I awake with no idea of how I fell asleep in the first place, wondering if the glorious bed that I have been sleeping in has made my resolve weak.
Waking up on the stone floor is something I don't consider myself bad at. Even when finding myself on the floor due to mana exhaustion, I was still able to rouse the groggy feeling and get up relatively well.
For some reason, even with the heat that's surrounding me, the dreamy sensation of waking prematurely is not fading away whilst I'm trying to force myself into consciousness. Finding no help from my appendages, my hands and feet seem to be bound behind my back and I'm face down on my belly, just wriggling around.
Once more, I have managed to find myself naked on the cold floor of the dungeon and this time I've been hogtied.
What the actual, Fuck!
Skill Acquired: Sleep Resistance Level 1
Skill Acquired: Mental Resistance Level 1
Well I suppose that means magic is involved, right?
Through a continuous amount of effort, I'm starting to come around from the haze clouding me. Still struggling to even open my eyes, I'm trying to gather my thoughts but they seem distant. Slowly I begin putting the pieces together. I remember being concerned over a potential threat from the goblins, summoning the dungeon girl, and Temi being her usual unreliable self. After that, I just meditated and then......
Nothing.
It really should be more of pressing concern to me, that I'm not, where I last remember being. My last week has been quite manic recently and the location change isn't as big of a deal as you would think it would be. The magic being used on me is slightly more concerning and should prompt me to ready myself for a fight, as fast as possible. I overlook these two issues, deciding they are of little importance. Merely extra worries, to go along with one gigantic problem.
What has really pissed me off and is priority number one, I'm not taking this likely, is that my new favourite pair of underwear is gone!
Sneaky little green bastards.
The familiar feeling of how I spent my first few days here, vulnerable and unrestricted, enrages me even more.
How dare they, after the trust I placed in them. I'll kill them all!
Not regarding my surroundings, due to a lack of care, I call upon the one person I know didn't do this to me.
"Temi! What the hell happened?
'Erin, you fell asleep after someone used a spell on your room, the goblins burst through the door once you had passed out. There was nothing I could do,'
So it was the goblins.
Shit.
I'm really angry at myself for this situation. I accepted their hospitality willingly believing it to be the dungeons intentions. There's no one else to blame for my naivety in trusting monsters. I tried to prepare shortly after speaking with Goblana so I wasn't caught with my pants down, but it was too little, too late. The thieving little shits took them anyway!
"Fucking Goblins!!"
I finally take note of my location as I hear the sound of feet, passing over stone, to my right. My eyes need a moment to focus, but what comes into view once they have settled pisses me off even more.
I am in a very large room with no windows and one door, it must be close to the inn if they carried me here or maybe I'm in the basement. The stone floor and stone walls showcase how well constructed, this building actually is. Yellow crystals line the wall, as far as I can see there's twelve in total and they're all in perfect symmetry with each other, they serve to brighten the otherwise featureless walls. Eight large tables, covered in different assortments of cooked meat and vegetables, serve to fill the whole floor area and provide seating to more than two hundred goblins. How can I tell the amount?
Because they're all sat down waiting to eat.
Bright glowing eyes paint a picture of red stars, staring menacingly right at me. Horrible, sticky saliva drools down beside their sharp teeth as they wait for their meal to be served.
This is a banquet hall!
And I'm the main course
The person walking towards me stops at my side and checks the restraints making sure they're secure. I glare up at Kroll, which isn't easy, with as much hate as I can possibly muster.
"Why would you do this to me? Didn't I help you?"
"Master wants yous to go in der."
He's pointing in the opposite direction as the crimson eyed, hungry goblins. It takes a lot of effort to even try changing my position, being tied up like this means the only way I can see is by craning my neck. I was honestly expecting for a pot to be sat there, bubbling away over open flames, ready to boil me alive. It turns out to be much worse than what I was imagining. My eyes open in horror as I finally recognise, what I am judging to be, the most dangerous side of the room. Even though there are no goblins on this side, death is a certainty.
To my immediate left are the flames of hell, or somewhere close to them in temperature. This is where the heat has been coming from but after taking notice of my captors I didn't want to take my eyes off them. Now that I'm aware of the danger, I've noticed that I'm laid directly beside the edge and a single push could send me over. My rising panic might be almost as high as my rage is.
Shit.
This side of the room is nowhere near as large as the side housing the actual feast. As it turns out, the stone floor I originally believed myself to be on was a miscalculation. I'm actually on some type of altar made of stone and my inevitable demise is staring up at me. Red, orange and yellow bubbles, hiss and explode below in a sea of fire. Molten waves cascade up the side of the large pit as my alter sits above overlooking what is no doubt, certain death. It would take seconds, if not less, and nothing would remain of me if I was to be plunged in there.
Avoiding death by lava pit is now priority number one.
As I swivel my head back around to Kroll, the only door to the room opens without a sound once more showing how well crafted this building is.
The tallest goblin I have seen so far enters the hall trying his best, and failing at the same time, to look imposing. He reminds me of the clerk from city hall, except he is clearly larger and most definitely more....robust. Large red eyes and huge yellow teeth, stare out at me from behind darkness. A dark purple robe gives me the impression he is an evil sorcerer and the jewellery, that is made from skull and bones, is also adding to the persona. Unlike the rest of the robe wearing goblins, he has chosen to add a hood onto his and a night black sash keeps his modesty contained. This has to be the one that cast the spell on me, which means he can use magic. I haven't come across another mana user yet so I have no idea what he could be capable of, except for a sleep spell.
Removing his hood he looks like every other goblin, except older and uglier. He grins at me and chuckles before speaking rather well for a goblin, with a croaky high pitched voice.
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"I am Obling, master of illusion and the ruler of the dungeon. Tonight, yous will be my sacrifice."
Where do I even start with that sentence?
Laughter or ridicule?
"Obling? So you moved the G to the end and gave yourself a name, or is it a silent G? Or did some other fool name you that? Either way, I bet you gave yourself that ridiculous title too, didn't you? Haha."
"Oh, humans are funny. Wat about funnies now?"
Removing his jet black sash, he starts exposing himself before me.
Whilst normally I would look away from a goblin flaunting its body at me. This bastard is wearing, what appear to be, my fucking boxer shorts.
"Raaaggghhhhh"
"Haha, yous like my reward!"
"They're mine, you shitty goblin."
"Yous die tonight so not need these, have very nice feel."
I'm going to rip his head off, I'll have to scrub that underwear for a week before I feel comfortable wearing it again.
Once I get stronger.
I'm not stupid, insanity hasn't taken me yet, there's no chance of beating everyone here. I need a plan.
I need to figure a way out of here. Stupid name left the door open so that's got to be the best option, once I get passed the hundreds of goblins in front me that is.
I have to get out of these ropes first though.
There's that much wrapped around my hand, that even if I call out my sword I'll be unable to grip it. There's no chance of moving my wrist either, so cutting anything is out of the picture.
Shit.
That only leaves me with one option that I know can get rid of the ropes.
Fire.
I really don't want to do this, but it's either that or the lava.
The overweight, self-proclaimed, dungeon ruler stops just past the tables and then turns to the masses to speak.
"Tonight, wes feast!"
A mighty roar resounds through the room as the goblins shout out as one whilst banging their fists on their tables, creating a loud thundering effect. Obling raises his boney arms, which fail to match the gut dangling below, to silence the rowdy goblins. Once the noise settles down Obling turns to face Kroll.
"Kroll, yous did well last few days."
"Yous too kind master."
"When I get humans power, I will reward yous well."
Stupid goblins, come near me and we all burn. I've almost got half a plan, I just need a bit more time and I'll be as prepared as I can be.
"Now, wes start."
That was fast!
Now or never then, I guess.
Kroll turns towards me and reaches out, palms extended, with a large smile plastered on his relaxed aged face.
Sorry, buddy. I thought you were a good guy.
"Fire Wall."
Centimetres away from certain death, Kroll's hands enter a large Fire Wall. It appeared below him, originating at my tied up limbs as it's centre, spreading two meters away in each direction forming a perfect square. It ignites the dry robes within reach, setting the old goblin alight.
Shrieking whilst falling to the floor, rolling around to try and rid himself of the flames. He, unfortunately, forgets his immediate area only interested in surviving and rolls straight over the verge. Falling down into the lava-filled hole, Kroll's dying scream rallies the stunned goblins to charge out of rage at the sudden turn of events.
Luckily for me, I'm underneath the 2m by 2m wall of fire, anxiously waiting for the ropes to burn away until I'm free.
I know it's not the best strategy, setting myself on fire, but it is a proven method. This time I can fall back on Cure to heal myself with and if they can't attack me because of it, then that's a win for now in my book.
"Ow, Temi, how close .. is the door?"
'I cannot see, the fire is preventing me and all I can see from below, are stomping green feet.
Yeah, I see them too. I'm surrounded by goblins, just on the edge of my magic range, waiting for the chance to assault me as soon as the fire disappears. I've got about 40 seconds left, I hope the rope burns through and I don't have to cast this on my self a third time.
Almost on cue, the ropes last fibres burn through and the rest unravels from where they have yet to burn properly.
That was one of those rare times that lady luck has worked for me.
Not a second to waste.
"Cure."
Immediately my hands and feet are healed, with only 30 seconds remaining on my spell, I have to make every second count. Fire Wall costs 3 mana and I'm gonna quadruple it to 12 to see if the area also increases in effect. If not, then it will of been a total waste of mana and a swift death is likely to follow. Chances of dying are already high though, so what the hell, now's the time to be boss and at least go out well.
Skill: Fear Resistance Level 4 has reached Level 5+
You may now upgrade this skill
Upgrades available:
Fear Master: Upgrades Resistance to Master doubling the power of the effect.
Fear Controller: Learn the skill Fear: Fear: Inflict Fear upon opponents within 5 meters. Each Level Up will increase the range by 5 meters.
Shit, I can't think about that right now, I don't have the time.
'Mastery.'
Skill Upgraded: Fear Resistance Level 5 has become Fear Master Level 5
Ok, that will have to do, now I need to build up mana quickly. I begin gathering mana, not too much as I don't want to waste any unnecessarily, but I also have to make sure it's enough. The mana within me starts to rise and I get ready to spring up into position, I take a deep breath and then when I'm ready, I jump up and release the mana with the image in my mind.
"Fire Wall."
Ufff, I feel a hefty drain in my mana. Not as much as the dungeon girl cost me, so nothing to worry about just now, but it stung. The goblins are thrown back or burnt alive, depending on how close they were to the epicentre. Which is me by the way, for all-purpose and intent to scare my foes, it looks as though I have been sliced in half by my own wall. Which then carried on and exploded out, four times the size of the original, hoping to take out Obling, but he manages to jump fast for his age.
With most of the goblins dazed from the shock of being pushed back, or their comrades rolling around on fire, I dash as fast as I possibly can through a clear path to the door.
Success.
Oh shit, it worked.
"Now what? Gotta be another door close, right?."
'Perfect 12.'
"What?"
'Mana use. It was the amount you intended on."
Obling screams out from back in the flaming banquet hall. Now that I'm out, I can view my previous position from a better angle. The alter I was on just a moment ago, has some creepy skeleton goblin carving on top, it appears to be made from actual bones. Painted around the alter in what I can only assume is blood, is some type of ritualistic cult circle or some crazy shit like that. Fire is destroying most of what remains but with what's left I make an educated guess, that was how he was going to steal my power. The large quantities of food are also burning away on top of the flaming wood tables, becoming crisper by the second.
"No escape! Gets him!"
Gorb, the goblin I could never understand, charges around from inside the corner of the doorway with some pissed off burnt goblins whilst I was distracted by Oblings cry and the bonfire before my eyes. As they're closing the distance, I retrieve my scimitar from my inventory, clenching it firmly with my healed hand and instantly slicing the air. A Dark Slash tears out space between the narrow doorway, horizontally, which the incoherent Gorb and a couple of dozen others are in the process of exiting. Showing no signs of stopping, if tears apart anything in its path and flys straight through multiple goblins with ease.
You have levelled up
All stats increased
Special attribute points awarded
Can I really fault the cost-effectiveness of this skill?
I mean damn, all those goblins finished off with one hit has made a huge mess. It even took both sides of the door with it and sliced the top of the alter off, enraging Obling. I don't have the time to waste just hanging around gawping though.
"NOOOO! KILL HIM NOW!"
Now it's time to run!
I'll be back for my shorts though, just you wait, Obling!
Turning left from the doorway in front of me, I run down the bare corridor following it round to the left, running right into the second brother Borg. I don't have the mana to waste on single goblins, using my speed I evade his slow attack as I dash right beside him, behind me more goblins pile out of the flaming room constantly hounding me. Yep, keep running.
It a good distance until I take the next corner, which again was left and I decide to use the slim area of this short corridor to my advantage. Dozens of goblins crash and cascade around the corner, eyeing me up like the dinner they never had, trying to be the first to reach me. I retreat a fraction slower than normal whilst trying to gather as many monsters as possible. This hallway really worked for me as they're all bunched together in a large horde. As the goblins rush forward I hear Borg shout out just before they find themselves caught off guard.
"Yous killed Gorb!"
"Not My Fault!"
I shout back before releasing the trap.
"Dark Slash!"
Goblin eyes widen and mouths open but none manage to retreat fast enough back to the corner.
Once again the jet black blade of air, rips through the conglomeration of goblins, painting a horrible picture of absolute mutilation. Limbs, corpses and entrails scatter the floor, walls and roof, as no place is left untouched.
Shit
You have levelled up
All stats increased
Special attribute points awarded
Inventory space: 10/30
Skill: Dark Slash Level 2 has reached Level 3
Skill: Sword Mastery Level 2 has reached Level 3
Drip.
Not in any immediate danger I take in the scene.
Drip.
I don't know if I have ever seen such carnage as what I am currently staring at.
Drip.
Silence fills the hallways.
Drip.
Except for blood, dropping on the floor from multiple places among the ceiling.
Drip.
Wow, that was way more effective than the first one.
The notification from the system fades away before I can even acknowledge it.
'Erin, don't just stand there, move!'
Rousing me from my shock, Temi gets me in gear.
I turn away from the massacre, and start-up into a sprint down the hallway removing myself from the death that remaining there.
Reaching the end in no time flat the next turn, once again, is left. That makes three now but with the alternative being back the way I came, I'll keep pressing forward. I continue down the forth tunnel with haste, it's another long style corridor giving me the impression that I've just run around a rectangle. The two short halls and two long corridors are causing me concern about where the destination will end up. No goblins seem to be chasing me now and the path in front is clear too, fingers crossed they have given up. I'm managing to make some distance but would you believe it, it's another left turn
Progressing around the corner, my fear becomes true. I arrive back in the same destroyed hallway, full of blood and body parts, that I found myself in upon escaping the banquet hall. Both halves of Gorb, no longer held together by any type of matter, lay on the blood-drenched floor in front of the sliced open doorway. He is surrounded by more death as the couple of dozen goblins that had found themselves exiting the room with him also lay scattered on the ground, creating an ocean of blood beneath my feet on the stone floor.
Fuck.