Once the Shaman had poured tea, she sat down on a primitive pillow. For a minute or more, she just stared into the fire. And then, without any warning, she began her tale.

"All Denizens were Spirit-bonded, once.

The Spirits and the Law-shaper that the Spirits created are benevolent. In a way, it is a necessity of the Spirits' existence. The Spirits need the bonded to live and grow. So they seek the prosperity of their bonded hosts.

Yet... they have made many grave mistakes.

With that benevolence comes a naivety. Over many of their generations, they have learned and have improved. But, they still make mistakes.

I cannot tell you the story of all Denizens, only our own. But, the Denizens of the Law-shaper's realms are those who failed with their bonds and had that bond broken.

We were among the earliest of Spirit-bonded -- and the Denizens... but not the first.

Our world had two prominent species, and the Spirits chose both species to be bonded. One was more dominant than the other. They had cities and weapons of war, though much more primitive than those of your current world.

The other species spent much of their lives in hiding, living in small communities, avoiding conflict, and running if they had no other choice.

The dynamic between these species was similar in some ways to the human myths of goblins... yet the truth was that neither species was entirely good or truly evil, only in competition. For land, for resources, but mostly... one competed for possession and control and the other for survival and safety.

It is likely that the dominant species would have killed the other without the arrival of the spirits, given enough time.

Before the Spirits came, our two peoples were already in a perpetual state of conflict. But after, things grew much, much worse.

With the power the Spirits brought and the new rules of the Law-shaper, things became much more equal between the two peoples. The Law-shaper's rules were far different in that time than what you've been given, I believe. More... primitive. Mystical. Esoteric.

More like Levi's cultivation, perhaps."

Everyone turned and gave Levi a look, and he knew he would be answering some questions later.

But the Shaman continued her story.

"The formerly dominant species grew afraid of the new power dynamic and feared that the species they believed their lesser would grow to a power that would overturn the way of life they'd maintained for centuries. They began hunting the other species with earnest, trying to drive the perceived threat into extinction.

Still, the weaker species hid and ran.

And yet, the aggressions of the dominant species became worse and worse. They were never satisfied, only increasingly frustrated when the victims of their slaughters escaped and survived. They became depraved.

But for the Spirits bonded inside the two peoples... they only knew and understood that their fellow Spirits resided in everyone. For those Spirits bonded to the dominant species, they were killing brothers and sisters.

And as the dominant fell into depravity, ever thirsting to annihilate the lesser species, the Spirits within them began to go mad. This created a cycle... a spiral into that madness. The Spirits within those bonded began to feed from the energies of their slain brothers and sisters... truly corrupted.

And when the weaker species was entirely eradicated, the newfound hunger of those who'd hunted them down did not die.

When the dominant species, when MY original species, was the only one left on our home world, we fell on each other like starving dogs. We slaughtered each other, building our strength upon the corpses of our own people.

We nearly drove ourselves into extinction.

And when there were very few of us left, the Law-shaper finally took action and severed our bonds with the Spirits. In an act so benevolent it was almost cruel, the Law-shaper brought us to the Realms created for those who failed with their bonds.

And though our bonds are broken, the Spirits, or what is left after the corruption... it remains inside us." The Shaman tapped her chest before continuing.

"In the Realms, when we die, we are simply reborn with our people to live out a new life. When the next generation of Spirits are bonded, we are sometimes chosen to be Denizens of the next Realm, where new Spirit-bonded will explore and hunt us.

Eventually, we all get chosen for this.

Over thousands of millenia, the cycle played out again and again.

Our bodies always fit something from the new Spirit-bonded's world or myths. The Law-shaper keeps our souls here, and we are always reborn. Our people have been reborn many times. Though my memory is not perfect, I remember this. I am the only one who remembers.

We were lost in our depravity for a time beyond counting. We retained some ability to gain power from slaying the new Spirit-bonded, and so we stayed locked in our destructive natures. For many generations, we were simply monsters. This is true of all Denizens.

And then, I was captured by another Denizen. And he told me of a new way. He had found his way to peace for his people. He spent years calming my Spirit and teaching me. The corruption inside my Spirit was slowly purified. He taught me how to speak to the Spirit and build a relationship. How to remember in the next life.

Most importantly, he showed me we can be Bonded again. He set me on that path.

And so, for many generations, I have been a shepherd for my people. Every time our people are brought to a new Realm, more and more have soothed the corruption of their Spirit and have become bonded again. We are almost gone. Most have already been re-Bonded and moved on. And this may be the last generation. I hope we are.

Our people were seeded here to await your arrival just over 75 years ago... though I imagine our time doesn't match your own. By some miracle, I was lucky to gain the rank of an 'elite' immediately upon being seeded. I believe the Law-shaper intended me to be some difficult enemy for the new Spirit-bonded.

...or perhaps the Law-shaper's benevolence had a hand in it.

However, this allowed me to choose some perks that aided in my ability to push my people far along the path to being re-Bonded. I was able to gain insights into your people and culture. I was able to gain knowledge of your language and teach it to my own people.

And now, I believe we are all ready. It is finally time for us to all become whole.

But we need your help."

When no one else spoke, Levi asked the question. "What help is it you need from us?"

The Shaman gave a slow nod, indicating she had been waiting for the question.

"A few small things. The easiest to solve is that we cannot become Spirit-bonded within the Realms, and yet we cannot leave the Realms on our own. A Spirit-bonded must push, carry, or pull us through a portal.

This is easy to manage, if you accept my request.

The biggest issue is a matter of safety.

Becoming re-Bonded will not be immediate for most who leave the Realms. Some may immediately re-Bond, but most will need to interact with the Spirit-bonded for their own Spirits to understand and, through imitation, seek to re-Bond themselves.

If our people die outside the Realms, we die forever, losing any chance of becoming Spirit-bonded. We must, at least, have some guarantee of peace and acceptance between our people and your own... at least those in your community, if no more than that.

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This is also important because being forced into violence with other Spirit-bonded risks the last embers of corruption will flare up within my people.

That would set our progress back by generations.

So we need some promise of peace... a treaty. More, we need some promise of protection from other Spirit-bonded who may see us as enemies on sight.

And more interaction with Spirit-bonded is something that will help us tremendously.

This is how you can help us, our people."

The Shaman grew quiet. She waited patiently, looking from face to face. None were looking back at her. They all stared into the fire, seemingly thinking about her words, except, again, of course, Paige.

Paige was feeding some crumbs she'd squirreled away to the crow on her shoulder. She'd heard the old Shaman's words, but as far as she was concerned, that wasn't something she had much impact on, no matter what her opinion was.

Levi spoke first. "With the assumption that everything you said was true, I'm not sure how much we--I mean our group--can help you. Our community decides everything by council, and we aren't on it. However... I do have to know." Levi turned to Paige, nudging her to pull her attention from the crow. "Was she telling the truth?"

Paige didn't hesitate to answer. "She was either telling the truth or is the best liar ever. Her smell... her heartbeat... my gut... it all tells me she was honest."

"Wait, she can tell if someone is lying?" Joe asked.

"I think it is more complicated than that, and I kind of guessed she could based on a conversation we had earlier on the ferry," Levi answered.

"Yeah. More like kind of... it is a combination of smelling people, hearing their heartbeat and my instincts. I can tell. Mostly." Paige shrugged. "Like when Nosmiles's son stormed off earlier. Everyone thought he was angry, but he was just really sad and only pretending to be angry."

"Well. That's insightful. In more ways than one. But it makes this easier." Joe paused and tugged the beard hair at the corner of his mouth for a moment, then looked up, staring the Shaman directly in the eye. "Paige, can you play lie detector for me for a moment?"

Paige shrugged and finally pulled her attention completely away from the crow.

"Yeah, sure. Might be fun, actually."

Joe nodded, still staring the Shaman down. "I'm going to ask rapid-fire questions, and I want you to answer quickly--the faster you answer the better, and immediately is best. Paige is going to tell me whether you are lying or not. Some of my questions maybe seem odd. I need you to not worry about that. Answer anyway... because I really want to trust you, but I have to know for MY people."

The Shaman smiled widely at this. It wasn't a bright smile, because she had very few teeth remaining, but it was genuine. "What less could I expect of you, Joseph. In another life, maybe you would have been a great Shaman. Ask, and I will answer."

Joe looked to Paige. "You ready?"

Her face seemed eager, and she nodded in return.

"Just tell me when she lies."

Joe waited for confirmation from Paige and then looked back to the Shaman.

"What is your name?" Joe asked.

"Riuka-Suun." The Shaman answered calmly.

"What does it mean?"

"Wind's Depths."

"How many goblins want to harm Spirit-bonded?" Joe actually didn't expect this question to be hard or to extract truth, but for it to only seem like that was what he was trying to do. It was a false hard question, meant to ease the Shaman into believing all hard questions would be so easy.

"None. Of this I am sure."

"Have you ever been married?"

"Not in this life."

"What's your favorite food."

The goblin did pause slightly at this questions and bobbed her head. "I like honey and milk, but sometimes I want salty meat more."

"What season is your favorite and why?"

"Spring, because the colors of the grasslands are beautiful and my old body does not like things too hot or too cold."

"What did you have for breakfast?"

"Tea and honey on flatbread."

"Who is your favorite goblin and why?"

"Noon-weira, because she is a fierce wife, making my grandson grow into a better man while also making him happy. And she was my best student and makes good tea."

"What are you wearing under your furs?"

"Only many wrinkles... and a natural blush now."

"Is there anything that you regret about guiding your people to being Spirit-bonded again?"

"How many I lost along the way. Many died outside the Realms before re-Bonding."

"Why does the Chief love Sombo so much, and why does Sombo obey him better than his own rider?"

"Because the Chief's wolf, Makiaha, is Sombo's mother and the Chief raised him as a puppy."

"Ah cute." Paige said, recieving a serious look from Joe in response.

"Do you have any other agendas than peace and becoming re-Bonded?" Joe asked.

"No. That is my only goal for my people."

"So why do you want to be re-Bonded, if you can choose to either just die outside the Realms or live inside the Realms forever? Why is it you want to re-Bond to the Spirits? Is there some afterlife you want to reach or is it a simple desire for the power of being Spirit-bonded?" It was technically a fake hard question, but Joe was admittedly interested in the Shaman's response.

The Shaman began answering immediately, but it was clear she thought carefully about how to answer as she spoke. "Life inside the Realms is not a life. It is a cycle of violence that has seen my people spend many generations as nothing more than monsters. As for why seek re-Bonding rather than death... it is not a matter of power or an afterlife. The only afterlife I know of is here, and it is not a happy place.

As for power... power is always welcome. I would lie to tell you that being strong is not a great thing for my people or that it would not help secure a future. You cannot fault me for that.

But, no, the true reason is simple. My people became Denizens here because we did terrible things. We exterminated an entire people. In doing so, we corrupted the Spirits that had bonded to us, damning them too, when they only ever intended prosperity and power for us. We even killed most of each other, our own kind, in the end.

We cannot bring back the entire people we hunted down and tore a future from, and we cannot undo the death and destruction we brought on each other in the end. We can't undo the millennia spent on our own world and in the Realms as nothing more than monsters.

But the Spirits inside us still live. They can still be saved from the fate we've inflicted on them. We have the chance to give back the future we stole from them.

Maybe there is an afterlife beyond that. Maybe there isn't. And I will not sit here and pretend the power to protect our people better will not be something we celebrate. We will most certainly be grateful for it.

But the true reason for it all is a simple one. We need to right the mistakes of our past, as best as we can. And this is the way."

Joe stared at the Shaman for a moment, almost seeming to gaze into her and see her the same way she saw them, as if he was suddenly on equal footing. "My ability, Clarity of the Burdened, has always shone a light on you. And I now know why. With every word you spoke, it shined brighter.

I believe you. Even without Paige verifying, I know you're telling the truth.

And I can even feel my class tugging at me and my emotions, urging me to champion your cause.

But I have just one more question. What is it you have avoided telling us? Because I can tell there is something."

The Shaman laughed hard, but quickly and deliberately regained her composure.

"Well... there is one fast, sure method for us, my people, to peacefully become Spirit-bonded again... Mating. When a child is concieved, the Spirits within the parents must come together and make a connection to create a new Spirit for the developing baby. It always triggers a re-Bonding in my people.

So, I very much encouraged interracial relations.

Many Goblins will greatly desire and pursue romantic relationships with you Spirit-bonded humans."

Joe was so caught off guard by the answer that all he could do was look to Paige. When she just gave him a nod of confirmation, he sat dumbfounded and silent for a moment.

David, who had been completely silent through the exchange, did finally find something to say. In true David fashion, it was the wrong thing and the right thing all at the same time.

"Well, that just sounds like a perk. You know how many dudes are going to be super into short little goblin women?"

Maddy smacked David hard in the arm, "Really? I swear you are the worst sometimes."

David shrugged, "What? You're really short, too, so I obviously wasn't saying anything bad. I'm just saying that a lot of dudes are going to be into that, and I get it."

Maddy glared at David in disbelief. "You know what, just don't even talk to me. Matter of fact, just stop talking completely. You're disgusting."

As David tried to smooth things over with Maddy, Joe finally found his ability to speak again.

"Well, I'd like to discuss this with the council before making any promises. And based on the knowledge that, as far as we can determine, you're being completely honest with us... I'll be honest with you.

I was recently put into the position of authority over our defenses, policing, and... well... basically everything requiring any form of combat necessity. So, I do have some amount of power to bring your people into our community.

I'd actually say I probably have the power, if I push the issue hard enough with the council, to ensure your people would be safe from violence from our people and have a place within our community. But that would also be contingent on certain stipulations.

First, let me tell you honestly... I can't guarantee safety for the goblins. I can't even guarantee the safety of the humans under my watch. The entire reason I was put into this position was that five of our people were taken captive, and another person was killed.

By another human, our own people.

I was the one who rallied those willing to take action. To help save those who had been taken and put down the threat to our community.

We succeeded, but it cost us three lives.

The truth is, I just can't promise similar threats won't arise and threaten goblins, even if I wish I could."

Levi could tell it took a lot for Joe to talk about himself in such a light, even if it was all absolutely true. He looked uncomfortable explaining his leadership role and how he'd been appointed to it. But he was doing his job. He was being the Captain of the Guard.

It still hurt Levi to see how much Joe hated the role he had been forced into and that he still made himself fill it. The truth was, Joe was good at it. He was damned good at it.

Levi hated that, too. Because he loved the man and they'd become good friends, but if it came down to it, and the decision was Levi's, Levi would insist Joe keep that position of authority. Everyone needed him too much, and they didn't have anyone else nearly as suited for the job.

The Shaman gave a small head bob and responded, "True safety can never be guaranteed. I understand this. I hope for the perfect future, but I never expect it. I only expect the promise of mutual peace... whatever else comes is beyond our control. There are always bad things, and bad people, in the world."

Joe nodded. "I'm glad you understand. But you said that violence with Spirit-bonded could cause your people to regress. What we need most right now is more defensive forces. And we just can't take in people who can't help with that defense.

If you were to join us, there is the very real possibility you'd be put into a position where your people may have to defend our home against Spirit-bonded.

With that risk of regression, would your people even be able to help in the defense of our home?

I'm going to be honest. If not, we can't take you."

The goblin gave a grim smile. "My people should be able to safely confront such threats. We cannot wage war or have conflict after conflict with the Spirit-bonded... but we can help defend your home... our future home, hopefully.

And those who become re-Bonded will no longer be in danger of any regression.

Once we are re-Bonded, we can act as any other Spirit-bonded."

Joe tugged at his beard again. "I see no problem. The truth is, my class is pushing the desire to help your people, and as the Captain of our new guard, I see nothing but benefits. Your people seem very capable. So, I am completely in favor of making this happen.

I still have to talk with our council before I can make any official promises. But..." Joe looked up and into the Shamans, eyes. "I'm going to do everything in my power to officially accept your request. Not just out of charity, but because I believe it will benefit both of our people."

The Shaman smiled back at Joe. "I thank you. Maybe the Law-shaper has finally blessed us with this meeting. Perhaps it has finally decided it is time for us to be free."