The group stepped cautiously into the expansive chamber. The space was larger than any they had encountered so far, and the uneven ground was littered with debris—broken rocks, discarded weapons, and the occasional bone.
Bral raised his hand, signaling the group to halt. His voice was a low whisper, carrying a note of warning. "Watch out. This is the perfect spot for an ambush. We have to be twice as careful."
Everyone nodded, their weapons at the ready. Bao scanned the upper ledges with her sharp eyes, her bow held steady, while Amukelo kept his sword raised. Idin gripped his broadsword tightly. Even Bral, usually the one to break the tension with a quip, was silent.
As they advanced, Amukelo's sharp eyes caught something at the far end of the chamber. He pointed with his sword. "Look. Over there. Wooden doors."
At the end of the chamber, a crude set of small wooden doors stood slightly ajar. The wood was splintered and poorly constructed, with several holes punched through them as if they had been hastily thrown together.
"That has to be their base," Bral murmured, his eyes narrowing. "Be ready for anything."
The words had barely left his mouth when a sharp whistling sound filled the air. Amukelo's instincts kicked in, and he swung his sword upward just in time. An arrow ricocheted off the blade, its force grazing his thigh. He winced but stayed upright.
"They're there!" he shouted, pointing toward the elevated platform above the doors.
The group spotted six goblins perched on a ledge, their crude bows aimed downward. The height advantage made it difficult to reach them. Without hesitation, Bao raised her bow, drawing an arrow and releasing it in one swift motion. The arrow flew through the air but struck the rocky ledge just shy of its target.
"Tsk…" Bao muttered, frustrated. She nocked another arrow, but Pao stepped forward with raised staff.
"I've got this," Pao said. She thrust her staff forward, casting a fireball, not directly at the goblins but at the ceiling above them.
The fireball exploded against the rocky surface, sending a cascade of debris crashing down onto the goblins below. Two of them were crushed instantly, their screams cut short as the rocks buried them. A third goblin managed to stagger upright, coughing and clutching its bow. Bao, not missing a beat, drew her bowstring back and released another arrow. This time, her aim was true, and the goblin fell with a sharp cry, its body slumping lifelessly to the ground.
Before they could catch their breath, the sound of hurried footsteps and guttural growls filled the chamber. Goblins poured in from side passages, their numbers quickly swelling. There were at least thirty of them, most wielding crude melee weapons—rusted swords, clubs, and jagged knives. Some of the had spears and different weapons.
"More of them!" Bral shouted, stepping into a defensive stance.
Amukelo glanced at the ledge above where a few archers still remained. "Pao! Bao! Take care of the ones with bows!" he called out. "We can handle the melee ones as long as they're not shooting at us."
Pao and Bao nodded, moving into action. Bao took aim and fired at one of the archers, her arrow hitting its mark. The goblin toppled backward, its bow clattering to the ground. Her next shot struck another goblin, but the arrow lodged in its shoulder rather than delivering a fatal blow. The wounded goblin screeched, raising its bow unsteadily.
One of the archers retaliated, loosing an arrow at Pao. She reacted instantly, raising her staff to summon a shimmering water shield. The arrow struck the shield and slowed to a stop before dropping harmlessly to the ground.
Pao's eyes narrowed as she adjusted her grip on the staff. The water shield began to shift, rippling as it formed small spheres that hovered around her. With a sharp motion, she sent the water bullets flying toward the goblins above. The bullets weren't strong enough to kill, but the barrage was relentless. The goblins, unable to keep their footing, stumbled and fell from their elevated position.
As the two goblins tumbled to the ground below, Pao raised her staff again. Ice spikes shot up from the ground where they landed, piercing both goblins simultaneously. Their cries of pain were short-lived as they were silenced by the deadly precision of her magic.
At the same time Pao and Bao were dealing with the archers, the thirty goblins charged forward in a chaotic wave. Bral, Amukelo, and Idin braced themselves for the onslaught.
Amukelo took the lead. As the first goblin lunged at him with a crude axe, he sidestepped the attack, letting the blade slice harmlessly through the air. The second goblin came in fast, swinging a jagged sword. Amukelo met its blade with his own, parrying the strike with a sharp clang before countering with a swift, decisive slash across its torso. The goblin let out a guttural gasp before crumpling to the ground.
Nearby, Bral faced a group of three goblins rushing him at once. He took a step back, forcing the goblins to overextend their swings. As all three missed, Bral thrust his longsword forward, impaling one goblin clean through the chest. With a powerful motion, he threw the impaled goblin's body into the second closest to him, sending it sprawling. The third came in fast, but Bral raised his blade just in time, parrying the goblin's attack. With a grunt, he forced the goblin back, its feet scrambling for purchase on the rocky floor.
Three goblins came at Idin in quick succession, and he met their weapons with his broadsword, skillfully deflecting each strike. With a sharp pivot, he forced all three of them back with a wide swing. Another goblin, sensing an opening, leapt at him with a high swing, but Idin intercepted the attack mid-air. His powerful swing overwhelmed the goblin's strike, cutting clean through its weapon and splitting the creature in two.
Amukelo, meanwhile, continued his battle. He stepped back as more goblins advanced on him, dodging their crude swings. But one goblin managed to close the distance, forcing Amukelo to parry its strike head-on. With a swift kick, he sent the goblin stumbling backward into another, both collapsing in a tangled heap. Another goblin jumped at him from the side. With no time to swing his sword, Amukelo pulled a dagger from his belt, using it to block the attack. Then, with a quick motion, he brought his sword down, severing the goblin's head.
He glanced over to where the goblin archers were. He saw the last of the goblin archers being pierced by Pao's ice spikes. "Good," Amukelo called out, stepping back to catch his breath. "Now help us with the rest, but stay careful. Watch your backs for ambushes!"
Pao and Bao nodded, readying themselves to provide support. Amukelo turned back to the battle, intending to press forward against the remaining goblins. He took a step, but as his boot hit the ground, it suddenly sank into the soft earth. His balance wavered, and he stumbled forward slightly.
"Amukelo, watch out!" Pao's urgent voice rang out.
Amukelo whipped his head to the side just in time to see a massive troll emerging from the shadows. The creature's enormous club swung down, aiming directly for him. Before he could fully react, Pao's magic erupted. An earth wall materialized between Amukelo and the troll's weapon. The club smashed into the wall, cracking and shattering it instantly. Amukelo raised his sword defensively, but the force of the impact still sent him flying backward.
He landed hard on the rocky ground, sliding a few feet before coming to a stop. Pain radiated through his body, but the damage wasn't severe. He pushed himself up, wincing slightly as he looked at Pao. "Thanks, Pao," he called out, his voice carrying a note of genuine relief.
The troll let out a thunderous roar, its beady eyes locking onto Amukelo as it lumbered forward. From the same tunnel the troll had emerged from, another figure stepped into view—a goblin shaman. The shaman was hunched and grotesque, draped in crude robes adorned with bones and trinkets. It began chanting in a guttural language, its staff glowing with an eerie light.
Amukelo's eyes narrowed as he took in the new threat. "Bao, Pao," he called, his voice firm. "Distract the shaman and help Bral and Idin. I'll deal with the troll."