Gob was already back in his cozy cage. Daily walks with Peter and his crossbow were nice and all, yet Gob felt that he had found an even better pastime. It was even more enjoyable than his training routine.

“So what are fairies born in the morning called? Morn’s?”

“No, they are called Morin's.”

Evie replied. She seemed a bit.. Disappointed?

“And the ones in the dusk?”

“Short names stay as they are. Dawn, Dusk… We like them short.”

“So how many fairies are there in the forest?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I’m not good with numbers, but the oldest fairy will know! He knows everything about the forest!”

“So is he a Dawn or maybe a Dusk?”

“No. He is called Eclipse, silly Gob! He is the oldest among the trees!”

“Older than Dusk?”

Gob wanted to poke fun of Evie more, but her voice got unpleasantly serious.

“He is older than the dusk. He knows of every dawn. Our king put him there to watch and so he remains. Whether it’s in the trees or in the earth. The Eclipse will be the last to look until the Eclipse is born.”

She was a very cryptic being. Right now she appeared to him as a female figure of light. Without real shape she was a floating contour of warmth. Gob could only truly focus on the dress she was wearing.

It was a short one. Fishcatcher used to wear a similar one. The moment he thought about her Evie’s appearance began to shift. Gob averted his eyes and changed the topic before he looked back at her.

“Do you know where the mine is? The one where the goblins are sold?”

“What is a mine?”

Evie conveyed her emotions mostly through her voice. Gob couldn’t be sure he always interpreted it right, but he was slowly getting the gist of the fairy. She really didn’t know what a mine is.

“Many goblins in one place. There are rocks and a lot of caves. They work like this.”

Gob tried to show her how people swing their pickaxes, but the cage was a bit too small to do it properly. Evie’s prolonging silence didn’t help. He looked outside the cage to hide his embarrassment. Peter was sitting nearby. He felt his gaze and looked straight at him.

Gob was slowly forced to stop the staring contest and retreated quickly. Peter’s gaze was unnatural in a way. Maybe it was his lack of speech that made his penetrating gaze so disturbing? He had the ability to stare down into one’s soul.

As Gob returned to his cramped position. Fritz approached Peter.

“He is still talking to himself?”

Peter didn’t reply. Go figure, thought Fritz. I’m worried that I will also end up like him. He looked around tired of silence. The chief was busy so they kept the noise to minimum. The trade didn't work and so Viper went back to the town once more. There wasn’t anyone willing to buy the goblin as of now. There was also no one to talk to.

“Heh,”

Fritz sighed and went towards the Piper’s tent. The cook will surely make him help in the kitchen. Still, he needed to talk to someone and Curan seemed to shut himself in his tent for the rest of the day.

Meanwhile Gob lied down on the blanket Curan provided for him. It was getting colder and colder. As a goblin he didn’t need as much skin protection. At least not until the first snow. Still even his green skin appreciated the sensation of warmth.

He tried to relax, but the moment his mind wasn’t occupied by anything he instantly felt cornered. The visions of the slaughter were all too real. The dreams he had. The blood.

He tried to turn it around, but it flooded his mind. Nozgu. Hestia. Father..

Fishcatcher.

The training wasn’t enough. He wasn’t slacking off. He stretched his body in every imaginable way. He tried to sweat his pain away, but it always came back the moment he rested. He needed to sleep. He needed to catch his breath and think, and it was exactly when the terror hit him back.

He tried to think, but he couldn’t. He dreaded the mines. To exhaust oneself while working as a slave and then not be able to sleep. He didn’t want to suffer. He needed something. Lifeline.

“Evie?”

No response.

“Evie!?”

He looked around the cage, but didn’t spot the fairy anywhere.

“You will not go back are you?”

“Evie why didn’t you...”

As he turned around he froze. Evie’s voice was changing slowly. To the voice he shouldn’t be able to hear anymore.

“What is a mine Gob?”

When she spoke once more he moved back in panic. The cage’s bars held him in place. The tiny Fishcatcher was slowly walking towards him. Her dress was bloodied.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“You told me so much. Why won’t you tell me now?”

Gob tried to calm himself, but the fairy seemed to be the spitting image of the female he had known since he was young. He couldn’t even close his eyes. His arms. Nearly healed were shaking with fear. The ghost approached even closer.

“Why did you stop being Gob? You always were near me.”

“You always helped.”

It was then he closed his eyes. The face of a knight came into his view. This despicable face, twisted by rage.

When he opened his eyes back, he was breathing quickly. His pulse was through the roof. He released his clenched fists when he finally felt the pain surging from his left hand. He could barely move his fingers. It didn’t heal well.

He looked at the fairy. She was no longer in a ghost form. Her light was pale and weak as she stood next to him. Her little fists were tightly clenched. With her gaze focused on the ground she spoke with a tired voice.

“I will leave now. She might try to do something to you.”

Gob didn’t understand at first. He was still covered in sweat from his panic attack.

“Who will do?”

Evie’s eyes were still stuck on the ground.

“The female that died..”

The moment she said this she looked him straight in the eyes. Only then Gob has realized how close the fairy resembled the goblin. As her light got weaker, more and more traits that he knew so well were vaguely present in her form. Especially the eyes. Under her gaze Gob forgot to breathe. She spoke once more.

“Please come to my home and make her go away.”

Evie smiled with teary eyes and turned away.

Gob barely managed to ask.

“Whyy did you choose to appear to me?!”

Evie stopped one last time and answered.

“You all reek of blood.”

“But your scent. Is different.”

Gob tried to reach for her, but she disappeared. He was alone. Left with no one. Left to think. Think, but he already knew what to do.

“Curan!!!”

Peter jumped up startled by the sudden shout.

“Curan!!!”

Fritz rushed out from the Piper’s tent still wearing a kitchen apron.

“What in the damnation is going on?”

“Is someone attacking us?”

Piper’s giant frame also came into view. Peter grabbed his crossbow and pointed them towards the cage.

The Goblin was restless, shouting chief’s name over and over until his throat started to make weird gurgling noises that goblins were known for.

“Shut up! You freak!”

Fritz still wearing the apron kicked the cage, but the goblin didn’t stop here.

“I know you can hear me! Curan!! I know something that you would like to know! Curan!!!”

“I said shut up! Don't shout now!”

Fritz continued to kick the cage, while Piper hastily grabbed his halberd in order to strike Gob with its wooden end. He was about to hit him when the chief’s tent curtain began to wave.

“Finally! The orcs! I know of the orcs...”

Gob was the only one that didn’t instantly feel the sudden change in the air. Both Fritz and Piper took a few steps back. Peter was nowhere to be seen. As Curan came closer to the cage Gob finally shut up.

Curan’s longsword was already unsheathed. His usually jolly demeanor was gone. He looked ready to kill the goblin on the spot. When he finally stood next to the cage, he spoke in a low voice.

“Open it.”

Fritz was the one to speak up.

“Chief.. The key to the chain is in the tent. I will go bring it and we can...”

Slash!

With a single hit the cage door was busted open. The metal chain didn’t stand a chance.

“Out!”

Gob tried to walk out slowly, but before he even reached the exit Curan threw him out with incredible force. Piper stepped back in the nick of time as a flying goblin soared through the air next to him.

Gob quickly got up on his feet. He broke nothing, but it still was quite the throw. He didn’t even register when Curan grabbed him. As he stood up, he looked at the bandit chief. He differed from before. An aura of danger was looming around the man, making Gob want to escape as fast as he could. Still, he was sure he needed to stay where he was.

Curan looked at his desperate eyes. He then pointed with his sword at the entrance of the camp.

“I will count to ten. After those ten seconds Peter will shoot at you once. If you can run away, then so be it. Otherwise you are dead. Here. I. Go. One.. Two.. Three...”

“I will not run.”

“Four… Five...”

“I’m not moving!”

“Eight.. Nine...”

“Curan!!!”

“Chief!!”

Fritz butted in just before the countdown’s end. Curan looked at him with anger, making him instantly take another step back. Still, he didn’t stop talking.

“He said about the orcs, maybe it’s worth hearing!”

“He only costs us. Those coppers we would get for him in the mines aren’t worth a week's meal he got!”

“He still might be useful! He can be much more than a simple slave!”

Fritz couldn’t believe he was saying it but he felt like he needed to stop the chief from further actions.

“I personally never even heard of talking goblins! He surely is worth some risks.”

“He just interrupted something important.”

With this Curan stared back at the goblin. Gob stood next to the tree where his knife was still encased. He looked at it slightly but the moment he did Curan’s sword was at his throat. Two beings looked at each other. One was brimming with anger and regret, the other with fear and hope.

Gob tried not to move, but the sword still left a small mark on his skin. As the scent of blood could be seen Curan finally moved his sword away. Gob used this moment to speak.

“If it’s just money, I can pay for my life.”

“In what currency?”

“Everything you can find in an orc stash. Coin’s, weapon’s and all the garbage they collect.”

Curan lowered his sword even more. He didn’t need to turn around to feel the presence of the Viper. A figure covered in a heavy robe was looking at them from the treetops. He still wasn’t sure if he shouldn’t remove the nuisance here and there.

“Do you enjoy gambling so much? I will kill you the moment you move funny.”

The goblin didn’t budge, so he just asked bluntly.

“Where is the stash?”

It was weirdly refreshing. Having to discuss with humans from this position and staying alive. He liked this feeling. He already knew what to do.

“Close to the place you found me, going east towards the mountain range. I can guide.”

Curan finally stepped back from the goblin. This little critter. Smart enough to talk. Smart enough to cover in fear. He really liked this goblin, but the situation has changed. If the stash was an elaborate lie, this small friendship would be over.

“You will guide me personally. I give you half a day to reach it.”

He moved to his henchman. Fritz looked relieved. Peter came out from his sniper spot. His crossbow wasn’t even loaded.

“Piper and Fritz you will stay here. Peter I task you with the patrols for the rest of the day.”

“Viper!”

As he asked the rest of the autumn leaves still present on the trees moved in the wind. He didn’t wait for any response.

“Very well. Guide me Eloquent goblin.”

Gob looked at the sword breaker encased in the tree, but then shook his head and looked back at the human chief.

“My name is Gob.”