Dungeon of Niflheim

“Findlay, that’s your cue.” Frost spoke through the menu to his offensive commander.

“Yes master,” Findlay responded before leading his team out of the dungeon, several of his group were nervous but most were excited, eager to meet their opponents.

On the opposite side, Gobuske was doing the same, having his offensive line up, leave the dungeon towards this new area. Unfortunately, he didn’t have an overwhelming powerhouse such as Findlay to lead and command his forces, but it seems as though he didn’t need it.

“Hob goblin commander one and two lead your squads forward.” Gobuske voice sounded off within his dungeon. It wasn’t as timid or nervous as before. His hob goblin commanders roared in response, saluting by thumping their chests as they marched with a large contingent of goblins behind them. Gobuske felt more confident when in his own dungeon and speaking with his many goblin monsters. They didn’t look at him with scorn or contempt only reverence and joy. He was not just their creator in their eyes but their king and ruler. The effects of a king among the goblin caste was quite prominent, there would be no infighting while under such an entity. This is what made a goblin king so feared amongst the civilised species. A goblin king would alter the natural instinctual/animalistic behaviour of the goblins turning them into an efficient killing army.

The problem with Gobuske however was the man lying down on the sofa behind him. A tall man with silver like scales on his body and spiralled horns growing from his head.

“Tsk I wonder how long it’ll take for them all to be decimated.” The man’s tone was full of mocking, sending a shiver down Gobuske’s back and causing him to involuntary shrink in fear. This man was Bala, Gobuske’s guardian and the main source of his timidness. Although he was never one that was naturally confident, Bala really didn’t help. He was an iron dragon, a quasi S-rank monster that was incredibly arrogant and looked down on the lesser races like goblins, kobolds and gnolls. He viewed them as nothing but insects in comparison to a Dragon so when he first met Gobuske and saw that he looked like your average goblin-albeit taller, more intelligent and a fair bit stronger- he frowned and spat on the ground feeling as though Dark was punishing him.

Although he never abused Gobuske and taught him what he was supposed to, he never missed an opportunity to insult him and his goblin monsters. He didn’t even acknowledge any of his triumphs over adventurers, chalking it up to luck or the opponent being stupid and arrogant. It was far from the harmonious relationship between Frost and Maya, though they prank and punish one another there’s no hatred between the two.

Gobuske tried his best to ignore his guardian most of the time as that would reduce the amount of insults he’d be subjected to. This time however when he shivered and shrunk in form he was suddenly reminded of Frost, and the way he looked at him as well as his position in the leader boards of DP income. Though the betting pool showed that Frost was the most likely to win in his siblings opinions there were still a fair few that bet on him. Confidence started to fill his body, his back straightened and he gnashed his teeth. And for the first time in his life, he decided to retaliate against Bala.

.....

Turning round sharply, anger on his face he shouted, “Oh shut up you overgrown lizard!” Gobuske let out all his bottled up feelings over the past month, the jeering, the insults, the mocking of his precious subordinates, enough was enough. He was about to compete with his elder brother and was being watched by his other siblings and most of all his father.

In response the relaxing Bala frowned before his body was filled with fury. Being called a ‘lizard’ was a serious insult to those of dragon kind, especially one as arrogant as Bala. Bala’s body suddenly exuded a powerful aura filled with blood lust and killing intent, he was truly incensed. Gobuske’s private space darkened and Gobuske reeled under the pressure instantly deflating, he closed his eyes and shook in fear.

‘Fuck why did I say that?’ He regretted speaking out and felt as though his life would be ended right here and now.

Suddenly however the pressure vanished, and Gobuske heard someone coughing up blood and collapsing to the floor. He opened up his eyes and saw Bala with a terrified look on his face and his body trembling as though it was enduring some horrifying pain. Dark finally intervened, he acted the moment he felt Bala’s killing intent, quickly reminding him of his place. He threatened Bala telepathically and filled his body with pain as a punishment, while Gobuske was left confused.

‘Gobuske focus back on the dungeon war my son, Bala won’t bother you anymore.’ Dark spoke gently to his child, feeling guilty about his choice in guardian. He hoped that pairing Gobuske and Bala would help curb Bala’s arrogance, let him understand that all creatures have potential. And for Gobuske he hoped that some of Bala’s arrogance and confidence would rub off on him, unfortunately it looks as though it was a failure. He may have a hard decision to make.

Gobuske looked over towards the still squirming Bala and then towards the image on his dungeon core regaining his focus. Listening to his father, he ignored Bala and focused on the upcoming battle.

As the two offensive teams moved into the new area, Frost and Gobuske could see what each other’s team was composed of. Gobuske’s was clearly filled with goblins and more goblins, all green in colour but with distinct varieties. He had regular goblins that were armed with daggers, ones with spears, bows, swords, axes making for a diverse set. He then had goblins that looked slightly different from the regular bunch, darker skinned, wearing black garments and what appeared to be poison dipped weapons. Next were goblin mages armed with staffs and beside them were a bunch of goblin wolf riders armed with spears these were clearly the E-rank monsters. Another E-rank monster were hob goblins, much larger than the regular goblin cast, stronger as well, equivalent to Frost’s frost dwarves. They each came armed with large brutish looking curved swords as well as some leather armour. And finally, the strongest monsters present on Gobuske’s side were hob goblin commanders, D-rank monsters focusing on commanding lower ranked goblins. Where they lack in individual fighting strength, they make up for in buffs for their subordinates, which there were a lot of. Gobuske’s offensive team was at least 30% larger than Frost’s, but they didn’t have Findlay.

Gobuske looked at Frost’s monsters and was greatly surprised, of course Findlay was a major part of that, he could tell his rough strength from appearance alone. But the most shocking was the amount of goblins Frost employed, they made up almost half his number. He couldn’t help but smile at this sight.

‘No wonder he didn’t look down on me.’ It was clear that Frost was an avid user of goblins and knew their worth, however. ‘If you want to compete against me with Goblins elder brother then you’re in for a nasty surprise’. Gobuske’s goblins were different from the regular rabble you’d find out in the wilds, add in the effects of his hob goblin commanders and they become far more dangerous. Having gotten to roar out his pain from the past month and seeing Bala shiver in pain, kindled something inside him. He had the desire to win. If he won Bala wouldn’t be able to insult him anymore, it would be living proof that goblins are strong. The best revenge in dealing with his arrogance.

On Frost’s side, he mainly chose the faster monsters to take part in the offensive team i.e., the gyrfalcons were all on this team along with six of the snow owls. The offence also didn’t contain any of the flans, goblin archers or the winter boars. There were far more species in his line up, yet Gobuske seemed to contain more attacking methods giving their range of weaponry and even spell casters. And that was just the offensive team, Frost had no idea what Gobuske had waiting for him in the dungeon. He was excited to say the least, as was Findlay. He looked over towards the hob goblin commanders in particular, feeling as sort of kinship with them given their similarities in roles.

Each of the offensive teams eyed up one another, fangs, claws and whatever else bared as they were itching to fight. However, they couldn’t, not yet anyway. Fighting in this space was banned, not to mention the invisible barrier that prevented some of the less controllable monsters from launching themselves at their opponents. No, they only had one way they could go, forward into the opponents dungeon. The defence team would deal with the opponents offensive.

Findlay harshly rebuked any monsters that lost focus, he wouldn’t be outdone as a commander.