The entrance to the Mistril mine lay nestled in a tranquil valley, encircled by towering mountain ranges.
This valley teemed with life, lush with green grass, trees, and babbling streams.
In the center of the valley stood a massive rock, concealing the entrance to the Mistril mine.
Two wagons, accompanied by ten soldiers on ponies, approached the mine's entrance.
As Jis and the mercenaries dismounted, a soldier unfurled a mine map, declaring,
"This is the Mistril Heart Mine. We've mined Mistril here for years, making the passageways intricate."
"Huh huh~ It feels like I'm looking at a treasure map. What are these large spaces?"
The Blackbee wizard, swiftly taking the map, posed this question while studying the intricate mine tunnels.
"Yes, the mine has expanded so extensively that we use these points to store work tools and the mined mistril."
Another soldier responded, and then Chichi, fluttering above the map, remarked,
"The tunnel is too narrow to navigate all at once."
"Is it now? How do we proceed?"
Jis inquired, concern evident in his gaze. After a moment's thought, Chichi pointed out a strategy.
"Tyria, with her stealth, and Longlong, with his swift feet, will be our scouts. They'll lead and check for threats. Half the soldiers, alongside Warrior Grimbald, will take the forefront, with the remaining men in the middle. The rest of the soldiers should guard the rear."
Upon hearing this plan, nods of agreement rippled through the group. Tyria and Longlong then prepared to venture into the mine as the advance party.
Suddenly, one of the soldiers, as if recalling an important detail, interjected,
"The lord entrusted me with weapons for our heroes."
He then presented a mistril sword and shield to Jis, a mana-enhancing fairy ring to Chichi, and a mistril battle gauntlet to Rylie, the mermaid turned human.
The Blackbee wizard frowned upon seeing Jis and his companions proudly donning their new weapons.
"What? Only for the heroes?"
"My apologies, Blackbee Wizard. The lord mentioned that mercenaries come with their unique skills and weapons, so they don't require additional ones."
"Hmm, even if we're called mercenaries, that stings a bit. But fine, I understand."
Nonetheless, Tyria, with her cat-like form, effortlessly ventured into the mine's shadowy depths, with Longlong quickly on her tail.
Grimbald then led the way, accompanied by five soldiers armed with spears, and the rest of the group followed them into the mine.
* * *
Upon entering the mine, they were greeted by a dim tunnel carved from rugged rocks and earth.
Throughout the tunnel leading deeper underground, wooden and iron supports were placed to prevent potential collapses.
"This tunnel is even narrower than I anticipated. Looks like I'll have to crawl."
The tunnel's low ceiling suggested that it had been mined by shorter islander miners.
Grimbald, in his massive gorilla form, was forced to stoop as he walked.
"Hey, crafty wizard. Got any magic to shrink that gorilla?"
"Heh, I specialize in combat magic. Isn't trivial magic like that more suited for fairies?"
"What?"
Chichi's wings fluttered rapidly in annoyance, casting a bright, illuminating glow around her.
The deeper they ventured into the tunnel, the damper and murkier it became. Soldiers lit the path using oil lamps encased in clear vials, helping them navigate the gloom.
The long tunnel branched into others at various intervals, weaving together like a labyrinth. Without a map, finding their way back would be challenging.
Fortunately, there were ample alcoves scattered throughout, offering spaces for the group to convene and take a breather.
Tyria and Longlong, seemingly accustomed to the darkness, led the way without lamps, ever vigilant to the dangers surrounding them.
"Do you feel like we're being watched?"
"Longlong...."
Both Tyria and Longlong, with their heightened senses, felt an unseen presence observing them from the shadows.
Echoing Tyria's sentiments from the front, Chichi also grew tense and wary.
"It's probably just a curious lizard."
When Tyria mentioned the sensation of being watched felt as inconspicuous as a tiny lizard, the group's anxiety eased, and they continued their journey.
"Don't fret, Tyria. I've got your back."
Grimbald, crawling on all fours and trying to reassure her, only prompted Tyria to meld back into the shadows and press on.
As they delved further into the mine, the engulfing darkness intensified, and visibility was limited to just beyond their lamps.
"Argh—"
The distant screams of soldiers from the rear echoed in the darkness.
Within the tunnel's gloom, blades glinted ominously in the lamplight.
Almost immediately, large and small openings appeared along the tunnel walls, from which crude blades emerged.
"Watch out! Goblins!"
Chichi, first to recognize the Goblin assault, shouted a warning before vanishing.
Amidst the surprise attack, Blackbee, who'd always seemed rather nonchalant, was the quickest to act.
"Heh— Far from it! Fire Bolt!"
He deflected a Goblin's strike with his staff, then retaliated with a fiery spell. A blazing arrow shot forth in the confined space, embedding itself in the goblins.
EAAK!
A ferocious clash erupted, punctuated by the goblins' raspy cries.
Tyria and Longlong, initially at the forefront, remained unharmed. Tyria had swiftly melted into the shadows at the onset of the assault.
A Goblin, sneaking along the tunnel wall, moved closer to Jis, who was caught in the battle's chaos.
Just as the grinning Goblin readied to strike Jis with a sword, a blade pierced through the back of the Goblin's neck.
"What's the holdup, Jis?"
"Oh? Thanks, Tyria!"
Tyria, briefly perched on Jis's shoulder, delivered a playful "cat punch" as if to snap him to attention, then leapt back into the obscurity.
Hearing her words, Jis wished to assist his allies. However, his inexperience in combat meant he prioritized defense with his shield over offense.
Conversely, the nimble Longlong darted around, slashing at the goblins' ankles and calves with a dagger, especially those near Jis.
"Stand back! Grimbald's charging in!"
With a roar, the gorilla-shaped Grimbald announced his assault, momentarily halting the advancing goblins. But the constricted tunnel space hindered Grimbald's movements, enabling the goblins to swarm him, knives at the ready.
"Ouch! That hurt!"
"Hehe, Grimbald! You've got to shorten your punches~"
Thud— Thud—
Suddenly, Rylie's fists landed, sending goblins near Grimbald sprawling, splattered with blood.
Her might amplified twofold upon donning the mistril gauntlet.
Seeing Rylie deliver her jabs with swift precision, Grimbald adjusted his stance and began to throw punches in the confined tunnel.
Bang— Bang—
Goblins struck by Grimbald's powerful fists were sent flying as if struck by a boulder.
However, the regular soldiers were caught off guard by the sudden Goblin attack and struggled to react.
Especially those wielding long spears, almost as tall as themselves, were ill-suited for combat in the narrow tunnels. They were overwhelmed by the Goblins, who darted back and forth wielding their crude blades.
"Ugh! Heroes...."
Thanks to the quick actions of Jis and the mercenaries, the Goblins were swiftly dealt with.
Yet, in that brief skirmish, the majority of the ten soldiers had been slain, and some appeared to have been taken by the Goblins.
"Over here! The Goblins took the soldiers this way!"
After the brief clash, Chichi reappeared and urgently pointed down a tunnel.
Heeding her call, Jis and the mercenaries left behind the fallen soldiers and rushed in the direction Chichi indicated.
* * *
As they ventured further into the tunnel, they found themselves navigating a maze-like underground network.
"This isn't on the Misteril mine's map. I've got a bad feeling about this. It seems the Goblins have been set up here for quite some time."
The myriad of paths left them momentarily unsure of which direction to take. However, after a brief moment of concentration with her eyes closed, Chichi sensed the energy of the goblins and led the way.
As they made their way through the intricate tunnel system, guided by Chichi, they heard a peculiar chant sung by a chorus of goblins.
Our God, the Great!
Guides us into the dark.
Brave goblins, unite, unite.
Fight for glory's spark!
Blood and earth, mountains and dales!
The world we will command.
Goblin army, march on, march on!
Crush foes with mighty hand.
Our God, the Great!
Shield us, lord of the night.
In battle, we will prevail!
Eternal darkness is our right.
Soon after, the group stumbled upon a vast cavern.
"Whoa! It's a dragon!"
"You foolish wizard! That's not just any dragon, it's an Earth Drake!"
At the center of the cavern lay the Earth Drake, looking quite languid, encircled by about a hundred goblins.
A few of the soldiers previously captured by the goblins lay in front of the Earth Drake, seemingly offered as tributes.
The goblins sang with fervor, their song simple and repetitive, as they conducted a ceremony in honor of the Earth Drake. Their chant was accompanied by a unique rhythm, marked by deep voices occasionally broken by high pitches, as they stomped and swayed.
The Earth Drake stretched its wings and legs, revealing its impressive size of approximately 3.7 meters. Its entire body was covered in rough, brownish-gray scales, and its claws, short and dull, seemed designed for digging.
Upon Jis's entrance, a Goblin Wizard, who seemed to have been leading the ceremony, quickly turned and yelled.
"The curse of the gods shall be unleashed! Chirik—"