Graft's Post -

As the Dwarf begins talking Graft starts to stare intently at the short pudgy man. A look of intense hunger fills his eyes and his mouth begins to slowly droop open.

But, as Lifth rides away, he snaps back to attention, trotting his horse after her and paying little attention to any of the others.


Carm's Post - Carm and Vjex remain silent through the Dwarf's explanation. As the group follows Lifth and Lausen wonder's aloud, Carm softly says, "Innocents are being endangered by those that are not. Simple really."

Vjex merely purrs from his perch atop Carm's shoulder.


------------------

New post -


As Lifth moves further into the colossal cavern the outer light begins to fade. The torch light makes a ring around the party, but is to dim to reach all the way to the walls of the cavern. The hard stone underneath the horses hooves becomes covered in a thick moss and after a short time Lifth slows her pace and dismounts, walking Alsvider forward in the darkness.

The cavern begins to slightly narrow, but the ceiling and walls are still far enough apart to create a huge expanse. Under different circumstances, this cave might have been a beautiful place. For now, the darkness and the slight echoes of movement make the cavern seem eerily inhospitable.

Lifth angles her path, coming nearer to the left wall of the cave. A dim light is filtered by the corner of the wall up ahead. It is obvious that the light is created by flame and not the sun.

Lifth motions for quiet as the party nears where the wall curves to the left, where the fire light seems to be coming from. Strange noises can be heard, growling and grumbling and strange squeaks.

Lifth stops and stands next to Alsvider. She points a finger towards where the cavern curves left and quietly whispers, "There you go."

As they decend into the cave, a slight knot builds in Kayn's stomach. All he could do was sigh as he followed Lifth farther in. At least this time instead of a spider's company, he has the company of a well lit torch. As they get farther in, all you could here is the clomping of horse feet and the crackling of the torches in hand. Both of which echoed a good deal.

It was here that Lifth dismounted. Kayn did the same. He made sure his steed knew to stay close as they wandered farther into the depth of the cave. Even though the walls weren't as far appart as they were at the gaping mouth, it still was wide enough (and well lit enough) to where Kayn could still hold his way over his phobia.

Not soon after there was signs of life. The party huddled around the edge before the path that would lead to, what Kayn guessed, the goblins. It was here that Lifth made the vague response of, "There you go."

Kayn then decided he'd find out what exactly was there before anyone would "go" anywhere. Closing his eyes, Kayn reached out with his mind's eye as he tried to close out every other sense on his body. He was going to find out exactly what was there... and if the Dwarven hostages were there as well.

Karada sighed and dismounted along with Lifth and Kayn, patting her horse on the flank as she tossed his reigns over his head, gripping them firmly near his snout. She wedged the torch down into a crack and tied her horse to an outcropping of rock. If there was going to be a fight, she wasn't going to risk Ramoth in such close quarters. Picking the torch back up, she pulled her axe out of it's sheath with her free hand, bouncing it slightly and grimacing to herself. Almost time to get it the spells recast, she thought dismissively. It was still light enough for use. All in ready for a fight, she settled down to wait for the signal.

In response to Lifth's nonchalant comment "There you go" I laugh saying; "Oh no I don't."Of course, that earned me one of her award winning cold glares. Jeez, how does this woman keep getting my to do sh*t for her. I slowly approach the opening in a crouched position in order to lower visibility and accuracy of the enemy. Sneaking up on them should allow us to take out these goblins in a manner of seconds. Knowing my supposed comrades, they are going to play it safe because of completely worthless hostages. If they can go about the same strategy then that shouldn't be a problem. Worse comes to worst, I won't hestitate to cut down hostages if it means desposing of the vermin.

Lausen decides to follow everyone else’s lead and dismounts his horse. He quietly walks toward the front of the pact. Lausen reaches with his left hand to the base of his sheath just under the guard of his Katana. He stops at Kayn. Trying not to be too loud Lausen says, “Tell me, what do you see?â€

... The indications were all too clear. William could feel the very touch of danger - like the unpleasantly cold, despairing touch that one might feel from a ghost - vibrate the core of his heart as though it were nothing more than so many delicate harpstrings, snapping in twain beneath the slightest force. Even his sword seemed to tremble with the fearful anticipation of a fight in which both his noble warrior's spirit and the young elf who held him by his gilded hilt, as delicately as one man might shyly hold out a rose to a beautiful elf maiden, would finally lay down their lives before the forces of Evil. "... Somehow, I knew in my heart all along before I had come before King Sigurd that either I would count the remaining number of days I had left to live on one hand, or I would somehow end the lives of many others in battle in order to protect my own. It is a sad fate, but one that I would have been naive to think I could have avoided," William said softly to himself, looking forlornly up at the sky for a moment with a deep sigh, before falling miserably into step several yards behind the others as they ventured into the mountain cave. He could see the looks of terror on the dwarves' faces even with his eyes firmly closed, his thoughts no doubt soon to mirror their own.

William stopped for a moment, staring intently at the face of the human girl Lifth, feeling his heart tremble with even greater fear than before. "Lifth ....." He thought. "... Human girl whose true heart I could never discern but nevertheless whom I cannot help but feel that I would give my life to protect hers, ... though I know monsters who will seek at nothing to slay me will come upon us before this night is over, I will fight as best as one naive little elf can against this evil with the holy sword that I have been given such a blessing as to carry at my side. ... May you live to see the dawn, dear human girl, ... even if I cannot."

This matter settled to the peace of his delicate spirit, the forest elf clenched one fist determinedly at his side, set his face forward with bright emerald eyes that glared a piercingly adamant glare, and resumed following his companions into the waiting darkness of the cave.

@ Kayn - You sense a number of presences grouped relatively close together. You also sense a number of incomplete presences randomly through the cave, including a few grouped very near the complete presences.

@ All - The gurgles and grunts of goblins can be heard quite clearly now, as well as the crackling of a fire. No other sounds are apparent.

@ Ende - As you crouch low and near the edge of the wall, your horse nudges you from behind. It imbalances you and sense you to your knees with a clatter.

Your head is now passed the edge and you can clearly see 8 goblins hunkered around a large iron pot hanging over a large fire. Trouble is, they see you right back.

The goblins howl in outrage and 4 of them rush towards the parties hiding place. Goblins, being tactically retarded have not calculated the fact that it's nearly a 20 yard sprint to the parties location.

---------------

BATTLE ENGAGED!

Opponents - 8 goblins - 4 melee, 4 ranged, stats and abilities unkown.

Note - the area behind the edge of the wall is quite large and relatively well lit.

How typical for my good plan to be completely ruined by some dumb animal. At least, I managed to get a good look at them. They are clearly no different from the average goblins. Dumb, ill-tempered, and hungry. Didn't see any hostages, possibly because there are no hostages to see. Half of gobs left the group and are headed over here. Luckily, there is quite some distance between us, the area is well lit, and no visible areas for them to hide. The typical strategy would be to attack the ones coming this way first then taking out the ones below. A sound strategy, but I have something else in mind. I quitely mutter to my comrades: "Alright ladies, I have a plan. As you can see they have quite a ways to go. Once they arrive to our location they are bound to be exosted. However, the issue isn't with them, but with the ones staying with the pack. If they keep their ground there we will have to take the same tiring route to them. By then we will be in terrible shape and easily picked off like we will with the ones coming here. What I propose is we wait just a second before the first wave is within attack range and I will do a charged blast to the ones below. The attack should catch both waves by surprise. At this moment, go for a quick kill on the first wave. As short tempered as goblins are, the second wave is bound to chase after us going through the same long path. Not only will they be tired, but they will be injured, as well. If for some reason they don't fall for the bait, it is best pace ourselves down to them. One who is out of breath is as good as dead with them."

“Humph… If you get tired from that run you seriously need to work on your cardio. Goblins require no strategy. Even an amateur swordsman can handle this butlery dozen. But then again, why waste energyâ€

"Ptt... Idiot. See how long you will live with that cocky attitude. Do you honestly think I don't know that about goblins? Perhaps, you can answer this question: How did they over power dwarves? Something isn't right here. Either there is an ungodly amount of these gobs in these caves, something much worse, or something odd about these caves. I for one have start feeling increadibly heavy ever since I got here. Or maybe that doesn't effect you because of your small size. Hopefully, it is just me and the lot of you are just fine. Go ahead, fly into there hastefully or have that guy's helcat waste its energy now so he can't when we really need it. I haven't lived this long playing the fool."

Kayn, a bit further back than the rest of the group looked onward. The party pretty much has drifted almost directly infront of the long hallway seeing as cover wasn't an issue anymore.

While Ende and Lausen debated tirelessly about the soon-to-ensue battle as the goblins sprinted towards them, Kayn could kind of sense everyone's feelings before the battle. Lifth was as cold and emotionless as always. But William... the one most similar to his kind, of which he hasn't been around in years, seemed a little out of place. He was much more tense than usual. It was strange really, he's seen in fair share of battle... even if it was just what we've gone through thus far.

But still...

Kayn laid a hand on his shoulder from behind him. "Don't trouble yourself... we've been through worse already." The young elf didn't even as much as flinch... or look back. After a few moments... Kayn let out a sigh, reached behind him, and grabbed his weapon.

Once the two in front figure out what it is they wish to do, I'll then do what it is that needs to be done.

“Cocky and confidence are two completely different things. I do not doubt my skills for a second. You may not play the fool, but the role of the coward suites you well.â€

The goblins are coming closer by the second, spurred on by the seemingly reckless abandon of the party. The front runner closes the distance between himself and Lausen in a matter of seconds swinging his axe in wildly crisscrossing motions.

One of the 4 goblins that stayed back raises his hands just before the front runner reaches Lausen. A mass of pitch and fire forms in his hands and launches towards Kayn.

Two of the other goblins that stayed behind start making their approach towards the party, though in a much slower pace than their companions.

Lausen watches the Goblin advance towards him in a reckless manner that nearly matches his own. Before the Goblin is within striking distance something catches Lausen’s eye. He sees the fireball being hurled at Kayn. “So, they’re packing some basic magic techniques.â€

That idiot. You don't go head on recklessly in an attack frenzy. Sure goblins are rather simple to take care of, but he just doesn't plan ahead. For all he knows, this could be a trap. Hmm... what is this? Since when do goblin's cast magic? Well, this will make things more intertaining. I wonder how they will react once I deflect the attack into their front line. I make a smirk as I attempt to send the fire to their friends.

As Kayn looked at the on-coming goblins, he noticed that they were actually somewhat organized. Well... more so than goblin's usually are. He say a few hang back, and started to chant spells for casting. The gutteral sounds of their language was hard to listen to... but apparently is was enough. A fire sparked and blew up into a ball and launched towards Kayn. The tunnel exploded with light from the spell... and from that light he goulc see Ende leap up directly between himself and the magical attack.

Kayn, not fully satisfied with his current possition, decided to re-locate for the time being. With weapon in hand, he leaped down beside Lausen. Without even as much as a sideways glance, Kayn jested, "I know you like to keep your profile solo..." Kayn flings his blade at a speed in which it makes a satisfying sound as it slices through the air stopping in his stance for battle, "...but I'm sure you won't mind my company."