Chapter 11 - Grotto Level One

Edna approached the massive wooden double doors, her heart pounding with anticipation.

She glanced at Hildebrin and Makaik, both ready for whatever lay beyond. With a nod to her companions, she pushed against the rough surface.

The doors creaked open, revealing a cavernous chamber dimly lit by flickering torches. Edna's eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. At least a hundred more goblins stood in formation, their weapons raised and eyes gleaming with malice.

These were not the same type of random little goblins that had surrounded them before. These goblins were slightly bigger, though still small, and all had weapons and armor that could actually do some damage.

A hulking goblin, larger than the rest, stepped forward. Its scarred face twisted into a sneer as it barked orders in their guttural language. The other goblins tensed, ready to charge.

Edna's gloved hands instinctively moved to her shurikens. She felt the familiar weight of the weapons, and readied to use them once again. The goblins charged.

Without hesitation, she flung the two blades, one towards the lead goblin and the other into the crowd. The six-pointed blades whistled through the air, finding their marks.

The big creature's throat popped open and blood gushed out. He reached up for his neck, gurgling in pain and confusion. Other goblins startled furiously away from the large writhing goblin as he fell over.

The other shuriken blasted through a dozen goblins, exploding their heads and bodies in much the same way as the big one. Edna envisioned the flight paths of her magical weapons, and the blades obeyed.

The chamber erupted into chaos. Goblins surged forward, stomping over their dead, with weapons raised high. Edna spun, her leather armor creaking as she dodged a sword that came too close. She countered with a swift kick, sending the attacker sprawling.

To her left, Hildebrin roared a battle cry. The half-Dwarf’s hammer came to Edna’s rescue and swung in wide arcs, crushing goblin skulls with sickening crunches. Hildebrin’s armor gleamed in the torchlight as she waded through the horde, leaving a trail of broken bodies in her wake.

Makaik moved like water, flowing between opponents. His fists and feet struck with precision, each blow dropping a goblin. Edna marveled at the young monk's speed and grace, his movements a stark contrast to the clumsy attacks of their foes.

Edna ducked under a wild swing. One of her blades returned to her, flying through that nearby goblin and killing it before she caught the weapon. She pushed the dying creature away, pivoting to face her next opponent. Her years of experience showed in every move, even if time had fogged her talent. Everything was coming back to her swiftly, though she was getting tired.

The battle raged on, but it was clear who held the upper hand. Despite their numbers, the goblins were no match for the skill and teamwork of the three adventurers. Edna, Hildebrin, and Makaik moved as one, covering each other's blind spots and striking down foes with ruthless efficiency.

As the last goblin fell, Edna surveyed the chamber. Bodies littered the floor, some still twitching. The acrid smell of blood mixed with the musty air of the cavern. She wiped her blades clean, her breath coming in short gasps.

Hildebrin leaned over, supported by her hammer, and breathed heavily. Even Makaik was made tired by the seemingly relentless waves of goblins. The small horde seemed to keep coming after them in the dirt tunnels.

Goblins scurried about in the dark distance. Some half-dead goblins tried crawling away, their wounds not yet having killed them.

Makaik asked, “how many of these creatures are there?”

“Thousands, last I heard,” Edna said.

“Tens of thousands by the looks of this,” Hildebrin added, “and all the low level vermin ain’t worth a piddly thing.”

Edna nodded. “Still, we should be cautious. I have forgotten how much energy it requires to control my shurikens.”

“Aye, lass,” the half-Dwarf said, turning to the boy, “makes sense. How ‘bout you, lad?”

“I’m okay,” Makaik said, “for now. Ophiosos is guiding me well.”

Edna nodded. She walked forward, going further into the tunnel, but noticed a subtle shift in the air. A slight vibration that set her senses on edge. She raised a hand, signaling the others to halt.

“You sense anything?”

Makaik said, “yes, something devious but not alive.”

"Traps," she murmured, her eyes scanning the small corridor for any hidden triggers or mechanisms.

Hildebrin grunted in acknowledgment, her gaze also fixed on the doors. "Makes sense. I would have walked right into them."

Edna nodded and began to carefully inspect the area, her movements precise and deliberate. She searched the dirt and stone for any irregularities or signs of tampering.

After a few moments, she spotted a nearly invisible trip wire, stretched taut across the threshold. Carefully, she reached out and plucked it, disabling the trap with a deft flick of her wrist.

"One down," she said, turning to her companions. "Keep your eyes peeled. I'm sure there are more where that came from."

They continued their cautious advance, Edna leading the way and Hildebrin and Makaik flanking her. The cavern was eerily quiet, save for the occasional drip of water from the ceiling.

As they kept moving, Edna noticed another trap, this one a series of pressure plates set into the stone floor. She signaled the others to stop, and they studied the arrangement, her brow furrowed in concentration.

"Alright, here's the plan," she said, her voice low. "Hildebrin, I need you to distract the plates. Makaik, you'll follow me as I navigate through them."

Hildebrin nodded, a grim determination etched on her weathered features. "Let's do this."

Edna waited until Hildebrin had positioned herself in front of the plates, then she began to carefully pick her way across the stone floor, Makaik close behind. The young monk moved with the same grace and precision as Edna, his feet finding purchase on the uneven terrain.

As they reached the midpoint, Edna heard a sudden creak and glanced up just in time to see a large boulder roll down from an angled wall, aimed directly at Hildebrin. The half-Dwarf reacted surprisingly quick, raising her shield to deflect the massive stone.

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Instead, she was slammed against the wall. The round boulder was simply too big, and it smashed her hefty body against the dirt and stone before rolling back in the opposite direction.

Edna and Makaik ran over to her as she fell to her knees, leaning upon the bent handle of her large hammer.

“Hildebrin!”

“By the gods!” The half-Dwarf wheezed, “I’m alive!”

Hildebrin looked dazed, a look of pain across her face. Makaik knelt before the hefty woman and placed both of his hands upon hers. His eyes closed, and she stood upright quickly after a few seconds.

“Oh, gods!” Hildebrin declared. “That feels good! What have you done, boy? Healed me? Yes! I feel great!”

Edna and Makaik both smiled. She remembered what it had felt like when the boy healed her hand back in the church.

“Yes,” he said, “you should feel better now.”

“I do, thank you!” Hildebrin said, giving the boy a hug.

He wasn’t sure what to do, but he didn’t struggle against the comforting gesture.

Edna looked at the big hammer, its long handle now bent crooked. “That’s not good.”

The half-Dwarf woman looked, suddenly saddened. “No, no it’s not.”

Hildebrin swing it around, the weight distribution suddenly out of kilter. Her face had a look of disappointment about it, but there was little they could do in the midst of a dungeon.

“Oh, well,” she said, “it’ll buff out later. We should get a move on.”

Looking at her companions, Edna saw the same grim determination in their faces. Hildebrin's hammer was bent but it and her armor had saved her life from the heavy boulder.

Makaik’s robes were torn and bloody, and the knuckles on his fists gashed from his ferocious punches against goblin skulls. He looked tired, but his resolve remained unbroken.

"Well done, my friends," Edna said, her voice low and measured. "But I fear this is only the beginning. We must press on if we are to find Warfrost. Makaik, are you okay?”

“Yes,” he said quickly, “but I will tire soon, I admit. I do not know how many more times I can fight so many at once.”

Hildebrin nodded, her grip tightening on her bent hammer. "Aye, the scum frightened my sister Maggie to death. Now we shall continue terrorizing them to death. Let's not waste another moment."

Makaik's brow furrowed, his youthful features hardening with determination. "I am ready. Lead on, and I will follow."

Edna took a deep breath, steeling herself for the challenges to come. With a nod, she turned and pushed open another set of double doors at the end of the tunnel.

This first level of Keggma's Grotto was turning into a maze of dirt tunnels, the air thick with the stench of decay and the scurrying of tiny feet. Edna's eyes narrowed as she scanned their space, her senses heightened for any new signs of danger.

Edna felt cramped in the space. The low ceiling forced them to stoop in some places as they made their way forward. She scanned for any signs of the orange cat, and even called out for Warfrost a few times, but this did not accomplish anything.

Goblins made shrill cries that echoed through the passages. No doubt they were communicating their own whereabouts. Edna tensed when some sounded nearby, her hand instinctively reaching for her shurikens.

It was Hildebrin who held up a hand in caution this time.

"Let them run," the half-Dwarf said, her voice rumbling like distant thunder. "We'll deal with the ones who stand and fight."

Edna nodded, understanding Hildebrin's strategy. Better to conserve their strength for the battles to come, rather than waste it on the smaller, weaker goblins. They’d already killed enough.

This was a surprising strategy coming from the half-Dwarf, and she was half embarrassed that she’d been the one ready to kill more of the goblins. All she really wanted back was her cat.

The trio pressed on, their footsteps muffled by the soft ground beneath their feet. Edna couldn't help but marvel at the sheer number of goblins that inhabited this place. Dozens, if not hundreds, scurried away from each twist and turn they took, disappearing into the darkness.

Suddenly, a high-pitched shriek pierced the air, and a group of goblins emerged from a side passage, their crude weapons raised. Edna tensed, her fingers tightening around her shurikens. Makaik stepped forward this time, his eyes narrowed in concentration.

With a swift series of strikes, the young monk dispatched the goblins, his movements a blur of fists and feet. Edna watched, her respect for the boy growing with each passing moment.

The trio pressed on from the small, pointless attack, their senses heightened as they navigated the labyrinthine tunnels of the first level.

Anticipation only grew as they each realized the goblins were not attacking. The creatures had taken to hiding in their homes, and to scurrying away. She glanced at the others, they shared an understanding look.

The goblins were up to something, and it made them nervous.

Up ahead, the tunnel widened into giant round cavernous area. The roar of a waterfall grew louder. As they neared, a misty air enveloped them, and soon they could see the water pouring in from above. A dark overcast night sky hung high above them.

The water fell through a circular hole in the center of the cavern, to another level somewhere down far below. Around the center of this hole was a stone railing, and all around the cavern walls were closed shops.

It was clearly a place of great importance to the goblins, and most likely the center of the grotto's first level.

Edna looked around, remembering that goblin grottos were not always the stinky rat nests people said they were. These creatures once had a wonderful, thriving city here, but time seemed to have been cruel to Keggma’s Grotto. Plenty of the shops looked to be in a serious state of disrepair.

Little feet scurried about, orders were being given, and plenty of metal armor and weapons bounced into their hearing. They could hear this even over the roar of the waterfall. They could feel the vibrations through the ground.

"By the gods," Hildebrin breathed, her voice a low rumble. "There must be thousands of them all right here."

Makaik's brow furrowed, his youthful features etched with worry. "This is not good. I do not think even the three of us can handle such a force."

Edna's mind raced, searching for a way out of this predicament. They had come so far, faced so many obstacles, only to be confronted by thousands of goblins appearing at once.

"We have no choice but to fight," she said, her voice steady. "Warfrost is counting on us. We must push forward, no matter the cost."

Hildebrin nodded, her grip tightening on her hammer. "Aye, the scum will pay for what they did to my sister. Let us show them the true might of the Defender Vanguard!"

Makaik took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with determination. "I will do my best to aid both of you and Danvers."

With a nod, Edna turned to face the sea of goblins that surrounded them. She could feel the weight of their gazes, the sheer numbers overwhelming, but she refused to let fear consume her.

As the goblins surged forward, Edna sprang into action, her shurikens flashing through the air. The star-shaped blades found their marks, felling several of the creatures. It didn't seem to matter. Gaps in their ranks were quickly filled by more.

Hildebrin roared a battle cry, her hammer swinging in wide, devastating arcs. The half-Dwarf moved with surprising agility for her size, her armor gleaming as she waded through the horde.

Makaik, too, fought with a grace and precision that belied his youth. His fists and feet struck with lightning speed, each blow dropping goblins with devastating force.

But for every foe they struck down, two more seemed to take its place. The goblins swarmed them, their shrill cries echoing through the chamber.

Edna felt her eyes and mind burning, the strain of controlling her weapons taking its toll. She could see the fatigue in her companions' movements as well, their attacks becoming less coordinated, and their defenses more porous.

Still, they pressed on, driven by a shared determination. Edna's mind raced, searching for a way to turn the tide of the battle.

The hefty woman smashed two goblins into the ground with one hammer swing.

"We cannot keep this up much longer," Hildebrin growled, her voice strained. "There are too many of them."

Edna gritted her teeth, her mind working furiously. "We must find a way to thin their numbers, or we'll be overwhelmed."

Makaik ducked under a swinging club, his counterstrike felling another goblin. "I am open to suggestions."

Edna's gaze swept the chamber, searching for any weakness, any opportunity they could exploit. At first she saw only the many thousands of sharp-teethed goblins closing in on them.

Then she saw their opportunity to evade their numbers, if only temporarily.

"I hope you can swim!” she yelled, pointing to the waterfall pouring in from above and going down. "We’re surrounded! I’m jumping!”

Hildebrin's eyes narrowed, a grim smile spreading across her face. "Aye, a worthy plan.”

Makaik nodded, his expression resolute. "I will lead the way."

With a deep breath, Edna steeled herself and moved towards the hole in the center of the cavern.

The trio pushed forward, their movements growing more desperate as the goblins swarmed. Edna's shurikens flashed through the air one last time, taking out several, before she caught her two blades and returned them to her pocket. Hildebrin's hammer crushed skulls, and Makaik's fists and feet struck with unerring precision.

But the goblins seemed endless, their numbers only growing. Edna could feel her strength waning, the strain of the constant battle taking its toll. Her friends looked tired as well.

They only had one way out of this battle.

They jumped.