The fight to get back together

In the midst of the damp and musty cave tunnel, the voice of Luis cut through the air like a sharp knife, jolting Richard from his spaced out state. His mind was in a daze as he tried to comprehend what was happening around him. The flicker of torchlight danced around the walls of the cave, casting eerie shadows on the ground.

As his vision cleared, he realized that he had been shaken awake by Luis. Richard struggled to focus on his friend's urgent tone, which was punctuated by the distant sound of clashing swords and the frenzied shrieks of goblins.

Luis's eyes narrowed with concern as he spoke again, his voice sharp and urgent. "Hey, what's going on with you, Richard? We need you," he said. "Raphael is holding off the hoards of goblins as they are surrounding us. He is going to get overrun. Hurry up, we need to get going!"

Richard's head spun with the sudden influx of information. He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs of confusion from his mind. "Huh? Oh, right, sorry I spaced out," he muttered, his voice thick with sleep and disorientation.

Luis's response was immediate, and it was clear that he was not amused. "Well, your space out might kill us. The others have already gone to look for a way around these evolved goblins," he said, his tone laced with urgency and frustration.

Richard's heart sank at the mention of his friends going off on their own. "No, what did I tell you all when coming down here? 'Don't split up!'" he exclaimed, his voice rising with panic. "Raphael, let's move out quickly, so hurry!"

Raphael nodded, his expression grim as he reached for his wand. "Alright, give me a second. I'm going to cast a freezing spell," he said, his words coming out in a low murmur.

With a fierce determination etched onto his face, Richard lifted his sword from its sheath and charged headfirst into the swarm of evolved goblins. He was like a bolt of lightning, cutting through the throngs of enemies with his blade flashing in the torchlight. His movements were fluid and precise, and with every goblin he struck down, two more seemed to take its place.

Undeterred, Richard kept fighting, his muscles straining with the effort. The sound of steel on steel echoed through the tunnel, as he clashed swords with the goblins that stood in his way. He knew that every second he bought for Raphael was critical, and so he fought with all his might.

As Raphael began to chant his spell, Richard called out to Luis, his voice ringing out with authority. "While you cast, I'll hop into the fray to give you enough time to cast the spell. Luis, Raphael will be out of it after this next spell. Grab him as soon as he begins to yell his spell," he said, his words carrying over the din of battle.

Luis nodded grimly, his eyes never leaving the scene before him. "Okay, I'll be behind him while he casts," he replied, his voice low and steady.

As Richard fought on, he could feel the goblins starting to close in on him from behind. He knew that he couldn't keep up the pace forever, and so he began to backpedal, trying to create some distance between himself and his enemies. But as he did so, he became increasingly vulnerable to their attacks.

The tension in the air was palpable as they waited for Raphael to complete his incantation. Richard's heart pounded in his chest as he fought on, his movements becoming more frantic as the goblins closed in. The fate of their group hung in the balance, and they needed to act fast if they wanted to make it out alive. Every second felt like an eternity as they waited for Raphael's spell to take effect.

As soon as Raphael yelled the incantation, Richard quickly retreated out of the fray and made his way to Luis. The air was thick with tension and anticipation, as they waited for Raphael's spell to take effect.

And then, with a thunderous roar, Raphael bellowed at the top of his lungs: "FROZEN BLIZARD!!!" The sound of his voice echoed through the cave tunnel, reverberating off the walls with such force that it felt like the entire place was shaking.

Suddenly, a blast of snow and cold air shot out from Raphael's wand with such ferocity and power that it instantly froze all the goblins in the cold front. The aura released from his body sent a shock wave in back pressure, knocking Luis and Richard off their feet and sending them flying backwards behind Raphael. The sheer force of the blast was so great that they could barely even move, let alone turn their heads to look at Raphael as he cast the spell.

But as time went on, the pressure slowly began to decrease, allowing them to at least look at Raphael. And as soon as all the goblins were frozen in place, Raphael collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. Without hesitation, Luis ran over to hold him up, careful not to disturb the frozen goblins.

Richard stood up, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement. "Alright, let's move out," he said, his voice calm and authoritative. He knew that they couldn't afford to waste any time, not with the hoards of goblins still lurking in the shadows. With a sense of urgency, he led the group deeper into the cave, his sword at the ready as they pressed on toward their group ahead.

--

As the group made their way through the winding cave system, Oliver suddenly paused, his head cocked to one side as if listening intently.

"Did you hear something?" he asked the others, his voice hushed.

Amelia strained her ears, trying to pick up any sound. And then, just as Charles spoke up, they all heard it: a distant, muffled yell that echoed through the twisting tunnels.

"That sounded like Richard and the others," Charles said, his tone urgent.

Without a moment's hesitation, Amelia took charge. "Let's head back. Richard might know if there's an exit somewhere out here," she said, her eyes scanning the cavern walls for any sign of a path.

The group turned on their heels and began to run back the way they came, dodging stalactites and stalagmites as they navigated the maze-like passages. Each turn seemed to lead to more cross-sections and dead ends, making it feel like they were trapped in an endless loop.

But they pressed on, driven by a fierce determination to find their friends and escape the treacherous cave system. The air was thick with tension and fear, as they knew that every passing moment brought them closer to danger. With each step, their hearts pounded in their chests, and they braced themselves for whatever lay ahead.

As the group of three ran through the narrow passage, a small band of goblins lurked in the shadows, their beady eyes watching hungrily as the adventurers rushed by. Without warning, the goblins sprang into action, brandishing their crude knives and lunging towards the group.

Charles felt a sudden, searing pain in his calf as one of the goblins stabbed him with a rusty blade. He let out a bloodcurdling scream and crumpled to the ground, clutching his leg in agony.

Oliver and Amekua spun around, their faces twisted with concern as they saw Charles lying on the ground, blood flowing freely from his wound.

"Goblins," Oliver hissed, his finger pointing towards the small group of five that had surrounded Charles.

The goblins were relentless in their attack, surrounding Charles like a pack of wolves. Their small knives glinted in the dim light, their wicked smiles indicating their pleasure in causing pain. Charles writhed on the ground, screaming in agony as the goblins continued their assault. Their kicks and stabs seemed never-ending, each one hitting Charles with more force than the last. Blood spattered the ground around him, turning the earth beneath him into a crimson pool.

Amelia and Oliver watched in horror, unable to help their friend as the goblins tormented him. One of the goblins stepped forward, lifting his small sword and brandishing it at the two of them. His beady eyes seemed to glint with a sinister glee as he gestured for them to run, warning them that they, too, might end up like Charles. The fear that gripped them was suffocating, as they realized the gravity of their situation.

Oliver's heart pounded in his chest as he watched the goblins wreak havoc on his friends. His body trembled with rage, his muscles tensed and ready to strike. As he glared at the goblins, his eyes burned with fury and his breathing quickened. He could feel the sweat pouring down his forehead as he prepared himself for what was to come.

Suddenly, he heard a voice, a voice that seemed to come from within him, from the deepest depths of his soul. It spoke with a soft, gentle tone, but its words were like a hammer striking an anvil.

"Are you seriously going to allow them to do this?" the voice asked. "If you let me take over, all this can be fixed then you can go take care of your friend."

Oliver's mind was consumed by the voice, and all other thoughts were pushed aside. He felt a surge of energy coursing through his body as his vision went black, and all of his senses were cut off. He was in the dark completely, but his mind was as sharp as ever.

"Cast a defensive spell on me and begin healing Charels," Oliver commanded, his voice calm and level-headed, even in his subconscious state.

Amelia quickly obeyed, casting a powerful protection spell on Oliver before rushing to Charles' side to begin healing him. Meanwhile, Oliver charged at the goblin in front of Charles, catching it off guard with his lightning-fast reflexes. With all the strength in his legs, he kicked the goblin to the wall before drawing his sword.

Oliver had never lifted a sword before, and his sword skill was unrefined and chaotic. But with each strike at the goblins, he chipped away at their swords, making progress with every move. His movements were swift and graceful, his strikes fierce and powerful.

"He won't stop bleeding!" Amelia yelled, her voice trembling with fear.

Amelia ran to the bag that Charles always carried, which contained the group's supplies. She frantically searched for healing potions, hoping to find something that would combat the poison that was causing Charles to bleed so profusely.

Oliver continued to fight the goblins with all his might, his sword flashing in the dim light of the room. His heart raced with every swing, every strike, every dodge. But he never faltered, never wavered in his determination to protect his friends and defeat the goblins.