Author's Notes: Okay, so I messed up. The required amount of points to return to the real world is actually 1 billion.

Thanks for reading.

John smiles at all of us before announcing, "Well, we're all in a predicament, huh? Seems like something straight out a comic book, but, hey, at least we're still human. We'll watch each other's back no matter the situation."

This is met with some hopeful replies and a nod of affirmation from Bradley. John takes this as a cue to continue.

"From what I remember, The Hobbit is pretty straightforward, so the mission should be too. All we need to do is get to the Goblin Gate for this "mission" to end. Obviously, we don't know where in the cave system we are, so I suggest we start scouting in groups of two until we find a familiar landmark from the book or the Gate itself."

Mutters of agreement all around. Really sound like, a 'let's split up, gang' type of moment, huh?

"Another thing to note is that we should avoid changing the plot as much as possible. In fact, if you see anyone from Thorin's party, avoid them at all costs. They're useful as distractions, because the goblins swarmed them from the moment they arrived. Plus, they cost a pretty penny if any of us "accidentally" kill them. First priority is finding the Gate, and don't let anything get in our way", I decide to speak up.

The group is affixed to my every word. I must've made an impression on them when we were first summoned. Even though I'm wearing nothing but a cape, they're taking me seriously.

"Also", I continue, "Bring someone in your group who actually knows what they're looking for. It's useless if you don't know the landmarks."

Sarah, who's standing next to me, says, "Sage counsel."

"... for a pervert", she mutters quiet enough that I only I hear.

I would say that she has the wrong idea, but I can't.

"So, let's vote on who goes with who. If the mission was any more pressing, then I'd prefer someone being delegated to doing that, but we have time," John excitedly says with a sparkle in his eyes. What's he so cheery about?

...

... And that's how I got paired up with the blue-haired beauty. Can't say that I really cared either way, but the look that she made when the group made that decision was priceless.

Fuming, she follows me as I pass through a random passage. The rest of the group likewise scatters. We've agreed to meet up at the "spawn point" in half an hour (the Status screen conveniently has a clock at the bottom).

So now we're making our way into an gradually darkening tunnel. I constantly keep my hand on the left wall, adhering to the general rule of mazes: follow the left wall and eventually, you'll find the exit.

The passageway we've chosen seems to be endless, the only changing factor is the increasingly receding torchlight behind us. All that accompanies our journey is the slight sounds of our bare feet hitting the ground and our breaths disturbing the dusty air.

Without warning, I almost stumble into a cavern. I hadn't noticed it at first because of the pitch dark, so I take a moment for my eyes to adjust before quietly warning Sarah. We agree that if we find trouble, we'll bolt the other way and head towards the spawn point.

Craning my neck around the corner, I peek inside.

There's at least half a dozen goblins, surrounded by what seem to be the remnants of their gory last meal. They're squat, standing at about 4 feet tall, and really ugly. Their skin is yellowing and disgusting, like that of a 60 year old chainsmoker, and they are wearing mismatched leather armor. Shouting and whooping gutterally, they find someone still alive from the earlier carnage and quickly advance on them, as they grasp at the implements on their hips.

Their crude iron swords are stabbing into a barely-living woman, and she's begging and pleading for mercy, but there's no hope in her eyes. She knows that the various wounds she has accumulated are bleeding too quickly, and even they didn't kill her immediately, the goblins would eat her alive. The evidence is all around her, in the piles of gnawed bones and large pools of blood.

I remember what Tolkien said about them, he said they were "cruel, wicked, and bad-hearted." From what I see now, that's an understatement. This woman is probably a slave, brought under the mountains for the purpose of endlessly producing the goblin's "black technology", appeasing the goblins' sexual desires, and eventually becoming a meal. There is not really any hope for these slaves. They're destined to die, whether is be slowly and painfully for lack of light and water, or brutally slaughtered by their masters.

I look over at Sarah. She's in shock, and angry, but ultimately frustrated. She knows it as well as I do. She knows we can't save this woman.

We're too weak. Even though they're quite smaller than us, we simply can't compete with their weapons and numbers. Even if we serve as a distraction, they'd kill her anyway. The goblins are both intelligent enough to know what we're doing and cruel enough to end her life in front of us.

As we stand here watching, the goblins begin to disrobe, grinning evilly as they pin the dying woman down. The woman goes from hopelessness to full-on terror as she begins to realize that this will be the action that kills her. Her loud sobs and wails are cut off forcefully because a particular goblin has taken an interest in her mouth.

"I.. I can't stand watching anymore. I'm heading back to inform the others", she manages to whisper through a sob.

I'm silent for a moment as I think.

"Fine, can you find your way back alone?", I reply, "I have a plan, but I don't think that I can pull it off with more than one person."

She nods quickly before turning around and running away.

Truly, the greatest pain is powerlessness. I, of all people, should know that.

Slowing tearing my cape apart into strips, I try to stand the nauseating sounds coming from the cavern. My plan hinges on them falling asleep after their meal and their ..."exercise". I can feel my rage boiling hot behind my eyes as the goblins groan and shriek in pleasure. These bastards...

Just a few minutes after I finish breaking down my cape, I can hear the clamor dying down and the slow rumble of snoring take over.

Slowly, ever so slowly, I lean again to take in their status. Indeed, they've fallen asleep and their small bodies are rumbling with snores around the fresh body.

I've got to make some robe with these cloth strips, but I choose to do it a few yards from the pile of sleeping bodies. I need to do this quickly.

Squatting down and grabbing some crude tools from their things, I get to work.

Another chapter will be posted tomorrow that'll be longer. Thank you for reading.