The Goblin Nation - 73 Falling In The Dark

Root and Mist waited inside the large crevice that leads them to a tight, narrow shortcut to the next cold spring. Tie and May arrived after a few minutes with Spat leading the way. The four of them were getting ready to leave ahead of the tribe. Once they reach the next cold spring, they would travel backward on the broader path to meet them halfway.

Spat said his goodbye to the four of them before they left and then ran as fast as possible to return to Mabel. But he was stopped by the Chief. “Spat! Sorry but could you give this to Root, he forgot to take his map on his way out after breakfast.” He handed him a folded paper.

“No worry Chief! Me go after group right now!” Spat hurried back inside the tunnel.

“Wait! It’s dark in there, take this.” Sun tossed a glowing mushroom. Spat managed to turn around fast enough to catch it despite his large shield hanging on his back, weighing him down. “And be sure to be fast. We don’t want Mabel to get worried.”

“Yes, Sir Sun!” Spat gave a salute then ran off.

The narrow tunnel was damp and hot, with water running down its path every now and then only to disappear in the dark. The four goblins walked carefully with their arms stretched out to guide their way through the dark. However, they weren’t fully blind. Tie had in her person a small glass bottle filled with glowing moss that resembles those they passed by on the way to the springs but emits a much greener light. This bottle was their lantern to light the way, but the light’s reach is limited, so the scouting party must remain vigilant.

Sometimes, they climb down cliffs. Sometimes, they scale tall walls. Some of the rocks were wet and slippery, while others were dry and sharp. But this path was relatively one dimension. It lacked any extreme verticality to traverse or large spaces to rest. It was an easy path to follow so long nothing goes wrong above or below them.

Tie estimated they would arrive at the next cold springs in the afternoon and meet the rest of the tribe by evening. Root was worried they would run out of roasted frog legs before they could reunite with the tribe, but Tie assured him that they could sustain themselves with the cave’s natural fauna. The moss inside her glass bottle is safe for consumption, along with mushrooms that emit a weak yellow glow. But there are also some she advised against eating. The roots and mushrooms from their previous spring and other fungi and plants that emit the same light should not be eaten. She didn’t eat enough to kill her, but it did give her an upset stomach.

Root was still worried. “What if no plant safe eat?”

“Then we go hungry and die. Heehehee,” Tie laughed.

The comeback did not help relieve Root’s worries, instead made him more anxious. But eventually, the four goblins saw a bright green light coming out of the corner straight ahead of them. When they made a turn, they were met by an ocean of bright green moss growing from the ceiling of the cave to its wet rocky floor. What a blessing it was for the worried Root when they suddenly stumbled upon the edible moss on their journey. But now Tie was concerned. She doesn’t remember making a turn this early on the path. She trace backed their steps and examined the wall blocked their straight path and found that the wall was made up of large, heavy rocks, loosely glued together. Some of the stones were oddly shaped and had different textures. These were all signs of a recent cave-in.

Root and Mist walked over the grassy floor. The wet, soft green carpet managed to find its way through their shoes and tickled their foot. The two ran around the grass, excited over feeling grass under sole after experiencing the harsh winter. May was far more cautious in her approach to the green vegetation.

Tie continued investigating the surrounding. The walls and ground were cold and wet, but the room was still hot. “Hey,” Tie called out to the two dancing siblings, “Be quiet, Tie need hear things.” Tie closed her eyes and pressed her ears on the walls. The sound of water trickling from the ceiling and on to the floor resonated on her ear.

The sound eventually grew louder as the droplets turned into a river rushing through the earth. The snow above was melting, and the earth was absorbing the water creating large aquifers above the crevice. Aquifers heavy enough to collapse the smaller tunnels. The tunnel was shifting forms once more, and they needed to leave as quickly as possible. Tie gathered her scouting party together to turn back. “What about big tunnels?” Root asked.

“Big tunnels be fine. I think. Tie not see water make big tunnels fall so big ok.” Tie answered while reassuring herself. “Give map. Tie want see where go.”

“Ok.” Root reached for his pocket, but the map was not there. “Oh, no.”

“Oh no, what?”

“Uh, Miss Tie.” May walked backward while facing the direction away from the group. “Me see red light. Is red light, ok?” She pointed at the two red dots floating on air.

Just before Tie could answer, the red-eyed monster stepped forward on the glowing meadow, revealing its commanding visage. The beast stood as tall as four feet and raised its head on the paralyzed goblins. Its wings shined brightly under the gentle green light, and it wrapped its body like a regal coat made of shining silk. “May come here, now.” Tie said in a low but stern tone.

The beast gazed at the four goblins standing on the glowing green lights. It could see their inner hearts through its red eyes faintly glow in the dark. Their hearts were not bright enough to entice the beast to chase after them. The goblins and the beast continued to stare at each other for what seems to be hours. The grass underneath their feet caught the water droplets, absorbing the sound before it could resonate. The barely lit tunnel was nearly completely silent, if not for the beating heart of the goblins bumping in the air.

“Hey, guys!” Suddenly, Spat appeared out of the dark behind them, startling the group. “He was holding a glowing mushroom on his right hand and a map on the other. “Root forgot map. Me run here give you it. Also, what that?”

The beast’s eyes glowed bright red, and his antlers began to glow with the same color and intensity as its eyes. The monster hunts those with inner light bright enough to be the sun of the dark cave, replacing the glowing fauna around them. The goblin that appeared out of the dark had a heart brighter than the mushroom he was holding. The light inside Spat’s body extended its light rays, sending soft currents of starlight over the beast whose mouth overflowed with saliva as the light charged its desire to hunt. The bloodlust within the winged horror leaked out and filled the atmosphere, letting the goblins know they were the prey, and the beast was the predator.

“Run!” Tie yelled.

The five of them ran back the way they came, into the dark with nothing but the glowing dim light coming from their hand to unveil the darkness in front of them. Behind them was the beast’s red light chasing after them. Its loud grunting noise and hooves clapping on the ground reverberated on the cave’s walls.

The tight corridors made it harder for the goblins to run through the tunnel. Tie led the way followed while Spat guarded their back. Suddenly, the sound of running water drowned the growls of the beast. A waterfall that they never crossed paths with was standing in their way. The goblins began to climb up the dark hall while flowing water ran against the goblins’ direction, and the wet rocks beneath their foot began to shine and gleam from their glowing hands. Root slipped down and fell on the ground. The water carried Root towards the hungry predator.

“Root!” Mist slid down the tunnel, reaching out for her brother.

“Mist!” Spat turned back.

“Leave them!” Tie commanded.

“What?”

“We need go now!”

Spat turned back and saw the red monster closing in on them. It thrashed against the water as it charges at the goblins. “No, Spat no leave behind!” Spat took out his sheild and rode it down the waterfall. He tackled the beast away from the siblings before crashing down on the surface of the water.

Tie continued to climb the tunnel while dragging May with her. Finally, they saw the slit opening they entered. They entered the cavern and saw the tribe panicking. The ceiling above them was rumbling, and eventually, rocks and water hailed down. May liberated her arms from Tie’s grip and ran across the room towards the Chief. “Where you going?” Tie yelled.

“May need help Chief!” May danced her way to Sun.

Then, Tie heard Flute scream in pain on the opposite side of the cavern. The hair in her arms shot up, and she ran like she never ran before. The stem in the middle of the cavern snapped in half, letting the ceiling fall. The light from the mushroom made it so that the rocks looked like falling stars crashing on the earth. Eventually, the shaking stopped, and the water settled. Three walls made up of large stones divided the room and the tribe into three, each with its exit.