Many sayings quote about defeat and victory. Some say we learn more from defeat than victory. Others say constant victory leads to slow defeat. I say if you live through defeat, then that in itself is a victory. It's not over when you lose, its over when you quit. Be not afraid of defeat, for fear in itself leads to defeat.

Alex was in agony. He was afraid of dying. He did not want to die, not yet. He wholely focused on that thought, he briefy thought on his parents. Then he quickly thought on his new friends.

It had been less than a day, yet they had made such a grand impact on his life. Eian with his sarcastic sense of humor, he was quick to anger yet brave enough to risk the vanguard position. Sarah and her strange need to tell everyone how smart she was, coupled with her pessimistic attitude and how easy she fell into authority. And Jessica with her long-blonde hair, crystal-bue eyes, lushous pouting lips and how quickly she transformed into an angel when she smiled. He remembered when he attempted to wake her, laying there with a peaceful smile on her face.

Funnily enough she had punched him. He remembered the moment fondly, strangely enough. Something about her general terrified demeanor made him just want to protect her. He'd never hadn't had many serious girl-friends. They came and went, none sporting more than a passing fancy on him. They saw Alexander Faber, a well-built athlethic young man, partying with a playboy and thought him in the same light. He couldn't leave it at that, he had too much to live for.

Teeth-bared he 'squeezed' his injured abdomen. The pain nearly blinded him and he felt fluid race up his throat.

He lost concentration and vomited. He re-focused his desire and 'squeezed' once more. As the pain faded he was left breathless. Still blood pumped out through his arm. Screaming defiance he sent a thought to the injury, willing it to heal.

He felt something similar to muscle strings move and grip the bone. Wet blood coated his bare-chest as he finally felt the flesh reknit itself. He felt a little faded, but he let out a breath of exhilration.

"Hey you okay?" Eian spoke the first question he could hear.

"Alex! How are you!" Jessica sobbed, warming his heart.

Sarah was simply looking at him with a smile, as if she expected the outcome. Well that was a vote of confidence. He remembered his grandmother's smile and did his best impression of it.

"Course man. What'd you expect." He told Eian faking confidence, glad at their relaxed faces.

"Be more careful! Idiot! I thought you were spitting blood!" Jessica remarked with that siren voice.

"No worries Jess. This is nothing." Alex consoled her, hoping she would smile at him again.

"As much as I'm glad your fine Alex, we have to leave." Sarah intelectually.

"He needs more time! What if he's still hurt inside!" Jessica pointed out, which sent shivers down his spine at the possiblility.

They chattered, as he checked his injuries. Nothing hurt more than it should have under the circumstances, though his belly felt empty. Yeah, vomiting hadn't done him any favors in regard to food. He quickly got up and reassured them he was fine.

"As I was saying. We have to leave. This fence is most likely a boundery for these creatures. We bearly survived against two. If any more come, we are dead." Sarah lectured them, quickly assuming the worst.

"Damn, can't catch a damn break. What are they anyways?" Eian asked as he looked over the guards.

"Who cares?! Let's go! That is of course, if you can walk Alex." Jessica declared, but by the end she softened into a question.

"Course Jess." He quickly said with an almost giddy smile, feeling only slightly foolish.

"Grab the weapons! And the shields!" Sarah interjected forcefully, Eian quickly got to it.

It brought a smile to his face though, despite the circumstances, none of them were lonely. He rather liked this new molty crew. Especially Jessica, she was his exact type. Optimism never hurt. Look to the future that was what he was taught and that was what he would do.

"Maybe, we should take the time to strip them. I'm not comfortable shirtless" Eian intoned admiring the leather.

"I'll help." Alex quickly interjected, perhaps some leather wouldn't stop a spear thrust, but it couldn't hurt against bruises and scraps.

"Hurry then! Jessica help me collect the weapons we dropped!" Sarah huffed peering over at the fence.

"Okay." Jessica responded in her usual scared manner, probably spooked at the possibility of more guards.

Quickly stripping down one of the guards. Alex was taken aback how close the resemblance was to a human. It looked like a goblin bred with a human to result into some hybrid-like creature. Still what looked an uglish green hue, but more muscle and at least a head taller than any goblin they had seen. Perhaps these were an adult version of goblins and the others were juveniles?

"Eian! Don't try wearing them yet! Let's go!" Sarah ordered which spurred them into action.

"Geez..." Eian complained lightly as he picked his share of burden.

"Where are we going anyways?" Jessica wondered aloud, which brought up an important question.

"Let's go to the pool for now. Once we have a little distance from that place, we can plan further." Sarah reasoned.

****

Reaching the pool, for what was the third time today, Alex washed himself of dirt and blood. He was extremely thirsty, he thought perhaps he had lost too much blood, too fast. A large reptilian head spooked him and he fell flat on his ass. The scenario elicited a hysteric laugh from Eian, which quickly spread to him. The large Iguana submerged and vanished under the black depths.

"Well looks like you were right." Alex told Sarah after taking his fill from the pool.

"Still it's not a viable escape. No guarantee when it surfaces or in which direction we should swim." Sarah lectured sadly.

"Ughhh. Every time we find a possible exit from this place. We reach a dead end. It's like this cave is toying with us." Jessica miserably intoned.

"Can't argue with you there." Eian sighed as he attempted to wear the leather armor.

"Doesn't look like it fits Eian. Here cut it on the edges and try adjusting it." Sarah handed him the goblin dagger.

The leather helmets were the only things that fit reasonably, though they felt a bit tight when Alex tried. Eventually it was decided Sarah and Eian would wear the armor sets, as they were more often in combat. In his honest opinion they looked ridiculous in them, Eian especially was clearly too big and the vest only covered around two thirds his torso. Alex was able to heal himself so he didn't have as much need as the other two so he had volunteered to go without.

"By the way Jess. Good job back there, I'm proud of you." Alex congradulated her efforts, she jumped and flushed a bit red.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot you threw that spear to me. Errrmmm... Thanks." Eian said awkwardly.

"Welcome." Jessica responded just as akward at the attention.

"Yes. You saved the day back there." Sarah smiled at Jessica and she reached the hue of a tomato making Alex smile.

They all took a while to relieve themselves, though Jessica bemoaned the disgusting lack of toilet paper. Soon afterwards Sarah mentioned they should return to the five fork split and take the utter-most right tunnel. She believed they should methologically explore the cave layout and be certain they don't miss an exit or become confused. They chewed on what little food remained slowly as they entered their new choice. The tunnel descended slowly. It was particularly dark and moist, which soon left them walking through small puddles of water. Stalagmites dripped droplets of water slowly soaking them to the bone.

Alex noted that there was a split but the tunnel on the left was blocked off by cave in visibly, even as a trickling stream ran through a crack. The other tunnel on the right also had a trickling stream flowed onwards. Alex was begining to regret this path, as wet sock and underwear feeling was extremely uncomfortable. Glowing mushrooms were scarce and the cave was almost pitch black on occasion placing doubt in his mind if they could even navigate this part. Soon the tunnel opened into a wider space revealing a few large crabs ambling about. Their torsos were roughly the size of a microwave with pincers the size of two human arms.

"Wow... Seafood." Eian said in awe.

"They are fresh-water crabs actually, I don't smell salt in the air." Sarah monotoned.

"Those have to be better than lizard meat." Jessica said beeming.

"I agree." Alex said remembering the tough chewy meat.

The crabs moved quickly, but didn't attack unless the crew attacked first. The team was easily killing the crabs, having Jessica land the final blows to have her tattoo's glow. Jessica her first got a glowing tattoo on her first crab kill, she selected Mind, as she didn't want to feel any pain. She got a second kill easily. Alex, however accidentally killed the third. His tattoo begun to glow immediately and with great trepidition selected Spirit.

***

The cavern vanished, and he was standing in white room. The room contained a few wooden symbols at the center. They each favored a cross, but one had a loop at the head, while another was a standard cross shape. One was a knot which formed into a cross. Another was a cross with a circle near the center.

"Interesting aren't they?" - melodic voice

Alex jumped spooked from shock. Turning around he found himself facing a scantly clad woman. She wore what looked like leaves stitched together, forming a bra and skirt with a crown of vines. Quickly he noticed she was extrordinarily beautiful. Perfection made flesh, she belonged in a mural or painting of some artists imagination rather than reality.

Her pale skin held no imperfections and left little to imagination. Her auburn hair had a silky sheen glow about it. Her smile was radiant with crystal white teeth. Her eyes were vibrant, which formed something similar to a blooming round flower in varying shades of green. Her dark pupils stared at him with bemused humor.

"Close your mouth, silly."- the goddess spoke with a hint of humor.

"Oh.. Umm...So.... are you mother earth?" Alex ask taking a wild guess.

His guess earnt him a frown of disapproval, which looked completely unfitting in such a surreal mythical creature.

"For starters I'm not a mother of anything." The goddess spoke.

"Oh?" Alex asked confused.

"Secondly this is not the domain earth, I dont know whom the guide to earth is, perhaps your friend whom almost chose us could fill you in." She continued frowning as if she lost a puppy.

"What?" Alex asked.

"Such an unfair meanie, he got me all excited. Then he went straight for earth." The goddess replied sadly.

"Are you talking about Eian?" Alex wondered.

"Is that his name? It matter's not, he chose another so let's get to it." The goddess said.

"It?" Alex questioned, wondering all kinds of ways this could get crazy.

"Bad boy. He-he... No, I mean to advance the strenght of your spirit. The small gift-sample you possess is such a little thing compared to what you could wield." The goddess smiled almost predatory.