Chapter 11 Goblins.
You can never be free of time.
It’ll find you, it’ll haunt you.
It’ll remind you of its presence.
And it’ll kill you one day, if you’re lucky.
Tiyadi, the Silver Lord of Time.
The bright light Sina summons blinds me. Once my vision clears, I notice that it blinded the goblins as well. It blinded everyone.
There are still five goblins right in front of me, and they’re dazed. “Latsa”
Lezere steps in and hacks at the goblin pile with her axe. Once, twice, thrice, the blood splatters her face, the pile twitches, but she keeps on hacking.
On the other side Kolag keeps on swinging. It seems as if the bright light hasn’t affected him as much as the rest of us, or at least he recovered sooner. By the time the goblins on his side recover there are only two of them left.
They turn to run away screaming into the night.
I lift my robe to examine my ankle in the light of Sina’s magic. It looks bad, it hurts and the wound is covered by some sort of stinking black substance, some of it is on my robes as well. I hope it’s not poisoned…
“Fuck…” Purson says with his hand on his knee. His leathery pants are covered in the same substance.
“Language,” Janara notes, she limps to the embers in the campfire, and collapses near it.
“I’ll fucking say fuck! We almost died! How did they sneak up on us like that?!”
“Goblins see in the dark.” Lezere wipes the blood off her face.
“Maybe you should’ve - I don’t know mentioned it before the fuckers sneaked up on us?!” Purson yells at her.
She bites the air in his direction with a snarl. “They’re pretty loud, they don’t know how to sneak. You would’ve noticed it if you weren’t busy kissing your bitch.”
“Fuck you! Don't you talk to Janara that way! We almost died because of you! All you had to do is say something! Fucking damn it.” Purson turns to Janara, examining the wound on her leg.
“Ik a’arjul-a’ark” Lezere says in a language I don’t recognize.
“What was that?!” He rises up to his feet in a threatening manner. He and the half-orc are about the same height. No. Lezere is actually a little bit taller than him.
“I said you are a dog who wants to be a wolf, human who think he’s strong as an orc. An idiot who likes to make wolves fight one another,” Lezere explains with a sharp-toothed grin.
“Fuck you! If you want a fight, I’ll give you one!” Purson steps forward with every intention to punch her. Lezere leans forward, excited to exchange blows.
Kolag steps between them, he's taller than both with his armor. “Friends. Let’s all calm down. We have an enemy to fight, we must not fight amongst ourselves.”
“Fuck you too! If Janara dies because of you…”
“Purson! I’m fine, ok?! It’s just a little stab wound.” Janara sighs from the side.
Lezere’s shoulders slump. No longer looking forward for a fight, she chuckles. “Goblins cover their spears with their shit, better wash that.”
Ew Shit! I pick a waterskin and wash my wound. It’s not as bad as it looks, it’s a pretty shallow cut on the front part of my ankle, the goblin’s weapon didn’t do any damage to my bone.
“I’ll help you sew that chief.” Lezere says looking at my wound and taking out her small sewing kit, “kaka you’ll have a nice scar to show!”
“Get your filthy paws off that, you putrid boar!” Sina pushes Lezere’s hand away. “It’s not that deep, it doesn’t need stitches, only a little bit of cleaning.” Sina’s ball of light moves down and she examines my wound. She takes out her flask, spills some of the content into a folded piece of cloth, and uses it to clean my wound.
I wince when it burns. “What are you doing?”
“It’s just alcohol, trust me I know what I’m doing. I’m the winner of the white steam award, something like this is easier than building even the simplest of devices.” Yeah yeah your white steam award, whatever!
“Hey you two! Janara needs help too!” Purson shouts angrily.
“I’m sure they’ll treat her after they’re done with the lady, my friend,” Kolag interjects.
“So Janara is not important?! Why? Because she doesn’t have some fancy title?! You noble fuck! Who do you think you are Befar?!”
“You are right, as of now I am no one, I no longer hold a title nor land. I am but the sword at your right, and Lezere is the axe at your left. If you think the goblins will make for better partners, then go and join them.” Kolag’s echoing reply is calm like a midnight lake.
“Fuck you and your big talk about justice and honor! Where were you and your justice when we brought order to the tower? Where were you when we had to arrest Jarred and kill him?! When two good men died to his poison magic?! Where were you then? Uh?”
Who is Jarred? What is he talking about?
“Hiding like a coward,” Kolag admits nonchalantly.
Purson stares at him angrily.
Probably one of the people my peacekeepers arrested when I was focused on studying and meditations…
“There, you’re all good, let me take a look at it again tomorrow.” Sina is done bandaging my leg, she moves on to Janara, and starts working on her leg.
“That’s right!” Purson regains his wit. “That’s exactly what you are! You…”
“That’s enough!” I interject at the perfect moment to stop this nonsense. “You two can kill each other when the goblin nest is clear. Until then, we’ll either cover each other’s back, or we’ll die. There is no other way around this.”
“Lezere should’ve told us what she knew of Goblins!” Purson says angrily.
“Lezere? You will tell us everything you know about Goblins from now on. If you know where they wash their hands, I want to hear about it.”
She cackles. “Goblins don’t wash their hands chief.”
“Purson. No more outbursts, you have a problem with someone you either come to me with it or keep it to yourself until we’re back at the tower.” By now he already let it all out…
“Fuck you too!”
Oh? “I’d love to have you do that, you’re a very good-looking man. But you see, Janara would kill me if I let you, and you’d be next.” I say with a grin.
Purson takes a confused step back murmuring something unclear. I can hear a low snicker not sure from who. But Janara is the one laughing loudly, a clear joyful laughter. She takes Purson’s hand and clenches it, this calms him down.
The mood turns better after that, Purson doesn’t really apologize, but he does look as if he’s feeling guilty about his outburst. Lezere and I take the watch while the rest of them go to bed. There’s still a long night ahead, and I hope no more goblins show up tonight.
{26} Tiyadi (November) the 28th
We reach Velten village by the next evening. According to the map, this small human village is under the protection of Baron Eser zor Werner. I’ve seen the man once, about ten springs ago at a party my stepmother had organized. I don’t remember much about him, I was too young to care back then.
The small wooden housings are strewn around in a disorderly manner, smoke rises from the brick chimneys, and the slate rooftops are covered in heavy snow. Aside from a pair of sentries huddling in their woolen coats on a wooden tower, none of the residents are outside. Everyone is staying home in this cold. Less than a hundred families live in this village. I know there are smaller villages, but this is one of the smallest I’ve ever seen.
From the look of this village, it has seen better days, and the fact that there are goblins so close to the village tells me that its lord no longer cares for protecting it.
Otherwise, the Baron’s men would’ve already been on top of the problem. Instead, they resort to those poor sentries who freeze themselves up there watching the night, I’m surprised the goblins didn’t kill everyone in this village already.
What baffles me the most is: Why would the Sapphire tower care? I don’t even know where the Sapphire tower is located, but it’s not even near the Kingdom of Mansel’a… Why would the mages in the tower care about what happens thousands of miles away? What do they stand to gain from this?
This is only a minor threat, something the local militia or even a knight order should handle, why send us? Why pay us for this? Why not use their funds and influence to have Baron zor Werner take care of the problem? Or hire a small group of mercenaries?
None of this makes sense…
Also, Rushmia told us time and time again that we are not to harm the villagers, why? What does a group of mages care about a bunch of villagers in the middle of nowhere? They clearly don’t value human lives, so it has to be another interest… money? What kind of income does a village bring to a mage tower miles away from it? A mage tower that uses sapphire as its floors and walls…
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Maybe it’s the whole kingdom… maybe the sapphire tower owns the Kingdom of Mansel’a itself…
It would make sense, they certainly have the power to accomplish such a feat… Then again, if they own this whole kingdom, why send us to take care of this problem? Why not have the knights deal with it?
Rushmia said something about human resources… are the people themselves the resource? What kind then? They aren’t slaves… serfs maybe... but not slaves...
I’m going in circles with this, I can’t think of a solution, but this is definitely odd…
After the sentries point us in the right direction, we head toward the only stone building in this village, the tavern. This should also be the mayor’s house.
We open the door into the warmth and a blur of noises. I shudder, I got too used to the cold outside, and now my nose is running.
The warm brown colors inside this tavern stand in stark contrast to the darkness and dirty snow outside. The inn isn’t crowded, but plenty of people occupy the seats, most of them are men in their thirties or forties. They laugh and drink as maids in gray wool dresses deliver the ale.
A wooden statue of Lokamesh, God of Peace, stands at the edge of the inn. The statue features an old hunchback man in brown robes leaning on his walking staff, his eyes are closed, and a pair of white doves perch on his shoulders. The white paint is fading on the slightly rotting wood.
The smell of smoke comes from the warm fireplace behind the statue. The crowd turns silent when we enter, about half of them eye us with a mix of curiosity and anxiety. The other half continues with their drinking and merry-making, ignoring our presence entirely.
“Come! Sit near the fire good folk" A chubby middle-aged woman in a wool dress approaches us with a friendly smile that reaches her gray eyes. "We don't bite." She adds, sneaking a worried glance toward Lezere.
Sina and Lezere walk to the fire silently.
Purson shrugs. “Thanks, don’t mind if I do.”
“That stew smells delicious aunty, I wish we had the coppers for it.” Janara adds as Purson drags her toward the fire.
“Thank you for your hospitality milady.” Kolag gives the middle-aged woman a light bow, her gray eyes follow his figure with clear awe.
“Can we speak to the village elder? Or mayor?” I interrupt her ogling session.
Her smile loses some of its friendliness. “Andrew! Some people are ‘ere to see you! They all wear these fancy white wizard coats, and there’s even a knight!” She shouts and turns, tying up her curly ginger hair high on her nape.
“What?” After a brief moment, a beefy man with a bushy blond beard comes down from upstairs. He narrows a pair of blue eyes in our direction. “You folk are wizards? Here to kill them goblins?”
“We are.” I reply.
“I’d like to see some proof of that.” He says as he moves closer to me.
“Fotyr.”
Hushed murmurs erupt around the inn. It’s flattering.
“You wouldn’t be the mighty sorceress Effrat would you?”
I chuckle. “Maybe I am…” I say mysteriously. There are legends in these parts about Effrat, the red-haired sorceress who’d accidentally burn down everything along with her enemies. She’d then reconstruct everything from the ashes, like a phoenix. It doesn’t hurt to cultivate such an image, after all, if anyone here means us harm in any way, they’d expect me to use fire as my go-to magic, not gravity. I also enjoy it… I always wanted to be like her…
“She wishes she was!” Janara breaks my small momentary glory. I give her and my snickering friends a hateful look.
“Anyway…” I fix my gaze on Andrew. “We’re here to clean the goblin infestation. We just need you to point us in the right direction, and we’ll be out of your hair tomorrow morning.”
“We’ll point you in the right direction milady… um… madam sorceress… uh I mean no disrespect.”
“You can just call me Lady Vodit, I used to live a little bit north of here.” I cut his awkward stutter.
“Of course. Milady Vodit, right this way.”
“Hey Purson look! They have a flute!” Janara calls out excitingly. “Is it ok if we use this uncle?” She points at the wooden flute above the fireplace.
“Why not, go on ahead madam wizardess… um… sorceress?”
“I’m just Janara.” She replies and hands the flute to Purson. “Play winter away!” She demands of him.
Purson smiles and shakes his head as he stands up. He cleans the flute. A moment later he creates a jovial melody attracting the crowds’ attention to him. Janara takes her place by his side and sings in her beautiful voice.
Oh oh oh so long we toil.
Oh oh oh an order so tall.
Let us prepare the soil.
Before the end of fall.
Winter has come, spring on its way.
Some are quiet, some complain an’ say.
The snow is numb hard the crumb.
Alas, winter isn’t here to stay.
This time, the partially drunk crowd around the tables joins her with a chorus of hoarse voices.
Oh oh oh so long we toil.
Oh oh oh with our soul.
Let us prepare the soil.
To hunger we’ll never fall.
Warm your maiden, on a cold day.
Hold your children, precious are they.
This is the time to play with clay.
Alas, winter isn’t here to stay.
Oh oh oh so long we toil.
Oh oh oh bleed our soul.
Let us prepare the soil.
To sadness we’ll never fall.
Look up to the sky, for a radiant ray.
Our treasured supply, won’t ever decay.
On this momentous day we say.
Spring has come and winter away.
Oh oh oh let’s go toil.
Oh oh oh an order so tall.
Let us prepare the soil.
Before the end of fall.
“Aye! To spring!” Someone shouts.
“To spring!” The crowd cheers and breaks into laughter and more drinks.
“Mighty good performance lass, here, for your troubles!” Andrew hands her a handful of copper coins, forgetting her status of a “sorceress” entirely.
“Keep 'em, we want some of that stew! And rooms for the night if possible.”
“Of course deary.” The middle-aged woman moves toward the kitchen with a chuckle.
Dealing with the villagers becomes a lot easier after that, and Janara becomes a bit of a mascot for them, singing multiple songs on demand. As long as it serves our purpose, I decide not to interfere with that.
The next day, Andrew give us directions to the area the goblins are coming from.
{26} Mayan (December) the 4th
During the last week, we hunted small groups of goblins in the snowy forest, thinning their numbers, and finding more and more entrances to their nest.
Since Lezere knows a lot about goblins, we defer to her knowledge when it comes to hunting these creatures. For now we have to thin their numbers, by roaming the snowy forest and provoking fights.
At first, our skirmishes had earned us some wounds. But after a few days of fighting these creatures we learned, we adapted, and now we’re already used to fighting together.
*
“Goblins!” Janara shouts in alarm, and a moment later, a crowd of little green creatures charges at us from the thicket. The air is filled with squeaks, screams, and mad cackle.
According to Lezere the goblins don’t use any string-based ranged weapons, only simple crude bone-made weapons. They can’t throw weapons or draw a string due to their weak arms. Lezere says that even Sina can probably throw spears better. Hence, the goblins rely on numbers to overwhelm their opponents.
“This is the biggest group we’ve seen! There’s a hundred of them!” Sina screams in a panic.
“Forty-one kitten!” Lezere shouts over the mad cackles of the green crowd, her arrow finds its way to the first Goblin’s eye from about thirty meters away.
“You can count them?!” Sina screams with disbelief, while Purson’s crossbow bolt drops down another.
“Thirty-eight now!” Lezere lets out bark-like laughter as another goblin drops with her arrow in his small abdomen. They’re twenty meters away now.
“Let’s cleanse this corruption from our world my friends!” Kolag declares as he charges forth, his armored boots stomping in the snow. He’s practically invincible when it comes to the goblin’s bone-made weapons. His armor isn’t made out of iron, it’s a harder and tougher black shimmering metal that he refuses to talk about.
Purson drops his crossbow, draws his sword, and follows suit along with Janara.
Kolag rams into the goblins like a hot knife cutting into butter. They’re fifteen meters away from us and within the range of my magic.
“Myrsha.”
I swiftly form four more mana patterns as I cancel my ‘Pull’ spell. “Latsa”
They’re less than ten meters away from me now, I notice one of them is eyeing his floating spear with a lost expression on his ugly face. “Ritsa!”
Kolag is in the middle of the horde, wreaking havoc. Goblins attempt to climb his limbs and stab him with their useless weapons, but to no avail, their weapons keep breaking on his dark gleaming armor.
“Kusharissa!” Janara is at the edge of the horde. She’s spraying acid on the goblins, who scream and run away from the sizzling liquid that melts their skin like cheese.
Some of them circle away and attempt to attack Janara from the sides, but Purson is there. The lanky man sweeps his sword low decapitating the small green heads and tearing limbs off.
Some of the goblins move in a wider circle around Janara and Purson, in an attempt to get to Sina, Lezere, and me at the rear. The goblins on the left drop one by one with arrows in their heads.
“Latsa.”
But I still have my gem pouch.
By now I’ve done my research and found out how to draw mana from gems. I had to form another mana pool in order to do it. I’ve abandoned my effort with the fire mana pool, and put time into meditating and forming this general mana pool.
Located in the throat, this mana pool allows me to draw mana from objects charged with mana and turn it into gravity mana in my forehead. It took me two long months to open and form this mana pool but I’ve done it faster than the fire mana-pool. I kept the gems on me just in case, and this is the first time I actually have to use them. It's also the first time we've ran into this many goblins.
“Reviss kass.” The few who still manage to get past the fierce battle, get electrocuted by Sina’s magic. Her lightning magic is very limited in range, the thin arc of electricity dissolves if it has to cross more than a meter, but by the time the goblins reach Sina there aren’t many of them.
“Chief! We have another group from behind!” Lezere shouts. I see the smaller group charging at us from behind. Looks like I'll have to use more gems after all... it seems that these goblins learn just as we do…
“Get ready for the light everyone! Sina blind them!” I shout and cover my eyes, my heart pumping with adrenaline.
“Rivssor ak!”
Even with my eyes covered and closed, I perceive the bright white flash. It's a miracle we survived the first battle she used this spell. Since then, we thought of a more practical application to this magic.
I open my eyes. The horde of twenty charging goblins is screaming, covering their eyes, and stumbling on one another. I draw mana directly from my gems. “Myrsha! Latsa! Ritsa!”
Just as they recover from their confusion, they get skewered by their own bone spears. I manage to get nine of them this time, this is about half of their group. Lezere draws her axe with a snarl and hacks into them. I lift the pair of flanking goblins and shove them on their friends’ heads. Sina steps forward and electrocutes a flanking goblin.
I turn around. Lezere and Sina can handle the remaining four. The first group of goblins had already scattered. Janara covers a wound on her thigh and waves away the worried Purson.
Kolag cleans his sword on a goblin’s loincloth. “This was a good battle! Well done my friends!”
“Is that bad Janara?” I ask.
“I’m fine! It’s just a scratch ok?”
“Let Sina take a look at that,” I say and take a worried look at my gem pouch. I only have 58 magical gems left, I should be more careful with my mana usage.
The gnome moves Janara’s hand aside and looks at the ugly stab wound at the outer side of her thigh. Since we have to save our potions for emergencies, Sina’s medical knowledge is invaluable despite her other weaknesses.
The wound on my ankle from a couple of days ago still hurts, but it’s healing.
“Chief, I think we’re ready to hit their nest,” Lezere says wiping the blood off her axe.
Good... then I won't have to waste any more gems... “How do we do that?”
*~*~*
Leonardo’s Pull
Names: Leo’s Pull, Pull, Leo's Long Hand, Leo's Hook.
Element: gravity
Sub element: attraction
Level: 0
Words: Myrsha
Translation: pull
Patterns: 1
Gestures: aimed hand.
Range: 15 meter.
Target: object or creature within range under 10 kilograms.
Duration: instant
Effect: The spell will attract a target toward the caster’s hand. The target flies fast, and it may hurt the caster if the object is sharp. Objects above 10 kilograms and below 50 kilograms will be slightly pulled toward the caster and they won't float. Object above 50 kilograms will not be effected.
Cost: 3 gravity gems
Altered cost: 2 gems per pattern.
*~*~*
Power level: 1st stage apprentice.
Mana pools status:
Neck-Bridge: formed
Fire: open.
Gravity: formed.
Cantrip known:
Fire: Nuriss’ flame.
Gravity: Lumina’s kinetic burst. Tukado’s repulse. Tukado’s lesser shield. Imari’s minor telekinesis. Leo’s pull. Leo’s Grounding. Alino’s light body. Alino’s heavy body.
Focus capability: 8 patterns
Social status: A neophyte evoker.
Wealth: 58 magical gems. 89 diamonds.
Items: 3 healing potions.
Companions:
Kolag of house Befar
Lezere of the black fang tribe
Janara of Winemaker village.
Purson of Winemaker village.
Sina
Injuries and scars: Missing two thirds of the right middle finger.