushed at Makaik from opposite sides. The young monk seemed to flow between them, his movements fluid and graceful. His elbows shot out, catching both goblins in the throat. They dropped, clutching their necks and struggling to breathe.

Edna marveled at Makaik's speed and precision. His attacks were economical, each movement flowing into the next with no wasted energy. A goblin swung a crude club at his head, but Makaik ducked under the blow. As he came up, his palm struck the goblin's chin, snapping its head back with bone-breaking force.

Suddenly, Makaik moved so quickly she could not see him at all. In one split second he was in one place, and then in the next second another place. Multiple goblins along the route went flying, their little bodies twisted and broken.

One of the large goblins charged at Makaik, brandishing a wicked-looking axe. Makaik stood his ground, waiting until the last moment before sidestepping. As the goblin stumbled past, Makaik's fist struck its back. The impact shoved the goblin forward off its feet, crashing into the swamp with a resounding splash.

Edna watched in awe as Makaik continued his assault. His movements were a blur, fists and feet striking with devastating accuracy. Goblins fell left and right, unable to withstand the onslaught of his divinely empowered attacks.

A group of goblins tried to surround Makaik, but he was ready. He spun in place, his leg sweeping out in a wide arc. The kick caught all of them in the chest, sending them tumbling backward. Before they could recover, Makaik was upon them, his fists a flurry of motion. In seconds, the goblins lay still, groaning in pain.

As the battle raged on, Edna noticed that Makaik never stayed still for long. He was constantly moving, weaving between enemies, striking and retreating. His fighting style was unpredictable, making it impossible for the goblins to anticipate his next move.

Hildebrin was still smashing goblins with her hammer.

Edna threw her shurikens again, repeating her previous attack. The attacking goblin horde dwindled, with the last few running away in terror before they were struck down.

At least a hundred dead goblins surrounded them in the small clearing. All that remained living were the eight guards at the giant double doors. They looked at the three adventurers, then to one another, and then ran away into the swamp.

The doors were no longer guarded by any goblins.

Hildebrin laughed. Edna had a curious grin on her face. Makaik still stood ready for more fighting, relaxing last of them all.

The half-Dwarf said, "well that was easy enough!"

"We're not even inside yet," Edna answered, "let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"Yeah, okay, lass!" Hildebrin said, "you probably could'a handled these guys yourself. What did you say you were, a Blade Mistress?"

Edna nodded.

"Pretty awesome with those hira-shuriken things!"

She was thankful for the compliment but didn't have time to think about it. Edna still felt rusty with the magical weapons, having barely used them in decades. Makaik flexed his fingers and popped his neck, looking around.

Edna asked, "you seeing or feeling something?"

"No," the boy said, "they are all running away in terror. Except inside. Inside, they prepare for more fighting. We must be ready when we open those doors."

Hildebrin gripped her hammer tightly and nodded.

Edna agreed, "let's do this."