The creature's two beady eyes leapt from rat to rat dutifully examining each of us in order.
Tumultuous red waves of invisible light surged around the creature however, it seemed to only harmlessly wash over the creatures slimy skin.
Where the goblin's arms and legs were now replaced by fibrous bundles of spindly obtrusions with stuck out like long hairs from the creature's body.
While thing and harmless alone I watched carefully as thousands of the spindles wrapped tightly together forming a long arm-like appendage.
Its purple skin rippled as the creature's skin began to shift into a deep green colour.
And then it was gone.
Its body transformed to perfectly fit the environment. Camoflague to the very peak of its extent. So impressive to form a facade of true invisibility.
But a facade is merely a trick. And I'm more than familiar with those.
The creature could fool my eyes but the prism itself.
Deep ruby waves still slammed into the now invisible object outlining the creature's lower body in the surf.
Focusing the prism the colour crept up the creature coasting its long spindly hairs in a thin coat of red. This outline revealed the creature's full stature.
It was on the move. Slowly circling us.
"Wheres is its"
Sniffer squeaked out. Doubt and worry were apparent in the poor rat's voice. An enemy that can't be seen is a terrifying threat.
"I don't know, Everyone circle, on me"
I whispered back as the rats pulled together into a circle.
The reason for the lie was simple, this creature was intelligent. It spoke full and correct sentences. Even showing complex emotions like confusion when first discovered for its lie.
An invisible monster was a threat, However, an intelligent one was even worse.
But it meant this creature could be fooled. The trickster is often the easiest to trick.
"You pitiful little rats, All alone so far from your group."
A fear tactic. The creature was trying to make us panic. Clearly, It doesn't believe in itself to take us all down even when invisible. However, picking off scared stragglers as they ran was much easier.
"You do not scare me beast, Your illusions can not fool me"
I spoke the words with fearless courage. It is clear I am the leader, if this bastard really wants to put on a show of intimidation his first target could only be myself.
The falsely courageous leader was nothing more than an act. After all the beast's illusions did not fool me. However, while I could tell where the creature stood the others could not. I can not afford injuries this early on in the expedition.
I had to finish it quickly and efficiently. Without any injuries.
The trap was set. If the creature had even a shred of intellect it was obvious what the best choice of attack was. And that was me.
In the corner of my eye, I kept watch of the creature's circling movement before finally it came to a slow methodical stop in front of me.
In an almost unnaturally silent fashion, I watched as the spindles flowed and wrapped around each other forming a long almost blade-like appendage.
As the creature prepared to strike I allowed the red hue to be usurped by a deep sapphire-like blue.
I had only one shot at this.
If I did not manage to kill the creature here we would lost all our advantage of surprise.
While we would not die to it, the chances of not sustaining an injury dropped significantly.
I watched carefully as the invisible, but blue-tinted creature slowly raised its bladed appendage readying it above its head.
The fibres tensioned as the blade thundered down towards my cranium.
"Devour"
In the split second from the creature releasing the debilitating blow to the blade thundering through my brain, a long steel bar had materialised into existence.
The bar wrapped solidly around the creature's legs and led all the way up to its brand-new fibrous blade.
The attack struck the steel bar transferring all the attack's momentum down its long beam and into its own legs. Trying to stagger to break the excess momentum the creature fell to the floor.
In one swift and decisive movement, two circular blades appeared in my hands as I lunged towards the downed creature.
Unable to predict what had happened the creature colour colour-changing camouflage failed to keep up leaving it visible.
With all the power I had I swung the two blades back and forth tearing through the bouncy layer of thick skin which had once protected the creature.
Each slash dug deeper and deeper through the creature's flesh releasing sprays of deep purple blood into the air.
Thassius was the first to move out of the others quickly manoeuvring his Warhammer and bringing it sharply down towards the creature's head.
As the large steal cube which Thassius called a Warhammer hurtled towards the creature's head, I watched as the bulbous cranium undulated before being sucked back into the body, only to appear at the far side of our two-pronged attack.
Its legs and bladed arm also quickly retracted freeing the creature from the steel bar which winded around where they once lay.
Watching this I accelerated my slashing digging deeper into the being flesh. However, no matter how deep I went no organs were present.
As I went for another deep slash the body several fibres wound together hitting the side of my stomach. While it did little to no damage, the sudden attack disorientated me long enough for the creature to shuttle away along the floor.
Beneath its slimy body, lots of small legs had formed allowing it to quickly scuttle to safety.
After clearing a few metres the creature steadily regained its composure as its thick legs reformed beneath it allowing it to stand.
While still alive the wounds sustained under the circular blades clearly pained the beings very much.
Furthermore, the wound prevented its camouflage from working.
"I WILL TEAR YOU APART THE NEXT TIME WE MEET YOU DIRTY LITTLE SCUM"
The words while understandable came out gurgled as if the creature's very vocal cords sustained damage.
The creature continued to stare at us holding its guard as it slowly pulled back from our group which was now all 6 of us ready and weapons drawn facing the creature.
Retreat was a smart option. Neither of us gains from this fight.
Finally, the creature turned and prepared to make its final flee deeper into the forest.
However, the strength in its fibrous legs gave way as it fell back to the floor.
A look of panic spread across the beast's face as it stared down at its wound. The once debilitating but not fatal wound has been carved out as if some small creature had dug deeper and deeper into it.
At least that's what it must have looked like the others. However, to me, bundles of red-hued light pulsated in the wound greedily eating up the now unprotected flesh.
While the creature had held its guard the prism did its work finally discovering the only thing other than the beast's purple and black flesh. A small shining orb of almost transcendent beauty.
Every shred of the red liquid which touched the orb seemed to be repelled back as if facing an opposite charge.
"I wondered what made a creature like you live".
I walked over to the downed beast which sat defenceless across the floor.
Reaching down I thrust my clawed hand deep into the creature's pelvis and yanked out the small orb.
As I wrestled the orb free the creature's eyes slowly lost life as a greyish tone overcame their once vibrant purple.
It was dead.