Dungeon of Niflheim

The device was set up out of sight of Findlay and his soldiers. The hallway curved to the left and right near the end, like Y and was built with an imperceptible incline, designed just for this trap. Quickly the large boulder barrelled around the corner and started picking up great speed as rolled down the hallway, heading straight for Findlay.

Even with the loud sounds of battle, the vibrations given off by a massive boulder blasting down the hallway was hard to miss. Findlay turned around, his eyes opening up wide, his lip twitching in surprise.

“You’ve got to be shitting me!” This couldn’t have come at a worst time; he was temporarily drained of his physical strength but even if he wasn’t the amount of force this boulder contained was a major threat. Though he wouldn’t be killed, he may break a limb or perhaps even two. He had no other option either, he had to stop this boulder with his own body. There was nowhere to run, his path blocked off by his own soldiers and not enough room to let it pass by. “Fuck!” Findlay loudly cursed, hating Gobuske for his timing. With the short couple seconds he had, he tensed up his limbs the best he could and took a bracing stance. His knees bent and arms raised, the only motion he could do with his axe was a downward swing. His soldiers would have to make do without his magic aid for the next part.

The moment the boulder reached Findlay he stomped down hard, causing the very floor to shake before.

Booooooommmm!

The sound was like a cannon being fired as the boulder smashed into Findlay’s axe. The power behind the boulder was incredible, dozens of tons at least but Findlay was no slouch. With his entire body tense and his feet dug in deep he withstood the charge. He was pushed back a couple metres, his feet leaving deep gruelling lines in the earthen floor as they moved. A couple frost dwarves tried to help Findlay withstand the blow but were sent barrelling through the air as he was shoved backwards.

Crack!

A horribly loud crack reverberated in the hallway, Findlay’s left arm fractured in many places, almost shattering, bits of bone could be seen sticking out of areas they really shouldn’t be. His calves had split open from the intense pressure, blood was pooling down his leg, but he stood his ground and successfully stopped the massive boulder. Bringing it to a harmless halt before him.

.....

Deep cracks could be seen throughout the boulder, it too was severely damaged from striking against Findlay’s axe and was almost at the point of completely fracturing. Thankfully his axe was in one piece, albeit with a large chip. Findlay endured most of the pressure with his body so as to protect his weapon.

Findlay winced in pain but put on a brave face so as to keep up morale. He turned around to roar in victory...but he was interrupted.

Dun!

Another opening opened up in the wall, this time right beside Findlay and the boulder. Behind it were hob goblins with large muscles and a strange looking goblin that was smaller than even the G-rank goblins, yet it gave off an eery pressure. Findlay only had the time to register their presence in his peripheral vision before they roared and lunged at him.

The hob goblins dove in first, four of them each with burly arms and no weapons. They each went for a limb to tie Findlay down.

“Ahhhhhhhh!” Findlay roared in agony as one of the hob goblin’s wrapped itself on his broken left arm, forcing him to drop his axe. He tried to shake them off but was too weak and they were too stubborn.

Dun!

Suddenly another door opened up on the opposite side of him, this one however lead downwards to god knows where. Findlay instantly understood what was happening, even though he was injured, these four hob goblins wouldn’t be enough to kill him but separating him from his men that was entirely possible.

“Get off me!” Findlay yelled as he tried to summon his remaining strength to toss these hob goblins away, but they refused to budge, grasping onto him as though their lives depended on it. But with just the four of them it took all they had just to hold him down, getting Findlay into the trap, well that was what the tiny goblin was for.

This strange looking goblin was far more than meets the eye, it launched itself towards Findlay’s chest with incredibly speed and when it made contact.

Boom! An incredible amount of force was exerted upon Findlay, far, far more than expected. This little goblin weighed over a ton and all the momentum was sent right into his chest.

“Bleurgh!” Findlay’s chest caved in slightly and he spat out blood as he and his attacker were sent reeling into the dark recess of the trap, vanishing from the battlefield. The door swiftly closed behind them leaving Findlay’s entire team in shock. Their commander was just kidnapped right in front of them. Everyone their felt a horrible chill down their spines, they knew Findlay’s strength and relied heavily upon him as a rock for morale.

Gobuske’s troops however were invigorated by the successful removal of Findlay. The most dangerous monster was no longer here, although they had to send their most powerful assets to do it, it was a victory none the less.

“Rahhhhhhhhhh!” Many goblins and hob goblins roared as their blood started pumping, utilising their high to come down upon their enemies with fiercer vengeance. Frost’s offensive team was now without their leader and quickly suffered, gaining more wounds, and losing men at a far faster rate than before. Seeing Findlay disappear was an incredible blow, they needed guidance but only Findlay was in charge of communicating with Frost, none of the rest even knew how. Because of this Frost was completely in the dark, not knowing of the tragedy that befell his monsters.

Gobuske however was in the light and the moment his monsters succeeded in their mission.

“Yaaaaaaasssss! That’s how you do it! Come on!” Gobuske was over the moon, his joy and excitement paramount, he even jumped in joy. fist pumping the air. This was a major win for him and something he sorely needed. Full of cockiness he turned towards his guardian Bala.

“See that, a group of goblins managed to take down an Ice troll, what do you have to say to that?” If he was tall right now, he’d be looking down on Bala but with his short goblin body it didn’t look menacing at all.

Bala ground his teeth in frustration, irritation clearly in his eyes but he didn’t say a word. Not because he was afraid of Dark but because he truly couldn’t say a thing. Gobuske was right, logic was on his side, and it bugged Bala to no end. He was even silently watching the entire process (of course he didn’t know about the plan or even the traps that Gobuske prepared since he never bothered to care) and couldn’t help but be shocked hell he was even a little impressed....a very, very small amount. But he was stubborn and arrogant and would never back down.

“Tsk” he clicked his tongue and turned away from Gobuske refusing to look at his smug green face that was begging to be punched in.

Not hearing a response from Bala and seeing him even refuse to look in his direction sent a wave of glee and empowerment through Gobuske. He finally made Bala eat his words and it was amazing. His eyes were practically slits at the moment because he was smiling so wide. He made an internal promise to greatly reward the four hob goblins and the trump card monster once this war was over......if they survived of course.

The small, weird looking goblin was Gobuske’s greatest monster. Though still D-rank its starting price was 1000DP, double that of Frost’s frost trolls. He only had one of these monsters given their price, but it was well worth the cost, plus it benefitted from his goblin bonus, starting at half its maximum level making it even tougher. It was a spriggan.

Spriggan, a goblin with the blood of giants, born with incredible physical strength they can swap between two forms. One a very small goblin that packs way more punch than its body would insinuate and two the form of a goblin giant, easily 5 metres tall. It is said that spriggans love to trick unsuspecting predators with their small body, luring them close with their guards lowered before eventually revealing their giant form and devouring the shocked creature. In its giant form it towers above regular trolls and far outstrips them in not only physical strength but also intelligence. And they enjoy beating on trolls most of all, looking down on them as failed giants, since spriggans themselves are looked down upon as such by their giant kin. Though technically trolls have no relations to giants, spriggans have unilaterally decided that they do so they aren’t at the bottom of the giant kin pecking order.