My (Monster?) Hero Life

Chapter 125: Enter, Shadow!

Kace gasped loudly as he realised the figures were dragging what appeared to be a curtain of shadows behind them. Even his Night Vision could no longer see the tunnel that lay behind both of them. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end as they quickly approached. 

He closed his eyes and silently prayed; there was nothing he could do in this situation. A few moments later, a cold wind washed over him as he assumed the shadows had finally caught up. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Unsure of what to expect. However, the sight that greeted him was entirely unexpected.

'How!?' He wondered, as he now stood staring at the entrance to the tunnel. When he looked behind himself, he could see that the tunnel looked different from how it had the first time he had passed through here.

"Ah, don't worry. It's just something to stop those that Master Shadow does not want prying around uninvited." Logret announced as if it were a perfectly normal thing to encounter.

"How does it work?" Kace could not help himself from asking.

"Hmm, something to do with the shadows sealing the tunnel behind you, so it looks like you've walked pretty far in. While what's really happening is the shadows beneath your feet are actually making you walk the same area over and over again while moving you backwards? No, that's not it." Logret scratched his head as he tried to remember what he had been told about it. "Ah, that's it! The shadows fold in on themselves, connecting the ones behind you to the ones in front of you. So when you cross a certain point in the tunnel in front, you actually set foot back where you started!"

Kace felt even more confused by Logret's explanation. 'I guess that's to be expected though if its second-hand knowledge. So far, I can assume that it's either like walking on a treadmill that moves back and forth through a section of the tunnel. Or. The shadows in front somehow warp you back to the ones behind without you realising.

Kace could only marvel at such a fantastic ability. 'If they have this kind of power, why are they hiding then?' He wondered while being baffled. Not only that, but he had never heard of goblins with this kind of ability before. 'They could be more useful than I thought!'

Kace eagerly followed after Logret back into the tunnel. This time there were actually two paths laying before them instead of the singular track they had been on before. Logret walked into the mouth of the tunnel on his left without a shred of hesitation. Kace glanced into the tunnel on the right in passing. Only to witness the strange figures fro before hanging around down there.

'I guess they're some kind of gatekeepers?' Kace was sure that this was the correct assumption. He could even hazard a guess that they would reseal the entrance once they were gone. Sure enough, once they had gone a few steps, he felt a cold wind pass at his back yet again. When he turned to look, there was only darkness. The light from the entrance was entirely gone yet again.

'Hmm, that could be problematic if I have to make a quick escape.' Although he was mesmerised by such a power, he also had to admit the danger that it posed to himself currently. 'Hopefully this 'Master Shadow' is an amiable sort.' 

Before long he began to hear the nostalgic sound of goblins celebrating. It brought a large smile to his face as he somehow felt like it was some kind of homecoming. He could imagine the wild antics that would be going on if there was food to be had. He thought about the unusual, yet tasty, dishes that goblins could make. Suddenly he felt his stomach growling. 'Maybe I can get a bite to eat before I leave?'

Logret seemed to grow exaggerated in his movements as he led Kace towards another tunnel that led away from the celebrations. It was only a short path this time, but it showed the way to one of the largest and broadest cave's Kace had ever seen within a goblin's nest. Kace looked around, but there was no sign of anyone but them in the place.

The only thing that stood out was a large and crude throne made of jagged stone a little in front of them. Kace raised an eyebrow towards Logret, it was apparent that he believed that Logret had brought him to the wrong room. Logret, however, met his gaze with a large and toothy smile. 

Suddenly the whole cave seemed to come alive. Kace instinctively stepped back and raised his hands to defend himself. The darkness in every corner of the cave seemed to be rushing towards the solitary throne like a tidal wave. It swirled around the stone furniture like a gathering storm cloud.

When the storm of shadows was at its peak, it suddenly rushed towards the ceiling. Before crashing into it, the cloud suddenly arched in mid-air, before pouring down onto the seat itself. As it hit onto the throne, a cloud of shadows erupted outward from it. Swallowing Kace and Logret in its embrace.

A new feeling washed over Kace, one that told him that he was in the presence of something that could threaten his life. It was not a strong enough feeling that would mean that he stood no chance against it. However, it definitely gave the impression that they were close in strength.

Before the cloud had fully settled, Logret took a few bold steps towards the throne that could barely be seen through the settling cloud. The goblin then went down on both of his knees and placed his forehead against the ground in a show of utmost respect.

"Master Shadow! I have done as you commanded! Here, behind me is the one who holds the position of a Goblin Lord..." Logret announced as a shiver ran down his spine.