G analyzed the hobgoblin through Tocai again.

Hobgoblin adept

Level 7

Mana 150

These creatures travel in small tribes and are found in dark forests and underground domains. They are tough fighters, and some can become halfway adept at magic. They are usually found in the company of hobgoblins or smaller goblins. They will eat almost anything and consider all other humanoid races food or slaves.

No name was in the description.

G glanced up at the darkness above, where the last spider had disappeared. He then turned his attention back to the hobgoblin. "I don't know. Maybe the spider will return. Why should I dirty my hands?"

The hobgoblin's expression contorted with fear, but it was quickly replaced by anger. In a dry, gravelly voice, the creature pleaded, "Don't let me die a dishonorable death, devoured like a mere animal."

This was the very creature that had captured G and intended to deliver him to Ryan to complete some infernal ritual. It was also responsible for G's own dishonorable death and consumption. G dragged a small cement planter with wilted plants across the floor, making a loud scraping noise. He adjusted its position several times before sitting on the edge. Picking up a water bottle, he wiped the mouthpiece and took a cautious sniff before drinking. The water tasted stale but was safe to consume. It was likely intended for the plants or as a token gesture to show concern for the environment. The hobgoblin eyed the water bottle enviously, his parched tongue flicking over his chapped lips. G guessed the creature had been trapped here for at least a day or more, left at the mercy of the spiders.

"You know, I might be more inclined to grant your request if you tell me who ordered you to

set that trap in the tunnel," G said, taking another small sip of water. "Also, include how I can find them." He still had half a liter of water left in the bottle, and there were more scattered around the room he had yet to collect.

The hobgoblin attempted to laugh but ended up choking instead. "The Queen's consort sent us. I couldn't describe how to pass through the dark pathways, and even if I did, you wouldn't survive long enough to reach her city. End my suffering now and grant me peace." He coughed dryly once more.

"Well, that isn't going to convince me to help you very much, honor or no honor. Why exactly can't you tell me how to get there? What are these dark pathways? " asked G.

The hobgoblin stared at G as though he were a fool, his eyes narrowing. "You have never heard of the dark pathways? That's where my platoon caught you."

"So, you call those caves outside this place the dark pathways? Also, who exactly is your queen's consort? What is his name? Why will the dark pathways prevent me from finding those who sent you?" asked G.

The hobgoblin, still hanging upside down, narrowed his eyes. "What are you?" he asked softly.

G offered a playful smile. "You first. I'll wait." He took another sip of water from the clear glass bottle, smacking his lips in feigned satisfaction.

"What kind of elf or creature wouldn't know about the dark pathways? They span between planes and lead to uncharted places. They're filled with everything and nothing. To most, they mean death. Only a fool wouldn't know this. I've seen your magic. What are you? Are you playing games to mock me before my demise? Are you some malevolent spirit of chaos?"

G sat silently for a moment, contemplating the hobgoblin's words. He realized he was stumbling about, ignorant of even the most basic aspects of this Planarverse.

"I'm not from around here," G admitted. Then, an idea struck him. "Tell me about your queen. I'd like to learn more about your culture."

"She isn't my queen. She's a dark pathways elf queen who rules the city that my clan is paid to protect and serve. Hobgoblin clans don't have queens; warlords govern us," the hobgoblin explained.

G pondered the hobgoblin's words, which Tocai—his AI-turned-familiar—had translated for him. It was an odd sensation, understanding and speaking the guttural, foreign language of the hobgoblins. G shrugged off his discomfort for now and considered whether the hobgoblin might be a mercenary.

He wasn't loyal to the queen; in his clan, being devoured by a spider was the ultimate dishonor. Crewton, G's dog, had finished sniffing around the plants. He ignored the piles of items scattered throughout the room, remnants of when the space had been transported. Crewton had no interest in plants or vegetables unless they were smothered in butter and cooked.

So he belonged to a mercenary clan in the employ of the dark pathway elves.

"And the goblins? Who did they work for?" asked G.

The disdain in the hobgoblin's voice was palpable. "Goblins are dishonorable underlings and expendable. I was assigned a platoon of them as punishment for my failure to prevent the assassination of the Queen's cousin. Another dark pathway elf assassin managed to bypass my wards and guards, gaining entry to his chamber. This entire accursed expedition has been a disaster. I was supposed to have a hundred goblins and half a dozen genuine clan fighters. I was compelled to proceed with only the dozen you witnessed before the spiders attacked. Goblins serve anyone with the strength and will to subdue them. They are foolish and ruthless," said the hobgoblin.

G regarded the creature, feeling a flicker of sympathy for him that lasted only a moment before he came to his senses. "Do you have a name? I don't suppose it's Jowl Beard?" said G, with a hint of humor, glancing at the tangled mess of a beard that could have been mistaken for wings if it belonged to a bird.

The hobgoblin glared for a moment. "Kargankiharia'dharkamda'acali—" he continued for a few more seconds. Tocai's translation suggested it meant 'one who descends from heaven to vanquish all in his path' or something along those lines, as the translation faltered a few times amidst the numerous syllables.

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"No, seriously, did your parents despise you or something? I can't go around saying all that. Alright then, Jowl Beard it is," said G, smiling. "Now, Jowl Beard, what would it take to secure your services? Are you permitted to enter into personal contracts outside of your clan? You are a mercenary, correct?"

G saw the fury in his face for a moment, he calmed quickly, and a gleam came into his eyes. G recognized it. It was the same look he had seen in the eyes of those ladies in china town in San Francisco when there was a deal to be had just before haggling started. "You can call me Kargan. I can make contracts for my services. Do you have something in trade? "

"Well, for starters, I can offer you some water. Would you like some water? " G waved his half-full bottle towards the hobgoblin, sloshing the liquid around so he could hear it.

"You jest, water has no value, " said Jowl Beard loudly.

G's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise, "Oh well, then I guess you won't like the rest of my offer. " He stood up, "Crewton, let's go. We have things to do. " He turned to leave.

"Wait, wait," said the hobgoblin with an exasperated voice, "perhaps I was a bit hasty with my first estimate of its value. What would you like in trade for your --- water?"

G didn't turn but bent down and rubbed Crewton behind the ears for a few moments. He turned then, "Well, for starters. I need you to only do things that help me. Such as, whatever deal you have to capture me, you forget. You must help me on my mission. After that is done, you will be free to go on your way. "

Jowl Beard's face had a wincing look for a few seconds, "What is your mission? "

"Ah, that, I need to find and kill a person named Ryan. A lot of people are depending on me even if they don't know it, and I think I'll ha---".

The hobgoblin blurted out, "I accept. You free me, and I'll help you kill him, " Jowl Beard said with a frightening toothy smile across his face.

"You didn't wait for the rest of my offer. Why do you accept?" said G knowing there was a catch here.

Jowl Beard spoke sharply in his dry voice, "Because elf, Ryan de Albuquerque is the reason I'm here in the first place. Since that hateful human has shown up, nothing but Ill has befallen my clan. Him, I would kill for free. If I take a contract for this, then I will lose no honor among my clan or caste. Indeed I will perhaps regain much of what was taken. "

G's brow furrowed in puzzlement. Did Ryan have this effect on everyone? He was a raging asshole which G had discovered after he had been locked in the VR capsule. "That's it? You will help me for free? "

"No, I said I would kill him for free. Helping you will cost you twenty gold, payable at the end of your mission, and a bottle of water, " said Jowl Beard looking at the half-full bottle in G's hand. "Cut me down, and I'll help you kill him. "

"oh, no… You are going to need to make a promise on your honor that this isn't a trick, and you're not going to cast some sleep spell on me or whatever you were doing the first time we met. You guys seriously call him Ryan de Albuquerque? " said G with a soft chuckle.

"I do not call him anything. I call him Lord Consort or Lord High Consort. Only the Queen is allowed to speak his name. I will give you a promise, elf. I'll give you a great promise so we can forestall the obvious distrust, and I can restore my honor by killing this Ryan de Albuquerque for you, " Jowl beard paused a moment, "What is your name, elf?"

"G," replied G. That was literally what his screen said for the name. And he had grown very used to it while streaming and visiting others that streamed back on Earth. He spoke it again, drawing out the end, "Geeee."

Jowl Beard started talking in a more powerful voice. G could feel the magic radiating out of him as he spoke. He readied a mana bolt in case this was some sort of trick.

"I Kargan of clan Dragua of the Red Shields, give my binding oath as a member of the band of the green hand to this elf, G. I will help him until my mission or duty to slay Ryan de Albuquerque is completed. As long as G stays true to his word, this contract will be fulfilled."

There was a swirling of magic around the hobgoblin, and the magic shot out of his chest. It looked like nothing G had ever seen before. A long line of tiny lights pulsing like a sparkler in the dark. It circled both of them and then went straight up toward the ceiling. Disappearing as it hit the top of the large room and was gone.

"There, you can release me now, " said Jowl Beard.

G was still staring up at the dark space. The light was gone, and he couldn't see the ceiling as it was beyond his night vision range again without the extra light. What was that spell?

There was a purple blinking icon on the edge of his vision; he opened it.

You have received a mercenary contract. This method of loyalty is usually only given to kings or those of great power. The mercenary that swore this magic oath is bound to follow it to the letter or be sundered by the very magic used to make it.

G grunted; that was new and also very useful. He saw a new icon on his right, and he opened it.

Bound mercenary contracts 1 of 1.

Oh, there appeared to be a limit. Could he make that 1 go up? He looked again at the hobgoblin.

"All right, I see that should do. Let's get you out of there, " said G as his knife appeared in his hand. The hobgoblin looked a bit startled as the knife appeared again out of nowhere.

G slashed hard at the bound thread holding the captive upside down. There was a humph as Jowl Beard's bound form hit the ground shoulder first. The mostly red health bar over his head went almost full red. Whoops, G cast healing petals again, holding the flower in his hand.

"Eat this while I cut you free. It will make you feel better. " G pushed the whole flower into Jowl Beard's mouth and went back to cutting the strands of sticky spider webbing off the hobgoblin's arms. The hobgoblin chewed the flower as he lay on his back on the floor. Several minutes later, he was able to sit, and most of the strands were pulled away from his body. The stickiness was all over G's hands again, like when he had gotten into that honey jar in his grand parent's pantry.

G handed one bottle of water to Jowl Beard and used a bit of the other to try and wash off the sticky material. He couldn't remove it, then he thought of something and willed it stored in his inventory. The sticky substance disappeared into his inventory, and he saw a slot with a grey glob of the stuff in it. He concentrated on it.

Spider crap quantity 1.

This substance is very sticky.

Crap! Shees, hmm, it was in his crafting tab. After a moment, he went around picking up strands of webbing and willing the spider crap into his inventory. A few minutes later, he had 11 quantities of it. He hadn't been able to do that while it bound him. He frowned. This spacial storage magic was very specific about what is allowed to be stored. He would have to test it more to see what it could really do. It hadn't allowed him to put one of the wilting plants in it. Saying it wouldn't take living creatures, but it still took seeds that are alive on a cellular level. Would it take eggs? He would have to test it if he found some; it clearly wasn't taking large live things into it. He pondered about the bacteria he was sure clung to everything around him. These tiny specs of life didn't interfere. Now he wished he had a magnifying glass to see what it would take into the spacial storage.

He had tried with the netting in the hallway when he was captured, and it hadn't worked. He remembered that. It might be like the cabinets, he couldn't put them in the spacial storage if he couldn't freely lift them.

The hobgoblin had downed the water in almost one swig, and he stood up. His health bar was over half full now. G used analyze on him again.

Name - Kargan

Hobgoblin adept

Level 7

Mana 150

These creatures travel in small tribes and are found in dark forests and underground domains. They are tough fighters, and some can become adept at magic. Their societies are varied but almost always revolve around dominating those around them. They are usually found in the company of other hobgoblins or smaller goblins. They will eat most anything, and many consider all other humanoid races food.

Jowl Beard turned towards G, "What magic is that you cast on me, elf?"

G hadn't realized the hobgoblin could feel Tocai's analyze ability. G didn't even have to intone a word or move a finger to use it.

"It just lets me see what race of creature you are. " He didn't elaborate on any other bits of information such as level, mana, and name.

Jowl Beard's eyes widened as he spoke in wonder, "You have a link to the Great Library? "