Chapter 16 – The Calm After
The fight was over.
For a moment, Sam just stood there, breathing hard, the air thick with the metallic scent of blood. The massive goblin lay still at his feet, its lifeless eyes staring blankly into the cavern roof above. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, each pulse a reminder that he was still alive — barely, but alive nonetheless.
After a deep breath to calm his racing heart, he stretched out his hand and whispered,
"…devour."
The familiar darkness emerged and wrapped itself around the corpse. It lingered for a moment, writhing like smoke before sinking back into Sam's body.
Then came the notification.
Strength +3 | Agility +2 | Endurance +2 | Mana +3
And then another — one that made him blink twice, unsure if his eyes were deceiving him.
You have obtained a new skill: Disorienting Punch
Disorienting Punch (—): A single strike that rattles the target's senses, causing brief dizziness and loss of balance. Effectiveness scales with stats.
To say he was surprised was an understatement. He hadn't expected to receive his second skill this easily — especially when his first had come after so much struggle.
And this one… it didn't even have a rank.
He frowned thoughtfully. Effectiveness scales with stats, it said. So maybe the skill's potential was tied directly to him rather than a fixed level of power. Interesting — but not something he could think about right now.
He had someone to save.
Leaving the cavern hall that had served as their battlefield for the past hour, he stepped into the twisting tunnels once more, his boots echoing softly against stone and dried blood. Every ache in his body reminded him of the fight, yet he found himself almost skipping — a rush of energy pushing him forward.
When he finally reached the place where Serena had been bound, he didn't hesitate.
He rushed to her side in one smooth motion and knelt beside her. The vines were still there, coiled tight around her wrists and ankles, pulsing faintly as though alive. Sam tore at them, but they resisted — tough, elastic, almost metallic in feel.
With a grimace, he raised the goblin's cleaver and slashed down. The vines parted easily this time, as though the blade still carried remnants of the leader's power. The moment they were cut, the bindings disintegrated into pale dust, leaving only faint markings on Serena's skin.
He was a bit confused about the vine disintegrating but that was not his concern right now as Serena's eyes were beginning to flutter.
"Serena…" he called softly.
Her eyes opened, unfocused at first, then locking on him. For a heartbeat, she just stared — then her eyes widened in horror, and she let out a shrill scream that echoed off the cave walls.
The next instant, she scrambled backward, pressing against the wall, eyes wide with horror.
Sam flinched, instinctively spinning around, cleaver raised. "What?! What is it?" he barked, scanning the shadows.
Thinking that something had snuck up on him but there was nothing. Just dripping water, faint echoes, and their combined breathing.
When he turned back, Serena was still pressed against the cavern wall, trembling.
"Sam…?" she whispered. Her voice trembled with confusion.
He blinked. "What?"
Her expression softened as she seemed to truly see him. Then she was on her feet—no, running toward him—and before he could react, she threw her arms around him.
He froze. Completely still, his instincts screaming from hours of battle. But the warmth against him… the shuddering sob that escaped her chest… it melted the tension from his shoulders. His grip on the cleaver loosened until it dropped, clattering softly against the stone.
"Hey…" he breathed, his voice quieter than he intended. "It's okay now. You're safe."
She clung tighter, trembling. Her tears soaked into his torn shirt, washing faint streaks through the dried blood on his skin.
After a long silence, he exhaled. Gently, he placed a hand over hers where they rested on his chest and rubbed his thumb in slow circles until her grip eased.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
Serena nodded, though her voice cracked when she whispered, "Why do you look like that?"
"Like what?" Sam frowned, then glanced down—and finally understood.
Blood. Dried, green, black, caked all over him. His face, his arms, even his hair had stiff streaks through it. He looked more like one of the monsters he'd fought than a person.
He sighed. "Ah. So that's it."
A few minutes later.
A small, dry laugh escaped Sam. "I can't believe the reason you ran away ….was me."
Minutes later, Serena was lying on his lap, still weak, her earlier terror replaced by soft laughter. "Can you blame me? You were covered head to toe in monster blood. Look, there's even some on me now from hugging you!"
"Ha… forget it. This is what I get for being a good brother," Sam muttered, half-sighing, half-smiling.
Serena stuck her tongue out playfully. "Drama queen."
Sam's eyes twitched. "Hey, I heard that."
Her giggle echoed faintly through the cave, warm and fragile. It was a sound he hadn't realized how much he'd missed until now.
"Come on," he said at last, patting her shoulder. "Let's get moving. Stay behind me, okay?"
"Fine," she replied, rolling her eyes but obeying.
Together, they started down one of the darker tunnels, following the faint sound of dripping water echoing somewhere deeper inside the mountain. The air felt heavier here, damp and cold, yet Sam noticed something odd — the walls seemed to pulse faintly, like veins beneath skin.
After a while, he asked quietly, "So… what happened after you were taken?"
Serena hesitated. Her steps slowed. Then, in a voice that barely carried, she said, "I don't know."
Sam stopped. "What do you mean? Like… You don't remember anything?"
She shook her head, her eyes distant. "Just… flashes."
Her voice cracked a little on that last word.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The sound of dripping water filled the silence, echoing endlessly through the tunnels.
When Serena caught him looking, she gave a tired little smile, one that almost made him forget where they were.
"We'll figure it out later," he said quietly. "For now, let's just get out of this place okay."
Serena nodded, reaching out to hold the torn edge of his sleeve as they continued walking. The faint glimmer of light seeping through the next tunnel.