A light in the dark

He lay flat on the hard ground. Squished below him he could feel the beast that had impaled him. As he opened his eyes there was a new notification floating in front of him.

***

killed 1 Almiraj

20 XP

***

His head still spun as he sat up. Reactivating [Nightvision] he scanned his wounds. They had all closed but still hurt like hell.

Looking around he saw the cliff over fifteen feet above him. Falling down from there should have killed him if not the horn piercing next to his heart. Grateful for his absurd sturdiness he went in the direction he lay head first.

Hobbling up the long passage he arrived at a high cliff. Following a narrow path leftwards along the cliff he searched his way until he entered the next cave. Inside he halted at another cliff ending in dark water deep down below. Crossing the cleft over another suspension bridge he felt back on track.

Traversing another long dark passage he stepped in the next caves. At the second cave he had to decide which way to go as the path went upwards to both sides. Trusting his sense of direction he took to the left.

As he had apparently taken the right decision he went through miles of passages and intersections.

Always trusting his instincts and following the path upwards he went through the puzzling cave system.

On his way he encountered three Almiraj and five Skeevers. The first horned rabbit attacked alone in the second long passage. After his last experience with those Beast he was quite afraid even though it posed no real threat to him on its own. To boot it he Leveled up again after defeating it and gaining 17 XP.

The remaining two came as a pair in a later cave granting him additional 32 points.

His encounters with the skeevers were equally random as they had scattered all over the caves and passages. Using [Analyze] at every encounter he saw them all being Level 1 gaining him a meager sixty points combined.

He wasn't sure but thought that using this ability might strengthen it. So he used it whenever he could.

After gaining some practical knowledge he was at least able to hold his damaged sword properly. It had chipped along the way and gotten quite dull though.

Leaving another one of the many tunnels he ended up on another cliff. Below he could spot the shore of a big lake. Straining his eyes he saw movement in water. And it closed in. He dashed along the wall until he found a small passage. Jumping in a couple of feet he saw the movements ceasing.

Letting out a deep breath he turned around again and followed the path.

In the adjoining cave system ha had not a single encounter.

The air had grown very humid and the temperature seemed to have risen. Fluorescent moss was growing on the walls.

After passing two more lakes he was positive they were responsible for the humidity and the moss. The first was below his path and the second in a wider cave he entered.

It was then he saw it. Coming from a tunnel behind some rock formation was light. The longed for daylight.

Turning off [Nightvision] not to be blinded he rushed around the right corner and froze.

Three ugly, child sized and green beings walked his way. What he had seen was no daylight but their torches.

"Taan duuch duun tuul"

"tokhel, huukhuul taar okaalkec"

They talked in a strange language with thei screeching voices. Using the the moment they hadn't noticed him he swiftly activated [Analyze]. Directing his eyes to the one with a wooden stick he saw:

__________

Goblin Mage lvl. 6

[Firemagic]

__________

He could only take a peek on the middle one before he heard the screeching voices:

"okaalkec daagaan?"

"akhan!!!"

As the last exclamation seemed to mean 'attack' the two other Goblins hobbled towards him. The mage stood back and held its hands together. Seconds later it threw its arms his way and a ball sized flame flew forwards.

The Goblin in front was only feets away as the Fireball hit. Or was supposed to hit.

A hand width from his chest the ball bounced off onto the Goblin before him.

***

defeated 'Goblin Brute'

20 XP

***

***

Skill integrated:

Reflect Magic (passive)

***

Quickly dismissing the notifications he readied his sword for the second Goblin. This one came swinging a crude axe. It wasn't more than a sharpened stone fixated on a twig. Dodging two slow swings he brandished his sword to kill the Goblin with a downwards slash. Suddenly gaining enormous speed its axe came for his head.

As he attempted to block the axe he supported his dull sword with both hands. With a loud clang and unbelievable pain in his hands the blade broke in half.

But at the same time the goblin stared at him irritated. Using the short moment it didn't move he gripped the hilt of his broken sword with both hands and stabbed down.

Slipping off the hard bone of its head the cracked blade ripped along its face down and buried itself along the goblin's neck. Pulling the stump out of its torso he brought the pitiful blade down again and again.

***

defeated 'Goblin Soldier'

25 XP

***

Only as the limb body of the Goblin fell did he stop. Just then a second Fireball came passing through the notification. He had forgotten the Goblin Mage in the back so it had enough time to cast again.

Exactly like the last the flames bounced off straight back through the notification. He closed the window just in time to see the Fireball hit its creator and incinerating it.

***

defeated 'Goblin Mage'

35 XP

***

***

Skill integrated:

Firemagic lvl. 1

***

Gobsmacked he decided to test the skill he just received if he saw an option. Anxious of further attacks he gave the goblins a quick search for anything useful. As his broken sword still posed the best weapon available he took the axe as offhand weapon for defense. The stick from the mage was charred so he left it. Wearing only a loincloth the goblins had nothing of worth with them. But as they had no supplements with them he was sure there had to be a camp.

Willing the torches to be stored they vanished into his inventory. He still had no idea how to open it.

Deciding it was time to test his new skill he left through the tunnel where the goblins came from. In the next cave he deactivated [Nightvision] and tried to activate [Firemagic]. His other skills simply triggered whenever he willed them to, similar to closing the notifications. Concentrating on [Firemagic] he understood what he had to do. Feeling an energy he didn't notice before in his body he willed it tho gather in his right hand. While for him incomprehensible words swirled through his head he collected more energy over his palm. After it suddenly heated up the energy formed a blazing ball. The whole process took him over ten seconds.

Directing the Fireball to the front it flew over sixty yards and crashed into the cave wall, illuminating the cave on its way.

After a right turn where the spell impacted came a wide upgrade tunnel. It felt like the way got steeper each step. In the upcoming Cave the narrow passage ahead felt a lot brighter than everything else. Entering the tunnel he had a steep slope to climb. But it got brighter. Soon it was bright enough for him to cancel [Nightvision]. This time he was careful not to misinterpret some torches.

Then he saw it. Peeking out of the tunnel he could see bright daylight at the end of this last cave. Turning to the left he followed the light downwards slope with a spring in his steps.

Not fifteen steps further he halted abruptly.

His blood froze.

"Gubyyya"

"hegaan ar duun ghaan"

He could hear the same screeching voices and unidentifiable language he now knew belonged to Goblins. And there seemed to be a lot.

Crouching down and peeking over the cliff on his right side he saw them. Split in two groups he saw a total of nine Goblins.

The results as he analyzed the them one after where shocking. The first group consisted of two level 3 Goblin Brutes, a level 4 Goblin Swordman and a lvl 5 Goblin Shaman. Another Goblin Shaman level 6 with a Mage and Goblin Chief with level 7 could be found in the other group. The last two Goblins behind those seemed out of reach.

As he was about to crawl back the Goblin Swordman detected him.

Screeching loud it pointed in his direction while the Goblin Brutes hobbled towards his location upwards the slope.

He prepared to fight. Holding the axe in his left and the broken sword in his right hand he waited for his first enemy to arrive.

Meanwhile the second group had noticed the screeching and came rushing to the Goblin Swordman.

The Shaman of the first group followed the Brutes.

As exactly those Brutes where in reach he threw his broken blade in hope for a distraction. He concluded dodging them and taking a run to be his best choice.

It was more than a distraction.

As the blade had buried itself to the hilt in the goblins face he received a notification of gained 20 XP.