Chapter 23: - The Hunt [1]
-ThuThump
-ThuThump
-ThuThump.
Walking down the dark tunnel, with only a lantern to illuminate her surroundings, Lia was forced to come to a realization.
'This is going to be tougher than I thought.'
Originally she had believed that this Hunt would be anything but easy, however, she had her hopes up with the information Rian had provided her before she entered the tunnel. However, she was wrong.
Not only was the darkness difficult for her oil lamp to pierce through, but there were so many branches of tunnels that paved outwards, that Lia feared of a possible ambush.
A strategy she had been taught by Al Shir once in her youth was about the many ambushes and traps Goblins used, and how it was very important to learn from them.
"They are an open book on adaptable and intelligent strategies when it comes to ambushes and traps. Learning from them is as good as taking a lesson from any assassin or trickster."
A common ambush Goblins loved to set up was to dig out a fork in one of their tunnels, if they ever decided to limit themselves to tunnels. Using this fork, they would create a thinner, more difficult to access tunnel, that would allow them to get behind any unsuspecting Hunter party.
This tunnel reminded Lia of that very same ambush strategy, and it caused a shiver to grow down her spine.
But nonetheless, she pushed on, her determination getting the best of her worried judgment.
Following close behind her was Lukali, who shared her worried expression, but also her resolve, as he kept his short sword raised, and with his other, panned a second oil lamp against the walls, looking down each individual tunnel.
"There are so many."
He said, holding out his lantern to cast a light down a long dark tunnel.
Coming up on his side, Rian passed by, barely sparing the tunnel a glance.
"Careful boy. Don't know if one of em spiders is gonna crawl out and get you."
Flinching, Lukali was quick to rejoin the group, a group that Rian had personally gathered together with them.
While Lia had been expecting to go through with this alone, she was instead surprised to find people in the mines willing to go back in and slay the spiders.
"Revenge digs deep in these old bones."
Is what Rian had told her back at the entrance while the others were gearing up.
According to Rian, she and Lukali would lead the assault on the spiders, while Rian provided the tanking and strength to back up their little furry of assaults.
In all honesty, Lia did hope that this Hunt would have had a better plan to go with it, rather than just a simple game of cat and mouse.
But taking one last look back at the dozens or so miners, Lia was left with a feeling of confidence brewing inside her.
'Maybe this will work without a well thought out plan.'
'Don't get too comfortable.'
And, as if right on cue, Cain's voice sounded out in her head, ruining her mood.
Since the time in the Tavern, Cain had cut back on how much he spoke to her, using his own form of the silent treatment.
Because of their shared senses, and what Lia could only guess as shared emotions, Cain's uneasiness or pure rejection of any ideas she put in place, could still vividly be felt in her mind.
In fact, though she dared not to say it, it felt far more annoying than hearing his voice in her head every minute of every day.
'I know that Cain. I'm not a toddler left alone with a knife.'
'But you are.'
Clenching her jaw, Lia struggled to keep herself from yelling out loud to him.
'Your annoyance is getting on my last nerves Cain.'
'Don't blame me for pointing out the short woman with a long knife.'
'That doesn't make me a toddler!'
'Whatever you say.'
Shaking her head, she tried switching the topic back around to something that would actually be of importance to her.
'How should I deal with this environment? It feels like a disadvantage going any deeper than I already have.'
'That's because it is. Right now you're in the spider's den - their territory- so you must constantly be on your guard.'
A falling rock drew Lia's attention, peering down one of the dozens of dark tunnels.
Seeing nothing, Lia continued onward, Rian followed closely at her back, his own hands gripping around his gauntlets.
To Lia, the size of the large gauntlets would only slow her down, however, to Rian, it seemed to keep him upright.
His strength alone was terrifying if he was able to lift such heavy gauntlets, and be able to fight with them. The sheer force he would have to drive behind his punches would shatter anyones bones if they came in contact with them.
'Spiders are predators at heart, meaning that they will hunt you if they find you. So an ambush is the most likely scenario.'
Shifting her focus back on topic with Cain, she glanced at the surrounding tunnels, their darkness seeming to reach out to her.
'Will they ambush us from these tunnels?'
'Most likely.'
Sighing, Lia drew her blade, the same sword given to her by the Safarian in Totlac's group of travelers. A long curved tipped blade that had rust on the edges.
Her sudden action caused Rian to raise his first, signaling to the dozen or so miners behind him to halt.
Raising his gauntlets, he looked around, back to back with Lukali, who had also drawn his own short sword.
"Is there something out there, Huntress?"
At the sound of her 'title', Lia realized she had never told Rian her name, allowing the substitute name 'Huntress' to take its place.
"Maybe. Hold your men here."
Noddin, Rian headed back to the group, calming down the miners who seemed even more on edge than the frightened Lukali.
Lia, of course, didn't blame them. Having been left to deal with these creatures themselves, they must have seen dozens of their own eaten or dragged away to their deaths.
'Lia, the spiders are coming.'
Interrupting her moment of pity and sympathy, Cain's voice was calm in her head, like cold water, but it froze her blood.
'I thought they were asleep?'
'Apparently not. Now listen, you're going to face a total of three spiders. One on your left, fifty degrees up. The second and third will be behind your group, coming in from both sides. Warn your allies quickly and get into position.'
Turning, Lia watched as Rian, who instantly read her worried expression, ushered in a form of command.
"Everyone listen up!"
Suddenly all focus was on her, eyes peering from the darkness, and Lia's chest squeezed at the pressure.
But she quickly overcame it, knowing full well that Cain's warnings were not unfound. Already her heightened senses could hear distant 'TipTaps' from the spider's legs, digging into the stone.
"Everyone!"
She called out, placing down her lantern.
"I want you all to get into a diamond pattern. Rian at the back, Lukali next to me, and shields on the sides. Place your lanterns down at your feet, a few steps from you, but not too far."
Instantly, they all got to work, moving through one another, dodging each other's weapons, shields, or swords.
Rian pushed his way to the back of the group, taking the rear point, while Lia took the front, Lukali at her side, uttering nothing short of a few worried mumbles.
Clearly he was terrified.
"Do not go past your line of lanterns, they will act as a border. Only attack the ones within the light, don't head out past the light, otherwise we won't be able to help you."
From the back of the diamond she could hear Rian call out in unison to her orders.
"You heard her lads, don't act foolish and keep close!"
Shields were raised, swords were drawn, and spears were ready out front. If Lia had more spear users in their ranks, she would have positioned them in a more advantageous position.
Shields to the front, spears in the middle between each one, and swords to draw forward when the spears impaled the spider's hide.
But Lia was forced to give up on her visions of a better fighting force, and did her best to focus on what she had.
However, that became increasingly difficult as a cold and calm voice resonated in her head, forming more and more doubts.
'Three more. Two on the left, and one on the right. They're all going from up top.'
Turning her head left and right, Lia peered through the three possible tunnels these new three could come from.
Doubts began flooding her mind as she looked back on her numbers and estimated the head count she would need facing off against six of these spiders.
She reached one dreaded conclusion.
'Were too few. We're barely over a dozen people fighting off against six of these monsters. We won't stand a chance.'
'You were willing to take on a whole nest alone? Surely you can handle six of them.'
'I had planned for you to be there helping me. I didn't expect to be bringing along such a large party, so I can't rely on your help here.'
Taking a second glance at the surrounding party, Lia tried desperately to find any formation from her years of teaching that would help her.
'You can't always rely on me. You're a soldier, not a ruler. You can't always rely on your generals to do it for you. A soldier learns to fight, because they're life lies on the line.'
'You think I don't know that?'
'Focus Lia. Reposition them to your best advantage, otherwise they will die.'
'But I don't know any formation that can help me here. I'm too short of people.'
Feeling Cain sigh, her focus became more honed to his next words, knowing his advice would be something she would desperately need to rely on.
'Then don't.'
However, hearing his next words, she nearly fumbled the sword she had in her hand.
'What?!'
She said a little too loud in her mind, causing Cain to flinch.
'Don't try to find an entirely different strategy or formation to use. Modify. Modify the one you've already put in place.'
As Lia listened to his words, she observed and noted each weapon used by the group. Many of them held onto swords, shields, or knives. But one weapon caught her attention more than the rest rested in only a few individuals' hands.
'Modify small parts of your attack, and create that point that pierces the flesh.'
Already, a plan was forming in Lia's mind, a plan she cursed herself for missing and wasting precious time.
Now her heightened senses were screaming, telling her the spiders were almost on top of them.
Instantly, she began to work.
"All spear users, move inward and keep your spears pointed at those three tunnels. We don't want any of them dropping on top of us. Everyone else, fill in the gaps!"
Hearing her words, the spear holders instantly moved, their spots being taken up by others who filled in the gaps they left in the formation.
"Good gods , I didn't even see those tunnels.
From behind the group, Lia could hear Rian calling out, his voice filled with shock, but also relief. Clearly he was happy she discovered them before one of their own was taken down, and it was too late.
As Lia got into position, her lantern raised to fight off the darkness, her sword tight against her chest, a sudden silence settled in.
The silence was so unexpected that it sent the miners down the formation on edge, a chill creeping down their spine.
Already Lia could tell where the spiders were coming from, their silence was scary but her heightened senses thanks to Cain were even more so.
Raising her sword, she prepared for the attack, the hair on her back standing on end.
And in the mere seconds she had to spare, for those who could hear her, only heard mumbles, but the shock already set in.
Her words made them question.
'Just how strong is she?'
She showed no fear and no worry at the oncoming doom or the danger right around the corner. Instead, her words settled in a form of challenge.
"Let the Hunt begin."
Weekly Power Status
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