Valgrin watched the two large goblins stare back at him as he and Malcolm charged. Their yellowed fangs bared as they both ran to intercept.

  Malcolm tapped his shoulder, calling for them to stop and prepare for the attack. The cut stone of the floor provided solid footing. He set himself and waited. Bigger than the ones Malcolm fried. Metal, leather, and hides for armor and their swords have seen better days. Need to watch for those claws. They have reach. Any second now. Any…

  Valgrin slashed his katar at the nearest goblin, watching it try to keep its feet as it came to a halt. He stepped into his back swing as it sliced a tear through the leather vest the creature wore. Still off-balance, the goblin swiped at Valgrin with the extended claws of its empty hand and missed horribly.

  Ducking below the attempted blow, Valgrin stepped through, turning his back to the wall. A quick glance over his goblin’s shoulder allowed him to watch Malcolm land a heavy blow to the head of the other goblin. Focus! Valgrin growled at himself, then thrust the katar deep into the side of the goblin. Die!

  Instead of falling over, the goblin kicked at Valgrin’s leading leg, making solid contact. A burning pain shot through Valgrin as he heard the crunching of bone right before his leg gave way. Scrambling, he barely moved his shield into position to block an overhand blow from the goblin. Adrenaline helped him ignore the pain as he took another swipe, this time at the legs. Blood spurted from the slash across the goblin’s thigh. It staggered, then suddenly jerked sideways, falling prone on the floor. The clatter of small hooves on the stone brought Valgrin’s attention to Skwilly’s scramble backward. Did he just ram the thing?

  Valgrin pointed a finger at the fallen goblin and cast Ice Spear—destroying the monster’s head. Need to remember earlier in the fight. He brushed a piece of brain matter off his forehead in time to see Malcolm standing over his goblin, pointing down the hall.

  Turning to look, Valgrin saw something that looked half cartoon and half horror movie. A sickly green beach ball like creature snarled from inside a blue energy field. A Gobblerin, without the body? The front view showed almost nothing but a gaping mouth filled with ferocious-looking teeth. Rows of sharp jagged teeth, stacked behind each other in a way that reminded Valgrin of shark teeth. The rest of the creature was a dozen or more tentacles writhing around the upper hemisphere. A prehensile tongue shot out of the mouth, searching for anything it could grab.

  A robed goblin stood behind the monster, then scampered back through the door. The blue field faded and the ball shot toward Valgrin, floating a half-inch off the floor. Malcolm’s throwing hammer bounced off the creature. Its only response was a quick turn in Malcolm’s direction, then its mouth pointed back toward Valgrin and it started in his direction again.

  How does this thing see? Valgrin cast another Ice Spear, puncturing the monster. It let out a squeal, slowed down, but kept coming forward.

  Malcolm sprinted towards the creature—it turned, three tentacles pointed at Malcolm at once. He flew across the hall, grunting when he slammed into the wall. He slid down, gasping for air.

  The green ball whipped around to face Valgrin, its hovering suddenly menacing. Its blood-red tongue shot out like a harpoon, slicing the air inches from Valgrin's jugular. Once again, he pulled the shield up in time to block an attack. The tongue coiled like a python, yanking him forward with bone-jarring force. Valgrin's heart hammered as he mentally screamed the command to deactivate his shield spell. In one desperate motion, he slashed his katar through the writhing appendage. Severed flesh splattered against the stone as a chunk of tongue dropped with a wet thud. The beast's agonized shriek ricocheted off the walls as it violently retracted what remained of its tongue. Valgrin scrambled backward, white-hot pain exploding through his broken leg with each frantic movement.

  A second later, the creature's tongue—impossibly regenerated—whipped out like a fleshy bullwhip and coiled around Valgrin's wrist with crushing force. His bones ground together as he snarled through clenched teeth, "Next surprise for you." Ten razor-sharp daggers of ice erupted from his katar, hurtling into the monster's gaping maw. The first three shredded through soft tissue before the tongue released with a spasmodic jerk'. A deafening shriek split Valgrin's eardrums, driving needles of pain into his skull. A sickeningly wet pop followed, along with a warm shower of meat and blood. Valgrin opened his eyes, seeing himself covered in pink chunks of meat, with occasional flashes of green skin. Blood dripped down his face and covered his clothes.

  He heard Ylnah and Skwilly heading towards him. “If it’s a safe check, keep coming. Check on Malcolm first. I hurt, but I’ll live.”

  “Stop being a martyr, ya jerk.” Malcolm gasped, “Soon as I can get my ribs to heal, I’ll be fine. Skwilly, you sound an alarm if anything else opens a door.”

  Valgrin muttered to himself and cast a Heal Wounds, gasping as it knitted his leg back together. “Warning you, though I shouldn’t. It hurts just as bad healing broken bones as it does getting them.”

  “Now you tell me,” Malcolm answered through gritted teeth. “Seems like my heal spell is more powerful, though.”

  The pain faded. Valgrin stood up, trying to brush all the carnage off. “Thanks, everyone. Skwilly, that didn’t seem to be the safest of things to do.”

  “It wasn’t.” Skwilly agreed. “But remember, because of our bond, I have a vested interest in your survival. It was a calculated risk. There’s a door over by Malcolm. Didn’t see any goblins go in or out of that side of the hall. The sanctuary of the temple? Could be a safer place to regroup. We know there is at least one more goblin and who knows what else?”

  Malcolm groaned as Ylnah helped him up. He reached for the latch to the door. “It’s unlocked. Go in?”

  “I vote yes once I get a little closer.” Valgrin walked to the other side of the hall. “Okay.”

  A disgusting stench caused everyone to retch. Ylnah lost the battle to keep everything down.

  Malcolm slammed the door shut as soon as he was able. “Something died in there. Literally died in there.”

  Ylnah wiped at her chin with her sleeve. “Maybe now that we’re ready, it won’t be so bad?”

  “We do need to get out of this hall.” Valgrin added.

  Malcolm opened up the door again. Another wave of stench rolled out. “Yes, much better. We’ve gone from absolutely vile to almost absolutely disgusting.”

  “As bad as it is, I think it’s better than staying out here.” Ylnah said.

  “Don’t disagree. Just had to register my complaint.” Malcolm replied.

  Is he taking this seriously or not?

  Malcolm stepped inside. “Can’t see much. Valgrin, Skwilly either of you want to scan before we fully commit?”

  Skwilly scampered through the door and cast a bright light near the ceiling as the rest of the group pressed in behind him. Malcolm reached back and shut the door.

  “Skwilly point a light that way.” Valgrin pointed, “Body on the floor, I think.”

  A bloated, dead goblin lay at the base of an elaborate statue of something that almost looked humanoid.

  “That would be the source of our smell,” Malcolm commented as Skwilly stopped spotlighting the body.

  “I can see some magical light coming from those precious stones in the statue’s eyes. I wonder if the goblin triggered a trap trying to steal them? The other goblins haven’t decided if the reward is worth the risk, yet?” Skwilly offered.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Sounds reasonable, and we should head the warning.” Valgrin patted Skwilly. “The doors open out, so we can’t block them, but we can move something in front of them to slow anyone down. Need to make sure we’re careful of traps.”

  “Couple of benches moved in front would at least slow them down.” Malcolm checked and then slid one from next to the door to in front of it. “Is it my getting used to it or is the smell easing a bit?”

  “I put an area of silence spell over it. I figured a dome of air might help the smell. It might work? Right.” Ylnah smiled at the group.

  “Might? Seems to me it’s working great, brilliant!” Malcolm applauded Ylnah quietly.

  "Skwilly, what are you doing?” Valgrin called over to the priggy.

  “Thought I smelt something over here. Now, I think I feel air,” Skwilly answered.

  The group walked down a small set of dusty stone stairs from the stage to the sanctuary floor. Skwilly’s had his nose pressed against a piece of stone furniture—Valgrin couldn’t decide if it was an altar or side table. The cream and red stone table seemed to be a ledge cut from the wall.

  “Alter or table?” Malcolm asked as he ran his fingers along the back of the tabletop.

  “I was thinking table, most likely.” Valgrin offered. “I feel some air coming up from the wall. This is too big to move—there has to be a latch somewhere.”

  Several minutes passed in silence, then everyone turned at the sound of a soft whoosh of air—and a cloud of dust. The middle of the table had dropped flush with the floor, revealing a short opening which lead to a stairway down into stale air and darkness.

  “Found the trigger.” Ylnah exclaimed. She pushed a small circle within the elaborate carving on the wall. The disappearing section rose from the floor, making the ledge whole again.

  She waved her hand at the wall. “These carved vines have lots of clusters of berries—exactly three berries to a cluster. Except this one.” She pointed to the circle she’d just pushed. “This cluster is four berries—and the extra berry is the trigger.”

  Another whoosh of air and the secret door disappeared into the floor. Malcolm crouched under the top shelf and went through the opening.

  “There is a more obvious trigger over here. Looks like I just need to pull down…”

  The stone rose, once again completing the ledge, blocking the secret passage. A few seconds later, it fell back into the floor.

  “…yep, toggling the switch back-and-forth opens from this side. Come on everyone, we have some stairs to go down,” Malcolm called out from within the passage.

  Valgrin stepped in after everyone else and watched Malcolm grab the lever and push it upward. The opening disappeared as the stone rose back into place.

  “You know, you’da been in a world of hurt if that didn’t reopen.” He pointed at Malcolm.

  Malcolm grinned. “I knew you’d find a way through the stone to retrieve me.”

  “Hmm, might be a little off on your thinking there.” Valgrin led the group down the long, narrow stairs.

  “Anyone who still says ‘world of hurt’, would come after me.” Malcolm chuckled, following Ylnah down the stairs. “You know, for such a big landing at the top, these are really narrow stairs.”

  Valgrin turned his head, answering. “Noticed, but nothing standing out as a reason. And I just hit the bottom of the stairs.”

  He took a few steps into the large room, suddenly he felt a strong tingling in the foot he just set down to the ground. Wha…“Wha—tra…” He jumped, spinning around when he heard Malcolm’s grunt, followed with a thud sound.

  Valgrin turned just in time to see Malcolm twisting in the air to put himself between the floor and Ylnah. Show off. He groaned, landing on the stone floor with Ylnah bouncing off his chest. Valgrin noticed the blood gushing from Malcolm’s leg on the second bounce. He cast, “Malcolm’s hurt. My heal spell only did a little, at least stopped the bleeding. I’ll cast again.”

  “I can cast, just let me get my head to stop spinning.” Malcolm groaned.

  “Stop!” Ylnah held up her hand. “Sorry, I have something better and easier on a person’s system.”

  Valgrin motioned for her to take over, and she did. She pulled a metal flask from her jacket and measured out a cap full, offering it to Malcolm.

  He drank it, paused, then looked at Ylnah. “Um, is something supposed to be happening?”

  “In about ten more seconds.” She answered.

  Malcolm’s eyes widened. “Oh.” His lips curled into a lazy smile. “That feels nice.”

  “My potion calms the nerves before the healing starts. A normal spell goes right to the healing, so it’s painful.” Ylnah explained.

  Malcolm looked over at Valgrin. “We should double her pay.”

  “Agreed.” Valgrin pointed at Ylnah. “Tell your father to pay you double.” He turned back to Malcolm. “You feeling okay and what happened?“

  “I feel fine, and getting better as we talk. I felt an explosion of pain in my leg. The next thing I know, I’ve knocked Ylnah off balance and she begins falling down the stairs. As luck would have it, I was falling, too. I knew I could move faster than normal, may have tapped into that well. The world stood still for five seconds or so—allowed me to get in a position to keep her from getting hurt, much. My head bouncing on the floor didn’t feel great though no real damage. At least to me, the floor may be another story.”

  “This seems to be what hit you.” Skwilly stooped, then stood and walked toward the group, a silver disk in his mouth. He laid it on the floor between Valgrin and Malcolm. “Had to be careful. Those edges are sharp.”

  Valgrin picked it up and looked it over. “Looks like two power saw blades, each with their teeth going the opposite direction.” He spun the top disk. “Each set up to spin in opposite directions. Nasty little thing. Guess it shot out of the step?”

  “I wonder…” Ylnah walked over to the steps and stared at them for several seconds. A grimace overtook her expression as she turned to face the group. “The floor where you’re at is a trigger for the magic on these stairs to trigger. I tried to get a good look at it, but it’s beyond what I can do. It’s sophisticated, what I could make out…”

  “What the…” Malcolm suddenly punched at the air.

  Valgrin swung at a small, white blobbish sphere flying at his head. He missed. The blob didn’t—his forehead flared in pain. “Flying balls of thumbtacks?”

  Jumping to his feet, Malcolm drew his sai. “Hurts like a baby porcupine slammed into me.”

  Valgrin watched Malcolm block two attacks before another came his way. He swung his katar and missed. He growled at the pain in his shoulder. Too fast, need Malcolm’s speed. Damn, here comes another one.

  “Haste! Ylnah? Please.” A little whine crept into Valgrin’s request.

  “That’s a complicated spell. I drained too much of my magic resources studying the stairs. Sorry. Give me about ten or fifteen minutes and I can cast, though it will only last a minute or so.”

  Valgrin nodded, then swung with the flat of his blade. A satisfying crunch sounded. Followed by a shower of small needles. “Crap, killed one, but when it shatters, it shoots needles at you. Clubbed it with the flat of the blade and now my forearm is burning.”

  Malcolm gritted his teeth, eyes flicking to Valgrin. "Great, so we're dealing with flying pincushions that explode into more pain." He deftly parried another sphere, sidestepping to avoid the inevitable burst of needles.

  Valgrin stumbled back, nursing his arm. "We need a new plan, and fast. These things are relentless."

  Ylnah, her eyes darting around the room, shouted, "There has to be a source! Something controlling them. Look for anything unusual!"

  The room was a chaotic mess of flying spheres, clattering weapons, and a constant spray of needles. Valgrin scanned the surroundings, his gaze locking onto a faint glow coming from a sigil etched into the far wall. "There! That symbol—it's glowing.”

  "On it!" Malcolm shouted as he charged forward, batting away the spheres with his sai.

  Valgrin followed close behind, protecting Malcolm's flank. "I've got your back. Just get us to that symbol!"

  Ylnah raised her hands, chanting a spell that created a shimmering barrier around them. "This will hold off the worst of the needles, but it won't last long. Simple spell, but still not much in the magic pool."

  The sigil pulsed ominously as they approached, each pulse brighter than the last. Valgrin swung his katar in a wide arc, ducking beneath his friend’s arms. "Malcolm, coming through, and I need you to cover me while I figure this out.”

  “Got it. Though there seems to be a lot less of the flying pain factories.” Malcolm grunted mid-swing.

  “I need to drop the barrier real soon. Ready?” Ylnah shouted.

  Malcolm groaned. “If you must. Count down, so I know when it’s gone.”

  “Starting countdown.” Ylnah replied. “Three, two, one—dropped.”

  Valgrin inspected the intricately carved sigil. Lines and geometric shapes intertwined into a complex pattern. "Ylnah, any ideas?" he called out, frustration edging his voice.

  “I’d focus on disrupting the central part of the rune. But that’s only a guess…”

  Skwilly’s high-pitched shout drowned out Ylnah. “Something is happening around that thing you’re looking at.”

  Valgrin pulled back and looked around the carving. A light blue line sketched out a vague human shape around the sigil. “That is one huge meeple looking thing.”

  “Eight feet tall, give or take.” Malcolm confirmed.

  Ylnah gasped. “Looks like we triggered a golem spell.”

  “Great, here goes nothing, or my katar, or everything,” Valgrin warned. He zeroed in on the center of the rune and then drove his katar into it. The sigil flashed wildly before the carving disappeared with a clap of thunder.

  The flying spheres froze mid-air, then dropped to the ground, inert.

  “Can anyone hear me?” Valgrin yelled over the ringing in his ears. He allowed a twitch of a smile when he heard everyone reply.

  He took a closer look at his katar, it remained intact. “I’m guessing its magic protected it, that was my hope at least.”

  “The blue light is getting more intense.” Skwilly interrupted.

  Malcolm rushed over to the door, only a few feet from the glowing outline. “Come on, we need to risk triggering a trap. I don’t have it in me to face whatever that thing is going to end up being.”

  With a nod, Valgrin joined with the others jogging toward Malcolm.

  “No trap,” Malcolm called out, and motioned for everyone to follow him through. He slammed the door shut once the group had followed him.

  Valgrin leaned against a wall, panting. "That...was intense."

  Malcolm nodded. “But no time for resting. We need to find out if we can get back upstairs. I’m presuming we’re under the area that one goblin escaped into.”

  “Agreed—on all accounts.” Valgrin pushed off of the wall. “Look’s like an empty storage room with some ladders up over that way. Maybe we can find a spot to rest up and review anything Sandy sent to us. Hopefully, we gained a level or something with all of this.”