The Forgotten Faithful: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 2) by Cajiao, Jez (little red riding hood ebook TXT) 📕

I shook my head at the strength of the skeletal construct, damn glad he was on my side and not against me.

“Jax…” I turned at the sound of my name to find Flux. He was spattered with blood, and clearly tired, but beyond that, he was okay. I needed to get him and the others some fresh water, as well I knew; yet another thing to add to the list… “We can’t wait. I’m sorry.”

“What? We don’t have a choice here, Flux. Only you three and me can still fight, and I’m out of mana. We need to…” I retorted, confused.

“They’ll kill the captives if we wait,” Flux said sadly, and I groaned, clutching my head, and swearing under my breath.

“Okay, explain that please,” I said, tired and annoyed, my mana headache not helping the situation.

“Goblins live an existence filled with hate and fear. Right now, they’re afraid of us, but as soon as enough of them are together, they’ll get angry again, and come for us. They’ll kill the prisoners rather than risk us freeing them. I can’t wait; I have to try to save the younglings…”

“If you three go in there without help, you’ll all die as well,” I stated flatly, shaking my head. “You know that, mate. We don’t know how many are still alive…”

“Exactly, Jax. For all we know, there could be only a few dozen left…”

“A few dozen? And can you handle a few dozen goblins, the three of you? Considering that’s the best-case scenario here?”

“No, we probably can’t…but we’ve agreed, and we’re going ahead. Please, come when you have rested enough,” Flux said, turning his back and starting to walk towards the door that led deeper into the nest.

“Oh, that’s a fucking low blow, mate!” I snapped, but Flux just kept on walking.

I considered the group before me, and I knew there was no way they could fight. They were all on the ragged edge, especially as, for some of them, it’d been their first fight. I sighed and called to Flux.

“Wait by the door,” I snapped, then I turned back to the group, gesturing for Oracle and Lydia to join me in walking toward the corpses of the mage and his protector. I was silent for a few seconds.

“You’re not going to like this, either of you,” I said, by way of starting the fight off. “But I’m going with Flux, and you’re both staying here.” Immediately, both of them started arguing. Lydia was respectful, if blunt, but Oracle was anything but.

“Lord, you’re in hardly any better shape than the rest of us; we can’t afford to lose you…”

“Don’t be an idiot, Jax! You…”

“That’s enough,” I said quietly, the cold, serious tone cutting them both off. “Flux is right; if the goblins have time to rest, to regroup and come for us, we might survive, we might not… but the prisoners definitely won’t.”

“They’re not your people, Jax,” Oracle said, hovering right before my face and locking eyes with me. “I know you. You want to stand up for the weak, for the oppressed, but you don’t know these people. What if they’re like the assholes we just sent off into the forest?" "You’re risking your life for people you don’t know! We need you!”

“I know,” I said quietly. “I know I’m needed at the Tower, and here with you, but I won’t abandon these people. Flux and his team are going forward regardless. I can help them; I have to help them.”

“No! No, you don’t… you just…” Oracle snapped at me, shaking her head, before drawing in a deep breath and looking around. “Fine, okay. You know what? If you’re going to do this, at least Bob and I can...”

“Stay here.” I finished for her and she frowned at me. “You need to stay here, and you need Bob to protect you. If there are other goblins, they might counterattack. Hell, they might be out on patrol now and walking down the passageway as we speak. You need to stay here. Once you have enough mana, you can heal our team and get them out safely. You’ll need Bob to protect you until then, and you’ll need him to move the tables, anyway; nobody else can.”

“You need me Jax, I…”

“I need you to protect them,” I said quietly. I hated doing this, but… “Oracle, that’s an order. I need you to protect our people, heal them, and get them home safe if I don’t come back.” I turned to Lydia.

“I go where you go,” she said simply.

“Oh for…Lydia, seriously you need to…” I started, and she cut me off.

“The Tower needs you Jax, we need you. It doesn’t need me. I can go with Flux and the others…”

“And you’d get killed straight away. You’re barely above half health, and I can see the way you’re holding yourself; you’ve broken ribs at the very least, haven’t you?” I asked, seeing the guilty flare of acceptance in her eyes. “Look at me, both of you,” I said quietly, continuing once they both complied.

“I need you both to look after them. Bob can’t understand anyone but us, Oracle, and he’s needed here. Lydia, you’re in no state to move far. Stay here and protect them; if goblins come, they’ll need you. If it makes it any easier on both of you it’s an order,” I finished, and I saw the anger on both their faces. “You don’t have to like it,” I said finally, “you just have to do it.” I got a short nod in confirmation from Lydia, and Oracle spun around and flew off towards Bob.

It wasn’t a win, but it meant they would be safe. It was enough.

I crouched down, quickly searching the goblin mage, hoping I’d find something I could use, ideally a potion or two. After a quick and rather disgusting search…the damn thing was naked under the robe,