NOVEL FROG Chapter 16 - … is pretty cliche!
The Atmosphere grows tense as the Goblin Duo skulks into my halls. Currently, the only monster of mine in this room is Siegfried, who has frozen up near the wall doing his best impression of a statue. My desire for the removal of the pests wars with the need to avoid them calling in all of their friends outside, and as such my knight prepares to wait for the goblins to delve deeper and cut off their path of retreat.
The goblins however heavily test our patience by investigating every nook and cranny of the room, instead. Their grotesque noses inhale the stale air readily and their beady yellow eyes swivel around the areas. I cringe a little when I see one of them scratching its doubtlessly flea-ridden head.
Only after an exceedingly lengthy session of grunting and screeching at each other do they delve deeper into my domain, doing their best to avoid the area where Siegfried was standing still in, clearly suspicious. But unlike what I expected, when they entered the hallway leading further in, they paused and hesitated. Evidently, at least one of them wanted to turn around.
It was too late for that however. With a thud, the double door that forms my entrance falls shut.
The Goblins chatter grows animated and clearly panicked, doubly so when the door in front of them swings open, and footsteps approach from both sides of the corridor.
A glimmer of light emerges unto the crouched forms of the goblins as the door ahead of them creaks ominously and opens wide. The shadow of several humanoid figures falls upon the cowering monsters, and a sinister giggle echoes down the cold stone hallway.
A pair of screams echo out of a dark and damp hallway in a ruin underground, where the light of day is unknown and warmth is a myth. And soon, they are cut short, replaced by a hateful and malevolent silence.
Aaaaaand scene.
The dispatch of the hated invaders restores much needed clarity and purpose to my mind, and brings with it a screen. Two little goblins cannot have been much of a gain, as brutal as their demise was, so before confirming the results, I need to check outside. I just hope that the screams were not overheard.
Just a peek through the eyeholes confirms my fears… it was definitely heard. The goblins are assembling in greater numbers, arming up. The shaman on top of his giant spider is chittering and grunting out a speech, and the goblins ready themselves for war. What they won't be ready for, I pray, is my monster's ambushes.
Just as I wish to turn away from the goblins and their preparations, something strange happens. The shaman produces a gem-encrusted wand from somewhere and his grunting and hissing becomes much more rhythmic chanting and humming. The goblins all join in, and even away from them I can feel the surge of power building in the wand, before it spills out and engulfs the goblins who start glowing in a sinister purple aura.
Yikes.
Amidst the cheers of the little pests I hesitantly check my screens and status, hoping against hope there is something I can do to give my monsters an edge.
Dungeon Invasion repelled.
Experience awarded.
Status
Name: The Playwright
Level: 5
Creature Type: Dungeon Core
Affinities:
Inherent: Dual(Transmutation/Illusion)
Acquired: -
Rooms: 2/2
Monster Capacity: 16/20
Unlocked Templates:
Animated Mannequin
Animated Clothing
Sprite
Monster Roster:
Juliette, Animated Mannequin, Animated Actor Level 5
Siegfried, Animated Mannequin, Animated Bulwark Level 3
Sebastian, Animated Mannequin, Animated Attendant Level 3
-, Animated Clothing, -
-, Sprite, -
-, Animated Mannequin, -
-, Animated Mannequin, -
-, Animated Mannequin, -
No reward has been gained, no class selections are available.
I am still too drained to summon another monster, so this is it. There is nothing I can do to help my monsters, so I will simply believe in them and cheer them on.
Before that though, we should get rid of the goblin bodies. If they don't know what exactly happened to their scouts, they will operate on incomplete or false information.
Right, so, where are the bodies?
Gone?
How?
None of my monsters moved them, they just… vanished?
Well, whatever, that's taken care of. To your positions everyone, we have another round of guests to entertain. I can feel their presence darkening the doorstep.
Time for round two.