One of Us

Teyo eyed them in the distance. He had to think fast they were just a minute or two away from him. The issue he felt in his heart was that not more than the same distance behind him was the caved area were their vile nest was. Seeing that Reilly was alone he could only imagine that the others were dead creating a rather ominous level of strength the goblins could possess. Teyo knew he had to fight to the death if he dared save her. He didn't want to think about what they might do if he failed. If anything he would take her out with him, surely that would be better.

" Quick think think.... What do I know... shit weapons, bad gear... clumsy..." Teyo then had a brilliant thought. " Combat log!" He quickly went through his menu and checked on the previous few inserts.

"Stone - CRITICAL HIT 999 damage. Goblin -989/10"

" The fucking stone did what?? " Teyo quickly looked above him staring at the stones in fear noticing there was hardly a square inch where death was not looming over you. He shuddered. " Ten health each.. I have to do thirty damage... Okay uhmm... what else... THE TORCH!" He screamed in his mind.. " They are blind in the darkness.... I've been molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a really bad chef. Now how do I put it out.... I guess I can smack it."

Teyo quickly wrote something in the dirt and then hid behind a speleothem just wide enough to hide himself. The benefit of his rather thin midsection helped. He set his bag down and grabbed out the axe. In his right hand he held his pan and in the other he held the axe. Ready to fight Teyo took a few deep breaths awaiting the group to get near him. He could hear the footsteps approaching his heart beating ever faster. Soon they came to just the other side of him and stopped. His stomach fell into his ass and he gritted his teeth and twirled around the rock.

Standing in front of him Reilly stood silent staring at the ground where in a deep scar of dirt the word "Stop" was scratched. Teyo looking at the three goblins stared at the one holding the torch. In it's other hand a small dagger, while the other two held spears. They all had a mixed amount of clothing. The two at the rear turned and look at Teyo as he stepped in front of them, the other poking his dagger at the backside of Reilly. In a matter of a second Reilly looked over at Teyo meanwhile the two at the rear stepped forward to stab him with their spears. Teyo had already lunged forward and with his momentum threw out a leg towards the torch wielding goblin. Kicking him over, onto to the ground. To his left Teyo had barely dodged a spear but unfortunately the other stuck him right in the side.

- 5 health

Teyo gritted his teeth and chopped down with the axe chopping the spear in half

-2 health

Teyo almost broke into tears but continued on. With his next step forward he kicked with his other leg, kicking the torch into the distance. The sound of the air breaking as the torch flew off gave him a good sense of relief.

In the first few second Teyo almost failed and already he was at almost half health. Looking on at the goblins now blinking and looking aimlessly he smiled. "Perfect." The next moment though he grimaced. The goblins closed their eyes and began to sniff, stabbing at the air in front of him. Teyo looked over at the goblin who was now trying to stand up. With a quick thwack and a chop into it's skull it was dead, the sounds of it little squeel alerted it's company to his position. Unfortunately the axe got lodged in the goblin's skull, forcing Teyo to let it go or be speared again. The goblins began speaking and yelling at him obviously in anger. Teyo stood next to Reilly and grabbed his knife from his pocket with a quick slice of the bindings he gently nudged her over to the side and whispered to her stay quiet.

Teyo was slowly getting approached by the goblins up the narrow pathway. The continued stabbings that seemed to follow him hurt his pride, he thought it would be quick to deal with them once the light was gone but they could smell him to well. "Why" he wondered. Noticing that they had passed Reilly he understood. "The blood" Teyo reached to his side and felt the cold section of his body. Now noticing the severity of it, the pain came back to him but taking a hand smear amount of blood and flicked his wrist at them splattering them just barely in the face. After noticing the footwork of the two become less coordinated he bit down his resolve. He took a page out of Jack's book and stepped to the side and jumped off a stalagmite and smashed the pan into the head of the goblin whom had stabbed him. It tumbled to the floor, not dead but clearly dazed and unable to gain it's balance. The other goblin lunged at him Teyo twisted and narrowly dodged the spear from hitting him square in the chest, however it hit him directly in the bicep of his left arm.

-4 health.

Teyo winced but before the goblin could remove his spear he grabbed it with his left hand and smashed at the goblins hands. Removing it's weapon the goblin clearly grew surprised. Teyo's eyes grew dark and the pain he felt spurred his anger.

"Pan Sear!"

Teyo looked over at the now red glow to his pan and with as much strength as he could muster swung his pan hitting the goblin square in the side of it's head. As the pan flashed it's arc the skin it touched on the underside of the pan stuck ripping the face of the goblin off with a meaty, sizzle, sounding tear. The goblin stood there for a second and then screamed in terror, Teyo brought the pan back knocking it out. He stepped over to the other goblin whom was concussed. With a few smacks he caved in the top of its head.

Teyo's breath was ragged he was now down to 5 health from the bleeding. He took the pan and pressed it to his briefly cauterizing his stomach wound. he then pulled the spear from his arm and cauterized his arm wound.

-2 health.

Teyo stepped forward to Reilly. Being in pain and close to death he simply asked her for one favor. " I need healing. Follow me. " He then reached forward with his barely usable left arm and grabbed her hand. The blood on it was running cold and when Reilly felt it her eyes welled with tears yet again.

" T.. Teyoo is that really you?..." her squeaking voice trembling as she followed him.

Teyo simply walked behind the stone formation and grabbed his bag. He put his pan down it now lost it's heat. A weird crunchy sound was made as he placed it down " Ah the face" he thought. Teyo looked at Reilly whom obviously couldn't see and threw in the remainder of his cooking materials. Cooking for both of them would required a bit more and he could tell she was blind as a bat. She couldn't see and the torchlight was a sure fire way to bring enemies.

After Tossing all the ingredients in and making a Cave Spider salad with Slime dressing. There was a large mound of food in his pan. The same Dishwasher tier was given but it didn't matter He wanted mana and to be full again, and as much as he didn't want to admit it the moss was much more filling when it wasn't cooked. Teyo began to eat but then stopped and grabbed Reilly's hand. With a mouthful of food he said " Here's the pan, I made some Cave Salad. It will help you see in the darkness. Trust me it's not that bad."

Whether or not Reilly was mentally okay was not really the biggest concern for Teyo, She was in a shallow breathing pant like sniffle. The kind children get after a tiresome tantrum. He wondered the extent to which this would effect her but the only thing he could do now after saving her was to give her sight. She didn't say anything but followed his hand to the pan and grabbed into it. Bringing it to her mouth Teyo noticed she smelled it and was going to put it back but he quickly pushed her hand into her mouth. Forced to eat it, at first she struggled with it's texture but as the flavors hit her pallette she seemed to enjoy it. Teyo was happy the effects would only really take effect after she had eaten a good portion or he was sure to give her a fright. As they ate a few minutes passed and then Reilly broke the silence.

" Eh.. huh what? Mana and Dark vision buff?" at this point she looked over at Teyo. Bloodied arm and side aside, he looked completely different then she last remembered. The clothes looked different sure but the solemn face he wore made him look more mature than she could recall. Teyo was obviously still very hurt so Reilly quickly asked him " Where's my staff? I'll cast bless I'm so sorry thank you.." Teyo cut her off mid sentence.

" No don't. I'll be fine I just need some time. We need to gather their bodies and things and move on. How far away is the checkpoint?"

" Uhh I I don't really know.. it was like right after we climbed up the wall where the slimes were. Like maybe ten minutes away from that?.. soo like far.. But if we can see.. actually no I don't think we can make it. Are you really sure you don't need anything?" Reilly couldn't help but see him struggling, she had eaten her fill but Teyo had made so much, he continued to gobble food down. " Also I really tried to get them to go back for you. I'm sorry.. they wouldn't listen.."

" It's not your guy's fault.. The fact that I let a spider scare me to almost death is my own. To be honest I thought to myself that I was done for. Also I totally hated you guys for ditching me but seeing since they got what they deserved and well you helped me ... get passed it, I'd say we're even. One thing being alone taught me is that none of us knew what we were doing from the moment we got here. Not fully anyway."

" Oh.. Uhm. Yeah okay that's definitely true.. But also. They didn't just leave you.. They also sold me.. to the goblin's."

Teyo looked over at her with the deep long stare. With a clenched jaw full of contempt. " They. What." Teyo squeezed his fist to a white knuckle. "Explain."

Reilly could feel the scorn in his gaze. She took a deep breath and recalled what happened with intermittent trembling in her voice. " We had continued down the path after the first check point. A crate of supplies became our way to continue by torch light. Anyways we fought a bunch of spiders and bats... like I don't maybe ten or so of them. The spiders were big and furry like tarantula's but dumb and afraid of the fire. After all those fights I could tell they weren't happy with me because well.. I didn't really help all that much I have a staff it's not really anything to harm them with. So I would use my bless to heal them and then I ran out of mana. So we had to stop so I could meditate, and that happened a few times.. They weren't really all that happy with my pace and I knew that, but I was doing my best. Eventually we made it to this small pond so everyone took a break and drank some water but then out of nowhere those three goblins came up behind us and had Sadira and Dorian off guard with their weapons and bags down. Jack... Jack then grabbed me and made like a deal with them to trade me for those two... I was just trying to meditate for mana.... and then they took me.. and we walked for a long time."

Teyo was going to stop her sooner but it seemed like she needed to get it off her chest. He could almost guess it halfway through. The worst bit of it was that he almost liked Jack. Even now it was hard to be mad at him, it almost made sense that the trade of Reilly for the others would work and inproythe chances of survival. But that was the only path a coward would see.. Perhaps even Teyo before all of this. He knew why he got left to die, he was dead weight. And at that point in time for them he could see Reilly was as well. But to not fight! Teyo grimaced. Then he spoke. "They made their choices, and you could find a lot of people like them Reilly. You probably will. This may be a game, but it's so real.. it's so.. primal. You're gonna run into the hardest choices and the shittiest of situations. No one is going to carry around dead weight. We had to learn the hard way. But trust me they will have their turn. Let's walk and talk we gotta move."

Teyo got up and gathered his belongings. The few minutes had bought him a little health but time was wearing thin.

Time remaining 1:54