Chapter IV – Shudder, Monster
Potato opened his eyes again.
In the skies above, he could see thousands upon thousands of starts flickering in the night sky. It was the third time that night he woke up. He felt tired, but there wasn't a scrap of drowsiness in him. He looked over to his left, seeing the wheel of the wagon. He looked to his right, and saw the campfire still burning. Corn was on night watch.
"Can't sleep." He muttered as he crawled over to the fire. Corn noticed him immediately.
"Two nights in a row. You sure you're okay?"
The Selkie was right. Last night had been the one after the River Belle crossing. He managed a few winks that time, but hardly a good night's rest. Potato could feel his body aching almost all over, but try as he might he couldn't doze off.
"I'm tired, but I don't feel ill." Potato took a seat by the fire, directly across from Corn.
"It happens, I guess."
For a few minutes, there was silence between them. The fire's crackle and the soft wind of the night the only sounds around them.
"I never told you how things went for us on the path." Potato said, opening dialogue anew between them.
"That's fine. I heard most of what happened from Lemon and Carrot."
Silence hung over them again. Potato got the distinct feeling Corn didn't want to talk with him. He had a good guess as to why, but didn't want to be the one to bring it up. So they sat there, staring at each other, but not really seeing each other. Neither could really tell how much time passed before Corn spoke.
"Something on your mind?" He asked.
"Not really."
"I thought you wanted to tell me about the trip through the River Belle Path."
"You heard it from the other two, didn't you?"
"And you trust them to tell me the truth?"
"You'd believe either of them before me."
Corn sighed. "It's about the first couple days we were on the road, isn't it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Potato lied, averting his gaze slightly.
"Grow up, will you? If you've got something to say to me, say it."
"Doesn't matter."
Corn sighed again, giving up the futile endeavor that was talking to the Clavat. He knew very well Potato was sore about Lemon and Carrot telling him about how things went before him. Potato had been driving the wagon the whole time, and no doubt he heard Carrot talk about it along the way. But leaving this dark cloud over their heads was only going to make things worse down the road. Corn was sure of it.
Sucking up his own pride, Corn spoke again. "I'm sorry."
"About what?" Potato asked, taken aback.
"Everything. I know me and you haven't been getting along all that well. It's my fault."
"You're right." The Clavat snapped back.
"I didn't really mean that. You were supposed to jump in and apologize as well, and say it was your fault."
"Why? It is your fault." Potato let a smile escape his lips.
"You're a good guy, I know. I just didn't want to put you on the spot all the time in front of everyone else. I know about your family."
Potato's expression darkened. "I heard you a few days ago. Thanks for keeping it a secret."
"I figured if I kept you in the back no one would ever ask or find out."
"They'll find out eventually. It always happens." Potato looked to the darkness beyond the campfire.
"Aren't you afraid of what could happen?"
"Yeah, but I'm almost more afraid of what would happen the longer I keep it a secret. If things go bad, I could end up on the side of the road alone. Wouldn't last five minutes before the Miasma kills me."
"It wasn't your fault. You weren't even born then." Corn shot a glance to the wagon, making sure no one was awake to hear their conversation.
"I know. But I don't know how they'll take it. Would you want someone like me at your side, knowing what my father did?"
"I wouldn't want your father at my side. You're a completely different person." Corn assured him.
"You know that saying? 'Like father like son'? I wonder sometimes if they believe it."
"I know at least one of them wouldn't turn their back on you." Corn smiled.
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up." Potato huffed.
"Not me. Carrot."
Potato's eyes lit up, and Corn saw it.
"She told me what you did. How you jumped in front of her to protect her from that monster. She wanted to thank you, but couldn't."
"Why not?"
"She thinks you like her." He said flatly, hoping to gauge Potato's reaction. Unfortunately for him, the dim light of the weakening campfire made it hard to get an accurate read.
"It's not like that." Potato answered.
"Then what is it like? To be honest, I thought it was a crush the way you seemed to behave around her."
"You know I had a sister, right?" Potato's question suddenly enlightened Corn. He nodded.
"I see now. Never occurred to me."
"She reminds me of her. Her name was Mango. I didn't want her to come on this trip."
"I hate to have to say this, but don't get carried away." Corn's statement roused Potato.
"What do you mean?"
"We're a team, and it's a good thing to look out for each other. But don't throw yourself in harm's way just so she doesn't have to suffer as much."
Potato couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you saying-"
"I'm saying," Corn cut him off, "to be careful. If we get too attached to one other person, it clouds our judgement."
"So what do you want?"
"Forget it. I couldn't explain it even if I wanted to. Just promise me you'll try and stay out of harm's way next time, okay?"
"And how can I do that?" Potato asked, growing annoyed.
"Instead of taking the hit for someone, why not tackle them to the ground? You both dodge the blow."
There was a moment of silence between them, before Potato let slip a chuckle. He sat back down.
"Never would've thought of that."
"We tend to forget." Corn smiled.
"Listen, I think I'm going to get some sleep." Potato said, yawning.
"Good idea, you deserve it. I'll keep the camp safe."
Potato walked off, enjoying the drowsiness that had suddenly overcome him. It was as if their discussion had finally removed the secret weight on his shoulders. But not all of it:
He still had to explain all this to Carrot herself. At least, he felt it was necessary.
~o~
The forest lay before them. If the tree wasn't devoid of leaves, they were a pale blue hue instead. From just a short walk away, the travelers could see the thick Miasma within. It appeared as fog, but flowed as though it were caught in the wind.
"Look there! The Goblin Wall is just a couple hours away." Corn pointed to the hills and mountains to the east. The forest met the wall of stone, but the entrance to the monsters' lair was further to the east.
"How much more dangerous would it be to cross the forest, instead?" Cherry asked, not liking the idea of going under the mountain.
"Considerably," replied Lemon. "Notice how the Miasma sways within the boundaries of the forest. The Stream is strong today. Crossing it would be a death sentence upon us all."
"And waiting isn't an option." Added Kiwi, lightly tapping the chalice sitting in the wagon.
"Will we split up into two teams again inside the Goblin Wall?" Carrot looked up at Corn in the driver's seat. In turn, he looked down at Potato next to her.
"No. It'll be safer if we all went in together. The longer we stay inside the mountain, the more likely we'll be ambushed by the goblins." He explained.
"I have heard stories of the Goblin King." Radish stepped forward. "They say he is a powerful wizard, capable of dark magics."
"That is true," spoke Apple. "Yukes from Shella have tried to learn the abilities the king is capable of executing, but to no avail. It would be wise to avoid confrontation with him."
"But what about the myrrh tree? There is one in there, right?" Carrot asked.
"There is, but it's not one we can reach safely." Corn countered.
"He's right," added Potato. "We'd have to force our way into the deepest parts of the wall. Safe to assume the deeper in we go, the more goblins we'll find."
"Not to mention the Goblin King himself." Radish nodded in agreement. Carrot turned her gaze to the ground, defeated.
"There'll be other trees," said Kiwi, giving the girl a pat on her shoulder. "We could always sail to Lynari Island and use that tree. I could pull some strings with the town elder."
"No way I'm ever going to that Selkie hovel." Scoffed Radish.
"It's not an option, anyway. The voyage to Lynari would take two weeks by ship, and two for the return. We can't afford the time or the money now." Kiwi sighed. She did want to revisit her homeland, but it would have to wait.
"Let's move, everyone. We need to cross over to the other side before nightfall."
Corn pulled on the reins, letting Boko know it was time to move on. Most of the caravan was walking alongside the wagon, making it easier for the papamoose to drag it along. There was also the issue of the giant crab claw Radish had brought along. Once they entered the Goblin Wall, they'd need every person outside the wagon to defend it.
~o~
"Did anyone go through the wall before on their way to Tipa?"
Corn looked to his group, hoping one of them, preferably the Yukes, could help guide them through. He had crossed the forest and Miasma Stream when his family first moved to Tipa. Apple stepped forward.
"My family did pass through the wall. The Shella caravan saw us through before. I know the way."
"Good, this is how we'll proceed..."
Corn split the party up into four teams. Radish would pair with Apple and lead the way in front of the wagon. Because they were taking the wagon in with them, they wouldn't have to worry about the much shorter radius of the crystal chalice. The chalice itself would remain inside the wagon. Carrot was to drive the wagon, effectively sidelining her again. By this point the young Clavat was growing weary of her companions' overprotectiveness, but she chose to remain silent regarding the decision. She also noticed Potato had nothing to say about the matter.
Guarding the wagon's right side would be Cherry and Potato. The left side would be watched by Kiwi and Lemon. Corn himself would guard the wagon's rear.
"Are you sure you can do that alone?" Kiwi asked her blonde kinsman.
"We're trusting Apple to lead the way, right?" He directed his answer to the female Yuke.
"I promise I will lead you through the caverns as quickly as possible." She answered.
"Then yes," he answered Kiwi. "I'll just use my racket to keep the monsters off our tail."
"Do not worry, I will assist if necessary." Lemon pitched in.
"Me too!" Chirped Cherry, waving the spear she got on loan from Radish.
"Carrot, whatever happens, make sure you stay behind Radish and Apple. If they damage or destroy the wagon, we're as good as dead here." Corn instructed the young girl. She nodded silently.
"Same goes for everyone, of course." Corn turned to the rest of the group. "If they reach the wagon, we might not make it out of here alive. Be on your guard, and do not engage the monsters. Let them come to you and ward them off."
With that, everyone went to their respective posts. Apple signaled for Carrot to press onward, while Radish stood ready at her side. Once they were within the caverns of the mountainside, their only source of light was the crystal chalice inside the wagon. Carrot reach into the wagon from the driver's seat and pulled out the chalice. Resting it on her lap, the exposed object illuminated the cave considerably more.
The darkness of the place didn't last for long. A few minutes into the cave, the place became illuminated by torchlight as the group arrived in the wall proper. Built into the cavern walls were rows upon rows of dwellings. Doors fashioned from monster bones lined the walls, and hundreds of goblins worked the place with a rhythmic clatter and chatter. Not more than a few seconds after they arrived, they were noticed by a wandering goblin.
A general cry alerted most of the others in the cave, which lead to a frenzy as the monsters mobilized to confront the intruders. Ignoring them, Apple pressed onward, knowing full well at one point they'd have to fight their way through a tunnel of goblins if they didn't hurry.
"Lemon! Switch places with Cherry!" Corn called out from the back of the caravan. Carrot watched as the Yuke and Lilty crossed each others' paths in front of the wagon. She turned her attention to Lemon, who was preparing a magic spell.
"Aim for the gates! If we can force them shut they'll have a harder time reaching us!"
Corn abandoned his post behind the wagon, changing places with Potato to have a better shot at the wall. The two men hurled their respective projectiles at the bone gates, collapsing them as they crossed the cavern. Once shut, the goblins on the other side scrambled to force their way through the rubble.
Meanwhile, Apple picked up her pace. The tension in the air gave her a spring in her step, and Carrot was doing her part in keeping up with the wagon. However, as they continued to speed up, Lemon and Corn were being left behind as they slowed down to aim better at their targets. Within seconds Potato and Corn began to feel the effects of the Miasma creeping in around them.
"Carrot, slow down!" Kiwi called out, turning around herself to help her companions back into the circle of safety.
"Apple, wait!" Carrot pulled on the reins, slowing the papamoose to a crawl. The Yuke and Lilty ahead stopped short, brandishing their weapons. Goblins had started pouring out of the northernmost portion of the wall. Had they not stopped, they'd have made it to the tunnel leading out already.
Kiwi and Cherry dragged the three men who had been left behind back to safety. As they all struggled to catch their breath, goblins rushed in from the south. The central gateways were still collapsed, fortunately, so they only had to focus their efforts on the dozen monsters coming in hot.
As Radish and Apple handled the goblins at the fore and everyone else dealt with the read, Carrot watched helplessly from her seat. She wanted to get down and help, but she knew Corn wouldn't let her. Someone driving the wagon came before all else, and she knew it.
As the last of the goblins were felled behind the wagon, Potato saw how the monsters broke through the rubble in the central gateways. Three times as many goblins were pouring in from there; far more than they could hope to handle.
"We need to go!" He called out to Carrot. The girl looked to Radish and Apple, who were finishing up with their burden of monsters.
"Apple, hurry!"
The Yuke nodded, staggering ahead. She had been wounded in the fight, and was clutching her left arm. Behind them, the other five members ran forward, looking back every so often to make sure the goblins hadn't caught up. Both Kiwi and Corn routinely hurled attacks from their rackets backwards, hoping it'd slow down the goblins a bit.
Moments later, They were at the tunnel leading out to the Iron Mine Downs. Apple went on ahead, while Radish let Carrot drive the wagon in after. Radish joined his companions at the rear, allowing the injured ones to go on ahead of him. Lemon and Cherry did so, while Corn, Potato, and Kiwi stayed at the Lilty's side. They met the force of goblins head on at the mouth of the tunnel, buying the wagon enough time to get a head start.
A ways into the tunnel, Carrot pulled the reins of the papamoose again. She took the chalice and jumped off, running back past Lemon and Cherry.
"Where are you going?!" Cherry screamed as she zoomed past the Clavat.
"To help them! You guys go on!"
The group fighting the goblins felt the Miasma around them, but they couldn't break away from the battle. Corn's reflexes dulled as the Miasma clouded his eyes, and he felt as a goblin's club crashed onto his shoulder. He fell to the ground, but Potato rushed in to impale the goblin with a quick thrust. Next to them, Kiwi screamed out as a knife found its way into her thigh. Every passing second made it harder for the travelers to fight, while the goblins fought harder.
"Pull back!" Radish yelled, his voice becoming coarse from the Miasma. He swung his spear as hard as he could, taking out four goblins in front of them all in a single swoop. Before the rest of the monsters could close in on them, they all felt a wave of relieve as the Miasma was forced back. Carrot had arrived just in time with the chalice.
"Let's go!" She commanded, passing the chalice to Corn. She drew her own sword, and swung at an incoming goblin.
"You heard her! Let's go!" Corn rose to his feet and started into the tunnel.
Potato helped Kiwi to her feet and followed, leaving Carrot and Radish behind to ward off the goblins. Carrot was about to strike down her third monster when Radish forced her into the tunnel with a hard shove.
"Go!" He screamed, using the last of his strength to mow down five goblins in a single strike. After they had fallen, he rushed in after her. The corpses around the entrance made it hard for the remaining monsters to give chase effectively.
The wagon hadn't moved very far ahead, allowing the injured to pile into it before it took off at breakneck speed. Carrot and Radish had to run as fast as their legs could carry them to keep up, but fortunately there was no sign of goblins giving chase.
Moments later, the group emerged from the mountain on the north side. The sun was setting, but the fresh, cool air was a welcome sensation.
~o~
"How bad is it?" Cherry asked, more frightened than Kiwi at the wound on the Selkie's leg.
"Not as bad as it could've been. Good thing I fell down when I got stabbed." She inspected the wound closely, flinching every few seconds as the pain pulsed throughout her whole body.
Apple was slowly cleaning the blood around the wound, while Kiwi prepared the bandgae. Cherry had to leave the wagon entirely as the sight of blood was making her queasy. Carrot sat in a corner, doing her best to sew the Selkie's skirt despite the bloodstains. The men were outside, looking over each other's wounds in much the same manner. Kiwi had insisted none of them be allowed inside the wagon while she had to tend her injured leg.
"You will need rest for some time. If I had some Magicite, I could cure the wound and you would be well in a matter of days." Apple commented.
"It's okay. Just keep the chalice next to me all night and I should be a bit better tomorrow." Kiwi placed the bandage over the wound, allowing the Yuke to begin tying it in place.
"The chalice?" Carrot asked, making sure not to look at the Selkie's wound in the process. Like Cherry, she couldn't stand the sight of blood.
"The crystal's light helps with the healing process, didn't you know?" Kiwi explained with a pained smile. Apple was doing a splendid job with the bandaging, but it was considerably painful at the same time.
"It's the myrrh," Apple explained. "The crystals draw energy from myrrh, which is a source of pure life."
"But there's no myrrh in the chalice." Carrot pointed out, looking at the empty thing next to Kiwi.
"There is myrrh within the crystal itself. If there was myrrh in the chalice itself, the healing light would be more potent."
"So in the meantime, I have to recover the hard way. I'll be sure to sit by the big crystal in Marr's Pass when we get there." Kiwi breathed a sigh of relief once the Yuke was done bandaging. Apple nodded and jumped out of the wagon, hoping to see what she could do to help the men of the caravan.
"I'm glad she knows how to treat people, but her bedside manner is terrible." Kiwi commented with a chuckle.
"I'm almost done with your skirt," said Carrot, putting the finishing touches on the fabric.
"Don't worry about it. No harm if I don't get it back by tomorrow. None of the guys are going to be sleeping here tonight while I'm half-naked like this."
Carrot blushed, and blushed all the more when at that very instant Potato poked his head into the wagon to look for something. Kiwi's reaction was so blindingly fast, even Carrot almost missed it. Not giving Potato more than a fraction of a second, she poked him in the face with the handle of her racket, which had been at arm's length the whole time. Almost as if she were anticipating such an event to occur. The Clavat cried out as he fell backwards, but his cry was drowned out by the laughter of the other men outside.
"That hurt!" Potato's complaint fell on Kiwi's deaf ears, however. There was a slight blush on her cheeks, but she deftly made it vanish within seconds.
"How did you...?" Carrot began to ask, hardly believing her eyes.
"I overheard Radish. I know poor Potato didn't come in here to sneak a peek, so I'll apologize to him later."
Carrot giggled, finally forgetting the tense atmosphere of their ordeal earlier that day.
"You be careful around Potato, okay?" Kiwi told her, maintaining her serious demeanor.
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean," she replied with a smirk. "You know."
Carrot smiled and nodded, but didn't have the faintest idea what Kiwi was referring to. She made sure to conceal this from Kiwi by going back to her sewing in silence.
The Selkie wasn't fooled.