Chapter 114: Retreat to the Surface

Nathan and company were making their way out of the goblin caverns. Not being able to obtain a goblin accessory was a stroke of bad luck , but after hearing from Ash, that just like Iris and him, ‘Threat Detection’ has yet to ceased, they decide it was best to beat a hasty retreat. At any minute there could be another cave-in and they still didn’t know what could cause it, so they wanted needed to get out as soon as possible.

Lucky for them, the goblin trio were now with them. With their ability to discern the safest route, there trip out remained relatively safe.

There was the occasional run in with goblins, but the three made short work of them. Thanks to the cave-in it seems a lot more of the goblins had been hurt and with the constant injuries, the goblins could no longer discern where they were from the freshly spilt blood of their fellow goblin. And since there were dead goblins all around, the death cry didn’t seem to work, because, even as they screamed, no other Goblins showed up.

Jasmine: “Are sure we should be following them; I mean they are still goblin?”

Nathan: “Don’t worry about it, don’t you see these chains, clearly they were imprisoned. I doubt they have any thoughts of leading us astray, since we’re currently protecting them.”

Jasmine: “Because there the treasure, all the Goblins have been warring over, I get it, but I just don’t’ get why we’re following them?”

Ash: “Well with the cave-in the path we took is impassable, so if you think you can get us out, without leading us into a crumbling cavern or a horde of goblin, your free to lead.

Jasmine: “……Fine, (still doesn’t answer my question though.)”

As discomforting as it was to trust monsters, Jasmine followed relunctantly. While semi listening to Jasmine grumble, he listened to Nathan explain to him what had happened.

Ash: “The mana spike was when Iris blew up the entire tunnel!?”

Nathan: “It wasn’t blown up, she erased the tunnel, along with every goblin in it, I thought she had actually caused the tunnel collapse. ”

Nathan looked down at Iris, who had fallen asleep once again in his arms. She was sleeping peacefully compared to earlier, where she looked to be in pain.

Ash: “Okay, at this point I’m not sure what’s up with her, I never heard of it lasting this long or showing symptoms like hers. Then again, I never known a fairy before. Will she explode again?”

Nathan: “Don’t know, she didn’t even know she did it. I remember right before I was fighting a horde and she said the pressure was building while clutching her stomach.”

Ash: “That sounds an awful lot like a far-”

Nathan: “Shut up.”

Ash: “I’m just saying.”

Nathan shoved his elbow into Ash side, causing Iris to turn in his arms.

Ash: “If she does, it will be a good way to clear all of the goblins, maybe?”

Nathan: “Yeah, along with you, me, Jasmine and anyone else caught in the blast. If your willing to risk it, be my guess.

Ash grimaced at the thought.

Ash: “On second thought, let’s forget that idea.”

Nathan: “Probably for the best. Then again we won’t really have a choice if it happens.”

Nathan may have seen calm about the situation, but honestly, he was really worried. He didn’t know what was wrong with Iris and now she might randomly erase everything in sight. She had a lot of mana, so it wouldn’t be surprising if it happens again, it’s a lot bigger and more destructive.

Nathan: “I think I’ll walk in front, just in case.”

Ash: “Good idea.”

Jasmine: “Huh, what’s up with you all of the sudden.”

Nathan: “Nothing I just think if I’m leader I should walk in front, right?”

Jasmine: “But, the goblins know the safest way out, right shouldn’t they be leading?”

Nathan: “I can understand them a bit, just say left or right when you need to, okay?”

The three High goblins looked at Nathan in confusion, as did Jasmine. Looking back to Ash, he just shrugged his arms, acting as if he didn’t know why. Jasmine figured it was due to their secret conversations they tend to have now and then. She was struggling to hear, but all she could tell is that they were talking about the mana spike that happened earlier.

Jasmine: “(Whatever) By the way, where did they get those cloaks, they look……new?”

Nathan: “Ah…… right well they just had those since I found them down there.”

Jasmine: “You found them, huh?”

Jasmine glanced over the cloaks; they were rather clean for something found in a goblin nest. More than that they looked eerily similar to ones she saw Nathan and company wearing whilst they were in the rain forest. She didn’t know why he was pretending like he didn’t give the goblins those cloaks. He should have just come out and said it that he gave them the cloaks. It makes him look more suspicious that he’s trying to avoid the truth, since from what she can tell, they aren’t wearing anything else underneath those cloaks. Which meant that he found them stark naked.

What Jasmine was thinking was half right. The other reason was what he didn’t think about until just then, but he couldn’t think of a way to explain where the cloaks had come from. He was so focus on getting them dress, he didn’t stop to think about that. He didn’t have a way to explain the reason why without revealing some things to Jasmine and he was hoping that she didn’t push any deeper into it.

Lucky for him, she was too suspicious of the goblins in general to think too deeply about it. The path they were taking wasn’t as short as they originally trek, but there was way less encounters and to get out as quickly as possible, that’s what they needed. Jasmine let it slide for now, but she kept her hand on her weapon just in case.

Jasmine: “What could be so important about these little girls?

Jasmine meant to say that under her breath, but with such good hearing, Ash and Nathan couldn’t help but hear it. Nathan had told Ash everything about what the three girls were and what they could do. He was incredibly shocked to find that they were High Goblins, since such a variant of goblin was the thing of myths.

Of the stories he heard of Goblins, he’s known no one to have actually seen one, they were even rarer than seeing a spirit outside of a summoning. More than hearing what they were, the fact that they could force goblin evolution just by being near them for a fixed period of time was a scary thought indeed.

After hearing, it was obvious to him why the goblins were at war and why so many goblin variants were appearing. Elites, a Don and a Shaman all appearing at once was a strange thing to happen, since goblins don’t usually live long enough for so many evolutions to happen. So, the only way that could have happened, is if they had their evolutions sped up by the High Goblins.

From the looks of the chains and cuffs, they were forced and then imprisoned to ensure they were always there when needed. Nathan tried to remove them already, but he couldn’t, but at least made the chains more accommodating for the three to move around. Having them drag around was an easy way to attract attention.

Things can’t stay the way they are, they had to separate them from the rest of the goblins, it would be pandemonium if the first and only floor explored of the Viridi Wilds was overrun with high level goblin variants.

Ash: “What are we going to do once we get them out?”

Nathan: “I was thinking of taking them to Matthew for now. I would just let them go where they want after we leave the dungeon, but there are goblins outside the dungeon too, which would be way worse since it would be a mad scramble to capture them.”

Ash: “Wait, when you said take them out, you meant out of the dungeon?”

Nathan: “Of course, what you thought we were just going to take them out of the cave and let them go. They would just get capture again.”

Ash: “Well then we have a problem, monsters can’t leave the dungeon.”

Nathan: “What, why?”

Ash: “I don’t know, but no one’s ever been able to just take a monster through the gate. Why do you think they try so hard to gather material before they fade away? If we could take them out, we would just weaken them and carry the monsters out and gather material at our leisure.”

Nathan: “Then how did the monster outside the dungeon get out?”

Ash: “Nobody knows, they just appear.”

Nathan: “Ash, this isn’t good, we can’t leave them here.”

Ash: “I get it, but what else can we do?”

Nathan: “ *sigh* For now let’s just get out of here, we at least need to inform Matthew, see if he can do anything about it.”

Ash: “And before for whatever has Threat Detection going off happens. It’s been ringing non-stop and giving me a headache.”

Nathan: “Honestly, I’m surprised your both still here. If there was a cave-in you should have left immediately.”

Ash: “Yeah, stupid us. Let’s just go, before we have another cave-in.”

*Rumbbbleeee*

Jasmine: “Again!?”

Nathan: “Nice going, you Jinx.”

Ash: “This isn’t my fault.”

Jasmine: “Wait, the rumbling its different from last time, isn’t it?”

Nathan and Ash listened carefully and true enough it di sound completely different to the first cave in.

Ash: “Your right and its coming from beneath us?”

Jasmine: “And it doesn’t sound like a cave in. The cave-in was like rumble, rumble, this is more like boom, boom, boom.”

Ash: “Boom, boom, boom?”

Jasmine: “Do you have a better way to explain it?”

Despite her childish example, she was right. Sure, there was a rumbling, but they were only a byproduct of the booming.

Nathan: “I think I’ve heard a similar sound before, can’t quite remember where.”

Ash: “Now that you mention it, it does sound familiar.”

Jasmine: “Would you guys pick up the pace, you think about once we’re out.”

Nathan and Ash picked up the pace but with the booming noises from below becoming more and more frequent, the harder it was to ignore.

Iris: “Mhmm.”

Nathan: “Iris?”

Back in Nathan’s hood, Iris was drifting in and out of consciousness. The repetitive booming sound was prying her awake and annoying her, causing her to speak in her sleep. Nathan turned away from everyone, trying to prevent them from hearing her, but it didn’t matter in the least.

Iris: “Ena, would please cease that infernal racket?”

Jasmine: “Huh?”

Nathan: “Ena? *gasp*”

Like a lightning bolt, it came to him and the urgency of the situation.

Jasmine: “Did you hear that voice just now?”

Nathan: “Never mind that, remembered where I heard that noise and we need to go now. Pick up one of the goblin girls, they won’t be able to keep up with us.”

Jasmine: “Oh now you want to speed up.”

Nathan: “No time to say you were right let’s go.”

Ash: “Nathan?”

Nathan: “Ash, remember when Ena decided to vent some frustration on the ground after being unable to fight for so long?”

Ash: “Oh right that’s it……..I mean oh no that’s it.”

Nathan and Ash had both picked up the shocked goblin girls ready to run. The sound was extremely similar to Ena smashing her fist into th ground after being unable to take part in various battles. With her strength she was literally beating a hole into the ground, until Iris stopped her, annoyed by the sound and dirt flying everywhere. Since Ena wasn’t around, there was only one other individual able to cause such a sound.

Jasmine: “Woah, you two, we can’t just go running full sprint. Besides, it already stopped, listen.”

Nathan and Ash looked to each other as they confirmed what Jasmine said. The rumbling had ceased, which meant it was too late.

*ROOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR*

The three High goblins ran over to Nathan and huddled around him, shivering uncontrollably, they knew what that was all too well.

Jasmine: “Wh-What the hell?”

Nathan: “He’s coming for them.”

Jasmine: “Who?”

Nathan: “The Goblin Don knows we have them and he’s pissed.”

_

_

*ROOOAAAAAAAARRRRRR*

Jonathan: “ Get ready.”

Jonathan watch from high as the goblin hordes desperate flee into the caves. After they had blown up one of the entrances and sealing it shut, the goblins outside began to enter the other available entrance. However, thanks to the bellowing roar that rose from the depths of the caverns, the goblins retreat was hastened as the once panicked horde, appeared to have gone feral. Jonathan found this to be very accommodating, as he wanted as many of them trapped inside with Nathan as possible to assure his demise.

With the last little bit entering the cave, Jonathan decided that it was enough.

Jonathan: “Fire.”

On his word the archer let loose the arrow. The arrow flew through the air, a red glow as it spiraled towards its target.

*Booooooooooooooommmmmmm*

A sizable explosion as the arrow made contact with the walls of the entrance. A cloud of rubble in dust mix with the sounds of screaming goblins, unlucky enough to be caught in the blast.

Jonathan: “Amazing.”

He hadn’t seen the first blast firsthand, since the first detonation was done by Jennifer’s group, but now he could. It was amazing the sheer force it exuded upon impact was outrageous for something non-magical. He had heard of such things through his guild, but seeing it was another story.

The fact that Shane was willing to let him use this just showed how much he despised the Lycanian.

Honestly, Jonathan didn’t care for any of it. He had seen what the Nathan could do firsthand and wanted no parts of that. It was one of the reasons why he chose to do everything covertly, nothing should track back to him. He had already told all of his men what to say if they got captured.

Jonathan attention was drawn away from the scene, as one of his men came to report.

Bandit: “Sir, Miss Jennifer wanted you to know, she has already headed out to intercept any parties who were attracted by the explosions.”

Jonathan: “Excellent.”

Because of the fight in the forest nearby, that included the Hero, a lot of people have been associating any and all loud sounds as chances to meet him. This was a problem for Jonathan, seeing as how there has already been two explosion and one more to come. He didn’t want to take the risk of being seen by a curious adventurer.

Jonathan: “Very good, clean up any messes and you all head out as well. As soon as we finish here, we will be leaving.”

The man nodded his head and ran off to complete his assignment. Jonathan turned back to the situation down below, the dust had just about cleared, but he could clearly see that the tunnel had indeed collapsed. Some of the goblins were attempting to remove all of the debris, but it was a fool’s errand. Nothing was getting in or out of that. Even Nathan who had dug his way out of a cave in before, would have a hard time fighting and digging his way out at the same time. All that was left is to collapse the last entrance and we have completed his assignment.

Jonathan: “Any time now Shane, Jennifer will only able to stall his friends for so long.”