As soon as I dart out of view of these goblins, I realize that I have no idea where I am, especially with night’s darkness limiting my sight.
“Reveal.” I say, realizing that the magic is sealed ever since the bridge jump.
We start applying mud and grass on each other, hoping we can mask our scent.
“Where are we?” I ask, looking around.
The ground descents the further away I move from the cave. The trees have somehow made adjustments for the descent, growing straight upwards, with no signs of twisting.
“In the Garghaz.” She responds.
“Sure, why not the Ga-something.” I chuckle.
Sylvar’s survival lessons elude me. Is it the stress? The injuries? Probably all that. And more.
I keep running for a few more minutes. In fact, I run so fast that I have to hide behind some bushes, making sure I am not touching them. I do not have Sylvar’s knowledge on whether or not they are the poisonous kind, the weird ones that make your eyes all scratchy and your skin feel like it is burning.
Why do I feel exhausted? I mean, it makes sense, given all the running and torture.
This somehow feels too exhausting, though. Still, I can keep my eyes open.
A branch snaps near our position. Where?
Should have kept the shield.
Do not worry about what you have lost. Instead, use all that you have.
Sylvar’s voice in my head, guiding me still. Nice timing, friend.
I point at a nearby tree, gesturing to the daughter that she needs to make some noise. My hope is that they think I started running on my own as soon as the chance appeared.
Goblins think other people want to hurt them. Other people think goblins want to hurt them. I can use that fear. That assumption.
The daughter starts crawling away, getting ready to distract them.
What do we do after that? I need to plan ahead.
If we are ever separated, I will track you down, my friend Volter, have no worry. You can trust in my abilities.
What about my abilities, Sylvar?
There is something there, right between my memories and my exhaustion. It feels simple, yet my mind cannot grasp it.
The river. Of course.
The daughter coughs, rustling some bushes a few steps away from me. The feeling of time is weird… Corrupted. Like all the torturing is making a mess of my head still.
Focus. An armored goblin climbs down from a tree, making jumps closer to the noise the daughter is making.
What do I do? I cannot throw my knife, since it is the last one. Can I trust my body to be stealthy enough? Maybe, if there is an opening.
This one is pretty wary of its surroundings. Since this one is here, the others must be nearby. They can track us but not by smell. The mud is working. Good.
The daughter jumps out of a bush, holding her neck and pointing at the direction we plan on going towards. The armored goblin immediately readies an axe on one hand, crawling in front of the daughter. I only now realize that she is not quite a fully grown goblin.
Smaller than the armored one, even when the enemy is crawling. Definitely at a disadvantage, the daughter struggles breathing, trying to communicate while coughing. The armored goblin keeps hold of its axe but lowers it slightly, probably thinking about the risks of trusting the daughter.
They both turn their back to me, as the daughter tries to guide our enemy away. She is being held against the edge of the axe.
Just… Stay calm.
I carefully rise up, walking around my hiding place. Without a second arm to support my weight against something, crawling is really straining my legs. Looking around, I am pretty sure there are no other goblins. A man can hope.
As soon as I am within lunging distance, I take the knife out of its holster. My hand loses control for a second. My sight worsens, going dark like the night around us, despite my magic enhanced vision. My eyes open just in time to see the armored goblin staring daggers at me. Or axes.
Humour is also important in order to survive. You have plenty of that resource available… Never lose it.
The knife is on the ground. Really wish I could throw a joke at my enemy, Sylvar. My arms. They are not moving. Shit.
The armored goblin lowers its stance. I think I know what it is trying to do. Right?
It is going to rush me. Blago’s moves. Maybe Eadwald’s.
What should I do? My mind feels empty. Worse than that. My moves are not fluid or precise. They are sticky. Muddy.
My legs are shaking. What do I-
The daughter attacks the neck, stabbing our enemy with a branch. A branch?
She immediately jumps away from the struggling goblin, which is trying to stop the excessive bleeding. It spits blood, holding its neck in desperation, waving the axe around. After a few seconds, it closes its eyes, the body tensing once before staying still.
I drop on my knees, breathing heavily. My eyes are open wide. My vision, however, is limited. Why? Is it the magic? I blink, letting go of the magical light. Trees are no longer visible, bushes as well. With the exception of what is within arm’s reach, I am blind to all.
“We need to run. Up.” The daughter says, pushing my left shoulder.
“Moment… I need… Out of b-breath…” I mutter.
How can my body feel so cold, when my right shoulder and right half of my face feel hotter than Blago’s smithy?
“Sorry.”
“What?” I ask.
At the same time, I feel a hand covering my mouth and another causing the worst grinding inside my shoulder bones. I nearly bite the hand off, barely regaining control soon enough to inhale as hard as possible. Good idea, kid.
“Let us go.” I growl, offering the knife to the daughter.
“Sorry.” She repeats, grabbing my chest.
I start moving. No idea where exactly.
“Guide me. I cannot see.” I say, hands extended in an effort to not crash against something.
Our speed is definitely worse. Still, I am too scared of going blind because of magic misuse. Varuna did warn me of that happening.
“Did you grab any armor off that body?”
“No.” She responds.
“The axe?”
“Yes. In your holster.”
I run my fingers through the multiple holsters. There, left holster. Just above my knee. The holster itself is already adjusted for the particular weapon.
“You are good. I had no idea.”
“Too fast.” She gasps.
I hit my head in a tree.
“Thank my luck.”
I hear running water. The river.
“We are still in the same area, right? Not the other side of the mountains?”
“Yes.” She responds, clutching me tighter. “The storms there are too brutal.”
“Storms?”
Faint sounds of movement make us hide, focusing on finding out whether or not there are goblins right behind us.
They could also bring hobgoblins. I remember the agile one at the hill near Varuna. Where we had to climb, that one could just run. And fight. At the same time. Scary.
“Just rogah.”
“What?”
“Tree…” She mumbles.
“Trees move around here?”
“No. Tree… Flapping.” She gestures with one hand.
“Birds?”
“Maybe. They flap?
“Yes, they fly.”
“That, then.”
“Rogah. Nice.”
“No. Rogah.”
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“Rogah. That is what I am saying.”
“Throat. Ro-gah.”
“I am confused.”
“Just go. River.”
“How do I say river?”
“S’be”
“I… Will not even try.”
As soon as we reach the river, I try drinking. The daughter slaps my hand.
“No. The water is poisoned.” She explains.
Shit. This is why Modesta had to spend his magic fixing the water. Why our fields are worsening.
This fight between the Village and the goblins is escalating. It is reaching the effects of war.
I remember being taught that word by Sylvar. Large-scale conflict with plenty of losses. Something like that, I think. Not sure. If only I could trust my brain right now to remember words. Too tired.
“We cross it somewhere down the line. Then I can go to the Vill- We can go back to our homes.”
Why her, though? Why Snaray’s daughter? Is he dangerous to the Queen?
I feel like I have already thought of the whole daughter-prisoner thing.
Every step is uncertain, given the treacherous nature of the terrain. My breathing is shaky. You better not break down, Volter.
Light. The same one torches offer. Far away, behind us. Multiple sources.
“We need to go faster.” I sigh.
“Here.” The daughter says.
She points at a fallen log.
“I am not crossing there. No wa-”
What looks like a simple log from a distance is actually a carved bridge. I need to show this to Modesta one day.
The ground is raised in order to accommodate a seemingly wooden foundation, made stronger with what looks like mud, tree sap and parts of bone. Bone.
I feel a shiver run down my back.
A tree has been carved expertly, with only the outer edges of the rings kept completely intact. The outer rings have been processed, elongated or reinforced with secondary sources of wood, then cut in half and positioned in such a way that the bridge could have been a part of nature itself.
“This is beautiful.” I say, crossing it with haste.
“Purple goblins.”
“They made this?”
An image of purple goblins rushing me near Varuna. My head hurts.
“Yup.”
“What about hobgoblins? Are they here just to kill?”
“No. They dig, build, hunt or grab dangerous animals.”
I cannot find a response.
I thought hobgoblins were just large fighters. Brutal as well.
I guess Meuko must look that way to the goblins too.
Meuko. What is she doing? Probably raging.
Julie. How is she? Must be looking for ways to find me.
Sylvar. What about him? Trying to keep the other two in check.
We keep running downriver. The lights are getting closer.
“They are catching up to us.” I say.
“Go faster.” She responds.
“I cannot see.” I sigh. “Still, you can just run on your own. We have different places to return to.”
“I am scared.”
I get that feeling. I truly do. But what can I do? I want to see my parents.
A branch pierces my foot. This simple event reminds my body of my senses. The ground giving way as I make my steps. The smell of wet leaves and this weird green thing that grows on rocks near water. Even my own blood smells different outside.
The overwhelming sensations bring me to tears.
The daughter clutches tighter.
“We must run.” She says.
“How close to sunrise?” I ask, picking up the pace.
“Soon.” The daughter says.
“How soon?” I growl.
“Very. I do not know the time.”
I guess I have to trust her and focus on surviving this.
Remember. Any lessons. What else? Come on, Sylvar. Talk to me.
Maybe- Maybe if I run faster, I will catch up with Meuko, Sylvar and Julie. They could be on patrol. They could save me. Take me back home. Eat plenty of food. Sleep for days. Hug my pare-
Enough.
Enough wishful thinking. What can I do? Right now. Figure it out. Focus.
What about the daughter? If she goes back, they might grab her again.
Snaray’s daughter.
Why her?
Green goblins attacked us all those days ago.
Not any gray goblins. Because my deal with Snaray about fighting with each other was still valid. Which means Snaray does not just have some support from his people. He has all of it. Why? The troll fight. He was leading the charge. He worked with humans and elves. That must be heroic enough for goblins.
I remember the stories my parents used to say about dragons. Some good, some evil. But any who stood against them were glorified, given leadership.
I know what I can do.
I do not want to do it.
“Are you okay?” The daughter asks.
I realize that I am panting. Even more than usual.
“Sorry.” I say, crouching near the river for a minute.
Kianel’s submerged body, asking for help. Great. I totally need that image.
I cannot even afford to splash some water on my face, so I just keep moving.
I have to do it.
There has to be another way.
“Look.” The daughter says, pointing to our right.
More flames. If we are moving downriver, which is southwards, then the flames coming from the west. Then, there are the patrols hunting us from the north. It is a safe assumption to make that hobgoblins are also looking for us.
A couple of goblins, we can handle. Maybe. Hobgoblins, though. No. Way.
“We need to move past the patrol. Before- Before sunrise.” I say.
“Throw a knife far away? Animals will run, bring them all in one place.” The daughter suggests.
Good plan. But I cannot see anything.
“You do it. I trust you.” I say.
“Keep moving.” She says, jumping off me.
Within a few seconds, I feel it. Utterly alone. Unless I consider the pain and exhaustion my companions. I think I want to sleep. Just for a minute. Until-
Until the daughter wakes me up. Yeah- I can probably do it. No probl-
The shift in lighting against my eyes jolts me awake. Shit.
Shit.
How long has it been?
There is faint light around me. The cold light. The blue light right before the sun shows its golden body for the first time. Is it blue? My memories. They are all mixed. Am I thinking about early morning? Or an evening?
Where is she?
The lights of the torches are gone. The goblins do not need them.
I hope I did not lose a lot of time.
She said I need to keep moving.
I need to make up for lost time.
Birds cackling and flying away. Towards the north.
Keep moving.
Step after step. My knees feel sluggish. My eyes struggle to stay open. A branch snaps under my feet.
Shit.
I look around. Nothing I can discern.
“Finally.” The daughter’s voice.
She climbs back on me, then grabs my right shoulder. I know she is trying to keep me awake and active.
Does not mean this feels any better than a hook running through my body.
“You are fast.” I say.
“You are faster. Go.”
I start running. She is right. I have the light, I have the space. Most importantly, I have the anger.
Step after step. I dash, ignoring any signs that my body is giving up. Even if I lose my feet, I will use my arms. If I lose my arms, I will slither away from these goblins.
“We passed them.” The daughter says.
I have to do it.
No matter the cost.
“Guide me. Your cave. Where Snaray is.” I say, panting.
“What?”
“Now that I have energy.”
There is a war coming. If I go back, everyone will be glad. Maybe even a bit distrustful. Alayne will definitely be distrustful.
To delay war, I need an action so profound, so surprising that it messes with the core beliefs of goblins, hobgoblins and all other creatures under the Queen’s command.
Returning the daughter to Snaray. Staying with the gray goblins. This is the only way. Risky. No other way I see of messing with their entire command structure.
If war breaks out, we lose. The Village is not ready. Not for the Guard or the armies of goblins that will march through our land when this Veil thing falls. Whatever is happening around here, Modesta is having difficulty maintaining spells. They are targeting our water. They might be doing something to the land too.
“We need to go right.” Snaray’s daughter says.
I knew that much.
The next few hours are less stressful. Avoiding patrols, we manage to reach the areas just before the western mountain range. We are but a few minutes away from the gray goblins’ cave entrance. I cannot rest now. Almost there. Almost safe.
“Are there other kinds of you?” I ask.
“Kinds?”
“Goblins, hobgoblins… Any more?”
“Yes. Some live in waters, others in deserts.”
“And what about here? Just the two of these kinds?”
“Yes. The path was hard on the rest.”
“The path.”
“Yes. Getting to this side of the mountains.”
“You mentioned something about th-”
Exchanging stealth for discussion was the wrong choice.
Four gray goblins surround us, screeching and shouting. Armored, shielded, holding spears.
“Get Snaray.” I point at the daughter, who is clinging to me as tight as possible.
I cannot fight them. No more strength left. I can barely walk. Every semblance of confidence I have has to go to my voice, make it as intense as possible.
All four of them lunge at me. They want to kill me, I can tell. Desperation in their eyes, the goblins behind me aiming for my legs while the ones in front want to pierce my chest. The daughter climbs my head, shouting something in goblin language.
Shocked is one way I can describe their expressions. They lower their spears, talking to one another. I do not have time for this.
I am sure that if I had the energy, I would probably be scared to death right now. No time for that.
“Snaray. Now.” I say, moving towards the mines.
They move with us, looking around. Is that fear? They are restless, exchanging words at a rapid pace.
“What are they saying?” I ask.
The daughter does not answer me. She is still holding on to my head, resting on my left shoulder. It hurts but I know my right shoulder would feel worse.
We reach the giant hole that the troll decided to invade all those days ago. I have not been here since my arms were- I do not want to think about that right now.
I grab the daughter as we enter the mines, holding her face to face so I can finally get an answer out of her.
“What is going on? Talk to-” I stop halfway through the sentence, realizing she is more terrified now than she was back with the torturing red goblin.
“W-What?” A reverberating voice, one I know all too well.
The red hobgoblin with all the hooks.
I was wrong.
I have enough energy to fear for my life.
“Snaray.” I scream.
I quickly look around. I am right next to the platform that Sylvar was on.
The goblins built it back up. Good.
“I knew she would come here. But you- You must really want to die.” The hobgoblin growls.
I have to make it through. No matter what.
“Reveal.” I growl, throwing the daughter up the platform.
She snaps out of her fear, having to clutch onto the newly reinforced metal bars of the defensive structure.
The hobgoblin surges with magic. As soon as it raises its hand, I can tell that it is making a very specific attack. The soon to be lance that can immobilize even Meuko. I can only dodge it.
I have to.
The gray goblins that accompany us run away, climbing the walls of the cave. If only I could do the same. Not that it matters in any way. It can get me up there as well.
I take the axe out, waiting for the opportunity. What do I do? Think. If he is gathering magic in one arm, I cannot throw the axe there. The sheer force will deflect it. I know it will.
I focus on the hobgolin, which rears its right hand. Even if the move itself did not make it clear, my eye does. A flare of the magic means he is releasing it now, shaping it into a lance that can absolutely kill me.
I throw the axe, aiming for its left hand, which is acting as a counterweight to the throwing arm. The force is enough to destabilize the angry red hobgoblin, who throws the lance next to my face, shocked that I even reacted in any way. I am stronger than it anticipated.
“You are a good fighter.” It chuckles.
I dart behind the recently built structure, between the wall and the platform itself, trying to move around the hobgoblin, which is taking its sweet time pulling the axe out of its forearm.
“Jump.” I shout.
“Catch me.” The daughter says, already flying towards me.
I grab her but slip and skid on the rock, scraping my arms and legs.
“I have to skin you in front of all who would help you. A message to them. You understand.” The hobgoblin says, walking towards us.
I guess that means it will not throw the axe. Good. I cannot dodge anything else right now.
“Snaray. Somebody, help us. I brought back one of your own. Does that not matter to you?” I shout.
“They are right to fear your presence. You only bring death to our kind.” The hobgoblin says.
“Shut up. I fought with them.” I say, unable to get up.
I just try to push myself further back, using my already exhausted legs. The hobgoblin reaches us, extending its hand.
“Run. Ru-”
The daughter interrupts me, lunging at our enemy with a knife. She manages to stab the hobgoblin’s palm but it barely reacts. Instead, it just grabs the arm of the daughter and throws her against the wall next to me.
She lands roughly, coughing from the impact and shaking in pain.
“Back off.” Snaray says, jumping in front of me.
“What can you do to me with your-”
Loud banging of wood on metal and snarling interrupts the hobgoblin. Every gray goblin is surrounding us. They are protecting Snaray’s daughter. They are protecting me.
“You would act against the Queen? Even now, they capture our kind and kill them.” The hobgoblin says.
Snaray answers in their own goblin language. Really? You honestly think I do not need the information, Snaray?
“I will help you.” I say.
I do not know what is happening, so I have to participate in this discussion, make it so they risk more by hurting me than keeping me alive.
“Do not speak.” The hobgoblin shouts, its voice bouncing around the mines, almost stronger than its threatening magic.
Almost.
“I will get you that sword. Whatever its name is. I will help you with your problems in the south.” I say, hoping they have not solved whatever it was that Snaray mentioned all those weeks ago in the forest.
The hobgoblin stays silent. It relaxes its grip on the axe.
“You have to ask the Queen. We both know she would want to decide on this matter.” Snaray says.
The hobgoblin shouts in frustration, scraping nearby rocks with the axe.
“He does not leave these grounds. Not until I return. I will deal with him soon.” The hobgoblin moves further inside the cave, past me and the daughter.
I assume he knows a path that leads from this area all the way to wherever the Queen stays.
“You are a unique man, Volter. Volter?” Snaray says, his voice sounding muffled.
Oh. It is just me, using my abilities carelessly. Again. The area around me blurs, my vision worsens. I try to blink the magic away. Instead, I fall unconscious.
At least, I am alive. For now.