The tunnel stretched ahead, winding deeper into the earth. The flicker of Kaia’s staff-cast light bobbed along the jagged walls, shadows dancing with every step.

  John twirled a disarmed snare between his fingers like a pen, glancing over his shoulder. "These goblins have been watching too much MacGyver. I'm going to max out my trap-disarming skill if this keeps up?"

  Thorin shrugged, tightening his grip on his hammer. "They’ve always liked traps, but this? This feels... excessive."

  Kaia frowned. "It’s more like desperation. Goblins don’t usually rig entire tunnels like this unless they’re guarding something."

  John perked up. "Treasure?"

  "Possibly. Or territory." Kaia’s tone darkened. "But I’d bet on something bigger. A warband, maybe. A chieftain’s den."

  John let out a low whistle. "Great. I always wanted to meet a goblin warlord. Maybe I’ll get an autograph before he tries to kill me."

  Kaia didn’t smile.

  The air grew heavier the further they descended. The crude goblin-made beams supporting the ceiling creaked overhead as if protesting their intrusion.

  John’s eyes scanned the ground constantly, his trap detection skill pinging more often now. Each time, he crouched, carefully disarming or marking the danger for Thorin to crush beneath his hammer.

  [Trap Disarming +1]

  [Improvised Spear Trap Collected]

  Kaia glanced at him sideways. "You’re unusually quiet."

  John grinned. "I’m farming experience points."

  "You’re hoarding junk."

  "It’s not junk, it’s tactical recycling." John patted his pack, which now jingled faintly with various bits of salvaged traps. "I’m building a rogue’s arsenal, one rusty goblin deathtrap at a time."

  Thorin chuckled. "I’ll give you this—if we ever run out of weapons, you’ll have enough tripwires to start a festival."

  John gestured dramatically. "Exactly. I call it GobCon 2025. One-day event, no survivors."

  Kaia groaned softly, pressing onward.

  As they rounded the next bend, the tunnel widened into a small chamber. Dim torchlight flickered at the far end, revealing a crude wooden barricade blocking further passage.

  Thorin grunted. "Looks like someone doesn’t want company."

  John rubbed his hands together. "Well then lets be unwelcome house guests that linger too long."

  He crouched, carefully inspecting the barricade. Several more traps lined the base—tripwires, spikes, even what appeared to be an unstable explosive device, crudely made from a clay pot.

  "Wow." John sat back on his heels. "Okay, credit where it’s due. This is impressive."

  Kaia leaned closer, peering at the explosive. "Can you disarm it?"

  John smirked. "Disarm it? I’m using it."

  Thorin stepped forward, eyeing the barricade. "We could smash through—"

  John shot him a look. "Or... we could not set off the literal bomb."

  Thorin grunted, stepping back.

  John dug into his pack, fishing out the same tripwire he’d taken earlier. "I say we return the favor."

  Kaia arched an eyebrow. "You’re going to trap their barricade?"

  "Absolutely. Consider it an early housewarming gift."

  Working quickly, John rigged the firepot near the base, connecting it to the tripwire and one of the snare traps. He dusted his hands off, stepping back to admire his handiwork.

  "There. One gentle tug, and—"

  The distant echo of approaching goblin voices cut him off.

  John grinned. "Speak of the devils."

  Kaia’s eyes narrowed. "We should hide."

  They pressed back into the shadows, tucking themselves against the rocky walls just as a group of goblins shuffled into view.

  Three of them—likely sentries—ambled toward the barricade, chattering in low, guttural tones. One poked the wooden planks curiously.

  The moment his foot grazed the tripwire, John mouthed Boom.

  The firepot exploded in a flash of flame and smoke, sending goblin limbs tumbling backward.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  [Trap Making +1]

  Thorin strode out casually as the smoke cleared, hammer resting on his shoulder. "That was easy."

  John chuckled. "Never underestimate the power of regifting."

  Kaia shook her head, brushing soot from her robes. "Remind me to keep you far away from the alchemist’s guild when we reach the next town."

  John grinned. "If Alchemy is like chemistry back home that guild is filled with two kinds of people. Those who want to make drugs and those who want to blow things up. I'll get along just fine."

  Kaia opened her mouth to respond then just stared and walked on.

  With the path now clear, they pressed forward, stepping over the charred remains of the barricade.

  John couldn’t help but admire the simplicity of it all. Goblins might be pests, but they sure made life interesting.

  ***

  The tunnel narrowed as John led the way, torch flickering in his hand. Thorin trudged behind him, grumbling under his breath about the smell of damp stone and rot. Kaia followed silently, her eyes scanning the shadows.

  John held up a hand, stopping short of a bend in the corridor. "Hold up. Something’s off." He squinted into the darkness ahead. "Thorin, you smell that?"

  Thorin sniffed the air and scowled. "Smells like wet fur. And piss."

  "Yeah," John said, eyes narrowing. "Man that's even worse than the goblin stink. And that's saying something"

  A faint skitter echoed ahead. Kaia stiffened. John barely had time to curse before three massive rodents—easily the size of large dogs—emerged from a crack in the stone, teeth bared and fur bristling.

  "Rodents of Unusual Size?" John muttered. "I didn't think they existed."

  One of the rodents lunged first, snarling as it snapped its yellowed teeth at John’s ankle.

  John dodged sideways, slashing down with his knife. The blade grazed the rodent’s flank, drawing a spray of foul-smelling blood. Thorin stepped in beside him, raising his shield as the second rodent barreled toward them. The shield absorbed the hit with a heavy thud, but Thorin held firm.

  "Ugly little bastards, aren’t they?" Thorin growled, shoving the creature back with a forceful bash.

  Kaia raised her staff, muttering a quick incantation. A soft light shimmered around the group, warding off the worst of the encroaching darkness.

  "Try not to get bitten," she warned. "I don’t want to find out what diseases they’re carrying."

  "Trust me," John said, parrying another lunge. "Getting bitten wasn’t on my to-do list."

  The lead rodent snarled, trying to circle John. Thorin stepped forward with a wide swing of his hammer. It connected with a satisfying crack, sending the rodent skidding across the stone floor. As it rose Thorin strode over to it and brought down his hammer. This time the Rous managed to move out of the way and lunged at Thorin with surprising speed and strength. Knocking him off balance. The creature went to bite Thorin's leg when Kaia landed a paralyzing spell on it. Using a new skill Thorin unleashed a deadly stomp on the rodent of unusual size.

  "One down," Thorin grunted.

  The second rodent snapped at Kaia, but she spun away, bringing the butt of her staff down on its skull with surprising force. The creature let out a shriek and backed away.

  John squared off with a rodent. It hissed, hackles raised as it lunged for his throat. He sidestepped and drove his knife into its side, twisting the blade for good measure. The rodent spasmed and fell still.

  The last rodent looked like it was about to run away. Thorin moved to block the creature and before it could turn around John shadowstepped behind It and used backstab with devastating effect. The rodent crumpled to the ground.

  John pulled his blade free, shaking off the gore. "Three giant rats? That’s what, a warm-up?"

  Thorin nudged one of the corpses with his boot. "Bigger than any rat I’ve seen. They’ve been feeding on something."

  Kaia knelt beside the fallen creatures, inspecting them with a frown. "This isn’t natural. Something’s driven them to grow this large."

  John crouched by the largest rodent, poking through its mangy fur. "Might not be natural, but this one’s dinner."

  Kaia grimaced. "You can’t be serious."

  John grinned. "What? You afraid of a little rat?"

  As he hoisted the carcass over his shoulder, Kaia shook her head, muttering. "I’ve seen some things, but this…"

  Thorin chuckled softly.

  John smirked as they pressed deeper into the dungeon. "Come on, Thorin. You’ll love it. it will be delicious."

  ***

  John adjusted the straps on his pack as the group pressed deeper into the tunnels. The air grew heavier, and thick with the damp, earthy scent of stone and moss. Torchlight flickered across rough-hewn walls, casting long shadows that danced with each step. Thorin walked ahead, shield raised, his eyes narrowed in focus. Kaia stayed close to John, her staff illuminating the path with a soft glow.

  “You think those goblins were the welcoming committee or just bored?” John asked, breaking the silence.

  Thorin grunted. “Goblins don’t usually attack unless they think they’ve got the advantage.”

  Kaia glanced over her shoulder. “Or if they’re scared of something worse.”

  John let that hang in the air for a moment. “I swear there better not be another crazy necromancer down here.”

  They passed through a narrow archway where the tunnel opened into a wider corridor. The walls here were lined with crude etchings—goblin markings if John had to guess. Some were just scratches, but others depicted crude figures in battle or strange symbols he didn’t recognize.

  John slowed, letting his torch linger on one of the symbols. “Hey, Kaia. Any chance you know what this says? I’m guessing it’s not 'Live, Laugh, Loot.'”

  Kaia stepped forward, tracing the markings with her fingers. “It’s goblin script, but this part isn’t normal. This symbol here… it’s different.”

  “Different bad or different worse?” John asked.

  “Different like someone else taught them how to write it,” she replied. “Could be connected to whatever dark forces they were talking about.”

  Thorin shifted impatiently. “Doesn’t matter. Goblins ahead. Let’s focus on the living threats.”

  John nodded, but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that those symbols meant something important. They pressed on, following the winding path of the tunnel. Occasionally, John would spot another shoddy trap tucked into crevices or loosely hidden beneath rubble. Each one was quickly disarmed and stuffed into John’s pack.

  After what felt like an hour, John held up a hand to stop. “Hold on. Something’s off.”

  Kaia tensed. “What is it?”

  John frowned, tilting his head as if listening. “Not sure. Just got that 'someone's-watching-me' vibe.”

  The words had barely left his mouth when a blur shot out of the darkness. A dagger flashed, slicing across John’s side before he could react. He stumbled back, torch flickering wildly.

  “Contact!” Thorin roared, raising his shield.

  The goblin rogue melted into the shadows, reappearing a few feet away with a feral grin. Dressed in patchwork leather and wielding twin daggers, the creature circled them like a predator testing prey.

  “Sneaky little thing, aren’t you?” John hissed, pressing a hand to his side. Blood seeped through his fingers, but the wound wasn’t deep.

  The rogue lunged again, aiming for Kaia. Thorin intercepted, his hammer swinging wide. The goblin ducked under the blow, cutting at Thorin’s leg. Sparks flew as the blade glanced off armor.

  John moved quickly, flanking the goblin. “Hey! Over here!” he shouted, slashing at the rogue. The goblin twisted away but not fast enough to avoid a shallow cut along its arm.

  Kaia stepped back, murmuring a spell. Light gathered at the tip of her staff before lancing out in a narrow beam. The goblin dodged out of the way of her spell covering its eyes from the bright light.

  Thorin took the opening. His hammer came down hard, grazing the goblin’s shoulder and forcing it to retreat.

  The rogue didn’t flee. Instead, it crouched low, daggers held in a reverse grip, breathing heavily. Its eyes gleamed with something John didn’t like—confidence.

  “Kaia, stay close,” John ordered, shifting his stance. “Thorin, don’t let it split us up.”

  John rolled his shoulders as he eyed the goblin across from him. The creature was smaller than he was, wiry and hunched, but its yellow eyes gleamed with intelligence. Its tattered leather armor was mismatched, clearly scavenged, and its curved dagger dripped with something dark—poison, if John had to guess.

  The goblin grinned, baring sharp teeth. "Hooman thinks he can beat Skrizz? Skrizz been fighting long before hooman was here!"

  John exhaled, gripping his knife tighter. His body ached from the past battles—this damn goblin was more than just a simple monster. It fought like a rogue, just like him.

  Skrizz moved first, vanishing into the shadows. John barely had time to react before a dagger flickered through the air toward his throat. He twisted, the blade grazing his cheek, and lunged forward, slashing where Skrizz had been. The goblin was already gone, rolling into the shadows of the cave.

  John cursed and activated his Shadow Step ability, flickering into darkness and reappearing behind the goblin. His knife stabbed forward, but Skrizz spun at the last second, parrying the attack with uncanny reflexes. The goblin countered with a kick to John’s knee, making him stumble, then followed up with a wicked slash aimed at his ribs.

  John barely managed to deflect it, but Skrizz was relentless, pressing the attack. The goblin fought dirty, throwing dirt into John’s eyes before vanishing again into the shadows. John staggered back, blinking rapidly, his heart hammering. He could hear Skrizz's ragged breathing, circling him, waiting for an opening.

  Fine. Two could play that game.

  John feigned weakness, lowering his stance, and letting his breathing grow heavier. Skrizz took the bait, darting forward with a gleeful hiss—only for John to twist at the last moment, catching the goblin’s wrist and yanking him off balance. He drove his knee into Skrizz’s stomach, forcing a wheeze from the goblin, and followed up with an elbow to its temple.

  Skrizz snarled and bit down on John’s arm, fangs piercing flesh. John shouted in pain and slammed his fist into the goblin’s face. The goblin reeled but twisted, slipping free like a snake, and flicked its poisoned dagger at John's shoulder.

  Pain lanced through him. John staggered, gritting his teeth as his vision swam. His interface flashed a warning—Poisoned: Agility reduced. Reaction speed reduced.

  "Hooman slowing down," Skrizz taunted, circling him again. "Skrizz wins soon."

  John yelled, "Kaia I'm poisoned!"

  Kaia raised her staff to cure the poison but the fight resumed and she couldn't get a clear shot.

  Skrizz lunged again, aiming for the weakened shoulder, but John ducked, sweeping the goblin’s legs out from under him. The rogue hit the dirt with a snarl, rolling to avoid the finishing strike. John threw a handful of his own dirt, blinding the goblin for a moment, then kicked Skrizz hard in the ribs, sending him tumbling.

  The goblin coughed, struggling to stand. John didn’t give him the chance. He surged forward, slamming his knife into the goblin’s chest. Skrizz let out a choking laugh, his yellow eyes still gleaming. "Clever hooman... Skrizz... impressed."

  Then the goblin went still. A chime echoed in John's interface.

  [Level Up]

  John exhaled and wiped his knife clean. That had been way too close. If all enemies in this world fought like that, he had a hell of a road ahead of him.