“Ugh,” John groaned as he woke up, reaching for the top of his head. He opened his eyes, squinting. Two sets of huge black eyes were in his face. Shocked, he quickly crab-walked back, running into the cave wall.

“See. Smelly human.” The one on the left pointed to him while the one on the right picked its nose.

John reached for his sword, which was still by his side. They didn’t take it? Or tie me up? That’s odd. The two sides were in a stare-down, neither speaking. They seem almost tame. Not like any Goblin I’ve met before. But -- Ugh he moaned, rubbing his head. How long was I out? If I just stay put, Monty and Ivan will come. John kneeled and then stood to his full height, sword back ready to strike.

“Big smelly human,” the small one picking its nose laughed. “Why big smelly human want light?” it asked, pointing to the moss.

John continued to eye them, tilting his head, then looked at the moss. They’re not even worried about me or my sword. They just thought I was stealing their moss. “I um, I’m lost. I lost my light and got lost.” John tried not to use too many words and sound non threatening.

“Big dumb smelly human. Always big dumb.” They turned to leave laughing at him.

They’re not scared of me at all. “Wait. Wait!” I hollered after them. They stopped and turned to him.

“What human want? Done here,” said the taller Goblin, pointing to the area around him.

“Why not attack me or take my sword?” He held up his weapon.

“No need it. You sleep. We leave.” It looked at him dumbly, like John was an idiot for not knowing that. They turned to leave again, walking away.

I am so confused. He stood thinking aloud. “Maybe it’s been so long that they’ve interacted with a human that they don’t see us as a threat anymore. That’s the only thing that even makes sense.” John continued to rub his head. After a few moments, he heard the distinctive sound of metal clinking. Ivan and Monty came running around the corner, sword and bow in hand. They skidded to a halt when John came into view.

“What the hell John. We waited, longer than we should have. Then we heard what sounded like laughter and ran this way. What happened? Why are you just standing there like that? And what’s that light? Speak boy.” Ivan was annoyed. Monty stood with his bow at the ready, scanning the tunnel.

“I, ugh. I was sneaking around the corner when I saw a light, that moss you see. I heard a noise and hid behind a boulder. Next thing I know, I wake up with two creatures standing over me.” He stopped for effect. “One hit me over the head. They were Goblins. They left me here.”

Ivan went from annoyed to angry. “And you let them live? Prove it. No Goblin would have let you live.”

“I don’t know what to tell ya Ivan. They did. They spoke to me. They didn’t even take my sword or tie me up. I think they thought I was stealing their moss, light, as they called it. They laughed at me when I said I was lost, playing coy as it were, and left. They just left me standing here dumbfounded. They weren’t scared at all!” John was waving his hands and motioning around.

“We have to follow ‘em. They could be a threat to the village now that they know there are humans here. We have to find out what their intentions are.” Ivan had a serious tone.

Monty nodded. “I agree. Could be bad.”

“I know. I know. I don’t know what to think about them. I don’t think they saw me as a threat. My only thought is that they haven’t seen humans in a very, very long time. And just know stories about us.” John put his hands down, sighing. “Not what I had hoped for, for sure. C’mon. We won’t have much light left to get back to camp. They’ll be worried. We need to hurry.” They took off at a run farther down the corridor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The smell of smoke and burnt meat permeated the air. “That better just be animals,” Ivan growled, hatred in his voice. They were hidden in a recess in a wall near the entrance to another large cavern, having just exited the corridor. It was lit by fires and moss hanging sporadically. “There’s probably close to a hundred of the little shits. Look at ‘em scurrying around.” He held both swords now.

“Let’s just watch for a moment. They know we’re close, but they’re not even looking for us to see if we left. Don’t you find that strange? A hundred of them could easily overwhelm us, even if they’re low levels. So why haven’t they? Everything we know about them tells they are vicious little creatures with no mercy, throwing countless lives away just to see their enemies dead.” John stopped to watch two Goblins fight over a plate of food. “Yet here we are. I’m still alive, and they look like they don’t have a care in the world.” John sighed again.

“Strange indeed. Worrisome too,” Monty said, scanning the room.

Out of a small alcove walked a Goblin that looked different than the others. He was followed by several more. One looked like the Goblin who had found John. He pointed his finger, growling at the other Goblins making them scurry off. Others kowtowed to him and backed away.

“That looks like the one who was collecting moss. See the moss around its neck and head? And that must be the chieftain of this warren. Just a little taller but twice as round. They look scared of him.” John spoke as it took food from one of the nearby Goblins.

It began to yell, spraying food everywhere. “Where human! He take light! This one let leave!” He shoved the Goblin forward. It was shaking, head bent. “We need! Look! Now!” The big Goblin was angry. After screaming at the group, they all ran off in different directions, presumably to look for the human.

“Oh shit” John whispered. They squeezed back into the recess as far as they could out of the light. “There must be other ways in and out or we would have noticed tracks at the entrance.” He stopped, frustrated. “Damnit. We’re fools. We should have left. I should have prepared us more.” John beat himself up. They stayed as quiet as they could as random Goblins flew past. Then, one stopped and sniffed the air. Its big eyes turned towards them, hidden in the darkness. It stood, looking at them, finger raised, shaking.

“Humans!” it screamed and took off back to the middle of the cavern where their warren was. All the other Goblins had stopped to look their direction at the shout.

John froze for a moment. He was angry and disappointed with himself. He turned to his friends, eyes lowered. “Monty, Ivan. My friends.” John had sorrow in his eyes. “Go quickly. Protect your families, Drew, our new friends. They don’t know you’re here. I will hold them off for you. I’m sorry I brought you here. I was a fool. I’m sorry.” He met their eyes briefly. He turned and stepped out of the recess, not giving the two a chance to argue. John awaited his foes. They gathered in numbers in the center. More coming out of the hidden caves. John steeled himself and stepped forward only to be stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

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“We will fight here, John, for our families and friends.” Ivan stood next to him. “If we don’t return, they will be prepared. We will not leave you. We will fight, together, one last time.” Ivan smiled. Monty too placed his hand on John’s shoulder and smiled.

“Together. For our friends and families.” Monty said proudly. Together, one last time, they stepped into the cavern towards the gathering horde.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three men. Over a hundred Goblins. The two groups stood ten meters apart from each other. The humans towered over the them, but there were so many.

“We will take down as many as we can. We will give the others a fighting chance at the camp.” John spoke to the others. “Let them come to us.” The other two nodded. John stood with knees bent, ready to pounce. Ivan had his dual swords crossed in front of him. And Monty had his bow drawn, moving his aim to different Goblins to frighten them.

The fat Goblin stood at the back, talking quietly to some others, sneaking peeks at the humans over the heads of the smaller ones. Then it spoke, loudly, as it shoved its way forward.

“Humans,” it began with its rough voice. “Why here? Why take light?” It stopped about halfway through the group. “No need take. We give.” It spread his arms wide, and then it motioned to two of the Goblins carrying huge bags. They strode forward, the other Goblins moving out of their way. When they reached the front, they dropped the bags and opened them, revealing the glowing moss packed inside.

“Um, what?” John looked at his friends. They returned his confused look. “What are they trying to do here? Are they scared of us, trying to get us to leave by giving us the moss they thought I was stealing?” He blurted out the questions knowing his friends didn’t know either.

Ivan shrugged. “I have no idea John. This is a first for me.” He turned back to face the Goblins. “But be weary. They are known as tricksters. Good at ambushes.”

John looked at the bags, then the large Goblin, then back to the bags. He finally spoke. “Why? Why give them to us?”

“You want. You have.” The big Goblin spoke matter-of-factly. “We give. You leave.”

John stood silently, thinking. They, they just want us to leave? Not kill us? What the hell. This goes against everything we’ve seen. Sure I read that some in the past were peaceful and actually traded with other races. But that was long ago. He looked at their big eyes. They seem almost docile, scared of us. Anxious for us to leave. What if, what if -- John stepped forward. The Goblins tensed, nervous. As did his friends.

John put his bag on the ground and reached inside. The Goblins reacted even more, taking a tentative step back, raising their make-shift weapons. John stood with the item he had retrieved. He held it out to them and spoke. “Trade. Food. For light.” He held the item higher. Now the fat Goblin looked confused and nervous but also interested.

Ivan stepped forward towards him. John turned quickly and waved his friend back. He said quietly, “We don’t want to scare them. I have an idea. Trust me.” Ivan gave an odd look and stepped back next to Monty.

The chieftain talked with the closest Goblins, glancing nervously at John. Then it stood and took a few steps toward him. “Food? What give? For light.”

“It’s bread. See?” He broke it in half. He took a small bite. “Here. Try it.” John set it on the ground and walked backwards to Ivan and Monty.

The big Goblin grunted at another who quickly ran to retrieve it. It eyed them the entire time as it walked backward into the crowd. Then turned and ran back to the chieftain. The small Goblin handed it to him carefully. It smelled the bread. Then licked it. Then mimicked John, breaking it and taking a bite. Even from far away, John could see its eyes light up.

“Good bread. More light! More light!” He yelled at the Goblins around him who ran frantically to an alcove returning with two more bags filled to the brim with moss. “More bread. For light.”

John smiled from ear to ear. “Give me your bread. All of it.” Ivan and Monty quickly went through the packs giving him four loaves. He walked forward. He spoke to the chieftain. “No more light. Gift. Yours.” He put them on the ground and walked away. The same Goblin from before ran forward, putting them in a bag to give to the Chieftain.

John looked at his friends, beaming. “I don’t know what to think guys. They seem friendly or at least not hostile towards us. I think they’re more scared of us than anything. I think we’ll be able to trade with them. What about you guys?”

“Mmmm. I’m still not sure. They could turn on us any moment. Especially now that we are out of bread.” Ivan kept his eyes on the Goblins.

“But think of it Ivan. They’re notorious miners. They could have ore! We could trade food for ore. Or whatever they wanted. Not for the moss though. We don’t need the moss. But ore! Iron!” John was visibly excited.

“Calm my friend,” Monty interrupted, motioning at the chieftain who was making his way to them through the crowd.

The Goblin approached, stopping a couple meters away. John waited, nervous but excited.

“Vrichik.” He pointed to himself. Now that the Goblin was close, it was obviously a he.

John wasted no time. “John,” he said, pointing to himself. He pointed to his friends. “Ivan. Monty.” He waited.

“Trade. Bread. For Light.” Vrichik grunted out, pointing at the bags and holding up the bread in his hands.

John shook his head. “Don’t need light. Rocks. Make this.” John helped up his sword.

“Grmm. Hard rock. Make weapon” He turned and grunted to the Goblins. Several disappeared into a different alcove. The chieftain and the trio of men waited. Soon, the Goblins came out dragging a single bag, grunting and groaning.

“Hard rock. For bread. Lots bread.” Vrichik was smiling, his sharp pointy teeth showing.

“How many? Bread for rocks?” John asked, worried it may be too much.

The Goblin put a finger in his nose, thinking. He held up his hand. Four fingers.

Four loaves of bread for that bag of iron. Are you kidding me! His thoughts were interrupted by Vrichik.

“Have many. Need food. Trade.” John was ecstatic at his comment.

“How much do you understand of what we say?” John asked curiously.

“Lots. Know lots.” Vrichik pointed to his head while smiling.

“Good. Good. Then yes, four,” holding up his fingers,” bread for rocks. But we have to go back to our camp to get more, make more. Do you understand?” John waited.

“Not dumb. Know bread. We wait. Then trade. Many rocks. 10 moons.” He motioned all around him with his hands as if to entice John. He smiled, then turned to walk back.

“Wait. I agree.” He stepped forward, making the Goblins cringe. “ But we are lost. Need to get back to camp. Help?” He turned to Ivan who gave him a sideways look. “We need to find out the other entrances. This may show us one, if they help us out of the mountain,” he whispered to Ivan quietly.

The chieftain turned to John, then to another Goblin and pointed, grunting. “Water hole. Take.” He pointed in the opposite direction they had arrived. He looked at John. “Water hole. Ten moons.”

“I’m not so sure about this John,” Ivan said, nervousness in his voice. “We’ve given them the bread, and now we’re supposed to trust them to show us out of here? Through a water hole?”

“Look. They haven’t been hostile, besides hitting me on the head. I know.” John stopped Ivan before he could speak, noticing now that his head still hurt. “The entire time we’ve been here, my danger trait has not gone off. I truly don’t believe they wish us harm. So yes, I’m going to trust them to show us the way out of here. A different way. You can stay or follow.” John was goading him knowing full well he’d follow.

Ivan gave him the stink eye. “Fine. We’ll go. I’m still not sure what in the hell just happened to be honest.” All three picked up their sacks. Ivan picked up the sack of ore, and John and Monty each grabbed a sack of moss, their gift. They walked towards the small Goblin who would be leading them. “I hope you know what you’re doing John,” he said, looking at the Goblin cowering in front of them.

John just smiled. He waved with his hand to the Goblin, and with that, they marched behind it through a different cave toward camp. Hopefully.