Lu woke that morning knowing that this would be the last day with her folks. At least she would still be able to communicate with Stalida. She just wondered who Stalida chose to end her life.

“Ready dear?”

Lu’s mother asked as Lu walked down the stairs with her backpack on her back. “I am.”

“Are you sure you really want to go?”

Her father asked her in a bit of a sad voice. His anger had disappeared and was replaced with sadness.

“Yes, father. I know it will be hard on all of us, but it is what I want to do.”

“And there is no stopping you?” Her father questioned her again.

“There is no stopping me.”

He sighed heavily, “Alright, I suppose you have my full support now. I do want to apologize again for my behavior.”

“Dad, I understand. You were hurt and are still hunting from Stalida’s betrayal. I just want you to know that I will love you and mom no matter what happens.”

“Thank you Lu, you really are a special daughter you know.”

“Thanks dad.”

I gave him a kiss on his forehead and hugged him. Her mother went and hugged them from the other side. “Let’s eat breakfast then go see Stalida.”

***

After breakfast, Lu knocked on Stalida’s door one more time. “Come in!” Stalida’s cracked and brittle voice rang through the door.

“You brought everyone today?” Stalida's eyes fell on Daniel as she looked at him with a soft smile. “Daniel, I am sorry, I am sorry for everything.”

He took a deep breath as he sat at the edge of the bed and grabbed her hand, “It’s alright. I am sorry for behaving the way I did. I was just told one thing after another all these years and I should have come just straight to you to figure out what was real and what wasn’t. Sorry for everything Stalida.”

“Thank you Daniel, my grandchild. Now, I have one request before I go.”

Lu and her mother looked at each other. Lu had a feeling where this was going to go and so did her mother. The room was silent as they awaited for Daniel to speak.

“What is that Stalida?”

Lu couldn’t help it, her heart raced. She knew what was going to be asked but she didn’t know how her dad was going to react, which scared her more than anything. Lu’s father was very good at overreacting to things.

“I want you to kill me, so I can be a goblin again.”

Lu’s father removed his hand slowly from Stalida’s. He stood up from the edge of the bed and walked to the door. The room was still. The only thing that could be heard was their own breathing. He held his hand steady against the door knob. He turned back to face Stalida, “You want to be a monster again?” He held a firm facial expression as he spoke. It held a bit of anger and sadness as Lu could tell that he was unsure how to handle the question in hand.

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“Yes. As I said before, those were the happiest years of my life. I want that again. I know Tut-Man is dead, but I do have some family left over there. Not only that, but I could fight for my spot as Queen again.”

“Is this what you truly want?”

He seemed to be asking that question a lot recently. Lu just assumed he wanted to make sure that his family is making the decisions for themselves and not due to anyone else.

“Yes. I want you to end this life, so I can begin a new.”

He removed his hand from the door and rested his body against it. Lu watched as his chest rose and fell with each passing second. She had no idea what her father was going to say to her request. Lu knew it was a tough question to answer and she didn’t know how her father was dealing with it.

“Stalida, if this is truly what you want, then I suppose I can give that to you.”

Stalida’s face lit up with a big smile, “Thank you my grandchild.”

“Is there a set time for this to happen?”

Her father asked as he hadn’t been told that information yet.

“Around six in the afternoon.” Lu responded.

“Until then, what else would you like to share with us?”

Stalida’s smile remained. “Tut-man may have been a monster to some, but as I said, he treated me like a Queen. I was the Queen of our clan once I married Tut-Man. Once I married Tut-Man the goblins fell in line and accepted me. They were all family, every single one of them, even the ones that perished in our personal affairs.”

“That is the one thing I still can’t wrap my head around, you loved him before you were goblin.”

“He may have had a tooth that hung out of his mouth, a short, ragged looking man but his ability and skill amazed me. The way he fought. The way he stood tall against his clan even though they were all very well short. His common may have been rough but, he did have a way with what words he did speak. He truly amazed me.”

“So his skill caught you?”

“Basically, besides the fact that his overall presence enchanted me.”

“I think I understand.”

Her father scratched his head, Lu knew that he was still a little confused with the whole bit but she figured he wouldn’t understand it anyways.

“I have told most of my story now, I think we just have to wait for Astrid to come.”

Stalida sat back and closed her eyes to take a nap. The rest of her family sat in the room in silence and waited.

****

Five in the afternoon came around and a flash appeared in the room. An elven woman that looked exactly like Astraid’s projection appeared.

“You must be her grandchild.”

Astrid extended her hand and shook Lu’s father’s hand, “Daniel. I would say nice to meet you but you are taking my daughter and grandma away from me.”

“Understandable. I’d promise they will be safe, but the world is unpredictable at times.”

He nodded, “Yeah, I figured she loved a goblin before being one.”

Astrid turned her attention to Stalida, “I left you with a daunting question, Stalida. Did you figure out who was going to do the honor and end your life so you can be reborn into a goblin again?”

“My grandson, Daniel.”

Stalida spoke loud and clear as she looked up at him from her hospital bed. Astrid snapped her fingers as the cords of the machines came unplugged, Stalida’s breathing slowed a bit. “I’d be quick with it, I think those machines were keeping her alive.”

Lu’s father nodded, “How am I-”

Astrid produced a weapon out of thin air, “Stab her in the heart, I have the scroll ready. We got to be quick though.”

He nodded and sat at the edge of her bed, “Before I do this, I want to say one thing. For what it is worth, I love you and I will miss you as you are now.”

He leaned in and kissed her forehead softly. He held the dagger firmly in both hands. “Make it quick.” Astrid spoke again as Stalida’s breathing was slowing by the minute.

He didn’t hesitate any more and pressed the dagger against her chest. Piercing her heart with it and quickly pulling it out. Blood poured out through the wound and as her heart stopped Astrid pulled a scroll out and began to read the incantation. Just as soon as Stalida died her body began to morph and change before them. What once was Stalida the elderly human, was now a fresh young goblin.