The golem had long since stopped moving and was standing by the wall like a statue, but the thick silence of the hall still remained. I was being stared down by dozens of dwarfs and I was getting unusually self-conscious about it.

What… what is their deal now? I did help, right? Could it be… did the golem step on someone and I didn’t notice? Oh shit! Anything but that!

I stared back at the dwarfs with a frightened look as the potential punishments for such actions played through my mind.

Alas, the uncomfortable stalemate was broken by the sounds of running steps coming closer from the inner cave, where the other half of our troops left. Led by the sub-commander to explore the previously found signs of goblin activity.

The newly added presences immediately drawn the eyes of the shocked dwarfs who were expecting a new threat. This coincidence allowed me precious time to gather myself.

After all, I knew them to be dwarfs, as my hearing was much more sensitive than any of the others. Therefore, could easily differentiate between goblin steps and those belonging to dwarfs who I have been traveling with.

Two dwarfs appeared soon enough, their pale faces shining by the torchlights held by one of them.

“Ambushed! We… have been… ambushed!” — Shouted one of the dwarfs, his breathing erratic as he tried to speak while simultaneously gulping down as much air as it was dwarvenly possible.

One of the older dwarfs, who I didn’t really know, stepped in front of the two men and shouted at them. — “We have already suspected as much, our side has been attacked as well! The battle just ended seconds ago!”

The soldiers in question seemed shocked by this revelation. The two of them looked around with wide eyes, quickly catching onto the bloodied or ripped armors and fresh injuries. Seeing the few unfortunate dead dwarfs alongside of the brutally crushed and dismembered piles of goblins who have fallen in the short but ferocious battle.

The second dwarf spoke up this time. — “The commander sent us… to ask for immediate reinforcement… The goblins have surprised us while we were searching through the caves… they have managed to further separate our forces…”

“Curse it! Did this place turn into a goblin nest without us realizing it?” — Shouted one of the nearby dwarfs.

Tymur, who was still standing by my side, seemed to have come to the same thought. — “That might just be the case. Normally, goblins don’t attack large forces, but they will fight back ferociously if their homes are threatened.”

Another dwarf spoke up. — “That would also explain the unusually high goblin activity which we have encountered in recent weeks.”

Most of the present dwarfs seemed to agree with this observation. Grunting in agreement.

“What shall we do now?” — Someone worded the question which everybody seemed to be thinking about.

At that moment, Emrum seemed to make his way back here. Flanked by Skod and Regmir on both sides.

My blood ran cold as I saw him being carried like that. Before I could say anything, Skod caught my gaze and spoke up, stopping my incoming flood of questions.

“He is all right, nothing life-threatening. His leg was already injured, and it got hit again. Some rest and a dose of your magic will do him good though…” — The man offered a weak smile. To which I nodded, eyeing Emrum questioningly.

“As he says…” — Emrum answerd grudgingly. — “Aside from that… It is obvious what we have to do… We need to go and help the others.” — There was a momentary silence, but nobody seemed to argue with his statement.

“Good, then… Those who are too injured to fight shall remain here… the... Golem is still functional, right, Selora?” — I looked up at the towering golem. Its head, as if it noticed my gaze, no… it definitely noticed it had slowly turned towards me.

“Yes…” — I said, causing another wave of worried, or uncertain, looks to be exchanged among the dwarfs.

Dwarfs were already distrustful towards magic when they were witnessing low or medium level spells… They were clearly deeply disturbed by the display and capabilities of high end magic.

I can’t even blame them… I, who was supposedly the master of this spell, were similarly disturbed by it, or even more. The golem which I have called forth felt more like a force of nature, then actual magic.

It was something that gave off the eery feeling that it shouldn’t exist even when it was standing right in front of me.

Seeing how its material was practically painted with splashes of black blood, I was starting to feel a sense of vertigo, and had to rip my gaze away from the deadly construct.

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Emrum eyed me carefully, similarly to some of the other dwarfs. He eventually questioned jokingly. — “I suspect you are not up for the task of healing me or some of the others?”

I immediately turned a shade paler as the idea of spending even more mana was brought up. And shook my head, feeling the forming of a tight knot in my throat.

I blew all my mana on that golem, and now it was impossible for me to provide aid in any way that was even remotely magical in its nature.

At least it was effective… Without the golem, we would have much bigger problems.

The veteran dwarf, whose name I still didn’t know, but who has clearly held quite a bit of respect among the soldiers, stated at last.

“It’s decided then. The golem cannot enter the tunnels either way, it is best for it to stay here and guard the injured. That way, we can focus on the battle ahead. Regmir and Kol, you are both from the witch’s group, right?” — They nodded. — “Good, you stay with her and assist the injured. Everyone else who doesn’t feel to be a burden in the fight ahead, on your honor, onwards!”

With that said, the majority of the dwarfs released an angry battle-cry and practically charged into the inner cave.

The sounds of hasty footsteps were slowly becoming distant echoes as the soldiers went farther into the cave. My elven ears could still hear them, though, and soon enough, sounds of distant war cries resonated through the walls, followed by animalistic screams and wild clashes of weapons.

I was reminded of the horrifying sounds of squashed goblins, the sharp sounds of simultaneously snapping bones under the destructive weight of the stone halbert.

As the previously felt sense of vertigo appeared once more, I did my best to distract myself from the sounds of warfare and the thoughts that were haunting me, which most likely will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

Which thought… in itself felt almost suffocating as I realized that said thing meant decidedly more than a handful of decades this time around.

I leaned on my staff heavily, ripping my thoughts away from such prospects. Instead, trying to focus on something else, anything… My eyes running over the surface of the empty cavern until it stopped on a mangled pile of black gooey mass of limbs and…

“Bleagh!…”

I keeled over, unable to stand any longer, the bile that had been repeatingly threatening to leave my stomach gaining its long desired release in the form of fresh vomit.

"Lass, you alright?” — I heard the worried voice of Emrum. Which was followed by the uncharacteristically serious voice of Regmir.

“Did you see what her golem did? I bet she is revolted, even disgusted with herself after causing such a bloodbath. Elves tend to act all sophisticated… especially female ones. I have told her times and times again… she is too soft for the deep roads.” — Stated Regmir, smugly, like he was some sort of oracle.

Between bursts of vomiting stomach acid and my dry heaves, I was even forced to endure the boasting of this smug bastard. I was seriously about to burst a vein in my head from the sheer sense of anger and helplessness which I was feeling from the merciless waves of vertigo.

“… -ut… your …-ap… -tard..” — I attempted to say to the cretin, but my words seemed to break off at the worst possible moments.

“What was that? I didn’t hear you clearly…” — Asked the man in a condescending tone.

“Emrum’s expression was thoughtful for the time being, as he measured the truthfulness of Regmir’s words, while giving me worried glances.”

I felt a hesitant palm being placed against my back, drawing calming circles into it. I had no idea who was doing it, but I felt grateful for it none the less.

The voice belonging to the third person sounded deeply reluctant as he spoke up, scolding the two men. The voice was somewhat familiar. It belonged to Kol, I eventually realized. A member of our group. — “Emrum… you should be focusing on stopping the bleeding on your leg instead of worrying about others…”

I looked up at the man kneeling beside me and saw as his gaze turned towards Regmir and became a lot sharper as he glared at the man coldly.

“Regmir, I believe that you have caused enough chaos for one day… you should help the other injured instead of flapping your mouth needlessly. Should I remind you that the girl you are currently insulting is likely the sole reason you still drew breath?”

Regmir’s eyes widened slightly, but his proud demeanor came back almost immediately. — “So what? The girl owed me one already. I saved her skin from being blown up by her own stupid spell. This just means we are equal once again.”

My breathing was calm enough to speak this time, and I shouted at the idiot with a new burst of anger and a returning sense of nausea.

“That!… That was all your fault, to begin with!” — I shouted at him, already full of his bullshit.

The man dared to blink at me innocently. Then he asked in a confused tone. — “Whatever you mean by that…?” — I caught sight of his genuinely confused expression which he was trying to suppress, and I realized that he seriously didn’t know what I was meaning… Maybe that is for the better… Still that expression was irking me terribly.

“You… you are insufferable! Just go and die already!” — I said, anger coloring my cheeks red as I turned away from the idiot, in a vain attempt to calm myself.

He seemed genuinely baffled by my feisty reaction, blinking at me with a clueless look. The three men seemed to exchange a long look above my head, deciding to not pursue this matter any longer.

“Alright, I will check on the other two, but both of them are unconscious after receiving head injuries from hobgoblin maces… It’s not like I can do much to help… To make it even worse, we have lost five more men which is better than I anticipated… That golem of yours is quite effective…” — Regmir stated then walked off to check on the other injured.

I finally managed to sit up, getting the better of my lingering nausea.

“Will you be alright?” — Asked Kol, and I nodded, assuring him that he could also go and check on the injured.

But before he left, I said to him. — “Also… uhm… thanks for the earlier… I really appreciated your words.”

He turned back to me and smiled. — “Just… as I, no… we do. If your golem didn’t interrupt the battle at that moment… I wouldn’t be here now… So thank you for doing what you did, Selora. You might be an elf, and a witch, but you are a… surprisingly kind one.” — With that said, he turned around and walked away to check on the other injured.

I gulped drily as I looked after him. Aside from the remark on my race… I got to say he was a nice guy? Well… based on my experiences, most dwarfs were kind if you warmed up to them. Even Regmir… which was a statement in itself.