G set about trying to identify every giant mushroom and every creature they encountered. He was determined to learn as much about this forest as possible, not wanting to fall victim to another shrieking Guardian mushroom or some mushroom attempting to consume him.

He identified several dozen different giant mushrooms: Fungus Titan, Sporewood Sentinel, Myconian Monarch, Luminescent Caprice, Glowing Mycelium Majesty, and more. His mental list had already reached twelve different tree-like mushrooms. This task was proving to be enormous and was slowing down their pace. Their path had deviated from the original direction on the map, resembling a corn maze.

"Tocai, continue identifying plants and anything else you find. Notify me if you discover something that can attack or harm us. We need to stay alert for anything we come across," he said.

"I will. I think it will go faster if I don't have to relay all the information I'm gathering. We're off our initial course, and this path is taking us back to where we started," replied Tocai.

"Yeah, I've noticed. The map isn't very useful when we don't know where north and south are in this maze. I was trying to keep the right cavern wall always to our right, but we lost track of that over an hour ago. Let's turn around and go back to that other split with the animal tracks on the path." There had been a few Y's and even a trident-shaped fork in the path; they had always taken the one with the latest tracks that didn't lead into muddy moss.

The lake and river water seemed to ooze along the roots of the giant mushrooms, spreading out across much of the cavern. It flowed into the lower parts of the ground and, in some places, even had small rivulets of water rolling off into the forest. G wasn't sure, but if he had to guess, the giant mushrooms were feeding the other mushrooms in a symbiotic relationship. It made sense since there probably wasn't any rain in a cavern like this; even if a few drops of water fell here and there, it wouldn't be enough for the colossal mushrooms that towered dozens of meters above him.

One of the more interesting mushrooms was the twilight truffle tower. It was an intriguing large yellow mushroom, and it created small surfaces on which other mushrooms would grow as the trunk rose into the air dozens of meters. He stopped to gather some spores from that one. The description mentioned it was edible, so he cut a large chunk out of the bottom of a smaller one, placing it and a couple of tiny mushrooms into his inventory. He hadn't seen any of the frond or fan-like mushrooms he had expected to see. Well, they had found one, but something with sharp teeth had eaten it to the ground.

Allowing Tocai to examine the plants now significantly increased G's pace. They could now see which ones were dangerous and should be avoided. They doubled back and took the first Y that led in the correct direction. G checked his timer; they had been walking for several hours now, with only one short break to eat and drink. Despite this, they hadn't made much progress toward their destination. The paths switched back and forth much more than he had anticipated. The trails were not very wide, and the forest between some of them was not very deep. G tried to cut through the mushrooms to another path, but that led to a burst of spores that choked him. His throat still burned from the sensation, even with the veil covering his lower face. He decided not to try that again unless absolutely necessary.

Crewton paused just ahead of him. A second later, G heard it too: somewhere behind them, near the waterfall direction, they heard screaming and fighting. The screech of a Mauler could be heard over the distant shouts of goblins. After a minute, the noise subsided.

He realized they were on his trail. He didn't know how many there were, but that was clearly someone, likely a hobgoblin, yelling orders in their language. The forest was quiet now as if the native flora and fauna were bracing themselves for conflict.

G had been sneaking his way around, avoiding numerous encounters with creatures and deadly plants. He now wondered if he should be running instead. He looked ahead at the path, quickly becoming familiar with which plants or clumps of mushrooms to avoid. He hoped the goblins would be slowed down as they followed him.

"Tocai, give me a heads-up on any movement I miss and warn me if I'm going too fast. I think our time for stealth is over," as he started jogging. Almost immediately, his movement spooked a cluster of glowing yellowish butterflies.

"Those are Moss Pixies; avoid them," warned Tocai.

G skirted the far side of the path and continued. He wasn't getting winded at this pace, and he felt he could maintain it for a long time if necessary. He traveled like this for another hour, occasionally having to go around obstacles in the path. At one point, there was a large carnivorous, level 6 mushroom tube creature that grew in the path. He backed away and took a different route, with Crewton sticking close to him. The dog occasionally turned as they jogged, nudging his leg to make sure he was still there.

The light was dim, but Crewton was doing alright. G considered unsummoning him, but any help in case of trouble would be useful. Dr. Reamus had said Crewton couldn't really die as long as G still lived, but G had no interest in discovering what kind of trauma that would cause his friend. Sacrificing Crewton was not an option in his mind unless there were no other choices, and even then, he might not do it.

G had avoided the centers of the clearings as some of the paths spilled out into larger open spaces, preferring to stay near the overhanging mushrooms. The Maulers were quiet when flying, and if they were anything like eagles, as the description suggested, then their eyesight in this foggy cavern would be better than his. They came to a clearing that split again into three directions, and above in the cavern, silhouetted by the glow, G saw a large, strangely designed structure. Unlike most buildings with sharp corners, this one was rounded. He couldn't see the base, but they were getting closer to the structure, which was probably half a kilometer or less away. The path on the other side definitely led towards the structure. He made his way around it when he heard a thump, and to his left, an arrow quivered in the loam. A red dot had appeared on G's map behind him. He turned briefly to see no one behind them.

Tocai said, "Up, on top of the mushrooms."

G looked up and spotted a goblin pulling on his bow again, an arrow nocked. He sprang forward and started running at full speed as the arrow landed where he had been standing a moment before. He channeled a bit of mana into his lower robe, transforming it into a duster-like jacket, pushing the leather guards to his back and the back of his hood, which he kept. He didn't slow down; he turned into the path and ran, with Crewton now several paces ahead of him. The edge of the mushrooms blocked his view of the Goblin. A few moments down the path, G heard a very loud horn blasting behind him.

"Did you identify him?" asked G.

"Yes, it's a Goblin Ranger. Do you want the description?" replied his familiar.

"No, just the average hitpoints," was all G said as he continued sprinting, taking any path that led in the correct direction.

"Forty-four hit points on that one," said Tocai, and then he fell silent. Hopefully, he was watching in front of G.

Clouds of spores burst behind G as he sprinted forward, and he was fairly certain he had jumped over something that had moved beneath the moss. He didn't stop, not knowing how many goblins were pursuing him, but he knew getting caught in the open would be disastrous. He needed to find a place to bottleneck them, where his spells would be most effective.

A few minutes later, G and Crewton burst into an open courtyard, panting heavily as they paused under the last towering mushroom cap. The maze of pathways had been treacherous and confusing, but they had managed to escape. Now they faced a new challenge as the group of goblin rangers chasing them through the forest would catch up any moment. Goblin shouts and the blaring of a horn echoed not far behind.

Frantically, G scanned his surroundings, trying to find an escape route. The courtyard was surrounded by high walls, with the only exit being the massive, alien structure before them. He didn't have time to admire the strange design; the goblin rangers were closing in.

As the whistling of an approaching arrow filled the air, G called to his trusty canine companion, and they started running in a zigzag pattern, hoping to avoid the deadly projectiles. Three red dots appeared on his mini-map, one behind and the others to the right.

The overgrown vines in the courtyard made it difficult to maneuver, but G and Crewton managed to dodge the first few arrows. However, as they neared the alien structure, the goblin rangers took aim with deadly precision.

"Tocai, how many did you hear out there?" G thought he had heard four at most.

"I counted at least six," said his familiar.

Panicking, G shouted, "Stay low, Crewton!" as he crouched down and ran behind one of the larger mushroom root-like tubers that crisscrossed the courtyard. The arrows flew thick and fast, whizzing past G's ears. He lacked the range to fight the goblins here.

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G knew he had to think quickly. There was no way they could outrun the goblins when they could follow him on the tops of the giant mushrooms. They needed a plan, and they needed it now.

G glanced up at the alien structure before them as Crewton, who was ahead on the ramp leading to the enormous doors, turned to bark. "Crewton, follow me!" he shouted, urging the dog to join him.

They sprinted towards the curved walls of the structure and proceeded through the massive door, three times G's height, which stood ajar. The goblin rangers continued firing arrows, but G and Crewton moved too quickly for them to get a clear shot. They made it through the entrance just as the rain of arrows ceased. He risked a glance back at the courtyard and saw the goblins skillfully scaling down the giant mushrooms with their claws. At least a dozen red dots appeared on his mini-map, but their movement halted as soon as he ducked back inside. He knew they were still advancing, but the map wouldn't update until either he or Crewton had visual contact with them again.

G leaned against the half-open door, attempting to push it closed. As it creaked, another arrow struck the thick door near the opening. He placed his back against it and pushed, wishing his boots had actual treads like his old, now disintegrated combat boots. The door began to swing closed with an eerily loud squeal from the long-neglected metal hinges. The door boomed shut, and he quickly jammed a broken tile beneath it, hoping to hold the goblins at bay.

He surveyed the chamber softly lit by glowing green and yellow lichen—dimmer than the forest outside but hopefully bright enough for Crewton. The walls were adorned with moss, lichen, and carvings of gods, beasts, and war. At the chamber's center were two colossal stone thrones, empty and foreboding, overlooking the open floor of broken tiles and debris.

A sense of unease washed over G as he studied the thrones, unable to shake the feeling of being watched. The thrones offered high ground if he had to fight, and the range from there to the door was within reach of his mana bolt spell. He glanced around at the piles of broken mushroom stalks and clumps of mushrooms growing in various floor cracks. The intact ceiling and walls had no windows, just the front double door entrance and a smaller, four-meter-tall open hallway behind the thrones. The room smelled musty, with a faint, unidentifiable scent lingering alongside the moss and spores. Other than a couple of pillars on each side supporting the ceiling, the chamber was empty, clearly looted or abandoned long ago, given the aged floor tiles and the layers of dust and spores on the thrones.

"Thoughts, Tocai?" asked G.

"Place a briar patch between the entrance and the thrones. Use the thrones as cover, eliminate as many as you can, and lure the rest into the corridor at the back. If there are any doorways or chambers farther in, you can close in and use your mace," advised Tocai. The area from the entrance to the floor in front of the thrones illuminated G's mind, indicating where to cast the Briar Patch spell.

G appreciated the plan; he didn't want to engage in hand-to-hand combat with all these goblins. Close quarters would be best to prevent them from encircling or shooting him. But first, he needed to see what lay within that corridor—perhaps another exit could allow him to slip away while the goblins struggled with the door. He could hear them outside, attempting to force it open. The broken tile was tightly wedged, and the door remained steadfast.

Crouching, G sneaked across the chamber, which seemed like a throne room. The thrones themselves were enormous as he approached; whoever had used them was much larger than him. The seat of the throne came up to his shoulders—were the occupants' knees almost as tall as him? A shiver ran down his spine in the musty chamber; he had no desire to meet the beings that once occupied those thrones.

Crewton sniffed around the floor as G clicked once to call the dog over. Together, they approached the single exit visible in the chamber. Unsure of the structure's size at the back, G paused at the smaller, four-meter-high doorway. Beyond it was a large room, smaller than the throne room, and he scanned for any other exits. On one side, he saw a depression in the wall, which he hoped was a doorway or exit.

Suddenly, there was a loud crunch, and the familiar squeal of metal hinges as the large doors to the throne room began to move. His heart raced, and he turned to see the first Goblin pushing its way through the opening. It appeared as though someone had shoved the Goblin forward. Sweat dripped from the Goblin's brow, and he seemed ready to flee at the slightest provocation.

G hastily cast Briar Patch as close to the Goblin and the large doors as he could. It covered most of the floor. He cast it again, trying to cover the remaining open area near him. Using a considerable amount of mana, he hoped to buy himself some time. If he couldn't find a way out, he would have to fight the goblins as they entered the smaller doorway. He planned to stand out of sight, avoiding any bowmen. The Briar Patch would also cause damage if the goblins tried to move through it. Hopefully, they wouldn't discover this until some were already trapped.

Seeing nothing else in the smaller room, and with Crewton showing no concern, he entered the room and headed towards the pattern on the wall, hoping for a door, window, or an escape route.

Abandoning stealth for speed, he moved across the room towards the wall, where he now saw a closed stone door. Dirt, loam, and roots surrounded the door's edges, reaching up to the top. The door was likely buried, but he needed to try and... He paused as Crewton started growling. Glancing over, he saw Crewton growling at a dark part of the room that appeared empty. The dog backed away slowly from the corner, which contained a pile of clutter, branches, decayed vegetation, and bones. Crewton's retreat quickened as the darkness shimmered, much like when Ryan had appeared from his invisibility near the astral ship. The air shimmered as if on a hot day, and a large grey-furred creature with a gaping maw materialized before them.

Grurenderer

Level 14

Hit Points: 240

Mana: 120

Description:

Deep within the darkest caves, lurking in the shadows is a creature of legend known as the Grurenderer. This monstrous beast is an imposing figure, standing at a towering height, with muscles rippling beneath its matted fur. Its forearms are thick and powerful, much like those of a gorilla, and its paws are adorned with finger-like claws that could tear apart even the toughest of armors.

They are typically found in the company of greater beings who raise them as pets to guard their temples and homes. Once bonded to a greater being, they are bound for life. If their master dies, they will also perish given time, so great is their bond.

The Grurenderer's true terror lies in its ability to turn invisible. It stalks its prey, biding its time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Victims who have survived an encounter with this beast recount a sense of dread that is all-consuming, as if the very air around them has thickened with malevolence.

The Grurenderer's attacks are swift and deadly. It uses its massive claws to rend flesh and shatter bone, and its teeth are razor-sharp and capable of tearing apart even the hardiest of warriors. Those who attempt to flee from the beast will soon find that it is faster than they could ever imagine, its powerful legs propelling it forward in great bounds that shake the very ground beneath them.

Few have ever survived an encounter with the Grurenderer, and those who have emerged with their lives intact carry with them the scars of a battle that will haunt them for the rest of their days. Beware, adventurers, for the Grurenderer is a creature not to be trifled with.

The Grurenderer's growl, more of a rumble, shook G to his core, and Crewton ceased growling, backing away more quickly from the creature. Think, think…

Using his calmest voice, G said, "Whoa there, boy. I'm not here to harm you," and held out one hand, palm up. G recalled an incident from his childhood when a dog had nipped him through a fence. Instead of getting mad at the dog's owners, his grandfather took him back to the fence and showed G the proper way to approach a dog. With the right approach and a few slices of cheese, G had managed to befriend the dog. Cheese, that's it…

He checked his inventory, searching for something the creature might like. With its long teeth and powerful canines, it was clear the Grurenderer was a carnivore. He pulled out one of the dead goblins he and Kragan had taken down earlier and gently placed the deceased Goblin on the floor in front of him. The Grurenderer slowly crept towards him, one massive paw at a time.

"Here you go, boy. I brought you a present," he said as he slowly backed away from the Grurenderer. He heard some yelling in Goblin's speech in the throne room, but his current priority was escaping this situation. G continued to back away as the giant creature approached the dead Goblin. After sniffing at the corpse, the Grurenderer devoured it in two big, sloppy bites, the sound of crunching bones filling the air. It then turned its predatory gaze back to him.

He pulled another dead goblin out of his inventory and placed it on the floor. "Whoa, I have more. Here you go." He slowly laid the Goblin down and backed up, repeating this process three times until he reached the doorway leading back into the throne room. As he did so, G continued speaking in a kind and gentle tone, as if addressing a child or a puppy. He resisted the urge to smile, knowing that showing his teeth could be a bad idea when encountering an unknown animal.

G didn't even glance at the throne room as he heard the goblins yelling. He expected an arrow in his back, but none came. "Well, it's been a pleasure," G said kindly, giving a little nod before he turned and ran. And he didn't just run; he sprinted as fast as he could. Arrows and goblins didn't scare him as much as that monstrous creature did; Crewton was right behind him. Surprisingly, he found five goblins either stuck or standing still in the briars, with deep cuts on their bodies. Two more goblins near the doorway were yelling at the ones in the briars. A floor-shaking roar sounded behind G as he ran around the Briar Patch, which was difficult to see in the dim light. He paused for a second, cast a mana bolt at the nearest goblin scout, and continued sprinting toward the exit.

Pulling out his mace, he swung it at the Goblin as it brandished its short sword. The mace slammed the Goblin backward, and its short sword missed its mark. He dashed through the doorway into the courtyard, hearing another roar and the screams of goblins as the Grurenderer attacked them. G spotted a lone goblin atop the tallest mushroom, drawing its bow to take a shot. He started zigzagging, and once the arrow was released, he sidestepped and stopped to cast a mana bolt at the Goblin Ranger.

Goblin Ranger

Level 4

Hit Points: 44

The bolt left G's hand, and he resumed running in a zigzag pattern. This was the same tactic he had always used in first-person shooter games to avoid being gunned down. It worked well here, as the archer on the mushroom cap had to contend with distance, timing, and G's unpredictable movements. G just had to ensure he didn't get too close to the archer. Glancing up at the prone ranger on the mushroom cap, G could see the mana bolt had hit its target.

The ranger wasn't dead, but he was faring poorly, with half of his health remaining. G stopped and cast another mana bolt, then started running once more. He heard another deafening roar and more Goblin screams behind him. G wasn't stopping now. Dead or not, that Goblin wasn't the problem. He needed to get out of here before he became the Grurenderer's next meal.

He took the right pathway, planning to circle around the building if the pathways allowed.