REVERSE DUNGEON BREAK: CHAPTER 4
Ookru’s goblin brain couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
Even now, he could still vividly remember the sensation of the sword as it pierced his chest. He could still remember the sensation of warm blood incessantly pouring out of the gaping wound on his body.
He could still recall the remorseless eyes of the human that killed him.
The laughter, the cheers.
“Ookru!”
Ookru jolted. He looked at the little goblin before him.
It was Kahaku, the goblin who died young after carelessly exploring a cavern that turned out to be the territory of a devouring worm.
It felt strange seeing him again.
“If you’re not coming, I’ll leave you behind!”
Although confused, Ookru managed to utter the words “I’m coming!”. He’d never missed the teachings before during his younger years, and attending it had already been engraved in his body.
“You’re too slow! Faster! Run!”
Following the lead of the little goblin, Ookru arrived at the place where the teachings were held by the elder.
Unlike the last time, the teachings had already started by the time they arrived.
“We’re sorry, Elder Eef!”
Kahaku glared at Ookru. He whispered angrily, “This is your fault. I should have left you behind!”
The elder gently smiled. The campfire cast a shadow over her wrinkled face.
“It’s fine. Sit down, children.”
“Yes, elder!”
Ookru chose the nearest seat, his mind still muddled by the events he’d experienced.
What’s happening?
Was that all a dream?
As though he didn’t want to be associated with him, Kahaku chose a seat far away from Ookru.
“Seems everyone is here,” said Elder Eef. “Then, let’s start.”
“Around thirty years ago, it was prophesized that the gate to the other realm will open on this land.”
“According to our god, Systema, gates will open in this village in the second month of the year of the sun. That is exactly fifteen years from now.”
“The reason why our warriors are training hard each day is because of this prophecy.”
“This is also the reason why everyone gathered here today should hone themselves, all for the sake of fulfilling the will of our god.”
As Ookru listened, his face started contorting with fear.
The sky, the campfire, the number of goblins, the story of the elder – everything was the same.
Ookru shook his head.
No, it would be stranger if the words of the elder differed from the norm. After all, these were the same teachings she always preached to the villagers.
It was just a dream, Ookru convinced himself.
A nightmare so horrible and vivid he mistook it for reality.
“The moment this gate opens, it is god’s will for our race to enter the other realm and explore the world outside.”
While Ookru was convincing himself that everything would turn out alright, familiar words suddenly came out of a goblin’s mouth.
It was Chukru, his friend who saved him from the humans.
“—Haah, I can’t listen to this any longer. It’s the same stupid teachings every time.”
Hearing Chukru’s words, Ookru felt shivers run down his spine. His eyes widened, almost popping out.
“N-No….” mumbled Ookru.
He was afraid of hearing the next words of Chukru. He was afraid that his greatest fear would come true.
“We’re already living the best life,” said Chukru. “Abundant food. Fertile land. A peaceful village. Even the settlements near the foot of the mountain maintain a harmonious relationship with us. Why is this god Systema so insistent in destroying the life we currently have?”
Ookru trembled.
Those words.
He was certain they were the exact same words uttered by Chukru back then.
Even Elder Eef wore the same calm expression as she listened.
“N-No!”
Ookru abruptly stood up. He frantically looked around, his gaze eventually landing on the statue of god Systema. It was only for a moment, but the faceless goblin statue formed a mouth and grinned at him.
Seeing that smile, Ookru shuddered. He felt like going insane.
He felt the world spinning.
“NOOOOO! THIS ISN’T REAL! T-THE PORTAL! T-THE HUMANS! THEY’LL KILL US!”
Ookru’s sudden outburst caught even Chukru off-guard.
Elder Eef looked at Ookru worriedly, and the goblin children stared at him bewilderedly.
“ELDER! IN FIFTEEN YEARS! THE PORTAL! THE HUMANS THAT WILL COME OUT OF IT WILL KILL ALL OF US!”
The elder said, “Calm down, child. Talk slowly and clearly so we can understand.”
“HOW CAN I CALM DOWN! ELDER! I’M TELLING YOU! I’VE SEEN EVERYTHING! I’VE—”
His little goblin brain unable to take it any longer, foams formed at the corner of his mouth and Ookru collapsed.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
***
“You’re awake?”
Ookru’s head hurts. Looking at the ceiling, and smelling the scent of herbs, he realized he was in the medicine hall of the village.
“Your father had just left. The chieftain, he’s really worried.”
Ookru looked at the shaman, stirring a large cauldron while speaking, his back to the young goblin.
It was Taru, one of the healers in the village and the younger brother of Elder Eef.
“Child, what happened?”
Ookru recalled the things that happened that night.
The teachings of the elder.
The words of Chukru.
The smiling statue.
His sudden outburst.
“Elder Taru…,” said Ookru. “I returned to the past. I… I experienced it all. The portal. The humans.”
The goblin healer stopped with his stirring. He turned around, approached the bed where Ookru was lying, and placed a hand on his chest.
After a quick inspection of the young goblin’s body, he said, “Child, do not confuse dreams with reality.”
“It’s not a dream!”
The goblin healer chuckled, “Then you’re telling me you came back to the past? Everything you’re saying goes against the teachings of our god, Systema. According to god, paradise awaits his devout believers after death. There’s no such thing as going back to the past in our holy book.”
“But I’m telling the truth!”
The goblin healer shook his head. “Be careful, Ookru. My sister is benevolent, that’s why she let the incident last night pass. But it’ll be different if the other elders hear those words. Even if you are the chieftain’s son, if they suspect you’ve been possessed by an evil spirit, you’ll be sent to the chopping block.”
Hearing those words, Ookru finally shut his mouth.
Elder Taru was right.
Although rare, there were cases before when goblins were executed for being suspected as evil spirits.
“You don’t want to cause trouble for your father, no?”
Ookru remembered his father. Until the end, even after he fell ill, he never stopped believing in his son.
Tears started forming in the corner of his eyes. He really wanted to see him.
“No, Elder.”
Elder Taru smiled.
“I’ll tell the other elders that you’re simply exhausted that night. From now on, stop telling others about that dream you had, understood? There’s no such thing as going back to the past, child. What you had was a vivid dream, nothing more, nothing less.”
What it really a dream?
Maybe Elder Taru was right.
Thinking about it now, it was absurd for a goblin to be sent back to the past after dying in the hands of a human.
“I’ll keep it in mind, Elder.”
***
After being discharged from the medicine hall, the first thing Ookru did was visit his father.
In his dream, his father became bedridden after suffering from a strange sickness. And later on, after the portal opened, he was killed by the humans. At least, that was what the adult Chukru said to him back then.
“It’s just a dream,” muttered Ookru to himself. “I should forget about it.”
Convincing himself that everything was just a dream and that the future would be alright, Ookru went to the training grounds.
His father was there, overseeing the sparring match of two hobgoblins.
“Father!”
Immediately, his father stood up upon seeing his son.
“Ookru!”
Ookru ran toward his father, leapt into the air, and hugged him tightly.
“Father! I missed you so much!”
His father laughed. “Hahaha! What are you talking about! You’re speaking as though we haven’t seen each other in years, my son!”
The chieftain was so big that Ookru couldn’t wrap his arms around his neck.
“Hm? What’s this? Are you crying?”
“Mm… I-I’m not!”
The chieftain patted the head of Ookru gently. The wet sensation on his chest was already a dead giveaway that his son was weeping.
“Of course, you’re not,” said the chieftain. “But what happened to you, Ookru? I heard about the incident last night. And to think you’ll suddenly lose consciousness….”
Ookru wiped away the tears and snot on his face.
Although Elder Taru told him not to tell anyone about his nonsense of going back to the past, his father was an exemption to this rule.
If there was one goblin who he could safely confide with in the village, it would be his father.
“Father… I had a dream.”
“A dream?”
Ookru nodded. “Yes. In my dream… you and everyone in the village died, father.”
Ookru then proceeded to tell the chieftain everything about the dream he had. He told the chieftain about his illness, the portal, and the massacre that ensued after that.
“A nightmare,” muttered the chieftain. “It must have been terrifying, my son.”
Again, tears started forming at the corner of Ookru’s eyes. He bit his lips and nodded.
“I was so scared, father!”
The chieftain hugged Ookru tightly.
“I understand. It’s alright now, my son. Everything will be alright. As you can see, I’m strong. Absurdly strong. I will never fall ill. As long as I’m alive, even if the portal opens, the humans will never be able to defeat us.”
Hearing such words from the strongest warrior in the entire mountain really felt reassuring.
“I will protect you, my son. So, stop worrying. And besides, it’s just a dream.”
“Yes, father!”
After that conversation, Ookru decided to forget about everything.
He convinced himself that it was simply a nightmare, and dwelling on it would do nothing good to him and his father.
His blissful life went on for an entire year. Worry-free, carefree.
Until ‘that’ event happened.
“Kahaku is missing?”
When Ookru heard this news from one of the villagers, he felt something shatter within him.
The unpleasant memories of that time when the portal opened and the humans slaughtered the goblins started surging into his mind like a wave.
Just like in his dream – if that was a dream at all – the little goblin called Kahaku went missing.
The villager said, “It’s been more than a day, and the Council of Elders started contacting the other villages in the mountain.”
Although the eighteen villages in the Goblin Mountain maintain a harmonious relationship with each other, there were rules set in place that prevented an outsider from entering a territory without permission from that village’s council.
This was the reason why the Council of Elders needed to coordinate with the head of each village first if they wished to send rescuers for the missing goblin.
In his dream, this stupid rule was one of the reasons why Kahaku died.
Maybe if they’d sent out a rescue unit sooner, the child would have survived after getting lost in the cave where the devouring worm lived.
Although he didn’t see the corpse himself back then, he heard that the body of Kahaku was mangled beyond recognition. It seemed that the devouring worm played with its meal before killing it.
“No, it’ll be too late if we wait for the councils’ approval!” said Ookru.
“W,Wait, where are you going!”
“To the chieftain! Where else?!”
Leaving behind the flustered villager, Ookru ran toward the training grounds.
Unfortunately, his father wasn’t there when he arrived.
He asked one of the hobgoblin warriors, “My father. Where is he?”
“Ooh, if it isn’t little Ookru! Your father left for the council. He should be meeting with the elders right now as we speak.”
“I see. Thank you!”
Ookru ran again.
He felt that every second wasted could mean the death of Kahaku.
With his entire might, he ran toward the large thatched house that served as the convening place of the elders of the village.
“Wait, you can’t just barge in like that!”
Ignoring the goblins that guarded the entrance, Ookru kicked the door open.
Ookru huffed, numerous beads of sweat flowing down his face. He looked around him. The seven elders of the village and the chieftain were currently seated at a round wooden table.
All of the chatters before coming here died instantly. Everyone stared at Ookru.
“Ookru?”
His father was the one who was surprised the most by Ookru’s sudden intrusion.
Ignoring the elders, Ookru shouted, “Father! I know where we can find Kahaku! We need to go there now! If we wait for the response of the other village councils, we won’t be able to save him on time!”
There was palpable desperation within that voice.
Everyone in the room could see that the little goblin was close to crying.
Elder Rama, a goblin known for his stringent personality, spat angrily, “Argos,” he said to the chieftain, “What is your kid doing? To suddenly barge into our council and demand that we leave right away to save the missing child! I will not tolerate disrespect in this council! Even if he’s your child!”
Argos looked troubled. He apologetically said, “As you’ve said, he’s just a kid—”
“—This council is a sacred gathering under the name of god Systema! Age is no excuse when it comes to our god!”
“Ookru, as you can see, we are in the middle of an important meeting,” said Argos. “What is this about?”
Ookru ran to his father, grabbed his arm, and said, “I told you already! I know where Kahaku is! And if we don’t go there now, it’ll be too late to save him!”
“Enough! This child really has no respect for the council!”
When Elder Rama was about to get up and issue an order to the guards outside, Elder Eef spoke.
“Elder Rama,” said Elder Eef. “Why don’t we listen first to the child?”
Elder Eef held the highest position among the elders of the village. In matters that needed decision-making, she held the final say. Of course, in military matters, the chieftain had more authority than her.
Elder Taru added, “I agree with Elder Eef. Let’s listen first to what the child has to say. We can decide on what to do next after that.”
Ookru muttered, “Elder Taru….”
He didn’t expect the healer to take his side, too.
“Hmph.”
Hearing the words of Elder Eef and Elder Taru, Elder Rama conceded.
“If the child ends up babbling nonsense, as members of the council, we should mete out appropriate punishment,” said Elder Rama.
“Of course,” said Elder Taru.
“Chieftain Argos?”
The chieftain closed his eyes. “Yes, I’ll personally see to it, Elder.”
After coming to an agreement, Elder Rama decided to leave the inquisition to the head elder.
Elder Eef observed the huffing young goblin.
“Ookru, tell us again about what you know about Kahaku. I wish to hear all of it in detail.”
Under the gazes of the elders and the chieftain, Ookru started recounting his story.