Chapter 145: Lost in the caves

Vivian duck into a new tunnel, slipping through the narrow opening. Hiding behind this cave's walls, she quickly picked up some small rocks and threw them in the direction she had been heading.

A few seconds later a group of goblin knights rushed past her in the direction of the sound. A minute or so later another group passed.

Finally relieved, Vivian sighed in relief. Slowly she slid down on the wall she was leaning against. Grateful to finally have some breathing room again. Having been found in her last hiding spot a few hours ago.

Currently, most of her armor was gone and her clothes closely following. Her armor either because it had become too damaged, or because it too often made sounds when she tried to move. Her clothes due to the constant small wounds she had been receiving since running after her party had been ambushed.

Taking a deep breath she cast Anthos on herself. Feeling certain that no more groups would be coming over as she had waited a few more minutes before daring to use magic. Anthos was the only healing type spell she knew. This did not do much, but it did help close the new wounds she had received today.

Due to her high Tier most of the wounds were not deadly, they would even heal within a day or two. Even so the new wounds still taxed her stamina and added to her hunger.

So much that even goblins were starting to sound like a good option. Having long ago gone through all the rations she had on her. Yet even this was harder than it sounded, she had yet to find an opportunity to kill a goblin since a few days after she had entered the caves.

Why do they want me so badly? She wondered thinking back to how the Oni had kept chasing her no matter how far she had run. Even going so far as to mobilize the entire mountain's goblins. Uniting the fighting clans under them.

She also had no idea how she had been able to run during the night without ever being caught by Night Terrors. She had first felt that this might have been luck, but when thinking about it more. She felt it might be related to why the Oni were looking for her.

Oni were half-demons. Hybrids between a demon and some other species of monsters or beasts, those chasing her were demonic goblins. As the name implies, hybrids between goblins and demons.

They are far stronger than their normal counterpart, if compared with beasts, one would be able to classify them as Bloodline monsters. Oni of certain monsters or beasts would even reach the level of Ancient monsters.

Vivian had only managed to escape through the tunnels due to the confusion when she had entered. She had approached the mountains from the opposite direction than Eldrian and his party. As such, she did not even know of the forest.

Upon entering the caves she had slaughtered all the normal goblins in her path and ran from any goblins knights and shamans. Back then the goblins had all been lazing around or enjoying their captives. They had no guards nor sentries, having allowed her to easily enter the caves.

She kept doing this until she felt she could go on no longer, at which time she found a hidden tunnel to hide in.

Her slaughtering so many goblins had caused the clans inside the mountain to start fighting each other. Believing one another responsible for this. This was certainly the only thing they could think of which could cause so many of them to die without anyone finding evidence of something else.

This chaos had caused the Oni to be unable to follow her path of destruction and informed them that normal goblins were simply useless. As such they had taken a few days to unify all the clans, sending all the normal goblins to the cave entrances. As a means to alert them if Vivian tried to escape from any.

Next, they had organized all the goblin knights into patrol groups who searched the caves day and night. Giving every third or so a shaman to boost their ability, both in combat and searching.

Leaving the caves with nearly no goblins inside, but those inside were all actively looking for her. And they would not search randomly, they would always follow the clues they had on her location.

Narrowing in from a wider range each time. She had not managed to stay hidden for longer than two days. Luckily she would have rested by then and burst from her hiding spot. Heading in a new random direction, trying to find a new place to hide.

Adding more to her luck, organizing the goblins had caused the Oni to become lazy, relying on those weaker than them to find their prize. Instead of also searching, they took to the captives to enjoy their time. Waiting for word from one of the patrols. This left them often furious when they arrived at an apologizing shaman. Yet they did not change their ways, feeling certain she would be unable to escape.

After recovering enough to breathe easily, Vivian used Nidia to summon some water for herself. She knew this would leave even more traces for the shamans to find her, but she had to drink. Luckily the spell was really weak and the detection range was only two meters at most. The same went for Anthizo.

This, along with how little stamina she had, was the reason she was not using any skills to heal herself. Doing so would drain her too much and leave her starving. At least now she only had to deal with stomach growls every few hours.

Think! What can I do? Vivian asked herself, hoping to find some way she could get herself out of this situation. Yet the more she thought the more depressed she became. She had run blindly to escape and had no idea where she was inside this maze of caves.

Worse, she felt that the goblins always made the easier path head further inside the caves. Slowly forcing her to a place where they could truly corner her.

She could not really fight since all the patrol groups would easily be able to overwhelm her. Each group consisting of at least 5 or more goblin knights. At least one of who would be a Tier 4, the same as her.

This along with the narrow width of most of the tunnels made it impossible for her to take them on. Her only weapon was her longsword and a very short dagger. The former too cumbersome inside these caves and the latter simply too short. Going in would only expose her sides or back to the other goblins.

...

"Joren!" Erik shouted with joy, seeing the soldier managing to slowly move towards him. Certainly very clumsy, but that was expected of someone who just lost their leg. "I am glad to see you able to move."

"Thanks..." Joren hesitated, "But my fighting days are over. There is no way I can cover the cost of limb regrowth."

Erik sighed as he heard this, cursing the stupid people of the world. Who even in such cases would prioritize money over everyone's goodwill.

Was it not better to enable a soldier to fight? Erik often asked himself. He did not ask this aloud anymore, having gotten a really dumb reply before. Where the healer had said that if he were worth healing then he would be able to afford it.

Yet limb regrowth cost nearly half a gold, far too much for a soldier from a common background. A soldier who had a family he also had to feed.

"What are you thinking of doing?" Erik asked as he led Joren to a bed, on which he could rest.

"I do not know. Fighting is all that I knew, what can I do now?" Joren asked, lack of direction written all over his face. It was not like in peaceful times where he could take up hunting or farming. He might be able to get a job in the construction section, but they were unlikely to take a cripple.

Erik thought for a few seconds, "You know how to field dress wounds, right?"

"Yeah, but that does not come close to magic."

"It does not need to, I would like a few more hands. And I am sure I can organize that with the leaders. There is no way they can say no to it." Erik thought but did not say, Not when I will be covering the cost.

Joren's face lit up, asking in a rush when he could start.

Erik again thought for a while, "The last wave seemed to be the last for a while. The scouts have not spotted anymore within a week's travel."

"Come back tomorrow, I will start teaching you the basics. There is also going to be a little girl, Akarui. She has been nagging me to show her where I work. I'd rather not bring her when this place is full, but now should be fine. Only recovering patients are still here."

Joren thanked Erik profusely before leaving. Erik looking at his struggling figure felt he needed to improve the crushes they have here. Those Joren was using were some of the most basic ones. Simply a stick with a place for one's arm to rest on, not much more.

Maybe also a wooden leg, so he can stand with more ease...Erik thought as he returned to his brewing. Making a few stamina potions for energy injections and some salves to stop bleeding.

For some strange reason these things were insanely expensive when trying to buy, yet the materials they needed were easy to find. Erik having gotten enough for almost 20 of each after only an hour of walking outside the walls.

A place that certainly looked like it came out of hell. Bodies littering the place, the walls having many claw marks as the beasts had climbed to the top. At some places, it even seemed like the walls were about to fall apart.