Chapter 16: Home

  The Already frighten human woman was once more astounded and terrified of the sight before her.  A crude fortress slowly taking shape at the center of a small plain. It was nothing compared to the walls of her homeland or even compared to the crude stone fortress in the godless territory, it was a measly fortress with no real protection against an army. Yet, the human couldn't help but gasp. Never in her life had she ever seen goblins build such an enormous structure. The walls stood ten feet tall encompassing a large swath of the plain enough for several hundred goblins to comfortably live within. Parts of the fortress were still being constructed, she saw several goblins aiding each other with the large logs that rested on one side of the plains. At the center of this enormous structure, She saw a young goblin instructing the others. The human gulped and gazed at the Human god, "he is not normal." Very few gods started out with small populations, most had at least one thousand worshipers. The numbers weren't the only problem for Scitus however, it was also the lack of technology, an advantage most gods had. Scitus had started out with nothing and yet he was able to lead the goblins into building forts in only a few months.

  While the returning goblins looked in awe at the construction before them, Scitus was deep in thought, “the others should be here soon, and the goblin king will be here the day after tomorrow if I judged the pace correctly.”

  Robin and teal at that time were exhausted, they slept very little during their journey in preparation of Morgans attack. Their legs trembled with each step something Scitus was quick to notice and so while they were in a sleepy daze, Scitus took hold of the two goblins on their shoulders and carried them the rest of the way.

  Therefore as he walked towards the city, all stood and watched as their god carried two unconscious goblins on his shoulders, their wounds had already healed but their consciousness had yet to return. All around the encampment goblins stood and watched Scitus as he gently laid them beneath the shade of his beloved tree at the center of the city.

  The Goblins never thought that there would be a day when a human would carry a goblin on his shoulders. Then there was kaya, who never thought she would see a god burden himself with assisting his own subjects much less a goblin who attempted to assassinate him.

  Scitus thought differently of the circumstances. Goblins for many years had been killed by humans, he thought it inevitable that some goblins would have animosity against him. Though he knew this he still couldn't let them go unpunished for it would show a bad example to the other goblins. Even so, he would treat them with respect until he could announce their punishments.

  After the commotion had died the goblins returned to their regular activities. All of them had clear excitement showing on their faces for they were slowly realizing what they had been ordered to construct. “fort!!!” they thought. Never in their entire lives did they dream of constructing something so amazing. To them, that crude wooden fortress was but something only the humans could create. They had felt inferior to all other beings for so long that they had forgotten that they too were people who could do great things. A sense of pride was slowly building within them, a sense of accomplishment filled their hearts as they tied down the logs and put them firmly into place.

  Scitus walked towards Seresa who at that time was shouting commands at the goblin population. As soon as she noticed Scitus her cheeks grew hot from her unsightly appearance and quickly tidied up her clothes and straightened her back to greet Scitus. "I learn god Language!!!" She shouted in heavily accented and disorderly English. Scitus's heart lightened, happy that she could learn at least a part of it so quickly, "good Job Seresa." Seresa couldn't help but feel her heart pulse faster and she quickly hid her face fearing that she was making some strange look. The top of her head was blanketed in little black hairs. This was becoming commonplace among the goblins and in only a few months they would have full sets of hair. The anomaly did not go past Scitus but he had no way of researching it so he had put it to the back of his mind. "it probably has some relation to my presence, but I don't exactly know what I've done to them." he thought as Seresa happily explained the progress they made, making sure to use her newfound vocabulary.

  Once Seresa was finished explaining the situation to Scitus, Scitus left to greet the Human who was tied down on the same tree the injured goblins rested. Her eyes were sharp and filled with rage but Scitus could see that beneath that rage was fear. Scitus looked at her and muttered some words. Suddenly a dark black aura etched itself around the human's neck before sinking into her flesh. Her eyes widened as she desperately tried to hold in her tears. She dug her nails to her palms in a desperate attempt to be strong but even after resisting, tears began to stain her cheeks but her furious gaze never once faded.

He soon did the same to the goblins who attacked him which, to his surprise, they accepted.

  "imprison." He whispered to Morgan who was still unconscious, he had learned the ability in one of the many pages within the Book of Gods. Gods had several abilities, one of them was the ability to imprison people who have been defeated by his followers or people who willingly allowed themselves to be taken. Being imprisoned by a God was nearly impossible to break free of, only another god could free them and to do that they would need to take the prisoner out of the god's territory so if a significantly important ally to a god becomes imprisoned, freeing them was near impossible. For the godless, freedom was impossible for they had no god to free them.

  Normally Imprisonment was an ability that always required a significant amount of mana to maintain and therefore lesser gods refrained from using it frequently but to Scitus, even at less than a percent of his original mana capacity, it was but an infinitesimal cost. His Mana capacity had returned and the feeling of being attached to the world once again invaded his mind. It was a strange yet calming feeling that almost made him never wish to leave his territory again.

  After the human was imprisoned, her bindings were undone and she was permitted to freely roam the city but was prohibited from entering the forest. Arisa was a bit happy for her and at the same time sad that she could no longer be beside her. That was until Scitus asked her to keep a close eye on the human to make sure the other goblins didn't bother her. "That woman is probably afraid of the goblins considering her previous circumstances."   Worried for the Humans mental well being Scitus decided to keep her safe by providing her a bodyguard. Scitus knew that although the goblins respected him and would obey him, the moment his back turned they would no doubt show their spiteful side to other humans, "my original followers have probably lost most of their animosity but the new goblins don't trust me and bringing that woman with me certainly didn't help.".

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  When he had finished with his work, Scitus found an area that was shaded by some logs and rested. The goblins bustling around him made sure to not disturb his rest for they knew he worked harder than any of them. Even without needing to sleep his mind had grown tired from managing the city for the past few weeks.

  He rested his eyes and thought how surprisingly human the Goblins were. They were not the monsters that literature and lore told him about during the game. When he decided to rule over the monsters he thought it would be more of a master-slave relationship for he did not believe the monsters would have conscious thought but everything the humans of that world believed of them was wrong.

  They had lovers, brothers, sister, fathers, and mothers. They too felt pain when they lost someone close and Scitus was sure that other monsters were similar.

  "Valentine and Juliet would die for the other. Max loves his son dearly and Robin reveres his father. Seresa is childish at times with her mischievous side but is serious when she needs to be, always looking after William. William is like a young boy trying his best at trying to help everyone in his own way sometimes helping the older goblins with their tasks.  I want to see them grow, to be happy, to be free of the fears that had chained them to this land for so long."

  Even as he rested he thought of his people trying to come up with ways to increase security and thinking of countermeasures against the coming goblins and any future threats. More than anything he wanted for them the peace he never had in his world.

  As he rested, the new goblins arrived. Maxwell oversaw welcoming them and explaining to them their tasks. Some goblins could see that their god rested nearby, beneath the shade of some stacked longs. By that point, the injured awoke and were brought into the mass of new goblins. Valentine, however, was separated for his own safety and Juliet accompanied him.  Morgan was beside his son at the time and was told all that had happened. Morgan for once felt shame in his actions even after everything he had done, Scitus only branded him with the prisoner's mark. Morgan knew that his crime was worthy of public execution, but he was not only let go but allowed to roam free until his punishment could be decided.  Even if the prisoner's mark was not placed on him Morgan would not run and neither would his followers, they now understood after Seeing Scitus treat his people that Scitus truly wished to protect goblins.

  Some distance away was the human who had preoccupied herself with walking the perimeter of the plain. Behind her walked Arisa who happily smiled as she kept up with the human. "stop following me you filthy goblin." She said aloud knowing that the goblin couldn't possibly understand her. She turned to face the goblin, it was the same one that had been guarding her the previous nights. "so you're my bodyguard." She thought as she scanned over the goblins features. They were softer than the other goblins, displaying some feminity she had already discovered she was a woman over the past few nights when Arisa made several gestures to explain that she was female. "The god sure likes to concern himself over me." Her body shook as she remembered those bitter nights in that hellish tent. It hadn't always been her turn, but she had made sure to agitate the Goblins to chose her more often especially when they neared the small girl that was there with them.

  She fell to her knees as tears fell down her cheeks. Her nails began to tear at the ground beneath her but in only a few moments she didn't have the energy to continue. She wept and took in deep breaths as Arisa watched her. "Go away!!!" She shouted as she tossed dirt at Arisa who allowed herself to be attacked. “GET THe fuck away from me!!!” she cried as nearby goblins watched but Seresa quickly forced them back to work.

  When the human had calmed, Arisa kneeled down to meet the Human and began to make an odd gesture, the human didn't understand but the human knew they were to comfort her. Finally, Arisa movements slowed and tears welled in her eyes as she rubbed her stomach and took a nearby stone and pretended to stab herself. Her tears blinded her but she continued to tell her story of what she had faced, she then pretended to cradle something in her arms her sobs pained the human who somehow began to understand the story. Finally, Arisa dug a small hole and kissed the invisible thing she held in her arms before placing it in the hole and burying it.

  She had finished her story and the human perhaps out of some sisterly instinct held Arisa and embraced her as they both tried to forget their hellish memories.

  Few knew of Arisa past and fewer knew the pain she had faced. Arisa rarely told anyone her story but she had told Maxwell long ago and had told Scitus a week after their meeting. Both of them held her tightly like the human, although they were not women and although they had not faced the same thing, they deeply cried for her.

  After a few minutes, Arisa stands up still teary-eyed and pounded her chest. "I protect, Master Protect!!!" The human did not understand her words but nodded wanting to placate the goblin.

  Scitus had awakened from his slumber and walked towards the two a with Seresa alongside him. Seresa had informed him that the human had shouted quite loudly and said "away" the only word she understood out of what the human had said.

  At the sight of the god, the human unconsciously trembled. She hated gods and everything that they were but Arisa mistook this shaking as fear and quickly smiled in her direction before turning to Scitus and Seresa.

  "AHH!!!" Arisa Screamed, startling the two in front of her. Despite her small stature, her legs were pure muscle allowing her to easily leap several feet into the air and onto Scitus. Scitus reflexively caught her, she had wrapped her legs around him while firmly holding onto his shoulders. Scitus felt as though he was carrying a muscular child who was asking to play.

  "I help human, not scare, Master." She said as she smiled, Scitus quickly noticed the recent tears on her cheeks and warmly smiled startling both Seresa and Arisa who had rarely seen him smile.

  Seresa, after a few moments, came to her senses and gently tugged at Arisa as she calmly asked Arisa, "Get off master." Arisa turned to meet Seresa and felt a chill go down her spine as she noticed the cold fury beneath Seresa eyes.

  "It's alright, she is trying to help." Hearing this, seresa's green face turned red and she audibly pouted "hmph!!!" She scrunched her eyes and hid her upper lip beneath her lower one and turned away from the two as if not wanting to see the overly intimate display.

  Scitus gently put Arsia down only for her to jump into his arms again as Seresa more desperately tried to ignore the two but couldn't help but feel a strange uncomfortable feeling well up in her throat. Her ears burned with fury but not once did she turn around, making sure to not do anything shameful in front of her god.

  The human saw all of this and couldn't help but soften her heart. She hated gods with all her being but she could not hate the young goblin that looked after her nor that obviously jealous goblin who deeply admired her god. Tears fell down her cheeks as she thought, "Innocence that I thought I'd forgotten" she was happy for them, happy that they could live without fear.

  Arisa finally removed herself from the Scitus and walked towards the human who was still on her knees. Arisa extended her hand. The human shook her head but lifted her chin and smiled in thanks.