The first fungal creatures did not attack the goblins waiting behind the earthen barriers.
They spread.
The pale bodies split along their backs after reaching the stones bordering the entrance. White cords slipped into the ground, while thin caps unfolded above the soil. Each new patch connected with the growth beside it until a curved line formed around the archway.
Brannik watched from behind the first barrier. The goblin archers kept their bows raised, but he did not order them to fire.
Nethren remained beneath the archway with larger creatures gathering behind him. Squat fungal guards carried clubs grown from the same dark material covering their bodies. Cave moths clung to the connected dungeon's ceiling; their wings folded around swollen bodies. Several animals that might once have been wolves moved between them with pale caps replacing their fur.
Hizon studied the scene through his control-room display.
The enemy wanted him to react first.
