My head feels like it was split open like a coconut. I start opening my eyes the to see my beautiful wife’s face. Sotvig and I have been married for a couple hundred years now and she has always supported and taken care of me as I try to lead our tribe and free us from the shackles placed on us by my father. Every time I have been pulled into the human world she has stepped up and took my place as the chief of the tribe. She brings me a glass of water with some medicine to ease my residual pain.
“Oh Grandvier, why do you think she is calling us back so soon?”
I drink the water and medicine before I answer. “Sotvig my dear, I do not know. How long have I been out for?”
“Only a couple of hours.”
I hand the glass and medicine cup back to her saying, “Well that’s better than the twelve hours it use to put me out for.”
She frowns at me not amused. I give her a weak smile then ask, “Have you talked to Skizzle about his new information?”
“No, I haven’t heard of this until today. I will send one of the girls to fetch him.”
I lay back down saying, “Thank you, my love.”
Only ten minutes or so later there is a knock on the front door. I get up and head to the living room where Skizzle, dressed in his pristine brown and white robes, is already standing with Sotvig. The robes are the enchanted garb of the Keeper of The Tombs being passed down from keeper to keeper. Skizzle once told me that if the robes ever needed to be mended they would have to be re-enchanted because it disrupts the magic. The enchantment is there to identify the keeper to The Tombs and allow him or her access to areas restricted to others.
I greet Skizzle with a warm hand shake, “Please take a seat” I say as I point to a chair across from the couch, where I sit down with Sotvig. “Okay Skizzle, let’s hear what you have found.”
Skizzle pauses for a moment to gather his thoughts. “Chief, I am glad we are doing this without the rest of the council here as I am not sure if the others would approve of my findings.”
I raise my eyebrows at this and wave him on.
“I have found a way to transfer the power of the scarf to a new item.”
This is definitely something new and not heard of before. I have so many questions but I need to start with the beginning. “Where did you find this information?”
Skizzle begins grinning like a mad goblin. “A couple days ago, I was working on cataloging the Tombs and reached a section that I couldn’t find any reference to in the archives. This is not unheard of but it is most unusual because it is not in a remote part of the tombs. I took a book from the section to look at it and found that the book is just empty pages. I tried another and found the same thing. I started grabbing books at random, finding them the same until I grabbed one that gave resistance to my pull. I pulled harder and the whole section of shelves started to lower into the floor. I was met with a stair case that descended down. Before I journeyed down I skimmed back through all of the notes of previous keepers looking for any reference to what I had found. In the notes of the very first keeper I found an obscure line written that simply says ‘Section of blanks’. This reference lets me know that the first keeper knew it was there. I returned to the section…”
I raise my hand to interrupt Skizzle, “Before you continue would you like some water? I feel like you are going to be doing a lot of talking.”
Skizzle, realizing that his mouth was a bit dry, shook his head yes. I got up and returned shortly with three glasses of water.
Skizzle takes a sip of his water and continues, “I returned to the section and casted a light spell before descending down the stairs. It was only one flight and ended in a hallway that lead me to a small room with a stand that had a single book laying shut on it. This book was very old but I could tell there was a forever enchantment on the room.”
Skizzle, seeing the confusion on my face and knowing that I am not the most magically inclined goblin, explains further before continuing with his story. “It’s a simple enchantment we use in the section of The Tombs where the books that need to be replaced are kept until they can be duplicated. The enchantment is powered by a rare item that has a limited range preventing us from binding the whole tomb. The enchantment only effects inanimate objects that are made from organic material.”
I nod my understanding to Skizzle. Sotvig just rolls her eyes because this is something I should have learned as a young goblin, but I never could grasp magic the way she and Skizzle can.
“To ensure I didn’t damage the book I used a simple control spell to open it; there were only a few hand written pages contained inside. The whole book describes the process in which the Scarf of Dominion was created. Is has the rituals, the magic items needed, and the spells needed to be cast. I read and re-read the book a couple dozen times. Based on what I can tell this book has some serious implications for our people’s history but that can be discussed at another time. I believe that if we conduct the rituals and cast the spells with the right items on a new item, we can create a new item of Dominion. The utmost issue is that we need an item called a ‘Wibble Seed’. I have already started researching this item and found where one can be obtained.”
Skizzle falls silent. The name wibble seed scratches at something in my memory but I can’t seem to recall from where. His continued silence tells me that what he says next will not be something that I will like. I glance at my wife and she seems to be waiting on him to continue too.
Instead of continuing he begins gulping down his water to delay the conversation. With clenched teeth I growl “Enough with the water. Where do we get this seed?”
He finishes his water and looks unsure on how to continue. I glare at Sotvig as she offers him more water and quickly smirks in my direction. He shakes his head declining and finally speaks, “It can be found in Atlantis.”
I sink back into the couch slowly dragging my hands over my face. Why of all places there? The humans call it the lost city but really it’s no different than our swamp; it’s in a pocket dimension. I know that we can reach it through the Vehiculum pool here in the swamp so getting there is not an issue, it’s the merfolk of Atlantis that is the trouble. They hate us so much that they wouldn’t spit on one of us if we were on fire.
After a few moments of silence Sotvig asks, “Do you know where in Atlantis this seed can be found?”
“Based on what I have read wibble seeds are fairly common in Atlantis because they grow in water and produce the wobble fruit which is like a melon with very a seedy core. They were a common export of Atlantis while trade was still open with them 500 years ago.”
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Now I remember where I heard that name before, wobble fruit was quite popular when I was child. They were these purple melons where the inside was like a watermelon but the size of a cantaloupe. I remember the traders bringing them in through the Vehiculum pool once a year. There was something else about the fruit that I just can’t remember.
Sotvig smiles and says, “Great then we should still have some of these seeds prior to your grandfather Provo spiting in the face of their king. You know Grandvier, the chiefs before you have done some pretty stupid things that have really screwed this tribe.”
I sit up, “Well my grandfather was an entitled idiot that thought he was the greatest to ever live and my father was an even bigger idiot than him but without the entitlement.” Now I remember the issue with the fruit! “The problem is my love, part of the trade deal we had with Atlantis was that we would send the seeds back because we couldn’t grow them in the swamp, so there was little reason for us to keep them. Who would have guessed that the seed was used in probably the most important ritual ever done in goblin history?” I pause before asking Skizzle, “If we get a wibble seed then we can just make a new ‘whatever’ of Dominion and the scarf will stop working?”
“Not exactly, based on my research we would have to take our new item and touch it to the scarf, then the power will be drawn out of it into the new item.”
I fall back again on the couch covering my face again. Sotvig looks at me, “This sounds like something we can do. We just need to send an ambassador to Atlantis and convince them to give us a Wobble fruit. Once we have that we can conduct the ritual on a new item and touch it to the scarf.”
Without sitting up I reply, “Okay, so who do we send to meet with Atlantis? It can’t be me, every time that hag calls I have to go. You can’t go because the tribe needs you when I am gone. I don’t want anyone on the council to go.” I pause to look at Skizzle, “No offense, Skizzle.”
He waves it away, “ None taken chief. I am not the social type and the others can be quite brutish.”
I turn back to my wife, “So, who should we send?”
Sotvig thinks about it for a moment and then gets this big smile on her face. “Let’s send the girls as our ambassadors.”
I groan with discomfort. “Really that’s who you think we should send, our children? Why? They would be in danger.”
“We will send them with guards of course. And they are your children, so that makes them royalty in the eyes of the merfolk. You know they wouldn’t cross you. Not after what you did to their last king’s ‘invasion’ attempt.”
“I only did that because that idiot thought he could take our resources by force by sending his weak soldiers here to enslave us. I still remember that pompus captain.” In a mocking voice I repeat what their captain had said, “We, the superior merfolk of Atlantis, have come to bring you barbaric goblins, civilization.”
“Yes my dear and you showed them by beating them with swamp willow branch till they could barely crawl back through the Vehiculum pool. My point is that they wouldn’t dare touch your daughters. That was only 70 years ago, so it’s still fresh in their minds.”
I concede the point, “But do you think they are ready to handle the responsibility?”
Skizzle clears his throat, “I can answer that if I may.”
Sotvig nods.
“Chief your daughters handle a lot of the negotiation of disputes around here before they are taken to your wife when you are gone. From what I have seen they both do quite well getting both sides to come to an agreement. Hex has even solved some disputes with force when one party got out of hand.”
I do not like the idea of my little girls going to Atlantis but I have a feeling that it’s going to happen whether I like it or not. “Fine they can go, but they will take the Six. I guess that solves that issue. Once the girls get the fruit then you two can do the ritual?”
Skizzle wrings his hands and answers, “Well that is another issue, we need five goblins for the ritual. I think it’s for the best if very few others know of this because like I said earlier there are some historical implications from the book that is best left buried for the moment or maybe forever. We need three more strong mages that can help us that will also keep the information to themselves.”
“Well that takes Chimun out, he runs his mouth about everything and he’s a medical mage,” Sotivig says shaking her head.
“Are you kidding that eliminates ninety-five percent of the tribe. We have so many motor mouths.” I say in frustration.
“What about Deskelta? She is turning into an outstanding mage. Also, Ruk is quite skilled.” Skizzle and I shake our heads in agreement. “That just leaves one more.”
I clap my hands together with excitement, “I know we can get Duc to do it. He was your predecessor, Skizzle, so he would have to fit the bill as a strong mage.”
Skizzle doesn’t look sure. Duc is not the kindest person, actually I am not sure if he even likes other goblins. He only seems to like books. “He’s still alive, right?” I ask Skizzle.
“Yes, he is still alive and does on occasion leave the Tombs. I just don’t know if he will be willing to help us,” replies Skizzle uncertainly.
“It’ll be fine, I will talk with him when I get back from dealing with the hag. That’s two problems solved and now the hardest to go, how do I get the new item in contact with the scarf?”
Sotvig stands up and says, “This is a problem for a later time. You, my husband, need to rest before tomorrow morning. Are you taking anyone with you when you go?”
I shake my head. “She doesn’t want to tell us why, then I will go alone. I will not drag our people around just to please her. You should assemble the Six after I leave and get the girls ready to go. We should get this started as soon as possible so we can become a free people again.”
She nods. “Okay, I will take care of it. Skizzle you need to make sure we have everything ready to go for the ritual when the girls return.”
Skizzle stands, “What about a new item?”
“Let me handle that,” I reply. “I will have to pick an object that can’t be stolen from us again but can be passed down to the next chief.”
Skizzle nods as I place my hand on his shoulder leading him out the door. After stepping back inside, I start swaying and Sotvig catches me before I fall. “Come on let’s get you back to bed. You are not invincible my love.” We get to the bed and I am asleep before my head hits the pillow.
As I awaken I glance at the time on my alarm clock to see that I have ample time before I have to return to the human world. I make my way to the kitchen to see that Sotvig has breakfast waiting for me. I eat two servings since I don’t know when I will be back and I hate eating human food, they don’t use enough mushrooms. Sotvig and I walk out of the house heading toward the Vehiculum pool. Hex and Daskelta run up to us, joining us on our walk to the pool. The swamp is full up life and we see everyone out doing work and preparing for the upcoming mushroom harvest. Once the harvest is done they set the freshly harvested ones out to dry, jar some, and then bag the rest. Once they are all packaged, we store the jarred ones for the tribe and the bags will be taken through the Vehiculum pool to trade with other pocket dimensions, bringing back a variety of goods we need. When we arrive at the pool, I look at my girls and tell them to be safe on their up coming journey. They hug me and promise to be safe asking me to be safe as well. I nod as I squeeze them in return. a single tear drops down my cheek. Even though I’ve done this a hundred times over, it still hurts having to always leave my family behind.
I hold Sotvig in my arms as she says, “I don’t like that you are going back alone.”
“I will be safe and if I need others she will bring more after.” I say smiling before I brush my lips against hers and tighten my embrace.
After forcing myself to let go. I step up to a large stone about waist high that has old symbols on it, pressing them in a particular pattern which tell the pool to take me to the Scarf of Dominion. I look back at my family and wave one more time before jumping in.
I will never get use to going from jumping into a pool of water in the ground to walking upright out of an arched portal. It make no sense to me. There is a lot about magic that I just can’t wrap my head around, I guess that is why I have people that know more about magic than I do. I see the old hag as I step into the room. I drop to one knee bowing my head as quickly as I can as the portal closes behind me. Without seeing her face, I imagine her pursing her lips as she realizes I am the only one coming through. “Okay Grandvier, if you want to play games you can do this job on your own.”