G was the last to descend the ship's port side ladder. With the ship floating two meters above the stone floor, the deck was a total of six meters off the ground. Regrettably, it was the only functional way to descend, bringing them near the tents. They thought about throwing a rope over the side but decided it wouldn't have worked if a guard spotted them. Why would a dark elf take a rope down while wearing a robe and not the ladder? Although there weren't many guards near the ship, getting caught would be quite inconvenient. They opted for the large rope ladder, which was likely the better choice, considering Riclos had difficulty descending due to his wooden foot.

The expected fog was absent, they hadn't activated it correctly, or the ship had malfunctioned. Nevertheless, after several minutes of waiting, fog or no fog, G decided to proceed with the plan with no other reasonable options.

He reached the ladder's last rung and gently placed Crewton down on the ground. He stood up and looked around the area. The guards were not paying them any attention other than a glance now and then. A dark elf with a guard, which according to Kargan, was a common sight.

The hobgoblin gestured to where a dimly lit tunnel led away from the encamped army. He walked behind Riclos, who played the prisoner. Riclos had his hands behind his back with a small rope looped over his wrists.

G trailed behind them both while Crewton walked near the front of the trio. The small group made their way around the front of the ship. The lone guard who had spotted them glanced their way for a moment before returning his attention to the tunnels beyond. G smiled to himself. They were going to pull this off.

A booming voice echoed through the cavern. The three froze, "Ah, I knew you weren't dead. Goblins are so unreliable. Where were you hiding?"

The voice reverberated throughout the vast chamber. G was certain everyone had heard that voice as some of them started to wake up from their piles of sleeping furs around the cavern. However, they probably didn't understand it since it was in Earth English.

They paused and turned toward the tents and the small cluster of tables. A shimmering in the air pulled back, revealing a group of dark elves and hobgoblins, many of them brandishing their swords. Standing in front of them was Ryan de Albuquerque, his chest bare this time, with the emblem of Tychon glowing prominently. His eyes emitted a sinister red glow, making Ryan appear even more menacing if that was possible.

Tocai analyzed him:

Ryan de Albuquerque, Queen's Consort.

Devil Cultist.

Level 17.

Hit points unknown.

Mana 810.

Humans are powerful and versatile beings, capable of great feats of strength, intelligence, and creativity. Though they may not possess any innate magical powers, their ability to adapt and survive in various situations makes them an incredibly resilient race. Their short life spans don't deter them from taking risks that wiser people might avoid in their pursuit of power.

Cultist:

Human cultists excel at manipulating arcane forces and mastering enchantments, rituals, and other arcane arts. They can also use their knowledge of the occult to summon and control powerful creatures and even manipulate natural elements.

Special attack: A cultist's power depends upon their devil or demon patron. The more powerful the patron, the more powerful the abilities granted to the cultists who worship them.

A level 17 Cultist! Ryan was far more formidable than anticipated. A red, pulsating skull appeared next to his name, the same icon G had seen above the Behemoth just days prior. The system seemed to suggest with the red skull that G stood little chance against Ryan.

None of the trio responded to Ryan, which only served to agitate him further.

"Capture them alive," he commanded in Dark Elvish, anger etched on his face as he pointed at Riclos.

Tocai spoke in G's mind, "See, fifty percent, now run before they figure out Riclos isn't you!"

Behind them, the ship emitted a loud, ominous wheeze. It began with a low rumble, similar to a growl, as the magical sludge within the vessel's defenses struggled to move. A vast cloud of fog billowed from the ship, reminiscent of a squid deploying ink to evade a predator. G could envision the ship making a hasty escape within such a cloud when necessary.

The wheezing became more labored as the sound intensified like an elderly man gasping for breath. A deep, guttural noise reverberated throughout the room, filling the area with an eerie sense of foreboding and causing the advancing soldiers to hesitate.

The ship wheezed once more, unleashing a powerful gust of wind and reeking fog that sent many hobgoblins and goblins reeling, with some smaller ones tossed several meters away. G was pushed back as Kargan reached out to steady him. His group remained intact, save for Crewton, who was pushed several meters toward Ryan and his forces. The cavern was soon enveloped in a dry, gray fog smelling of weed and rotting food.

Chaos erupted as magical bolts of energy shot at them, one sizzling as it barely missed. Earlier, before leaving the hidden room, the trio had filled a large barrel with water, cannabis, and other pungent ingredients, including musty mushroom chunks and salted fish found in the hold. They activated the fog spell, hoping the ship's protective magic would work in their favor. They had assumed it hadn't worked, but apparently, it took time. The effect would last for several minutes.

G heard Earth English again. "Come, G, let us settle this. I have a ritual to fulfill," shouted Ryan over the din of goblins and hobgoblins grabbing each other, each thinking they had captured their quarry.

He considered that Ryan's proposal might be a good plan; they could settle their dispute. However, there was one problem: He could only see through a portion of the fog within his goggle's 30-meter range. He wasn't immune to the fog's magic, nor were Riclos or Kargan. He couldn't even see Crewton, although he heard the dog barking off in the distance to the left.

Dozens of goblins rushed past G towards the barking dog. He couldn't see Ryan but took a few steps in the direction of his voice.

Tocai urged in his mind, "Don't do it, G. Stick to the plan and head to the tunnel we agreed on."

The ring of optimism pulsed, and G agreed, veering away from the ship and Ryan shouting for guards. Glancing back, he noticed a flicker of red running toward him about thirty meters away – it was Ryan. A large red dot with a star in the middle appeared on his map, indicating Ryan's location.

He quickly cast the Briar Patch spell between them and began running in the opposite direction, pushing aside any goblins that came his way. His goal was to reach the tunnel and meet Riclos and Kargan at a bridge farther down the path. Both of his companions were far enough ahead of him that he could no longer see them. Crewton's barking came from the right.

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He tried to unsummon Crewton.

Failure, you must be able to see your animal companion.

G's panic rose as he heard Crewton's pained yelp. He quickly checked the map and rushed toward the dog's presumed location. Casting another Briar Patch spell behind him, he aimed to entrap more goblins or Ryan, sowing further confusion as goblins caught in the briars screamed in pain.

With only a few minutes before the fog cleared, G urgently searched for Crewton as many goblins ran around, unable to see him. He came upon a small river snaking through the rocky cave floor.

As he approached a narrow river gorge, he saw goblins trying to climb down. The barking was near, but Crewton remained hidden. He realized the dog must be in the channel or trapped in the water.

A cavern wall appeared ahead, with the river disappearing into it. G cast another Briar Patch spell behind him, and leaped into the watery trench. He landed on a slim ledge and observed the water rushing beside him. He spotted Crewton across the way, bleeding from a wound on his left hind leg. The dog's barks lured the goblins, acting like a magnet. If left unchecked, Crewton could attract a significant portion of the enemy forces. G attempted to unsummon Crewton, but another prompt appeared:

"You may not unsummon an injured animal companion."

Irritated, G kicked a goblin trying to climb onto his ledge, causing it to fall into the water, and the stream immediately swept it away. As more goblins neared, red dots filled his map, drawn by Crewton's barks. The fog lingered, and a fishy, seaweed aroma permeated the air. The smoke calmed down the disoriented goblins, and he was also starting to feel lightheaded.

G eyed the gap between him and Crewton—two meters wide and a few more down a curved embankment. After pushing another goblin into the water, he leaped to Crewton's ledge and the dog to cease barking. He inspected the wound—a shallow cut along one leg—and offered a healing petals flower from his inventory. His animal companion didn't hesitate as the dog ate half of it in one chomp, and the damage began to heal.

As G initiated the unsummon spell, a massive electric shock coursed through him. Ryan's voice echoed from across the river, as G convulsed on the ledge, falling back against the unyielding stone.

"Ah, there you are. I didn't recognize the outfit, but I sensed it was you. Strange, are you no longer human? And how could I forget your pesky pet!" The fog began to clear. Ryan ordered, "Capture him and the dog if possible," pointing at G's twitching figure.

As G writhed in pain, Tocai's urgent voice echoed in his mind, "G, kick off the wall, push! Get off this ledge!"

Despite the risk of being crushed by rocks and the subterranean river, a calming sensation convinced G it was the right move. He pushed with one leg, barely moving an inch before another spasm struck, inadvertently propelling him into the river. The current swept G and Crewton away, following several goblins into the flume. G winced as he collided with a slippery rock, hearing Ryan shout orders to nearby goblins.

The swift current carried G downstream Crewton remained curled under his left arm where his paralyzed grip held him fast. He felt Tocai's mana flowing from his familiar into the robe, changing it as the leather shoulder plates shifted to his back beneath him, the robe forming a tub-like sled allowing G to more easily flow with the water. The impacts from hard bumps under him eased up. The water stopped swirling like a drain and quickly rushed down a dark, relatively smooth worn stream channel carved in the stone.

It reminded him of a water park slide, except for the occasional painful smack against something hard. G realized he still held half the healing flower and consumed it as he jostled. His hit points were in the red – he had only half left. The flower petals' magic restored some of his health as he used his other hand to guide himself away from oncoming bulges in the tight tube while curling his legs up to hold Crewton more securely. Tocai transformed the back of the robe into a longer sled, with the front forming and hardening along the sides. G held his head and body awkwardly to prevent slamming into more rocks when they dropped hard onto a surface.

"Tocai, are the goblins following us? How far are we from Kragen and Riclos?" They slammed into another wall, knocking the air out of G as he curled a little to protect Crewton from the impact.

"Far. We went down, circling several times, and now we are generally going in the correct direction. We are several kilometers away and haven't found a place to stop. I don't think you should try to brace against the walls to halt your forward momentum; if there are goblins coming down with the water, we don't want to be hit by them. We need somewhere to get out," Tocai advised.

G checked his hit points, which were back up to twenty-five. He lost one when they slammed into the wall earlier. He tried to cast healing petals again, but he couldn't keep his hand still enough to do it as the water washed over him repeatedly in seconds, and their makeshift sled was pushed by the water and pulled by gravity down the sloping tube. Attempting to unsummon Crewton also proved unsuccessful.

G remembered an old red sled from childhood, which was longer, narrower, and more agile. Hoping it would improve their situation, he sent the image to Tocai and felt the robe transform into a rounder shape. This sled design allowed it to better navigate the turbulent water, increasing G's speed. At one point, the sled's material tore, but Tocai channeled more mana and mended the damage.

"How much mana do you have left?" G asked.

"Twenty-three points," replied Tocai.

"Let me know when you get to fifteen," G instructed.

The waterway straightened, and they rocketed out of the dark tunnel into a dimly lit cavern. Traveling at over thirty kilometers per hour, the sled skimmed across a wide pool where the river had expanded, and the ceiling disappeared. A screeching sound echoed above G, as a dark shape swooped down, narrowly missing them with its long, sharp claws. It was some kind of bat creature. The screech sent shivers down G's spine, and Crewton struggled against his grip, desperate to escape the horrifying noise as it plucked what looked like a dead Goblin out of the water ahead of him.

Tocai analyzed the creature:

The Screaming Mauler:

Level: 12

Hitpoints: 240

Mana: 0

Description: Dwelling in the world's darkest caves is a creature of terror and dread: the Screaming Mauler. This bat-like creature boasts razor-sharp, eagle-like claws and a wingspan of over six meters. Its body is deep black, and its wings are a dark purple with a leathery texture. The Mauler's eyes emit a bright yellow-green glow, instilling fear in even the bravest hearts. Its long, curved claws are perfect for slicing through enemies. The Screaming Mauler flies silently through darkness, swooping down with a terrifying screech to startle its prey before attacking with claws and fangs. Few victims survive the initial assault, as the Mauler's insatiable appetite for flesh and the force of its strike often result in broken backs or necks.

G absorbed the information about the Screaming Mauler while the sled continued to skim across the water. Another creature circled the huge cavern, where clusters of lichen hung from the walls. The sled began to slow as they approached the far side of the pool, where G spotted the pool's outlet into another stream that dropped a few meters in a short waterfall. To the right and left, on the outcroppings above the pool, more Maulers raised their heads, feasting on the remains of goblins that had been swept down the waterway earlier. One Mauler screeched and tried to snatch a goblin half from another.

His skin crawled as he nudged the waterlogged sled forward, trying to catch the current, hearing another screech, his heart raced. The sled seemed to move agonizingly slow as the red dot closed in. G made the mistake of looking back, catching a glimpse of the enormous winged creature with outstretched claws just before the sled plunged over the pool's waterfall into the darkness below.

There was no pool at the bottom; the sled shot along an inclined stone canyon that narrowed rapidly. Water and gravity propelled them downward at increasing speed. The Mauler attempted to pursue but abandoned the chase as the sled entered another dark tunnel. The treacherous waterslide carried them deeper into the gloomy passages. With fewer twists and turns and a gentler slope, G now had to channel mana into the robe to repair the increasing damage.

G saw a dot in the distance, which appeared bright in his vision as he wore goggles in the darkness. It started as a small dot, but the sled was moving quickly now as the angle of the tunnel increased and the passage walls closed in. The light grew larger, revealing an opening with greens, blues, and yellows beyond it. It was almost as bright as the sun compared to the darkness they had been traveling in for so long. G checked the quest timer and realized they had been traveling for almost an hour. His hands felt wrinkly and soft from all the water, and he could smell mushrooms as the light approached them faster.

Suddenly, Tocai's voice shouted in his mind, "G, stop the sled! That's a cliff!"

G quickly placed Crewton between his legs on the bottom of the sled and tried to push against the slick walls that had closed in, but the sled nearly tipped over as more water rushed in. He grabbed Crewton and held him against his chest as they streaked out of the wall, high above a narrow lake that was several dozen meters below. The water poured downward, and G's sled flew away from the cliff face like a cork from a champagne bottle.

In front of him, G saw a wall of giant mushroom tops glowing blue and green. There were fan mushrooms and other plants below, and beyond them was a huge cavern shrouded in mist. He briefly glimpsed a giant structure in the middle of the mushroom forest as he frantically pumped mana into the sled, imagining it as more of an egg with a thick leather surface. The largest mushroom cap he had ever seen approached them as they descended. Then, suddenly, darkness engulfed them.