Ch 19

  When morning arrived, Matt discovered that Rose had been more or less right—each of the women seemed to be suffering to some degree. While a few of them merely experienced occasional shakes or headaches, Maria, Emily, and Yumiko appeared to be hit particularly hard. Rose admitted that she wasn’t feeling much better either, but with more experience dealing with such effects under her belt, she knew how to manage it. Still, Matt could sense the heightened anxiety radiating from each of them as they deliberated on what to do with their day. Suggestions varied wildly—from continuing the search for a new location to establishing a main base to scouting out the nearby goblin village. Matt quickly dismissed both ideas, realizing they simply weren't in any condition to tackle either mission. Instead, he assigned everyone the task of making more cordage while he set about an overdue endeavor: drafting a rough map of their surrounding area.

  Using the river as a central reference, Matt focused on creating a map that prioritized directional warnings above all else. In just about an hour, he managed to scratch a detailed representation onto a flat stone roughly the size of a computer monitor. He marked all the known landmarks, including their first campsite, the general route of their initial arrival, and the direction where they expected to find the goblin village. This exercise not only provided a useful visual guide, but it also helped Matt better grasp the situation as he sat down with Eleanor and Zara to discuss his findings.

  “You’re saying that when we fled, we moved in a manner that inadvertently brought us closer to the goblins?” Eleanor asked, her brow furrowed as she processed the information.

  “It’s possible, given how quickly they reacted," Matt confirmed, his tone edged with concern. "If they followed our trail instead of going back towards where we first arrived, we might have spared the others from being targeted.”

  “Or perhaps they tracked both routes and dispatched the other five already,” Zara countered sharply. “Either way, my vote is against trying to find them.”

  “With that logic, my only options are the five people I don’t despise,” Matt muttered. “Look, my needs are my needs, but I’d really like to find someone who can be my second party member sooner rather than later.”

  “All the more reason, then, to choose one of us,” Zara retorted. “Even if it isn’t me.”

  “I stand with Matt on this one,” Eleanor added. “Even though my survival instincts are urging me to ensure that he picks me, they also tell me that choosing the right person could save more lives.”

  “Yeah, but I’m the only one who’s willing to venture out on my own—”

  “I didn’t bring you two here to rehash last night’s same old argument,” Matt interjected firmly, cutting Zara off. “I’ll take a goblin with me before any of you, as nothing says they have to be human.”

  That finally quieted the pair, though their exchanged glances clearly hinted at a desire to challenge his statement—yet both feared provoking him into doubling down. With a heavy sigh, Matt shifted his focus back to his plan and continued.

  "Alright, our immediate goals are to recruit more people first, and then to raid the goblin village—eliminating the threat they pose to this region. Once that's accomplished, building a village for the survivors should be straightforward, and at that point I hope to find my second before I make my final exit."

  "I’ll admit that having extra hands will simplify our task against the goblins, but it will come at a significant cost in experience," Zara replied. "I still think that—"

  "Goblins are weak and dumb individually," Matt interjected sharply. "Granted, that’s a generalization—just as with humans there are exceptions, but I’d wager that the next raid on us will involve every goblin available. I suspect they already have eyes on us, biding their time until they can organize a full assault. The opponent you mentioned from last night, the one who left me in a stalemate, was formidable enough that if three goblins were at his level, our group would stand no chance—and even two might be too many."

  "I still say you’re underestimating us," Zara countered. "Sure, Maria may be dead weight, but if Yumiko and I manage to level up—"

  "He’s talking to us as we are now, not as we might be once we level up and our species rank increases," Eleanor stated matter-of-factly. "Really, having seen him fight, do you honestly believe you can do what he does?"

  "Not on my own, but I believe two of us could—"

  "None of us know how to fight as a coordinated team—not even in a duo," Eleanor cut in firmly. "That’s exactly why we failed so miserably against the goblins when we split up, allowing them to overwhelm us one by one. This isn’t something that can be fixed overnight."

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  "It isn’t something to be fixed," Matt declared. "Any attempt to change that is just asking for more problems, in my opinion. Self-sufficiency should be everyone’s goal at this point, and once you can trust that each person can handle themselves, you'll fight with the confidence of knowing you’ve got each other’s backs."

  "That’s an interesting way of looking at it, but it essentially means that Maria is doomed—"

  "She is, unless she makes a dramatic change and quickly," Zara responded sharply, cutting Eleanor off. "I, for one, wish the goblins had actually—"

  "Don’t finish that thought," Matt interrupted. "Even if I agree that she’s at a major disadvantage, she’s still a resource we can leverage for a net positive outcome if she’s convinced to make a modest effort."

  "I thought you couldn’t stand her?" Eleanor commented, surprise lacing her voice. "Do tell me, what’s with this sudden change of heart?"

  "It’s not a change of heart at all," replied Matt, his tone measured. "Ever since I agreed to stick around for a day, I’ve been assessing how each of you could be put to use. Given that magic is a thing, if she takes a path that leads to base building—or at least maintaining one—it could prove very useful. Any such encouragement needs to come from you, and possibly Emily, because I suspect the rest of us might just end up making her shut down even more."

  Eleanor considered his words before responding. "I see. I’ll try to convince her to start some digging, as it seems our actions shape our available options, and earth magic appears to be our best bet for establishing a base. But tell me, how will she level up if she isn’t out there fighting?"

  "Traps and defense," Matt stated firmly. "Really, we all need to focus more on those two areas until the goblins are taken care of."

  Zara nodded in agreement. "I can get behind that. So, when are you going to scout our surroundings for any goblin watchers, if you’re so confident they’re lurking nearby?"

  "I’m not headed out to search for them," Matt clarified. "I’m going to look for some food that we can use to lure them in, making them believe that we feel secure here."

  Zara’s voice rose sharply. "What!?"

  Eleanor interjected calmly, "You want them to delay their attack, to take their time before launching their next strike."

  "Exactly," Matt explained. "I want to force them to wait at least an extra day. My bet is that their attack could be set for tonight, but if they sense that we’re settling in and feeling secure, they might postpone it by a night or two."

  "I thought you said they were gathering in full strength for their next assault?" Zara pressed.

  "Zara, they are gathering their strength," he acknowledged, "but I never claimed they’d be ready to strike at their peak. For now, they need to believe that we’re suffering from the drugs—and not wasting any of that opportunity. However, if we act like we’re fine, they might think we have a healing path or some kind of advantage, and that might make them hesitate. After last night’s events, they’re sure to be questioning more than a few things, but all they've got to go on are the bodies—unless an unseen watcher has reported everything back."

  Eleanor shook her head slowly. "You’re relying too heavily on factors beyond our control. I’m not convinced we wouldn’t be better off retreating into the woods to put more distance between us and the goblin village."

  Zara weighed in, "If you can convince Maria to move, or if you decide to leave her behind, I’m all for moving deeper into the forest today. But I lean toward fortifying ourselves here for the night and then moving out tomorrow, since I don’t see us making much progress today. Besides, Rose seemed quite certain that the withdrawal symptoms would significantly weaken by tomorrow morning, given that we were only drugged once."

  "She also said that the opposite is possible," cautioned Matt. "Either way, fortifying here is pointless—the terrain is useless for such defenses. Perhaps if we found a cave, we could set up something, although that comes with its own set of potential complications."

  "Everything seems to have issues for you," retorted Zara. "Have you ever considered that bolstering our spirits by taking action might be just as important as ensuring our defenses are practical?"

  "Yes, because any boost to our morale will be nullified when our defenses eventually fail. If anyone feels the urge to do something, then building a fire pit and sharpening sticks into makeshift spikes and spears is a good idea. At the very least, if we plant them in the ground pointing away from us, they might deter a charging attacker."

  "That sounds like a plan," stated Eleanor. "Plus, they should be easy enough to tie into bundles and take with us when we eventually move on."

  "Alright, is there anything else you need to say before you start looking for our dinner?" asked Zara, her tone edged with irritation.

  "Yes, unfortunately," replied Matt. "If things go the way I hope, I'll be gone until nearly dusk because I plan to get eyes on the goblins as well."

  "Oh, come on—that is downright reckless right now," shot back Zara. "You even mentioned that we should wait until we have more numbers before pursuing them."

  "We need information," countered Eleanor. "Plus, this will allow Matt to return quickly if he spots a group of goblins charging our way."

  "I still don't like it," argued Zara. "You should at least take one of us with you if you’re going to—"

  "That would only make matters worse," interrupted Matt with a hint of a smile. "The goblins want all of you alive, so if one of you gets captured while out with me, then what? Besides, if it's just me, it will be harder for them to notice me, and if they've already discovered other groups, I might have a chance to rescue them. If nothing else, taking a few goblins down and making them think we're planning an attack should throw them off balance."

  "Whatever—you wouldn’t listen even if my logic were better," retorted Zara. "Maybe you're right; perhaps partnering with you really is a bad idea."

  Matt had to stifle a chuckle as he noticed Zara carefully gauging his response. Her counter did force him to consider more deeply what kind of partner he needed. After all, collaborating with someone who simply agreed with him on every point wouldn't be ideal, nor would teaming up with someone who always contradicted him. Once more, he found himself weighing the benefits of adding a complication to allow him to have Bob alongside him. Part of him even wondered if Tempormr’s goal all along was to push him away from teaming up with Bob by setting such a condition. Either way, Matt figured he would just have to face the challenges ahead and see how things ultimately unfolded.