What am I going to do? I hear him run up to the entrance, and I back down, trying to think. It is all obviously just a big misunderstanding. I do not mean this kid any harm. So, why is he so salty?

Maybe I should just try to explain. He can’t possibly want to hurt me, can he?

I watch him from behind the boulder and the darkness his eyesight cannot penetrate. Watch him breathe deeply, then see him squeeze the handle of his sword harder as he steps inside.

“I’m here for you. They say you’re not dead. Well, soon, you will be!” he throws threats at me and a ball of saliva gets stuck in my throat.

Why is everyone so angry here?

I’m a good manager. The one who listens good, judges good, and can say things to get his workers motivated to do things right. So I just have to trust myself. Tarra was not so scary. She smiled so much at me. Wish she could be here. I bet she could talk him down. But she is not. So… what do I do? Set the wolves on him? If he chopped those goblins, he would have even less trouble with my wolves. No, there has to be a better way.

Then a thought hits me. This is why I am here. Have to trust my communication skills. They are superb. Time to use them, I think, and then jump out of the boulders.

He does not see me right away. So I cautiously step toward him, and say "Hi?"

He frowns and raises his sword up to his shoulder, the shield in front of him, in a stance ready to defend himself. “What kind of witchery is this?”

“Not witchery.”

“You’re lying. Lies and deceit. Those are your weapons too. I know about them all,” he says, then takes out a little glass vial with some cream liquid inside and pours it down his throat.

“I’m not lying to you. Just listen for a second, would you?”

“What kind of creature are you?" He is not listening.

“Well, that’s a little bit difficult to explain.”

“You are the dweller of this dungeon, aren’t you?”

“Yeeee…eees.”

He advances at me cautiously as if there is more to me than my two-and-a-half feet of pure furry cuteness.

“What are you doing?” I ask him, my hands extended, backing slowly down.

“I’m here to slay you, evil dungeon, and all the evil that you created.”

“Wait, ask Verne and Nora. They’ll vouch for me.”

“I know no Verne or Nora, and you will not cast your evil spell on me. I heard all about your tricks. The dwarfs said enough.”

“The damned dwarfs! They tried to hurt me.”

“Ha! So, you admit!”

“Wait, let me just talk first.”

“I will not!”

“Look, this is all just a big misunderstanding. We are on the same side. I hate goblins too.”

“Ha! What kind of fool do you take me for? A dungeon that hates goblins. Old Gerwin was right about you! You use tricks and magic…”

“No, no, no. I do not. Do I look evil to you?”

He stops for a second, staring at me as I slowly back away.

But then the wolves rip the air with their growling, louder than ever before.

That pushes him only harder as their noise only fires him up even more. “Ha! I knew it! Dungeon's Fangers! Leash them at me! See how I make a winter coat of them all!”

“I’m not evil. I do not know what this dungeon did before. But now, it’s under my management. And I promise to you, I will turn things around.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Liar!”

He charges me and I have to run! Not straight or he would just slice half of my body off with the sharp blade of his sword.

His eyes cannot deal with darkness, not yet. I use it to run and hide.

The young sword master comes deeper inside the Dungeon.

But the darkness is my friend only for so long. Soon he pulls something out of his robe and lights an oil lamp. "And you think I came unprepared?"

"Okay, Old Gerwin said I can't be here for more than an hour, so let's make it count."

That Old Gerwin again? I'll have to meet that guy, have a little chat with him.

“Please, stop!” I yell as I see him move toward me.

“I will slay you, you monster.”

I have to run for my life. He does not run after me, but follows cautiously, carefully stepping, looking around for hidden dangers and traps.

Damn. I really have to build me some traps. What kind of dungeon am I without any?

“I will slay you monster!”

How is Oollie a monster? Stupid kid! Get the glasses, man!! What the hell do they feed these kids here?

I debate if I should let the three wolves set on him. But the way he cut those goblins, not three wolves or thirty would make a difference. He is right. He would be wearing their hide this winter.

He advances on me. And I have to back into the tunnel.

At one point, I feel something pinching me, and I see him hitting the wall of the tunnel with his sword.

He is not supposed to be doing that!

"Bad boy! Stop! Why are you breaking off stones? You are not a dwarf, are you???"

He slams the wall again.

"So it's true, you're vulnerable."

Bad human! Very bad, young human! “Why do you want to hurt me?”

“Hurt you? I want to destroy you!”

“Why?” I cry.

“They said you’re wicked. That you will play games with my mind, try to twist them. You cannot stop me. I came here so you cannot hurt anyone no more. I’ll take all your jewels and your gold and then you will be dead. But first, show yourself to me! In your proper form! I’m not afraid of you, monster!”

I am at the crossroad. To the left is leading to the Core, the right to the dead end. I take the right.

“This is my proper form. I’m not lying to you. You should just relax and sit down and we can talk this over. Really.”

He does not answer, but I hear his steps. Coming after me faster. Running. So I run as well.

Except…

Soon… There is nothing back. He has me cornered.

If he kills my Ollie, I know I will live. Go back to being a spirit. Why wait? The guy is not going to listen to anything I have to tell him. Better save Ollie. I leave his body with a breath of air, see little Oollie crunch down, put a hand over his hand, and make him stay there.

But the lamp is coming our way.

I breathe in and exhale, and continue to do it so deeply and more forceful and soon the wind comes, and the light is no more.

“You will not trick me! I am not afraid of you!” the young man screams at me.

I am not trying to trick you, just get out of here, I say. But only the wind howls. Out of Ollie and my words speak in the voice of the wind.

He moves slowly at first, trying to light up the lamp again. It does not work well for him and he starts to breathe deeply, obviously the darkness getting to him. I can see him perfectly in the dark. Leaning against the wall, trying to steady his breathing, find calm and composure.

What can I do?

He seems to have calmed down. Maybe I can still talk to him. Maybe I gave up on him too soon. So I go into Oollie again.

The plan is simple, take Oollie out of the corner before this young swordsman finds him, sneak behind his back and move through the tunnels, run toward the chamber that is the furthest away, and lead him away from the Core.

I try to be as quiet as possible, sneaking on my tiptoes, but Oollie is not made for stealth, and we accidentally kick a stone, and the sound travels and echoes around, and young Swordmaster sprints to us, slicing his sword through the air where I stood just a half a second ago.

He can’t see us, but then he tries to light up his lamp, and succeeds on the second attempt. And we come into the light.

I run, and the young swordsman drops his caution and goes after us. I start to run fast, as fast as I can. But he runs faster and starts to gain on us.

It seems like everyone has a problem with me here, dwarfs, humans, goblins, even the wolves that were supposed to come from my own dungeon growl at me. I mean, what the hell? It's all very disheartening.

He stops only after we are to pass the Core.

“I see. I see your treasure is right here. Well, I’ll slay you first, then I’ll take those shiny jewels,” he says as he ducks his head and looks through the hole at my equipment.

“You will never have it, you spoiled brat!” I scream at him for the first time, and that gets him going after me again.

I run to the chamber with the ice column, forming a rough plan in my head.

I move all the way to the back, see him come in, and then I say it for the last time. “Hey, I say, “Don’t do that! Or I’ll freeze your ass!”

“Come here, you little hermit! What? You think just because you look so cute I will just let you go? Let me tell you, I ate things that are prettier than you.”

Definitely not on my favorite list anymore.

“You’re losing it. Just stop and control yourself. Have you never heard the song, check yourself before you wreck yourself.”

“I am in full control of myself, you lying little monster.”

The dude just does not want to listen.

“Do you know why dungeons are so dangerous?” I ask him, changing my tone completely, one from a scared little puppy to a pissed-off gym teacher.

“No. Not interested…”

“You should be, you stupid, little brat. It’s because there are more ways to kill you than you can count. Heck, I’ve been here for only a few days, and I think I know shit. Now put that sword down, let’s sit down and talk like adults.”

He smiles wickedly at me and says, “No!”

So, then, I try to do what I was thinking about doing to the goblins. Think about their bodies. Their blood. Going cold. Really, icy cold. Looking in the freezer at the frozen stakes and burgers, hard as stone.

I hear how he shivers.

“You cannot freeze me!” His yell interrupts me. “I drank the Milk of Fer Flower. Cost me a whole Gold Eagle at Old Gerwin’s. So, you cannot hurt me with your witchery!”

“Please…” I plea.

No!” he growls out mercilessly and rushes toward me.