Although Scrag wanted to go into the goblin's cave, he fell in with the rest of the group that wanted to wait for Garyn. Hugh was eager to go after the goblins and save Gundren and Sildar. He couldn't imagine what kind of trouble the two went through during their imprisonment. However, he knew that Belrik and Garyn were worried about facing too many goblins on their own. Hugh felt it was best to follow the advice of experienced adventurers and wait so that they can go in the cave at full force.

The group waited with Mazira patching up Hugh and Scrag's injuries with cloth bandages. Jesslyn stuck by her brother's side while Belrik kept an eye on the cave mouth in case of goblin ambush. Hugh was worried about the goblins coming after them, but after a few minutes of silence, he figured out that they were waiting for them to come into the cave. He shook his head at the thought of the different defenses the goblins had waiting to use against the adventurers.

When Garyn arrived, the others were relieved to see him with Belrik explaining to him what happened in quiet whispers away from the group. Hugh thought that the two were coming up with a plan on how to deal with the goblins. Truth be told, he wanted to be involved in the conversation if it was the case. Even though he was inexperienced, he felt that even listening in and offering a suggestion or two could show his worth. However, he didn't think that Belrik would be interested in him joining the conversation so he stuck with the others.

Finally, Belrik turned to face the group. "Someone light up a torch. We're going in together."

"I'm on it," Scrag said, reaching into his backpack for an unlit torch.

"Must we all go in?" Jesslyn asked, eyeing the cave. "It's rather dangerous."

"That it is but we could use your magic," Garyn told Jesslyn. "We're all going in."

Hugh patted his sister on the back. "We can handle a few goblins together. We've got this."

Jesslyn nodded in agreement silently although her frown showed she wasn't too convinced. Hugh was starting to realize that his sister didn't enjoy the life of an adventurer. It may have been too rough for someone who preferred her studies within the walls of a city. Still, Hugh felt it was his job as her older brother to push her past what she's comfortable with. He also believed that since they were on the same job, they had to do their part with the others as well.

Once Scrag had a lit torch in hand, the group proceeded cautiously into the goblin's cave. They crossed over the cold water of the stream and onto the trail leading into the cave. Scrag's torch was enough for Hugh to make out some of the details of the cave as they traveled further. The first opening to the right revealed a den of wolves, and while they snarled viciously, they were kept confined to the room with chains and stakes. Belrik urged the group to press on since the wolves weren't a threat and they continued further toward the cave.

Suddenly, the adventurers heard a mighty roar coming ahead of the tunnel, although Hugh realized it wasn't a beast. Rushing water surged toward the group before anyone could get a word in with enough force to push the others aside. Hugh was quick enough to grab onto the side of the wall with one hand as the water struck him and his vision went dark from the torch going out. He tried to reach toward Jesslyn with his other hand, but much to his horror, he didn't feel anyone grab onto his hand. The water cleared away as quickly as it came with the group plunged into darkness.

"Jesslyn!" Hugh called out.

"There's a bridge on the upper part of the cave," Scrag called out, standing next to Hugh. "Quickly, take him down!"

Hugh couldn't hear the rest of his companions and presumed that they were swept out of the cave. He was worried but he believed that it'd take more than water to kill his sister and their friends. The warrior grabbed hold of his crossbow, but without Scrag's torch, he couldn't see where he was aiming. His crossbow bolt echoed throughout the cave as it struck the stone wall. He heard a goblin call out in a shrill voice before hearing a familiar roar.

"Seriously?!" Hugh gasped.

This time, Hugh wasn't able to grab onto the wall in time since he had his crossbow on hand. The water pushed him outside as he held his breath. He could make out the light of the forest outside as he fell onto his back. Scrag was likewise pushed out of the cave and ended up on his stomach, groaning. The water battered the two of them but Hugh stood up and picked up his crossbow, looking around his surroundings. Scrag started to get up from the ground and stretched up while the only other adventurer was Belrik, grumbling in annoyance at his armor being wet.

"Goblins are crafty creatures," Belrik said with a bitter tone. "I'll give them credit for that."

"Where are the others?" Hugh asked, not hiding his fear. "Where's Jess?!"

"I saw a side passage before the water struck," Scrag told Hugh. "Maybe someone jumped there to avoid being pulled out."

"Or maybe they jumped into the wolf pen," Belrik said with a chuckle.

"Jess!" Hugh called out in horror and rushed into the cave, thinking about what would have happened if she ended up in the same room as the wolves.

The cave was dark as before but Hugh noticed a blue light from the tunnel leading to where the wolves were. He recognized the light as one of Jesslyn's spells that let her read when it was dark and feared the worst. When he went around the corner, he saw his sister on the ground, holding a glowing dagger in her hand as she looked around the room fearfully. Garyn stood in front of her, holding both his hands out to the three wolves. Despite his size, the noises and movements the gnome made kept the beasts away.

Garyn looked over his shoulder, and with a nod and a quiet whisper, Jesslyn shot up from where she was and climbed up towards Hugh. He helped her get out of reach of the wolves with one snarling towards Garyn. The gnome turned to the wolf with an intense stare and the beast backed away. Slowly, Garyn walked backwards, never leaving his back to his wolf, with Hugh grabbing him. The wolves were still chained and unable to get to the adventurers as Belrik and Scrag rejoined the trio with the half-orc holding onto a newly lit torch.

"That was terrifying," Jesslyn said, clinging to Hugh's arm. "Let's leave this place and never come back!"

"Mazira's still missing," Belrik noted. "She wasn't outside with us."

"Nor was she caught by the wolves," Garyn added with a frown.

"We have to find her," Hugh declared. "Scrag, take us to that other tunnel you found."

Scrag nodded and led the way further into the cave. Of the group, only Jesslyn was hesitant to continue and stuck close by her brother. Now knowing that there was a bridge, Hugh was able to see the outline of it thanks to the light from the torch but there was no goblin. He imagined that the goblin must have run away after the water washed the group out, and while he was afraid of another powerful wave, nothing came at them. Hugh didn't know how the goblins set up such a trap but he could only think that they couldn't send wave after wave against intruders.

The tunnel Scrag told the others about was a steep passage that led up. It was a difficult climb that was covered in rubble but it led further into the cave. Hugh's eyes went wide when he saw Mazira covered in rocky rubble. He feared that she had been killed by the collapsing rocks, but fortunately, when Garyn checked in on her, he noticed that she was still breathing. With the gnome channeling a small healing spell, Mazira gasped when she regained consciousness.

"You're alright, Mazira," Garyn assured her. "We all are."

"Thank you," Mazira said, calming herself with slow breathing. "I tried to escape the water, and when I jumped into here, the rocks fell down onto me."

"I don't think the goblins used this tunnel," Belrik said, examining the passage. "We could climb up and catch those little creatures by surprise."

"Good thinking," Garyn nodded in agreement. "Hugh, you climb up ahead with some rope so that the rest of us can climb up."

"I'm on it!"

Scaling up the cave wall was easy enough for Hugh as he made it over the rubble. He threw down a coil of rope that he carried among his supplies and held onto the other end, allowing for the rest of the group to climb up after him. Jesslyn, who wasn't athletic, struggled even with the rope, and Hugh nearly fell down given how heavy Scrag was, but eventually, the rest of his companions made it to where he was and the group continued on.

As the group pressed on, Hugh nearly gagged from the heavy smoke and nasty smell coming ahead. They soon found themselves in a small chamber with the smoke coming from a cooking fire where five goblins were gathered around, eating burnt meat To the left was a tall wall from which a taller goblin looked over. It was the sentry that spotted the adventurers, and with a cry of alarm, the others started to reach for their weapons.

Hugh took out his warpick and shield in preparation for battle. Scrag rushed ahead, and while he brought down one of the goblins with a swing of his longsword, two goblins lunged at him and brought the half-orc down to the ground with their assault. Jesslyn was swift enough to protect herself from the taller goblin as he shot an arrow at her which deflected off of a magical barrier she conjured. With his sister protecting herself, Hugh was able to look out for the others of his group and stepped in front of Mazira, blocking a scimitar swing meant for her with his metal shield. He pushed the goblin back with a swing of his weapon and Mazira nodded in thanks.

Belrik yelled loudly and charged into the fray with a sword in each hand, swinging wildly at the different goblins. Garyn followed after his friend with a mace, and while he didn't fight with the intensity of the dwarf, he made up for it with calculated and careful swings. Mazira stepped up alongside Hugh with her own scimitar but the injured goblin was able to avoid the swing. Jesslyn struck down one of Scrag's attackers with fire although Hugh was worried when the bard didn't get back up from the ground. It certainly didn't help his worry when the other goblin that attacked Scrag advanced on Hugh, cutting through his scimitar to strike below his knee to draw blood.

Hugh stepped back, but before he could strike at the two goblins, they were struck by a barrage of blue magical darts. Seeing them unmoving, he looked over his shoulder and nodded in thanks to Jesslyn. The young wizard was still new to combat but there was no denying her combat prowess. Belrik struck down the remaining goblin with a swing of his longsword while Garyn knelt by Scrag, treating his injuries without any magic.

"He'll live," Garyn called out. "I'm out of magic but he won't bleed out on my watch!"

The tall goblin, who had disappeared as combat went on, returned with a hostage. "Truce or this human dies!"

The group looked up in shock with Hugh recognizing the beaten man as Sildar, now without his armor and not in the best of condition. Sildar was barely conscious as he looked down at the group with the goblin holding a dagger to his neck.

"Let him go!" Hugh demanded.

The goblin cackled. "Only if you kill Klarg!"

"Don't listen to him," Sildar groaned. "He can't be trusted."

"We don't exactly have a lot of other options," Mazira said, frowning. "Who's Klarg?"

"Big bugbear," the goblin told the group. "Took over other goblins from me. Kill him!"

"A bugbear?" Belrik shook his head with a scowl. "Maybe if we had experienced adventurers with us, we could manage it, but with this lot, I'm not too confident."

"We can handle ourselves!" Hugh said, shooting a glare towards the dwarf.

"I don't doubt that but a bugbear's a deadly foe," Belrik admitted. "Even if it was just Garyn and myself, I wouldn't take the deal."

"Then maybe we should leave now while we're all alive," Jesslyn suggested.

"We'll have time to discuss the matter once Scrag regains consciousness," Garyn said, motioning to the half-orc. "We'll head outside and talk it out. In the meantime, you'll leave Sildar alive."

"Aye," Belrik nodded. "You kill him and we'll kill you."

The goblin scowled but knew better than to say something to anger the adventurers. Hugh lifted Scrag up and had the unconscious half-orc lean against his shoulder. The bard was rather heavy but with no one else as strong as him, he had to do what he could. He didn't know much about a bugbear but he knew that he and his companions needed to do what he could to save Sildar from the goblin.

A/N: We're continuing on with the goblin wave. As an aside, bugbears are one of my favorite kinds of enemies to throw at players. When I first ran a group of friends through Lost Mines, they were terrified of the bugbears.

Until next time.