Day XIII: Good People, New Cave

"Here, drink." One of the three guys with Old Man Ben, named Izak, pressed something like a bottle against my lips.

It was water.

"Where did you get a bottle out here?" I asked with some strain.

"There's this guy, Richard, who started carving these from tree trumps with sharp stone. Quite useful if you ask me."

I couldn't see his face, but his voice sounded like he was smiling.

"I had to babysit him with 5 goblins, so he could deal the finishing blow. That is how everyone has been making deals since you were away."

I nodded. Samuel also chimed in.

"Most people are scraping by and fighting over hunting grounds. No one wants to go far from the clearing after hearing about the owlbear."

"You survivors are legends by the way. We heard some details from Travis, you must be really strong."

Hearing that guy's name left a sour taste in my sore mouth, but it reminded me again that I haven't seen Marcus when I came back from the mountains.

"How's Marcus?" I asked.

The Old Man Ben answered from the front.

"He went out the day you were gone. He hasn't been back since. He looked better."

Izak followed up with a question.

"What happened at the expedition fight, from your perspective? How did you survive and pull Marcus away from there?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

He got the cue, and everyone stopped talking.

"Sorry. That was insensitive of me."

Echo Sense told me that he did look sorry.

The whole memory made me question why the forest changed. It was 10 days ago when I saw those birds. The cool breeze. The much colder temperature. The wild bushes and uneven trees. It was beautiful like a normal forest should be.

'Am I strong enough to take on the Owlbear?' I asked myself. It felt as if figuring out what went down there, would change my entire worldview.

Apparently, the sun was starting to come up but I still couldn't see anything. I also got a bit more used to the throbbing pain in my head. Samuel still helped me with walking.

The three guys, with Ben, were subduing three goblins. Echo Sense showed how they pinned them down. They were definitely stronger now, but not nearly as strong as I am.

"Kill it, now! Samuel, guide him!" The old man shouted.

I pretended to struggle, but I used Echo Sense to accurately stomp the heads of the goblins. It felt good to feel almost no pain in my hill. Only two stomps and the first one was dead. The same with the second.

I knew the day would be long if we went like this. I actually just wanted to jog around with Echo Sense and smack wildly around.

"I appreciate the help guys. But this will take too long."

"Shut up and be patient" It sounded like he was smiling. People just sounded differently when they smiled.

With a few more hours of walking, I started walking without hanging over Samuel. He still made me hold his arm for guidance, which I appreciated, because Echo Sense was starting to make my head foggy. It must have been fatigued for using the ability non-stop for hours. We also crossed a few goblin groups. They took and shared most of the kills- probably for their own daily nutrition and ambitions.

"We're here" I heard Old Man Ben. Echo Sense showed me nothing, because whatever he wanted to show off, was more than 13 meters away. I did notice a clearing in front of me, because there were no trees.

"It looks amazing from here. Quite dark I must say." I mused sarcastically.

"Welp Jack. That sure is a shame, because those are some real hotties down there."

Samuel and I just laughed. I quickly stopped because my face felt like it will explode.

"There is another clearing in front of us. You see, we did some exploration and found that there are 4 clearings surrounding the mountain. I didn't know if you noticed, but we went west and then south to shake off any potential trails."

What Ben told me intrigued me.

"I know you can't see, but this clearing looks identical to the one where everyone else are staying. There is also a similar boulder and pond here, but with one crucial difference."

I stopped them.

"Wait wait wait. How is this possible? The mountain is 6 hours of jogging away. It would probably take an entire day just to circle around to the south side, if we were on the west side of the mountain."

No one answered me immediately.

"I'm impressed that your conditioning is this good, probably because you're only upgrading stamina. But we have been walking for more than 12 hours and you're not even sweating like us."

What Ben said actually took me back by surprise. Not being able to see the sun, and just walking, gave me screwed idea for the passage of time.

"Okay, fair. Now, what is the crucial difference?" I asked. I still couldn't see the boulder with Echo Sense. It simply was too far away.

"The boulder is moved, and where the pond bubbles out, is like a underwater cave. If you touch the water, then a new monster shows up."

Izak explained. This whole situation was bizarre. Four clearings with a cave-like entrance, and one cave in the mountain…

"More goblins?" I asked.

"No. Something else. A type of ugly fish with arms and legs. They also fight like the goblins though."

I heard people walking again, and Samuel guided me.

Samuel guided me forward, and I let Echo Sense pulse. For a moment, everything was still.

Then, with a second pulse, the boulder and pond revealed themselves in my mind's eye—just as described. But something else moved just beyond my range.

A ripple in the water.

Could something be waiting beneath the surface?

Ben's voice cut through the silence. "Jack, get ready. They come in waves, but we'll help funnel them toward you."

I nodded. "How many at a time?"

"First wave? Usually five or six. Then more."

That was manageable. As long as the numbers didn't get overwhelming too quickly, I could keep up.

"Thank you, really. After this, I'm gonna make us even."

They had no reason to help me this much. I still couldn't understand why.

I felt a club shoved in my arms. It was probably Samuel.

Samuel let go of my arm, and I felt his hand on my back. I heard the sloshing of water, followed by a deep, guttural croak. The first fishman probably emerged.

Echo Sense pulsed again—its range still locked at thirteen meters. In my vision of mind, the creature lurched forward, webbed feet slapping the wet ground, gangly arms ending in jagged claws. Its hunched back was slick with slime, and its wide, bulbous eyes bulged unnaturally from its skull.

That was only a second of mind vision, but then I heard more splashes.

The rest of the first wave climbed out. I had no idea how many.

"Go!" Ben barked.

I cautiously dashed forward a few times, gripping my crude club—a thick, jagged piece of wood - all while Samuel kept his hand on my back. Echo Sense still had a few seconds before I could use it again, but I remembered the first fishman's position. I heard fighting and wet gurgling all around me. Then, I felt Samuel's hand give my back a slight press with his fingers. I swung blindly, putting my full weight into the strike.

The club connected with spongy wet resistance, and a croaking scream filled the air. Echo Sense showed me an image. The creature stumbled, barely standing as his thick neck looked caved in. I followed up with an overhead second swing. This time, I heard a sickening crunch filled my ears.

One.

Then the others closed in.

Echo Sense made me aware of several fishmen around me—Samuel's guiding hand on my back, pushing me slightly to the right. Without thinking, I swung again. My club caught another fishman as I heard a sickening crunch and loud screams. Samuel pushed his fingers downward on my back. So, I stepped forward, slamming my weapon down and hearing another disgusting sound of gore.

Two.

More bodies surged around me. I wasn't alone—Ben and Izak were keeping the fishmen from swarming, cracking their clubs against limbs and torsos, forcing the creatures toward me.

Another pulse of Echo Sense.

The battlefield snapped into focus.

The fishman closest to me was still disoriented. I lunged, swinging low—aiming for where I though it's knee should be. The blow made a loud snapping sound, followed by gurgling screams.

"Swing straight down in front on you." I heard Samuel behind me. I swung down, and heard a loud gushing sound as cold and wet things splash against my legs. It was probably the flesh and brains of this unlucky fishman.

Three.

Samuel yanked me backward just as Echo Sense showed another set of claws slashed the air where I had been. I twisted, letting momentum guide my next attack, and slammed my weapon into where the attacker's should be. It gurgled and went silent.

Four.

Then Izak's voice cut through the chaos. "Jack! More coming!"

The heard water churn violently. Another wave.

I still had no idea how many.

Ben and the others worked like a living barrier, corralling them toward me. Every strike they landed was meant to weaken—not kill. They were making sure I got the final blow on those they didn't kill.

I felt a tap on my shoulder—Samuel's signal. Left.

I turned and swung. My club connected with something soft. A wheezing croak. Samuel the told me to swing down, and I finished it with a downward strike followed by more splashes of flesh.

Five.

Another pulse of Echo Sense.

Everything sharpened.

I pivoted, sensing an enemy trying to recover from Izak's blow. Without hesitation, I slammed my club into the back of its head.

Six.

Ben barked orders, directing the flow of the battle. Izak and Samuel kept guiding me, pushing weakened fishmen into my path. Every six seconds, I pulsed, adjusted, and struck. The numbers piled up fast.

Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.

The battlefield was a cycle of guided brutality. The others softened the fishmen up, and I finished them. My heart pounded, my muscles burned, but I pushed forward, lost in the rhythm of combat.

New waves came for seemingly forever.

Ben became more frantic with his orders, but still kept cool. Apparently, there were too many to fight with me dragging them down. I heard the panic in Izak's breath, the strain in Ben's movements. They were getting overwhelmed.

I needed to kill faster.

I let go of precision. No more carefully aimed swings—just raw aggression. I swung wide, catching two fishmen at once according to my Echo Sense. They staggered. Samuel's guiding push came instantly, lining me up for a follow-up strike. I didn't hesitate.

Eleven. Twelve.

A heavy impact slammed into my side, knocking me off balance. I hit the ground hard, my club slipping from my grasp.

Claws raked my arm. I twisted away, scrambling blindly. Echo Sense was on cooldown. I was blind.

Then a familiar touch—Samuel's hand, gripping my wrist.

I didn't need words. He yanked me to my feet, shoved my club into my hands, and turned me slightly—enough to let me know where to swing.

I did. Something cracked.

Thirteen.

Echo Sense pulsed again.

The battlefield was still madness, but I saw it now—Samuel, Izak, two others and Ben herding the fishmen like predators driving prey. They weren't just helping me fight.

They were farming kills for me and the realization sent a rush of adrenaline through me.

I stepped forward, swinging faster, harder. They hit, pushed, and shoved—turning every encounter into a free kill. I was just the executioner.

Fourteen. Fifteen.

The next wave came with more splashes in the pond and high pitch gnarly screams.

But the strategy didn't change.

The group of allies softened the fishmen. I finished them off.

Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen.

It didn't stop. The world became a blur of motion, impact, and sound. I stopped counting.

Then—

No more splashes.

Silence.

The battlefield was still.

I stood there, panting softly, my club still firm in my grip. Echo Sense pulsed again, confirming what I already knew. There were dead bodies piling up around us, forming low walls as if we were in some fort made up from flesh. It made sense why Ben and the group found it easier later on, because they used the fallen bodies as a protective barrier from the swarm.

The fishmen were gone and I had killed more than I thought possible. I could hear everyone panting loudly. They were tired. I think Izak and one other guy sat on the ground.

The others also raked up a lot of kills.

"Sir, I counted this time. There were about 100 total fishmen." The one next to Izak said. I think his name was Tian. He usually kept silent. I didn't know how he looked like, but I should figure it out once my eyes are fixed.

"Good. Okay everyone! We are going to sleep because its almost midnight. Tomorrow morning we do this again, and then march back." The old man was giving orders like a playground supervisor.

"Damn, wish we could do this everyday." I heard Samuel from my side.

"We are keeping this a secret just for a few more days. The others have to know eventually." Old Man said. I understood his concerns. Imagine if 100 fishman jumped out and attacked the weaker people at our clearing.

I decided to tell them one of my secrets, because they obviously trust me with theirs. It was my way of paying them back.

"I am telling you this, because you trusted me and helped me more than I deserve. In the mountains, there is another cave, with an identical boulder and pond. The boulder there is completely moved away to expose the cave. There were also 100 monsters there. Yellow goblins, stronger than the green ones."

Echo sense showed no surprise on their faces.

"We figured as much. Thanks for telling us. It's your discovery, so we won't tell anyone."

Old Man Ben said, which really shocked me.

"But Sir-"

Tian was cut off by Izak.

"Ben knows what he's doing. Respect his decision. Besides, did you see how Jack can fight while blind? He would beat your ass up even while looking like that!"

Samuel giggled at my side.

"Thanks"

We all went to sleep at the edge of the clearing. It was a very successful day, one which showed me that good people still existed in this world. I layed down, very hungry. In a way, I was very joyful that the Sphere could fill my stomach without having to use my mouth, because eating would be impossibly sore if I were to try. Right now, my face throbbed on several places.

I drifted off to sleep, with 180 points to spare on the Sphere and at least 20 fishmen kills and 3 goblin kills.