Chapter 13 - Amusement

A horde of goblins chased behind them, numbering in the thousands.

Edna's lungs burned as she raced back the way they'd just walked. Hildebrin and Makaik were behind her.

The goblins' guttural howls echoed behind as they gave a seemingly relentless pursuit.

Ahead, Warfrost the cat darted along the cliffside, his orange fur a beacon in the gloom. Edna's heart raced, both from exertion and the desperation to reclaim her beloved pet.

"Keep moving!" she shouted to Hildebrin and Makaik, her voice hoarse. "I think Warfrost is showing us the way."

The half-Dwarf woman grunted in response, her armored boots pounding the path. Makaik, his robes billowing, maintained a steady pace alongside them, brows furrowed in concentration.

Edna spared a glance over her shoulder, glimpsing the seething mass of goblins closing in. "They're gaining on us!"

"Then we'd best not slow down," Hildebrin replied, her grip tightening on her bent hammer.

The trio pressed on, lungs heaving, muscles straining. Warfrost leaped from one treacherous ledge to the next, his small form moving ahead faster than they could keep up. Edna strained to keep him in sight, unwilling to lose her cat again.

"How much farther can he lead us?" Makaik panted, his voice tinged with worry.

They passed by the waterfall they'd jumped into and survived.

Edna shook her head. "I don't know, but we have to trust him. Warfrost is our only hope."

The goblins' cries of vengeance for their fallen grew louder, spurring the group to move faster. Edna could feel the fatigue setting in, her legs growing heavy, but she refused to slow down.

Hildebrin warned, "I can't keep this pace for long."

Edna nodded, her mind racing. "We need to find a place to make a stand, somewhere we can defend against them, or maybe-"

She went quiet mid-sentence as her gaze fell on the cat. He'd paused briefly on a nearby ledge. As if sensing her gaze, Warfrost meowed and then jumped into another run.

"There!" Edna exclaimed, pointing. "Warfrost wants us to go that way."

Another set of large double doors came into view ahead of them.

The trio pushed on, their legs burning with each step. As they neared the doors, Edna could feel the weight of her armor, the soaked leather chafing her skin. Beside her, Hildebrin let out a frustrated growl, her face contorted with discomfort.

"Curse these blasted leathers!" the half-Dwarf exclaimed. "I can barely move."

Edna sympathized. Her own armor, once a source of comfort and protection, now felt like a hindrance. All the instances of being wet had left them drenched, leather rubbing in all the wrong places.

"I know," Edna said, her voice strained.

Makaik, his robes flowing wet around him, glanced over at them, his expression etched with concern.

As they reached the wooden doors, Warfrost appeared once more, his orange fur still a beacon in the gloom. The cat meowed urgently, his gaze fixed on the trio, before disappearing through a small hole dug beneath the doors.

Hildebrin burst out. "That blasted cat!"

Edna took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead. "Warfrost wants us to go in there. We have to trust him."

Hildebrin and Makaik exchanged a glance, their faces etched with frustration.

"Then let's not keep him waiting," the half-Dwarf accepted, her voice sarcastic.

Together, the trio pushed through the doors, their wet armor slowing their movements but their resolve unwavering. Warfrost had led them here, and they had no choice but to follow.

Thankfully, the doors were not locked.

Edna and Hildebrin pushed. She feared what might be on the other side, but also feared the countless wave of goblins behind them.

The scene she walked into on the other side was both eerie and unsettling. An expansive underground amusement park stretched out before them, the remnants of once-vibrant rides now appeared worn and dangerous. The wooden structures creaked ominously, their frames warped and rotting.

They shoved the doors closed and leaned against them. There was a large metal bracket where a fat board could lock the doors, but the wood was long gone.

"By the gods," Hildebrin murmured, her grip tightening on her hammer. "What is this place?"

Edna shook her head, her gaze sweeping across the desolate landscape. "I don't know, but Warfrost must have led us here for a reason."

The absence of the cat was both puzzling and concerning. Edna strained her eyes, searching for any sign of the orange feline, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is he?" Makaik asked, his voice tinged with worry. "Shouldn't he be here?"

Edna frowned, her brows furrowing in thought. "I don't know, but we need to find him. This place..." She paused, her gaze lingering on the dilapidated rides. "It doesn't feel right."

Hildebrin grunted in agreement, her eyes narrowed as she scanned the area. "Aye, and where are the goblins? I half-expected them to be pounding on these doors by now."

Edna's lips pressed into a thin line. "That's what worries me. If they're not here, then where are they?"

The trio fell silent. The only sound was the creaking of old wooden structures and the drip of water echoing through the cavernous space. Edna's mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle before them.

"Perhaps they've abandoned this place," Makaik suggested, his voice barely above a whisper.

Edna shook her head. "I doubt it. Goblins are good builders, and they wouldn't just leave this to fall apart, would they?"

Hildebrin's grip tightened on her hammer. "No idea, but I know it's weird they're not here. Where are they?"

Edna's gaze swept the amusement park once more, searching for any clues. "I don't know."

The trio fell silent again, the weight of their mission settling heavily upon them. Edna's heart ached for her beloved cat, and she was determined to find him, no matter the cost.

Edna watched as Makaik turned back to the large wooden doors, his eyes closed in concentration. The young monk's brow was furrowed, his expression one of deep contemplation.

"What is it, Makaik?" Edna asked, her voice soft but firm. "What do you sense?"

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Makaik opened his eyes, his gaze meeting Edna's with a mixture of trepidation and resolve.

"Something dangerous has frightened the goblins," he said, his voice low. "They had meant to chase us into this place and then ambush us again, but a terrible power has made them change their minds. They've scrambled into dark hiding holes, trying to escape it."

"What?" Hildebrin asked, "what do you mean?"

Makaik shook his head. "A terrible power approaches."

Edna felt a chill run down her spine. "A terrible power?" she echoed, her mind racing. "What could possibly scare the goblins so much?"

Beside her, Hildebrin gripped her hammer tightly, her knuckles turning white. "We'd best be ready for whatever's on the other side of those doors," the half-Dwarf growled.

Edna nodded, her own muscles tensing in anticipation. "Agreed. We can't afford to be caught off guard."

As the trio prepared for the unknown, Edna couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Makaik's words had unsettled her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that he knew more than he said.

Suddenly, Makaik spoke again, his voice tinged with a mixture of regret and fear.

"It's my former master," he said, his gaze meeting Edna's with a pleading expression. "I can sense him on the other side of those doors, and he's angry. He's very powerful, and he wants to kill me."

Edna felt her heart skip a beat. "Your former master?" she echoed, her mind racing. She remembered the times along their trip when he'd looked back the way they'd traveled. He must have sensed this man all those times. "Why didn't you tell us this before now?"

Hildebrin snarled. "That man everyone thought was your father, right?"

Makaik's shoulders slumped, and he averted his gaze. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't want to burden you with my own troubles. I thought I could handle him on my own. I thought I did handle him already. I was wrong.”

Edna's expression softened, and she placed a hand on the young monk's shoulder. "Makaik, you're not alone in this. Why is he so angry?"

"Aye, lad!" Hildebrin agreed, "why does he want to kill you?"

The boy looked up, his eyes filled with sadness and fear. "He's a drunk and a sexual predator. Not to me, but to helpless women. I am… I was his novice. As decreed by the Fifty Golden Gods of Gaia, I am bound to him until such a time as I am considered my own master."

Makaik pulled the sleeves of his robes up so that Edna and Hildebrin could look upon his serpentine scars. They'd been branded upon his inner forearms for Fuyuhiro's sins, and not his own.

Edna and Hildebrin had seen the scars before, but had resisted asking him.

"Master Fuyuhiro was stripped of his rank and exiled from all monasteries. We are branded by sinful dereliction. Fuyuhiro's victims were innocent women he forced himself upon." Makaik explained as quickly as possible. "Because I am his novice, I suffer his fate even though I committed no crime. It is the way of the monks, and there is nothing to be done about that."

Edna's grip tightened. She'd traveled with him through the swamp and fought alongside him against goblins. He'd already proven himself to her, and she believed him. She met his gaze with unwavering determination. "Then we'll fight him together. Hildebrin and I won't let anything happen to you."

Beside her, Hildebrin grunted in agreement, her expression grim but resolute. "Aye, lad. You seem an honorable type, and I always wondered why you put up with that man. We're in this with you, lad!"

Makaik's eyes widened, and for a moment, Edna could see the weight of his burden lifting from his shoulders. "Thank you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "He is very powerful, and I do not believe I can withstand another fight with him. I thought I took care of him the first time… the only time…" he trailed off. "I have never lifted a finger against Fuyuhiro until the other day. I was foolish."

Edna nodded, understanding his struggles. Her own heart swelled with a mixture of pride and concern. Makaik was a brave and capable young man, and the fact that he understood his master was not a man to be followed blindly made her like Makaik that much more.

"We'll be right beside you, Makaik," she said, her voice low but firm. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together."

The young monk's expression hardened, and he nodded resolutely. "Then we best be prepared, I guess."

With that, the trio turned to face the ominous wooden doors, their weapons at the ready. Edna could feel the tension in the air, the sense of impending danger.

"Actually, you should probably stand back," he said, his voice low but firm. "My master is powerful, and he will not hesitate to destroy anything in his path, especially if he is drunk, and that is almost always."

Edna and Hildebrin exchanged a glance, their faces etched with concern. Makaik's warning had only heightened their sense of unease, but they knew they had to trust him.

"Be careful, lad," Hildebrin said.

The half-Dwarf twisted her hands nervously around the bent handle of her hammer. If Makaik was only a novice, and displayed such great fighting abilities, there was no telling what powers his master had.

Makaik nodded, his gaze resolute. "I will. Just stay back and let me handle this to start with."

The young monk turned to face the doors, his stance shifting into a defensive posture. Edna and Hildebrin quickly found cover behind a nearby drink stand, their eyes fixed on the wooden barrier.

There were no signs of goblins or cat anywhere near them.

Suddenly, the doors shattered. Wood splintered and flew in all directions, as if the planks had simply exploded into a million tiny fragments. A figure emerged from the darkness, his presence radiating power and menace as he seemed to walk gingerly upon the ground. His posture looked as though ropes held him up steady.

Fuyuhiro stood before them, an evil grin upon his face.

Edna's breath stuck in her throat as she caught a glimpse of the man. He was hunched over but imposing, his robes billowing around him like a dark cloud. His face twisted with rage, and Edna could feel the weight of his anger from where she crouched.

"Makaik," the man growled, his voice like the rumble of thunder. "Why do you run?"

Makaik stood his ground, his expression resolute. "I'm no longer your novice, Fuyuhiro. You are dead to me."

The man gave him an evil laugh. "We are bound until I say otherwise, boy!"

With a swift motion, the man raised his hand. A surge of energy crackled in the air above him and then short forward at Makaik in the blink of an eye. Edna and Hildebrin braced themselves, but Makaik was quicker, deflecting the attack with a well-timed wave of his hand.

The clash of power slammed down into the ground before the boy. It shook the very foundations of the amusement park, and Edna could feel the ground trembling beneath her feet. She exchanged a worried glance with Hildebrin, her mind racing.

Hildebrin shifted beside her, expression grim. She whispered, "we need to help him."

Edna shook her head. "I don't think there's much we can do."

Hildebrin grunted in reluctant agreement, her gaze fixed on the battle. Edna could see the frustration in the half-Dwarf's eyes, the desire to leap into the fray and lend her strength.

But for now, they had to wait. Makaik was their only hope against this powerful foe, and they couldn't risk interfering and throwing him off.

Fuyuhiro said, "your power has grown rapidly."

"Are you afraid?" Makaik taunted.

"No," the man said quickly, "I am only playing with low level powers. You know I can kill you if I desire! Tell me, why would you forsake me? I have given you everything, Makaik of Ambertwine. You are nobody from nowhere. This is how you repay me?"

Makaik screamed out, showing the man his arms. "NO! You also took everything I ever wanted away from me! You deserve to die!"

"We all deserve to die!" Fuyuhiro said, "and one day you'll realize that!"

The man blurred forward faster than Edna and Hildebrin could see. Makaik dodged an attack, then gave his own, and dodged again. The two figures shifted quickly, their movements popping back and forth out of view. They moved so quickly that each half-second appeared to frame their position before they were on the other side of each other in the next half-second.

Fists connected against faces, feet against bodies. Arms blocked kicks. Their connections thunked against one another in rapid succession. Forward, back, up, down, and leaping back and forth, the two danced an epic battle of fist against fist.

It all ended after just a few short seconds.

Fuyuhiro's downward fist landed against Makaik's face. A loud pop hit Edna and Hildebrin's ears, and then Makaik smashed into the ground, feet flopping into the air. The boy lay motionless as the man stood above him, grinning.

Edna couldn't believe what she'd just seen. The man had bested the boy in mere seconds, and now Makaik looked almost lifeless, completely dazed.

Hildebrin jumped to her feet before Edna could stop her. "Hey! You have some explaining to do!"

The half-Dwarf stomped forward with her hammer in hand.

Fuyuhiro grinned, flicked a finger in her direction, and Hildebrin flew backwards into the cavern wall. She smashed against the stone and crumpled to the ground with a wince, barely moving.

Edna gulped. She'd seen a stone boulder hit the woman. That had only taken the half-Dwarf to her knees. This man had just sent her nearly lifeless to the ground in a split second.

They were doomed.

The man stood above Makaik, enjoying his moment of evil power. They were already tired and weak, but against this man they seemed to have no hope at all.

Edna's eyes shifted to the amusement park beyond. It was long fallen into disrepair, pretty much neglected. Her mind raced with thoughts of failure, and why the goblins had abandoned it.

Did that really matter in this moment? Why had Warfrost brought them here, of all the places to lead them? Why had Warfrost not just come back to her when they were in the river tunnel so that she could share with him the soul stone?

She turned, looking back to Hildebrin. The half-Dwarf struggled to get back to her knees. Edna turned to look at the fungi on the dark ceiling. The little spots glowed faintly.

They were doomed, and all hope seemed lost.

Then, in that moment of greatest doubt, a familiar ball of orange fur meandered towards her.

"Warfrost?" she whispered.

The cat wandered over to her at his own leisure. Edna felt a wave of relief wash over her as Warfrost came to her in their time of need. He purred a melodious purr of love as she reached out for him.

He walked into her loving embrace.

"Warfrost," Edna said, her voice low and intense. "Where have you been? We need your help."

The cat meowed, looking into her face. His purrs gave her hope once again.

Edna reached for her pocket. She felt the soul stone of Warfrost Ramorai in her hand, and withdrew it for the cat to look upon.

"I am sorry I let this happen to you, Warfrost Ramorai," she urged him. "Please, if you so desire it, restore yourself to godhood."

Fuyuhiro's head popped towards Edna, fear and confusion instantly stretched upon his face. "Did you just call him Warfrost Ramorai?"

The cat looked intently at the soul stone.