The red-haired girl, Krista, whilst still holding the boy, turns and her eyes light up. The elderly lady smiles, and then puts her hands out, taking the child as Krista crouches down.

The three men all loose a cheer, and the goblins look around, observing why they suddenly cheer — and spot Krista as she starts to trace her finger across Caau’s surface.

[https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1022054419510075402/1170435158592200765/zlo3097_A_frightened_red-haired_women_inscribing_golden_runes_o_aa62c649-85fc-4abc-b338-98fd3336612b.png?ex=655907af&is=654692af&hm=74a7363f2cecd98d6d073c08b30aff9225a521c25d51a707040dcf5aa90c8de3&=&width=558&height=741]

Oh, look at that! You’re being activated. I know you are being touched by a woman but don’t get too excited. This won’t be the… pleasurable kind of encounter you’re no doubt hoping for.

They let out a scream of annoyance; one massive harmony of impending death — their prey is escaping.

They surge forward, trying ever so desperately to crawl over or under the assorted men only to find them unfaltering.

Her finger tickles as it finds deeper parts of his surface, and when her finger trails along them, they light up with a blue glow.

[ WARNING: AN INFERNAL-BLOOD’S CHAMPION IS NEARBY ]

There’s a sound like scraping steel; and a screeching louder than an industrial machine ran without lubricant. Blood splatters on the ceiling… and starts to drip down onto him. A massive creature comes into view that towers above even the tall two-handed sword man.

[https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1022054419510075402/1170430660494762105/zlo3097_a_heavily_armoured_man_with_large_zweihander_fighting_a_2f616903-7d1e-4962-aa82-7edc5cd73ebb.png?ex=6559037f&is=65468e7f&hm=5561514877801718f6db48f8d04090ef3fb8f96f735499712f810d35d0c38fed&=&width=558&height=741]

Okay, the cave's MUCH larger than I can see.

A massive claw impales the armoured man. Blood flows like a waterfall, and the goblins begin to drink as though they have never tasted anything sweeter. The rest of the humans are disregarded for a brief few seconds as a pecking order forms.

Any blood that overflows from the massive one’s mouth trickles to land in another's… and the lowest of the low suck it from the ground like addicts to the most addictive substance imaginable. Caau’s stone becomes soaked as it clings to the cave walls.

Oh, yeah, fucking A.

The man’s helmet falls from him, revealing a older black man with an unblemished face. “Grant!” the tallest man shouts, throwing his blade across his body to strike at the largest goblin, who simply grabs a smaller nearby goblin and throws it at him, refusing to move from the fountain of death.

Grant coughs blood; the droplets flying down to be caught by goblins that jump for the sweet nectar. “Go! Into the Waystone!”

Krista pulls her fingers along him, and it wouldn’t be so bad to be fondled by such a beautiful red-haired girl if it were not so absolutely agonising. It is like being tickled and flayed at the same time.

Aaah! Stop! Stop it, right fucking now! You’re tearing up my god-damned soul!

I did tell you.

If she can hear, she doesn’t care to listen, instead focused entirely on his surface. There’s a screech of metal; the sound of two blades smashing into each other.

The tall man blocked a single hit from the massive goblin and now rests on a single knee, blade held high.

The goblin speaks, guttural laughter sounding from it, and the goblins around it watch their superior, then laugh when he finishes.

I’ve seen that so many times. Done that so many times — forced to laugh because someone else is stronger than you… or in a higher position than you.

The black man falls like a mountain, and when he hits the earth he leaves a crater and rumbles the ground.

Just how heavy was that armour?

The armour in question weighs a staggering 45 kg. Do try to contain your overwhelming excitement at knowing such a figure.

Alright, answer me this: You answer the questions when I ask, so why the constant sarcasm? Do you not like me?

Yes, my incessant sarcasm is solely directed at you, for I find immeasurable joy in mocking your every interaction. Clearly, my purpose as your Administrator is to express my disdain towards your existence. Spot on!

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Is there anything I can do to help them?

You are both immobile and useless. You are already helping them more than they deserve.

The goblin boss throws a goblin; who flies screaming towards Krista only to be intercepted by the elderly lady, who drags the kid from her arms and shoves him behind her, then places her staff up to defend only to have the wood crack as the iron goes straight through and buries itself into her stomach.

She looks down, almost dumbstruck, and then smiles. She’s dead the next second as her throat is slit. The kid watches in abject horror.

[ Sanctuary Unlocked ]

She twirls faster than he would have thought possible, ripping up the boy and shoving his hand onto Caau’s stone surface. A violent maelstrom of blue light extends out in tiny, thin tendrils that wrap around the boy in a fraction of a second, then seem to devour him.

[ A new member has entered your Sanctuary ]

My… what?

There’s no time to think; for the girl shouts out to the two men. “Jonathon! Strauss!” she quickly shouts, then plunges herself inside.

[ A new member has entered your Sanctuary ]

The line breaks; both men running back.

They stare at each other; the goblins follow in their wake.

The one-armed man’s eyes narrow, then dart between Caau and Jonathon before he shoves the dagger sideways within an instant.

The tall, black-haired man, Jonathon trips, falling face first onto the ground.

Within a second he’s impaled by blades; and then they start eating his flesh, sucking out the blood.

He stares up at Strauss, fury brimming in his eyes, letting out a shout with a cracked voice.

“Piece of—“ he doesn’t get to finish his sentence as the largest goblin brings its blade down like a guillotine, then rips the remains of the head from Jonathon’s shoulders and pops it in like a grape, smiling with teeth sharped than swords.

Strauss dives forward, his hand touching the blue portal and being sucked inside.

Iron blades that sought his heart now land on Caau’s surface; but they do nothing to the stone, remaining unmarred.

[ A new member has entered your Sanctuary ]

Caau’s world has expanded. No longer is the dreary stone cave his only existence; now a cramped square of void-space stirs inside him, three people shoved inside.

A child, a girl... and a murderer.

It can’t be much more than 3 or so meters in every direction; with dark purple stone, smooth as a marble coating every wall.

What the hell is this place? I can’t feel it like I can with my main body, but I can see inside… like a eyeball sewn into the sky.

Congratulations! You’ve managed to grasp the concept of observation!

I’ll get you a gold star.

The girl stares at the entrance for tense second, and then screams out. “Jonathon! No!” she grips her staff and starts walking towards the shimmering blue only for Strauss to stand in front of her and put his singular arm out to stop her. “Krista, you can’t!”

She tries to push him, and then throws a fist at his face, which he dodges with ease. “Move, Strauss! I need to get out there! I need to bring him back!”

Strauss pushes her back. “You want the kid to lose a mother as well? Because that’s what’ll happen. You’ll go out there and you won’t even have the chance to blink before you’re already dead.”

Caau watches the goblins eat their meal; the black man and the tall man.

Yeah, I really wouldn’t go back out there. That said, not sure they’re so safe inside.

Krista puts her staff forward, and a small spine of blue crystal grows like mould on the very tip.

“Move!” she commands, but he does not.

Instead, he brings his blade up, placing it across his chest defensively. “Krista, I will fight you if I have to. You are not going out there. They were right behind me! They’ll be watching the entrance, waiting for their next meal!”

He’s obviously a fucking bastard but’s he’s right. They’re still feasting.

The girl waits for a tense second, and then begins to cry. “No… no… Jonathon…” she speaks in whispered sorrow; the boy holding her hand stops crying. “Daddy?”He turns. “Mommy? Where is daddy?”

She only cries in response as the other man paces around the room, sighing through his teeth in frustration.

“This isn’t good. Why aren’t we back at the nearest Sanctuary?” he questions, placing his hands on the wall and feeling for anything only to discover the same smoothness on all of it.

He doesn’t seem to care an iota that he just killed a man.

He sinks against a wall until his ass is flat to the ground and puts his hands over his head. “Why, on all days, why?”

It takes them hours to calm down; every-time the girl stops crying, the child starts and the entire cycle continues ad nauseam until the man stands and shouts, screaming barely coherent jumbles of words and scaring both survivors into silence.

“Thank you!” he shouts. “Now stay fucking quiet. I need to know if I can hear outside. If those fucking things are just sat out there waiting…”

It doesn’t take a genius to complete his train of thought, and even the kid looks at the shimmering oval that is covered in a fine matte sheet of blue — completely opaque.

Now that there is time to observe, Caau can see their fittings. The man has a coat of thick cloth with simple boots and a pair of gauntlets.

A long, heavy looking sword hangs from his side and most of his hair is tied back in plaits; the rest tied harshly into a bun that hovers a few centimetres from his head.

The girl is similarly dressed, though her armour is more robe-like, trailing down to her knees, inscribed with tiny runes.

Red hair flows over her shoulders as she rocks the child in her arms, speaking sweet promises of safety and love.

It’s a little safe haven where fragile little humans hide from the big bad world. A place for you to cower and pretend like you’re safe from your own incompetence. Delightful.

[ Sanctuary - 3 Occupants ]

“I don’t hear shit! They could be a Horde out there for all I’d know.”

It’s still fucking dripping on me!

An incessant reminder of your insignificance. Just think, you’re so insignificant that even water finds a way to mock you. Perhaps I could offer a bucket to catch those tears of self-pity.

The blood and the water intermingle, dripping at irregular intervals; a torture of the highest proportions. There is nothing out there; the creatures have already moved on, dragging the corpses of their fallen adversaries and fallen comrades alike as they go.

Not the way I’d want to go out.

He’d never thought goblins — for that is the closest thing he can describe them as — would be so large. Either that, or he is so small.

Come to think of it… the granny’s ass smashed into my point. I’ve got to be, what, a meter tall? At most? Probably less.

He can’t say he’s too fond of people being… inside him… but at least it’s something else to look at, right?

Especially the redhead...