Exiting the storage room, with Siarra following closely and Trevor at the rear, the group collectively realized their mistake. Subconsciously, they rearranged themselves, acknowledging that having Niss at the back had been a huge lapse in judgement that lead to the issues they faced before. Niss possessed the best danger sense, a skill ingrained into one's aura after years of tempering. He should have always led the way, while Trevor protected Siarra. If they hadn't been first-time adventurers, they would have known to position the individual with the best chance of detecting a trap at the front of the group.
As they walked past the bend in the hall again and past the scene Niss thought to himself.
'I will make sure her death was not in vain, I will make sure this dungeon is cleared for me and also for Gerard's sake. I will become strong in this messed up world.'
The party advanced down the rest of the hallway that they had retreated from earlier, there was a few doors that lead to different areas of the mine but no signs of any activity so they pressed on. Niss was keeping careful watch ahead of him incase the goblins had rigged anymore traps from the old dwarven defenses.
The hallway was coming to an end and there was another door straight ahead. As they got closer they could hear the sounds of goblins talking even though they didn't understand them.
Goblins Speaking:
"Boss, trap take two, we attack now? we wait long boss plan no work!"
"Shut your mouth I will make the decisions I am the Goblin that the Dungeon chose and you will do it my way!"
The party was listening but they could not understand a single word. Niss lead the party back and went into a room off shooting from the hallway.
"I think they are planning for us to fall into another trap. They never came for us even after we lost two people or when we were recharging our aura's" Niss was the first to speak.
Trevor had a determined look on his face when he spoke up. "We are not going to repeat our mistake, maybe we can smoke them out of that room.... what do you think Siarra?"
"O-oh! I like the sound of that plan. this time were the ones who will trick them." She said with an excited look as she was gonna be a big factor in their plans.
The three had smiles on their faces as they began discussing the details of their plan.
...
The goblins were in their shrine room, while the shaman was standing at the alter towards the back of the room, that was originally meant for dwarves to worship the god of the forge.
He mischievously smiled to himself gliding his small dagger across the surface of the alter. Thinking of when they get their first virgin sacrifice to the demon king and the powers he will ask for.
"Hehehehehe." He snickered evilly.
In the room were seven goblins including the goblin shaman, who wore a decorative headdress and carried a wooden wand. The six other goblins were roughly equipped with damaged armors and swords. The room they were in was much more ornate than the previous rooms the group had seen. The stone was perfectly smoothed on every surface, there was a design showing little dwarves operating a forge and the output of the forge going to a perfectly carved and gold decorated dwarf who could only be the god of the forge. The design continued in a wrap around pattern bordering the whole upper portion of the walls. The goblins were playing cards on a barrel being used as a table when they got the first whiff of smoke.
....
Siarra was facing the door standing as far away as she could with her back against the door to the small room they made their plan in. She was focusing on her magic with a determined expression and firm grip on the wooden staff.
Siarra started to make flames lick up the bottom of the door and light it on fire, as it burned she focused and used her mana to make the smoke go under the door only on the other side. This was an important detail, with Niss waiting close to the door she did not want him having to breathe in the smoke before the fight.
He was directly to the right of the door pressing up against the wall to hide himself as best as he could, he stayed just far enough from the door for the flames not to be to hot for him. Waiting with his dagger in hand he looked over to Siarra and gave her a reassuring look, she almost faltered in her control of the magic when Niss looked at her.
'He's so damn attractive doesn't he know I'm trying to focus!!'
'He can't keep smiling at me like that if he's not gonna do anything about it.'
Niss looked a little confused as he saw her pouting and trying to control the magic at the same time.
The plan was simple really, it was just smoke the goblins out into the hallway where they knew they didn't have any traps set up, there was a few extra steps though.
'It's gonna be nice seeing these damn goblins die in fear.' Niss chuckled to himself, confident in their plan.
Niss prepared himself as the shouts of the goblins on the other side of the door started reaching higher levels of panic.
Suddenly the burning door swung open and the first couple goblins ran out shouting and waving their swords.
Three goblins burst through the door, coughing and squinting against the smoke as they fled the flames. In their bloodshot eyes, they spotted Siarra alone, wearing just her simple robes, armed with nothing but a wooden staff. Seeing her as the one who caused them such trouble and pain they took advantage of her vulnerability, they lunged forward recklessly, intending to close in on her as fast as possible.
'Idiots! Hahaha!' Niss still hiding behind the door did not make his move yet.
With a swift and focused movement, Siarra leaped backwards through the door behind her. Unknown to the goblins, their recklessness led them directly into her trap. As they hurried across the narrow hallway with their disgusting little green bodies and poorly conditioned weapons they didn't even realize they had formed a single file line to follow Siarra through the door thinking only about seizing their chance to strike. However they were unaware of Siarra's trickery and they continued their relentless advance, determined to capture the one setting fire to their new home.
"RAHHHH!!!"