Today was a good day, at least for Snik. Chieftain Gob had joined the hunt, leading them to a big Twighorn. It was a mighty beast, with sharp horns and a thick hide, but Gob was stronger, faster—he always was. After Gob had his fill, tearing into the best bits of the meat with his big claws and teeth, the rest of the tribe jumped in like ravenous wolves, ripping apart the carcass.

Snik, being low in the tribe, didn’t get much, just the scraps others didn’t want. But Snik didn’t care. Salted meat’s still meat. And if it didn’t taste good, well, it filled the belly. Besides, it wasn’t about the food anyway. Today, Snik had a full belly, and that was enough for him.

Scurrying away to the back of the cave, past the larger goblins who lounged around the fire, and through a narrow passageway that only someone small like him could fit through. The air grew cooler as he went deeper, and the flickering light from the fire faded into the background. The passage opened into a little nook, hidden from view by some rocks and thick vines.

Here, it was quieter—almost peaceful. The ground was soft, covered in moss and dried leaves, and a few stray stones made a little seat for Snik. He settled down, curling his legs beneath him, and pulled out a small bundle wrapped in old cloth that he had hidden away so that sneaky stupid goblins could not get it. Inside, there were a few things he kept to himself.

A scrap of shiny rock he had found by the river, a small bone that he liked to chew on when he was alone, and a few dried herbs that smelled faintly of River.

Being the weakest of the tribe, Snik knew his worth. If the food ran out, he'd be the first to go. It was something that bothered him for a while, but it doesn’t bother him much anymore. He had his place, even if it was the lowest one.

He looked down at his greatest collection, his pride. Nestled carefully in a hollow scooped out of the mossy ground was a blue stone. It shimmered faintly even in the dim light of his nook, its surface smooth like polished glass but alive with veins of shifting light. Swirls of deep cobalt twisted into streaks of bright azure and icy white, as though a piece of the sky itself had been trapped within it. It was warm to the touch, a gentle hum vibrating through his fingers whenever he held it.

The stone wasn’t just pretty; it was special. Snik didn’t know exactly what it did, but he knew it was special. He had seen the adventurer who carried it once. The stupid human had worn the stone on a chain around their neck, and it had glowed even brighter then, casting its strange light over the dark forest as they passed through.

He hadn’t planned to steal it. He wasn’t brave enough to face someone like that. But when the adventurer had fallen into one of the tribe’s traps, Snik had been the only one bold (or foolish) enough to get close. The others were too busy looting whatever weapons and supplies they could to notice when he slipped the glowing stone from the corpse’s neck and tucked it deep into his ragged cloak.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

It had been risky, but it was worth it. None of the others had seen, and none of them would ever know.

Scuttling deeper into his nook, he crouched low to inspect the small hollow where his treasure was hidden away. He reached out tentatively, his bony fingers brushing against the soft moss that lined the space. The blue stone glimmered faintly in the dim light, its swirls of cobalt and azure seemingly shifting as if alive.

Hesitating, he paused, a strange sense of unease prickling the back of his neck. He glanced over his shoulder towards the narrow entrance to his hiding spot, but all was still. Just the muffled echoes of the tribe's revelry and the soft crackle of the flames reached him. He exhaled slowly, shaking off the feeling.

Turning back to the hole, Snik leaned in closer, his long, pointed ears twitching as he tried to detect anything unusual. The stone was warm, almost inviting, its faint hum vibrating through the air. He lowered himself further, balancing on his elbows as he peered at it. For a moment, he simply stared, enthralled by the strange patterns on the stone.

“Still here, pretty stone,” he murmured to himself, his voice soft and reverent. “Snik keep you safe, yes.”

He carefully extended his hand, hesitating as his fingers hovered over the stone. The warmth radiating from it was soothing. With a gentle motion, he curled his fingers around it, lifting it from the hole.

The instant he touched it, the hum grew louder, resonating through his bones. Snik flinched, a gasp escaping his lips. He pulled back, clutching the stone tightly to his chest as he scrambled into a crouch. The moss-covered hollow seemed darker now, as if the light of the stone had stolen away what little brightness the nook once had.

Snik stared at the glowing gem, his thin chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Something was different about the stone. It felt... heavier, and a little hotter.

Before he could dwell on the thought, a faint rustling sound reached his ears. It came from the direction of the passage, too faint for most to notice but sharp enough to make Snik freeze. His grip on the stone tightened as he slowly turned toward the sound, his wide eyes searching the spot.

He lowered himself further, coiling protectively around the stone. With deliberate, fluid movements, he crept toward the dense grass. As he disappeared into the undergrowth, his green skin blended seamlessly with the lush foliage, rendering him nearly invisible.

He waited. 

And waited, almost for an entire minute before coming to the conclusion that there was no one there.

“Stupid goblin” he berated himself.

He tried to move upward, only to realize his mistake as his claws effortlessly dug into the stone. “No, no, no,” he whispered, his voice trembling. He tried to pull his hands away, but the stone held him fast, its surface clinging to his claws with an unnatural grip. The glowing veins of cobalt and azure within the gem began to shift, spiraling outward like a living thing awakening to his presence.

He desperately tried to pry it off, but the moment he applied pressure to the stone crumbled into dust in his hands. “NO!” he cried, his voice breaking with anguish.

The air rippled around him as glowing tendrils erupted from the ground. They coiled tightly around his ankles, yanking him into place. Before he could react, two more tendrils lashed out, seizing his arms and forcing him down onto the cold stone of the earth. His face slammed into the dirt, the bitter taste of grass and dirt filling his mouth as he struggled in vain against their relentless hold.

“No...” he managed to whisper, his voice barely a tremor as something struck him at the back of his head. His vision blurred, the world around him trembling as his vision swirled. He forced his gaze upward just enough to catch the fleeting glimpses of crackling purple flames swirling in the air. A sharp sting pierced the back of his neck, sealing his fate as his legs gave way. Just before the darkness claimed him entirely, he saw a faint purple light drifting toward him.

The edges of his eyes went completely deathly cold, his arms and legs going limp as his breath faded, signaling his death, while the sound of a baby's cry filled the walls of the cavernous cave, unheard by anyone, as if the sound had come from somewhere else beyond this world.

The purple energy in the air floated to the now-dead body, flickering faintly all the while before finally landing on Snik's stomach and dissipating.

End.