"KIEOOK!"

A goblin steps over Cecile's unconscious body as it rushes towards me with a dagger. Unfortunately for it Cornelius takes the stab for me before returning the favor. It doesn't last too long after the hit. Usually we would be more wary of cuts because of the poison, but Cornelius has been poisoned since stepping foot into this cave.

Behind me I can still hear Lyra's screeches as she is beaten like a piñata. It doesn't help that she's hanging from the ceiling due too getting her foot caught in a trap. A bit of an overreaction considering I used magic to numb her pain receptors. If she really wanted to not get beaten, she should've listened to the warning.

Yet another goblin use's their dagger to slit their wrist. Red mana rushes towards me which I sidestep with relative ease. The mute curse ends up landing on Lyra finally shutting her up. I mean she's still screaming like a banshee, but only she will hear it now.

Goblins are coming from all over. Its at the point we're completely surrounded. Most would consider this situation to be dire, but any situation can be flipped on its head in but a moment. However I should back up and explain why we stepped into this hell hole of a cave...

------

*A few hours earlier*

Avoiding death is essential in the upcoming battle. Every death will weaken our side while strengthening the other. There is a convenient way to skirt death, the substitution effigies. In-game it was an accessory that would let you tank one lethal hit, but destroy itself afterwards. A once per battle save. Sometimes it could come in clutch, but most of the time it was too situational. Even if you did have room in your build to put it in your build (you usually didn't) you had to go about getting another one every time it broke. Thankfully the developers weren't stupid and made the amount you could get limited. There was a shop that sold them, however there is a catch. The shop was locked behind a side quest. 

Now that's usually fine, just do the chore and obtain immortality. The problem lies in the fact that to complete the quest, you need a tome found in the loot room of a goblin cave. Funnily enough it was the same cave that Livia tried to conquer but failed. So after picking up Cecile's main body and old man Jackel, we set off.

A few days out and I'm already sick of my travel companions. Jackel is actually kinda nice. He's very polite, but because of his frail, old, damaged body he's really slow and needs frequent breaks. To not slow us down we just had Cornelius give him a piggy back ride. Lyra seems alright when around everyone else, the problem is at night when we go into our sectioned off bit of the bunker. I woke up in the middle of the night to her practicing kissing her hand and now things are awkward. Cecile is by far the worst. I can't understand anything he says and won't shut up. Considering he's a cat boy from mainland, I decided to deal with him using sprits of water. Running policy is that if he wants to speak he must think it in his mind and Lyra will determine if its important enough to be said aloud. If its deemed important, Lyra will say it. If Cecile speaks he gets the hose again. The shadow snake is also still with me hiding in my pockets. I couldn't explain how it fits but it somehow does. Of course the snake still hasn't said anything other than how are you feeling, but I find it . . . oddly reassuring.

Oh right there's also Cornelius. He's sorta . . . gave up. He just tanks hits on command. At first he asked lots of questions and made plenty of suggestions, but now? His eyes are dead and hollow. Can barely muster up the will to mutter 'Understood'. Mans been serving Bernadette for years but I'M what breaks him. God it's like he can't take a lightning bolt to the face or two. SHUT UP LYRA I KNOW YOU'RE THERE. He should be fine, he has the armor. Now get out of my head before I-

And she's gone.

------

We arrived at the cave. Now my initial plan had us taking the cave by might. Demonstrate the collective might of a squad of bosses and scare the goblins into submission, however we now have Cecile. While the person himself deserves to be poached and turned into a hunting trophy like the animal he is, I must begrudgingly admit that he's useful here. We can simply use his ability to take control of the goblins and get the loot easy peasy-

"I down't use my awbility on gobwins. All gobwins bown aftew thwa cuwse can't sewve. They onwy know how two hide in cave, loot they shiwhinies be vampiwe, dwink bwood, and wie. Gobwins bwack home wewe much nicew."

[CONTINENTAL DOWNPOUR]

And he gets the hose again. Alright back to plan A then.

Cornelius and the cat boy take the front because they can take a hit (or I want them too), Lyra guards the rear so they can have distance for magic, and I'm in middle as commander. Jackel was left outside. He can deal with humans in battles of the mind, but he's to frail for actual combat.

Cornelius takes not but six steps and immediately triggers a poison trap. I stealthily heal myself and ignore the two in front's need for medical attention. From then on Cecile actually decides to be useful and starts keeping an eye out for traps. He surprisingly detects two, one that lets out a powder that puts you to sleep and the good ol' rope trap to catch you by the feet. Of course I push Cecile's femboy looking ass into the sleep trap to get back at him for not using his powers just as Lyra activates the other trap she should've already been aware of. 

Oh and great timing! Our first squad of gobs. Their deaths are swift yet painful as I shock them to death. The painful shrieks of course draw in more of their brethren.

-----

You can probably see how we got here. Surprisingly the goblins seem to be refusing to back down. Must be because Cecile and Lyra are showing weakness. Thankfully what seems to be the majority of them are here, so now I can...

[Shape earth]

I use my magic to reshape the cave in my preferred image. I make a direct tunnel to the outside allowing the noon sun to shine its powerful rays into the cavernous gloom. With it's radiance, the cursed spawn reced back into the depths allowing me and my disposable pawns companions passage to their gilded treasury.  Never really understood why they didn't do that in the game. Maybe they didn't have enough mana? Heh Perks of seducing a god i guess. Anyways tomb get.

----

After patching up my team with the bare minimum we headed out. Apparently Jackel did some looking around on his own and stumbled upon a cabin, despite my protests about using it the group decided to veto my decision. I managed to convince the others to let me and Lyra pick our room first so I decided to use a different room from last time. 

I slowly open the door. Inside I see a familiar bow leaning on the nightstand so you made it all the way here huh? Even picked the same room. On the bed lies what's left of you. Just some skeletal remains and the clothes we worked together to mend after patching you up. You even still slept in that weird position that you usually do in this world as well. I . . . I broke tears streamed down my face. I can hear Lyra let out a terrified shriek from behind, but it doesn't really matter as reality finally decides to hit me. Livia is dead. She has long been dead in this round. Even though I acknowledged it in my plans, I'm still crying like the little bitch I am.

 You know? Even if you are a little loud and stupid, you were earnest. Its hard to hate someone who always had your back. There were times on the road when a monster would slip past Mi'ara and you'd take a hit for me. Everytime you'd give me a tip or two on how to avoid hits better afterwards. I still haven't managed to master many of the tips you gave me, but I'm still trying. When the N'esk tribe threw that welcoming party you were right there with me the whole night drinking up a storm. I can remember when we decided to start a betting pool on a little impromptu arm wrestling match during that party and having a blast. You probably thought you were lucky to find this cabin after failing in the goblin cave. You'd probably be really disheartened. You died alone worrying about how you were going to pay back an extortionate debt to some scumbags who decided to screw you over. You could've easily been saved is someone, anyone decided to take your side, but no one did.

I . . . Fuck . . . I need to stop think about this, but I can't. I'm pretty sure the others have come into the room. I need stop. I can't seem weak. The tears won't stop.

"How are you feeling?"

The snake slithers out of my pocket. It asks again,

"How are you feeling?"

"I . . . I miss my traveling companions. It's cold and lonely in these rounds. I've only been in these rounds for a short time but I already miss them. I feel like I'm surrounded by wolves and there is no one to offer me a hand. Everyone I've met in these rounds could turn on me at any point and the first of my companions I see is-"

"A corpse, huh?" Is Jackel's blunt assessment of the situation 

Just like that the little world me and the snake were in fades away. I feel a little better after letting it out a bit. The others continue their conversation and choose to abandon the idea of staying in the cabin. There's not enough time to clean the sheets and not enough room for us if we use two rooms. I give this world's Livia a proper burial and pick up her bow. I think I'll try and use it when I find 'dagger fang' eventually.