Risha: Chapter 54

Her sword flashed through the lights of the cave, stabbing into stone. A demon twisted away from the strike, throwing daggers glowing with white fire.

Risha smiled as she threw her other sword and twisted it with the chain, deflecting the knives around her. The knives hit the wall behind her, cutting through the stone like butter as they embedded themselves deep. 

Risha pulled on the first sword, and her magic flowed through the chains, twisting the sword out of the wall as she spun with both weapons. 

The demon attempted to block the swords, but empowered by her magic, they sliced through the demon's weapon, and dug through its armor deep into its side. 

Risha pulled on her swords, bringing the swords to her hands as a second demon dashed towards her. 

She dodged around the first strike, then was thrown back by blocking a second. Risha rolled away from a killing blow, then stabbed forward. 

The demon leapt away from the stab, but she let go of the sword, and it flew forward into the demon’s neck. 

She pulled on the chain, removing the head of the demon as its body fell to the ground. 

Above and around Risha, the battle continued. Klaz’zks and her spiderlings again tangled with two of the large centipedes, while Under Goblins assisted her group against a larger group of demons. Ten this time. 

The first one she’d killed had been the most dangerous, its daggers containing the same energy that the first demon she’d fought used. Thankfully, her magic flowing through the swords protected them from the worst of the strange energy.

As Risha watched, Kyra stepped through the shadows of Talo’s light, taking the lives of two demons in quick succession. On the other side, Diel cleaved through another large demon, his sword absorbing the energy of the dead as the wounds on his body healed. The orc spun to the last of the surviving demons, but the demon was quickly speared by several Under Goblin Defenders who surrounded it.

Nearby, thin, tiny goblins watched the battle in awe from behind cages. Their tiny hands clung to the bars tight, worried for their strange rescuers. 

Risha looked up, to see her spiders feeding on the dead centipedes, Klaz’zks looking down imperiously from on top of a cocoon. 

Risha placed the swords into some basic scabbards she’d found. They didn’t fit perfectly, but it was enough for now. The chains still wrapped around her arms, but she had plenty of room to move, and she liked the weapons. 

This had been the last mining operation on the outskirts of the Demon’s territory. They’d managed to hit every one before they’d gotten word of the attacks. That element of surprise would be gone soon. 

Risha noticed a blue screen telling her of another level up, then dismissed it. 

She walked over to one of the dead demons, and picked up the ring of keys on his belt. The Under Goblins made their way through the dead, picking them clean of weapons, armor and cutting off their horns. 

Only one Under Goblin had died, a complete victory in comparison to what could have happened. Still, Risha’s eyes stayed on the dead goblin defender, the same one who’d asked for his people to join her. His name was Holo.

She walked over to the dead goblin, and knelt down. The others paused their work as they turned to her. She reached out and closed his eyes. He’d look like he was sleeping if it weren’t for the hole in his chest, and the blood slowly seeping into the cloth of her leggings.

Diel knelt next to her, his head lowered. 

Risha looked at the orc.

“He will be welcomed by the spirits, Grand Mother.” 

Risha nodded, then looked around at the voices she knew were just on edge of her hearing. They stopped, going silent as they waited for something.

Risha knew that she was supposed to say something, but she didn’t know what, the words just stayed at the bottom of her throat. 

“He was a strong warrior. Treat him as one of my finest.” 

A sense of agreement made its way to her, before the voices started up again. 

Risha stood up, then made her way to the cages. The group around her remained quiet as she unlocked the cages. 

“Come to me if you want to be more.:” Risha said, her gaze going over the terrified goblins. “Aram will guide you back to the safety of camp if you wish, or you can join us as we go farther.” 

Twenty more goblins joined them for the fight, as the rest were guided back to the slowly growing camp. 

“Grand Mother,” Klaz’zks lowered herself from a web, then bowed her head, “We should wait for Glo before continuing. We’re pushing the edges of our strength, and they’re growing in number.”

“So are we.” Risha said, looking over the Under Goblins who were being armed with the equipment of the dead. 

“They’re low leveled, they won’t be able to stand against an organized force. You know this.” Klaz’zks stepped closer to Risha, speaking in a quieter voice, “We had months to prepare against the orcs, we still faltered.” Klaz’zks walked over to the first demon Risha had killed, the one with the knives. She picked it up with one of her spider legs, “These demons are already as strong as that first chieftain.” She dropped the demon, then walked back to Risha, “Why are you moving so fast?”

Risha looked over the newly evolved goblins, her fist tightening around the chains on her arms. 

Her eyes hardened, and she turned to Diel, “We’re falling back until Glo arrives.”

The orc nodded, then shouted orders to the goblins.

You don’t have long.

“I won’t kill them all by moving too fast,” Risha whispered.

“Grand Mother?” Klaz’zks tilted her head at Risha.

“We are running out of time, but you’re right. I need to be smarter.” Risha looked down the cave, leading deeper into the depths. It had been subtle, but as they got closer, the heart grew louder.

Risha looked around the goblins organizing retreat, and found the one who’d been granted the Heartbound evolution.

He stood there with a helmet too large for him, and a nasty looking dagger. Next to him was the goblin he’d been protecting when she found him.

Risha walked over to him, and he straightened his back, “Risha?” 

The goblin next to him elbowed him.

“Grand Mother! Lolo meant to say that.” 

“Risha is fine. Lolo, do you know what the heart is?” Risha asked.

The under goblin nodded, then concentrated. The heartbeat in the cave grew louder, and his dagger glowed with the same white fire the demons had been using. “Heart is Lolo’s power.” 

Risha’s eyes widened. She didn’t realize that the goblins could use this power as well. 

The power on the dagger disappeared and Lolo let out a breath, “Ola knows more! She takes care of the heart.” 

“She what?” Risha asked.

“Takes care of the heart.”

Under Goblin Sparktender. That was the name of Ola’s evolution. Does that mean that the heart is a spark? What’s a spark? 

Risha didn’t know, but she knew someone who might. The goblins moved out, leaving the cave. Risha called upon one of her spiderlings, and climbed on top of it, then she activated one of her skills.

[Council Of Grandmas]

***

Risha opened her eyes to her tent, then called for Shyanne. Shyanne refused the call.

Risha frowned, then called to Maya the dark elf.

Moments later, the flap of Risha’s tent opened, and a familiar woman stepped in.

Grand Mother Maya smiled, “Risha, I’m glad to see you’re well.” 

Risha cleared her throat, mildly embarrassed. It had been a while since she last used this skill, “I need some advice.”

“I guessed as much. You really should join me and Iris at the hotsprings more often.” 

“The battle doesn’t end.” Risha, motioned to the map at the center of the tent, then concentrated, changing it into the tunnels she currently fought in.

Maya stepped closer, studying the map, “So you’ve finally gone into the labyrinth.” 

Risha nodded, “Goblins were kept as slaves by demons. I fight for their freedom.”

“Careful Risha, there are monsters in the depths you shouldn’t take lightly.” Maya frowned, “I don’t recognize these paths either.” 

“That’s why Risha called for you. The demons use the heartbeat of something for power.” 

“Heartbeat?”

“Risha believes it is called a Spark.” 

Maya froze. She slowly turned to Risha, her eyes serious, “They use the power of a Spark?” 

Risha nodded.

“You should leave. You are not ready to face a creature of the First Age.” Maya paused, “You said that the demons use the power of the Spark. What does that power look like?”

“The heartbeat gets louder, and the demon’s weapons burn with white fire.” 

“White fire…” Maya closed her eyes, muttering to herself.

Risha waited with learned patience, knowing that the woman had not forgotten her.

Maya opened her eyes, “Koliekan, the chained.” Maya focused on Risha, “That is the name of the Spark. I have heard of a tribe that uses his fire, but they are far from my borders. Cala has had issues with them, but I don’t know much more than that. You should be careful Risha. Sparks were one of the first creatures to walk the land, and even chained, their power can be terrifying.” 

“A spirit tells me to keep going. He tells me that I’m running out of time.” 

Maya tapped her fingers against the map on the table, “I do not know the spirits well, but if this one is close enough for you to hear, then it has a strong connection to you. I would not ignore its warnings.” Maya’s fingers stopped, “Do you know the spirit’s name?”

Risha shook her head, “No.”

“Then I can’t help you more than that. I’m sorry Risha, all I can say is that you should move with caution. Even after the death of Freera, the demons are a powerful force.”

Risha paused, focusing in on that last sentence, “Freera was a demon? 

Maya’s eyebrows rose, “You didn’t know?” 

Risha shifted awkwardly, “Everyone was so quiet about her.”

A soft smile spread across Maya’s face, “That’s understandable. Yes, she was a demon. After her death, they were nearly wiped out. There’s only ever one Grand Mother for a race, but perhaps someday a demon will be worthy of becoming a Grand Father, or even an Old Brother or Sister. They might already have one, but if they do, they’ve kept silent to avoid Sarah.”

Risha turned to the wall as she heard her name in the real world, “I have to go. Thank you Maya.”

“Once you’re done with those demons, find Undercity Freerala. May the darkness treat you kindly, Risha.” 

“Good bye.”

***

Risha opened her eyes to see a contingent of armored and armed warriors walking through the cave. At their head, a familiar goblin watched her, his spear glowing with purple mist. Beside him, walked a familiar orc and his apprentice. Kobolds ran ahead, forming two lines and revealing Sun-Chaser as she stepped forward.

“Grand Mother, you called for us.” Glo bowed low. 

Klu and Rilok saluted her as they bowed, “Your loyal children are here.”

“We fight for the Grand Mother.” Sun-Chaser’s five tails spread around her, glowing purple.

Risha smiled as she turned her group back around