With a blade pointed at his own neck, the color in Severino’s face drained away until it remained around the small cut on his neck. It leaked through the wound, but it did nothing to diminish his foolish persistence. He called out to his guards, “Seize them! They can’t get away with this!”
One of the guards walked forward and brandished his sword against Morgan, who stood in his way. “That’s enough. You’re coming with us to the Prospero estate. Unhand the young master or face the consequences.” He said and steel rang against steel as he clashed swords with the spirit. He pulled back, taking his measure of Morgan, but prepared to escalate the fight.
“The consequences?” Avalon repeating, face twisting. He was getting tired of humans nipping at his heels and making demands of him. “Kill that one. Now.”
Morgan followed through with an overhead swing that cut the guard in two, from shoulder to hip. The guard’s two halves slid apart as his lower half fell to its knees. A whistling arrow embedded itself into Morgan’s shoulder, but he pulled it free and the wound closed. Not a single drop of blood leaked from the wound as he worked his shoulder, back and forth.
Daggert was on the walls in an instant, dashing through the walkway into the guard tower. Severino’s guard tried to fend off her attacker, but Daggert disarmed her and threw her onto the ground. The guards that remained froze in place, muttering on what they should do next. If Daggert eliminated her opponent and threw her body to the ground, it might’ve been enough to rout the enemy, but the woman in black was more merciful than expected.
“How should I handle the rest?” Morgan said and kicked at one half of the adventurer in front of him. It crumpled to the side, no longer in his way, and Morgan brandished his sword at the remaining guards. Despite the bloody sword in his hand, the spirit remained casual and expressionless, which seemed to frighten the guards into submission.
“We should kill them all.” Avalon said, looking down at Severino’s tearful eyes. If his would-be betrothed died here and now, it would put an end to their betrothal. Surely.
“Wait. No need to go that far.” Ryman called out and made a show of returning his sword into its scabbard.
“That man killed one of my guards!” Severino shouted.
“Your guards attacked a group of seven adventurers.” Ryman returned and looked at Avalon. “Seven. They’re both with us and we’re not going to let you attack them.”
Severino looked up at Avalon, realization setting in. “You? An adventurer?”
“Yes, is that so surprising.” Avalon said, twisting the blade of his spear. The motion made Severino grimace as it dug deeper into his skin. “This blade is a trophy of mine. A man tried to kill me, but I killed him instead. Maybe I’ll take a trophy from you as well.”
“An obvious lie.” Severino said through gritted teeth, almost a whisper.
One of the guards sheathed his sword and threw up his hands in a gesture of submission. “Release my lord and we will leave. You have my word.” Ryman looked to Avalon for confirmation, pleading in his eyes.
The word of a human. Avalon scoffed. Morgan, do you think we can handle the guards?
The guards? Certainly. But not the adventurers.
They’re on our side, fool. And they’re not that strong anyway.
If Ryman and his adventurers try to stop us from killing the guards, we will be defeated. Neither you, I, nor Hippolytus are strong enough to fight them all. Morgan sheathed his sword and everyone seemed to relax. Hippolytus will be the first to die. You may survive until the end, but you may succumb to heavy wounds.
“Fine!” Avalon moved his spear away from Severino’s neck and kicked him into motion with the heel of his foot. “If you’re going to leave, be quick about it. I have things to do.”
Severino turned back to scowl, but Avalon kicked at his rear until he ran to his horse. As quick as he was to make threats, relying on the strength of his guards to enforce his will, young Severino learned that it made him vulnerable. “I will not forget this sleight.” He said as he climbed his horse, but he fled as the words left his mouth.
“That was close. We should leave before they decide to come back with reinforcements.” Daggert said.
Avalon suspected that the young human would find him again, sooner or later, for a rematch. If he learned anything from the encounter, he’d prepare to fight with his own strength or bring more guards with him. A mix of both was also a fine choice, to learn balance between personal prowess and leadership. Regardless, strong enemies made for an exciting life and Avalon did not intend to rest idly while they grew in strength.
Morgan, stay with Hippolytus. I am going into this so-called dungeon. He said and seated himself on the edge of the doorway leading deeper into the sinkhole. Glory awaits.
When the keep collapsed into the sinkhole, which closed around the structure, a doorway remained intact. Avalon’s legs dangled into the darkness below as he squinted to peer inside. A beam of light reached through the doorway and motes of dust flickered as they drifted towards a patch of lit ground. Dirt gathered to partially obscure the layers of stone that had once been a wall.
If I drop down, will I be able to climb back out? Avalon wondered, when Daggert put a hand on his shoulder.
Despite wearing layers of dark cloth, the woman’s hand was cold to the touch. “When I said we, I meant everyone. That includes you and Morgan.”
Ryman walked to their side. “She’s right, a man is dead. We need to report back to the guildmaster and report what happened.”
“It was a clear case of self-defense against attempted kidnapping, but we should all travel together. It’s safer that way, and you can help us make our report.” Daggert added.
Avalon groaned and laid himself onto the stones leading into the sinkhole. “That city stinks, I don’t want to go back.”
“You can collect your portion of the reward.” Meribeth called out.
“I don’t care about some measly reward, I want to explore!” Avalon exclaimed and dropped into the sinkhole. “Leave me alone!”
Shana said something about a petulant child and her shrill laughter echoed through the doorway, but Avalon ignored it. He was no child, but a fully grown centaur. In spirit, if not in body. Unlit torches flanked the entrance to a tunnel, too dark to travel safely. In the end, his will was limited by his human frailty.
“Don’t do anything too dangerous!” Meribeth called out from above, her voice echoing through the tunnel. “We’ll come back and we can go dungeon diving together!”
A length of rope was dropped through the doorway, hanging from the entrance. Avalon gave no reply and seated himself onto the dirt, cross-legged and disappointed. He didn’t have to go in, but he travelled with the adventurers for that exact purpose. If only he were still a centaur, there would be no need to hold back. He might’ve gone south and stormed the Academy dungeons by force.
I sense several people nearby. Morgan said.
The adventurers?
No, there are too many.
If Avalon couldn’t have his hunt in the dungeon, he might have it above ground.
If Severino returned with more guards, they might be the diversion he needed. With their numbers, they might be emboldened to pursue him through the forest. And in their pursuit, they would become disorganized enough to pick off one by one. If not, Avalon could wait until nightfall to raid wherever they made camp.
Avalon jumped to the doorway and pulled himself outside, almost a cumbersome experience with one hand still holding onto his spear. There was a faint, acrid smell in the air that he knew didn’t belong to the adventurers who accompanied him to the castle ruins. Nor did it belong to Severino or any of the guards he brought to take him away. He sniffed thoughtfully and frowned as he spoke, “What is this scent?”
Morgan directed him towards a gap in the wall that faced north. This presence does not feel human, but I no longer recognize it.
Riding on Hippolytus’ back, Avalon and Morgan charged through the gap to take their guests by surprise. A dozen armed warriors retreated from the open clearing beyond the castle and into the safety of the trees. Few among them screamed frightfully as they sought refuge, but the forest wasn’t their sanctuary, not from the forest’s own sons. Hippolytus pursued them through the trees. Despite the stag’s size, the warriors were slow on their short legs, weighed down by their jingling chain armor and steel head caps.
At Avalon’s command, the stag corralled the warriors toward a clump of fallen trees. With their rear secured from assault, the warrior formed into a crescent with two rows. They brandished their spears over their circle shields like the spines on a hedgehog, if they were protruding from a turtle’s shell. The warriors fought in formation like humans did, but they were shorter than the average human and had skin as green as leaves on a tree. They weren’t quite the same.
Ah, those are goblins. I recognize them now. Morgan said and approached soldiers. “Hello, how are you all?”
The soldiers muttered to themselves and an elder warrior, distinguished by the bright red feathers on his helmet, left the shield line. “Who are you, humans, to speak our tongue?”
The younger warriors stared up in awe at Hippolytus, but also at Avalon, who looked down at them from atop the white stag’s back. Using him as transportation, to remind him of how it felt to have four legs, made it hard for Avalon to remember that the white stag was still a dangerous beast. To the goblins, they were face to face with a prince of the forest. And the prince’s master, the Beast King of the Evergreen.
Avalon called out. “You’re not the only ones capable of speech.”
Will we fight them? They don’t look very strong. Morgan said.
They look like unworthy prey, but looks can be deceiving. Stay on your guard.
Of course.
The elder warrior planted his spear into the ground and faced Avalon. “We aren’t usually as talkative with humans such as yourselves, but-” He peered up at Hippolytus. “But we mean you no harm. If you let us pass, we can part ways without bloodshed.”
“Are you here for the dungeon?”
“What you call a dungeon is the entrance to the Underway, tunnels left beneath the ground.”
“I was going to explore the dungeon myself, will you let me join you?”
The elder warrior’s eyebrows wrinkled his forehead as they raised. “We are going to hunt dangerous criminals. We haven’t found any other way to reach those tunnels, so we need to go in through the front. It would be best if we did this ourselves.”
“Dangerous criminals? Even better! I could use a good hunt.”
One of the young warriors stepped from the line to speak. “Captain. We could use help from one who has tamed a white stag.”
“Tamer… Tamer…” The other goblins chanted in a hushed chant.
“You have my word, I will render my aid to your hunt. You and your companions will come to no harm at my hands, or at the hands of my own companions, if you can promise the same.”
The elder warrior frowned at the younger warriors, who were nodding and voicing their agreement. “Very well, I accept your pledge and offer my own. This one’s name is Gobir. My young lieutenant, my nephew- come here, boy.” Gobir waved his nephew over, the young warrior who spoke in Avalon’s favor. “This is my nephew, Gobunta. He serves as my lieutenant, my second in command.”
Gobunta bowed his head and the lone feather on his steel cap almost glittered, red like his uncle’s. “Greetings, this one is Gobunta. It is an honor to meet you, wise tamer.”
Avalon nodded and allowed his lips to stretch into a smile, pleased with the show of obeisance. These goblins deserved an honest greeting. “I am Avalon, Beast King of the Evergreen. My faithful servant, the white stag, is named Hippolytus.” The goblins were appropriately impressed with the king and his steed, but Morgan remained silent. Morgan, will you introduce yourself?
Very well. “And I am Morgan, my master’s sworn sword. Like a knight, or a bloodrider.”
Gobir nodded. “Well met. Shall we begin our hunt? Our target is a would-be usurper named Gobured. He tried to kill my brother and our entire family to become chieftain.”
Same as before, Avalon left Hippolytus and Morgan at the entrance to the sinkhole, but his new companions were prepared for the darkness. They carried crystals, similar to magelights. As the goblins fed magic into the blocky chunks, the crystals glowed to light their way into the dark tunnel.
Gobir led the way deeper into the earth, descending down the gentle slopes of the winding tunnel. He slowed and knelt to inspect a section of wall, raising his crystal light to illuminate the scratches in the wall’s surface. “This is a false wall.” Gobir said and kicked at the wall. A hollow thud resounded through the tunnel, until the wall crumbled to reveal the cavern beyond.
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Mushrooms glowed with a soft, pale light within. Their caps and long ridges were marked with delicate patterns, and they pulsed as if breathing. The thickest cluster of mushrooms sat at the base of a central column of stone. Water dripped down the column’s length and collected into a shallow pool, which must’ve contributed to the growth of the fungi.
Gobir stepped into the cavern and Avalon followed along with the rest of the goblins. There was only deathly silence as the elder warrior looked at his surroundings, but Gobunta ran ahead, into the darkness. “I see something.” He said and retrieved an item from the floor. When he returned, he carried a small, wooden cup in his hand. Still wet with water.
Despite the mushrooms that provided the cavern with dim light, and the crystal lights the goblins carried, darkness prevailed in the cavern. Avalon could see nothing beyond his arm’s reach, but he peered into the glowing eyes of the goblin’s around them. Like wolves in the night. Though, their eyes were tinged with the blue of their magic.
The magic behind their eyes had grown stronger, more noticeable, in the cavern. Avalon squinted at them as he dragged his magic towards his own eyes, trying to mimic the goblin’s magic. It strengthened his sight the way the magic in his limbs strengthened his magic. And as his vision grew in clarity, Avalon watched as the eyes of the goblins around him widened with surprise.
A goblin pointed and gasped, sending his comrades into a panic. Gobir grunted as he spoke, “What in the black moon is all the commotion?” When he saw Avalon’s eyes, he tensed and readied his spear.
“Put that away before you do something you regret.” Avalon said.
He jabbed his spear over Gobir’s shoulder before he could respond, to impale the shadow that crept up behind him. Gobir jumped to the side as if to dodge the spear, a second too late, and Avalon pulled his spear back. A black ant the size of a dog was stuck on the blade, squirming until a goblin jabbed at it’s neck to sever it’s head from the rest of its body.
“Giant ants.” Gobunta said, prodding at the ant’s body with the butt of his spear.
Near the end of the cavern, where the ant came from, were more giant ants. An entire nest of them. “How can they be so large? I have never seen such insects before.” Avalon said in amazement.
“The Underway’s magic changes the creatures that wander into it. There are savage lizards down here that walk upright as we do, but are no more than animals on the surface.” Gobunta said.
“We should leave. The criminals are not likely to wander close with so many giant ants lurking about.” Gobir said.
“Wait, uncle. Those giant ants have been caged, but their pen was left open.”
Avalon furrowed his brows as he squinted into the darkness. His night-vision wasn’t as good as he might like it to be, but young Gobunta was perceptive. If the giant ants were caged, as animals were caged on farms, the criminals might’ve relied on them as livestock. With a fake wall obscuring their section of the tunnel from the likes of Corviano, the goblin criminals could use the area as a permanent camp.
“I smell cooked food.” Avalon said as he sniffed the air.
Gobunta sniffed in turn. “I don’t smell anything but dank cave smell.”
The forest’s magic was weaker in the dungeon, but his human body had acclimated to its power. Like a small plant beneath the canopy of an overgrown forest, his senses were more efficient with using his limited magic as fuel. First with his smell and now with his sight.
A trail led around the fence that caged the giant ants, leading behind a corner. “Footsteps along the ground. Follow me.” Avalon said and followed the trail, dispatching the giant ants that came across his path with swift strikes.
Around the corner was a tunnel that led towards another cavern filled with light. He dashed through the entryway, brandishing his spear, but his eyes took a moment to adjust. “Watch out!” Gobir yelled as he pushed past Avalon and raised his shield to protect him. The head of an arrow pierced through and its shaft caught on the wood.
When his eyes adjusted, Avalon found a second-story balcony overlooking the entryway. Archers stood there with arrows nocked on their bowstrings, ready to draw and release. Spearmen stood below to form a line around the entrance, in another shield formation with their spears jutting out. They were poorly armed, with many lacking shields to form an actual shield wall, but there were more than Gobir and his warriors could handle. A dozen archers above, ready to shoot them full of arrows, and two dozen spearmen below, ready to batter them in a melee.
“Gobir, you’ve brought us a gift.” A goblin shouted out from the floor. “Pity, it won’t save you from me and my warriors.”
“Gobured, you bastard. How have you gathered so many spears?” Gobir called out, taking in the small warband gathered before him.
“They answered my call, the forgotten sons of the tribes. When we return, it shall be as conquerors!” Gobured said and cackled. Like Gobir, his steel helm was decorated by red feathers. Where Gobir possessed four, Gobured possessed seven, as if to signify their importance.
“Your lost dogs are no match for true warriors. Men, form the line!” Gobir declared and his warriors scrambled to prepare their line for battle, but an arrow shot one of their number through the throat before they had a chance to engage with the enemy spearmen. “Cowards! Fight us man to man!”
It was a foolish request. Even if the enemy was willing to give up the advantage of their positioning, they still possessed the numbers to overwhelm Gobir and his warriors. Avalon rolled his eyes and jumped to the balcony, taking the archers there by surprise. With one clean swing, he cut through the throats of several goblin archers. Blood sprayed from the gaping wounds and their comrades screamed in terror as they scrambled to escape.
One goblin tripped, hindering the escape of the archers around him, and Avalon charged into their ranks. They were unworthy prey, yet again, but numerous enough for a distraction. He cleaved through the archers, savoring the coppery smell of blood in the air, and it was almost like he was home again.
“Damn human, why are you fighting for them?” Gobured drew a sword and pushed past the goblins around him. “Your kind has no business in our affairs!”
Avalon blocked a downward slash with the shaft of his spear, but it was nowhere near the power that Gunnar could’ve brought against him. “You do not have the strength to be making such a declaration.” He said and beheaded Gobured with disappointing ease.
A goblin cried out, “The human speaks our tongue! Abomination!” And other goblins threw down their weapons to kneel and cradle their heads.
Avalon couldn’t help but mutter “Pathetic.” As he kicked Gobured’s head into the lines of spearmen fighting below.
A spearman lifted the head into the air, which was still attached to its helmet by a chinstrap. “Gobured is dead!” The fighting slowed to a stop as Gobured’s warriors stared at the head in disbelief, muttering to themselves.
“Lord Gobured is dead? How can this be?”
“All is lost.”
“Lord Gobured, we have failed you! Forgive us.”
Whoever Gobured was to them, their will to fight died alongside their would-be chieftain. When Avalon dropped down to meet with Gobir, their enemy had given up the fight despite their numbers. The weapons they surrendered were tossed into a pile as the goblins themselves were liked up and forced to their knees. The enemy goblins would’ve lost when Avalon inevitably interfered, but they would’ve exacted a bloody revenge for their dead leader with their own dying breaths.
Gobir seated himself at a long table where Gobured’s goblins had been eating, their food still hot and steaming. There were too many prisoners and no way to bind their hands or feet. Gobir would order their executions, no matter how long he delayed his decision. It was easier to kill them instead of risking their escape, it’s what Avalon usually did, but the elder captain was not as wise as his age suggested.
“We’re dragging all of you back to our hillfort for the shaman to render judgement. She may spare your lives, but if you try to escape, we will kill you.” Gobir motioned to Avalon, to speak in private.
Avalon seated himself near the elder warrior. “That was a mistake. Better to kill them all while you have them in one place. When one flees, so will the rest. Your warriors will have a difficult time pursuing them when they scatter, there’s not enough of you.”
“I know, but I was wondering if you would be willing to help us further.”
Avalon stared at the elder warrior, weighing his choices. It was a chance to visit a goblin village, but these goblins weren’t so different from humans. He doubted their hillfort could give him anything more than what Longfirth could.
“Of course, you will be rewarded for the valuable aid you’ve given us. Everything here is yours for the taken, in addition to the boons our shaman may grant.” Gobir added. “The lives of these warriors may depend on you. It’s my hope that they can redeem themselves fighting for us in the war to come.”
Avalon’s ears twitched at the word. “War?”
Gobir smiled wryly and knocked his fist against the table. “Yes, war will be upon us. I suspect sooner, rather than later. Our shaman has authorized me and my brother to seek out mercenaries, wherever we may find them. She may not have intended for us to bring home someone like you or your companions, but your strength will convince her. As will I.”
“Who will you be fighting? Much stronger than Gobured and his warriors, I hope.”
Gobir’s smiled faded. “Unfortunately, the warriors of our enemy possess terrifying strength. They are orcs from across the sea.”
“I don’t know what that is, but I will help you fight them.”
“Orcs are taller than humans, much stronger as well.”
Avalon’s heart raced. “You have already convinced me, take me to your hillfort at once. I must see these orcs for myself.”
Gobir raised himself from his seat, his knees popping from the effort as he spoke. “It’s not safe to give the weapons pack to the prisoners, but they can help you carry your loot.”
“Fuck the loot, I want war!” Avalon’s roaring voice echoed through the cavern and the prisoner’s shook in fear.
Gobir led everyone back to the surface and assigned his nephew and lieutenant, Gobunta, to watch their rear alongside Avalon. The prisoners were divided evenly between groups of Gobir’s warriors, a dangerous circumstance for each of them, but Avalon dogged their steps from behind.
When they reached the entrance, they were in awe of Hippolytus and his majestic antlers. A creature that Gobunta said was considered sacred among the goblins. When Avalon seated himself on the white stag, the prisoners threw themselves to the ground at Hippolytus’ hooves. “Wise tamer,” they chanted. As pleasant as their obeisance was, they were wasting Avalon’s time. The sun was setting and Gobir warned him that they would need to camp for the night if they didn’t return home in time.
“Gobir intends for you to fight in defense of his home to redeem yourselves, so get up and move!” Avalon commanded. If the prisoners wanted to show him deference, they would show it by keeping pace.
“We will be spared?” A goblin said and the mood among the prisoners rose. They followed their captors eagerly as they entered into a steady run, mindful of the white stag that loped behind them.
Gobir led them into another set of tunnels beneath the ground, barely large enough for Hippolytus to lift his head as he ran. Avalon could feel the magic radiating from the walls, not as friendly as the magic of Morgan’s forest home, but just as potent. When branches appeared along their path, Avalon shouted at the prisoners to keep pace with the Gobir’s warriors as Gobir led them through the cavernous maze before them. His voice wasn’t as commanding as it had been when he was a centaur, but no one among them was foolish enough to try escaping.
When they exited the Underway and returned to the surface, Avalon found himself in lands even stranger than the one he initially found himself in when he first woke up as Aurora. The air was warm on his skin as waves crashed on the beach below a line of cliffs. He could’ve sworn that the tunnel led straight west, yet the water was to the east.
How far did the tunnels extend below the earth? I do not believe we traveled far enough to pass under that ocean. Avalon asked.
This is the effect of the Underway’s magic, we have traveled far from Longfirth. Such a thing should not be possible.
While Gobir greeted the warriors that marched up a dirt road to meet with them, Avalon directed Hippolytus towards a tree, close enough that he could place a hand over its surface. He communed with the spirit of the small forest on what was apparently an island, far enough from Longfirth that the spirits were ignorant of such a city. The sun remained in the sky, where Avalon had last seen it before he entered the Underway, and he realized the goblins used the Underway the way he used the deep roots of the Sacred Tree to travel to distant lands.
“How is my island home? Beautiful, is it not?” Gobir asked, gesturing to a nearby settlement. “The air is much cleaner here. Fewer of everything, not just humans, but even other goblins.”
A section of the island had evidently been cleared to make room for farmland, but the forest was at ease with the goblins that lived nearby. Despite the squalid mess of the goblin settlement, the forest’s magic was still strong. The shamans of the island had taken great efforts to care for the wellbeing of the forest, fostering new growth where they could. That much was beautiful at the very least.
“I would prefer more trees, but it is agreeable enough.”
“Don’t humans cut down forests to make room for their homes as well?”
“I live in the forest. Do not group me together with those humans again.” Avalon warned and the frown on Gobir’s face showed that he acknowledged the implicit threat behind the words. “And how can you face such a thing as war on your island?”
“The orcs raid us from the sea, attacking anywhere where they can land. Like rats in a city.”
“Raid? Do they make a sport of killing your people?” Avalon recalled his own raids against the humans that camped near his forest. “It’s not as though you are trespassing into their territory, right?”
“No, they have only ever come to us. We are unable to sail across the waters as they do, so we have been unable to retaliate against them. They are just thieves.”
“Thieves? Do they want to take your homes? There is plenty of space that even humans haven’t occupied. Such as the wild forests we recently left.”
“We don’t have much on our island, but that doesn’t stop the orcs from stealing our harvest or taking our people. The last raid was months ago, but my fear is that they are preparing for one big invasion. It’s only a matter of time.”
Avalon scrunched his face in thought. “You do not know for certain if they will attack? I came all this way…”
“Please, speak with the shaman. She communes with the forest and she saw visions of a gathering storm on her last visit to the mainland.”
“Communes with the forest.” Avalon repeated. If the goblin shaman was anything like Leifey, Avalon wanted to meet her.
Gobir led Avalon through the central road leading to the hillfort he called his home. Goblins lined the road staring up at Hippolytus with a mix of fear and awe as the humans in Longfirth did. Though, their fear was directed mostly at Avalon and Morgan. To them, they were just ordinary humans. Hippolytus was the one that goblins considered sacred.
Fortunately, they weren’t as overtly threatening as the adventurers. Even if they were stronger than they looked, they didn’t look very strong to begin with. Not a single person among them carried a weapon of any kind. It was clear that there were no warriors among them. Once they arrived at the hillfort, the guards were reluctant to let their human visitors inside, but Gobir pushed them aside and beckoned Avalon in. They cross a clearing of grass and scarred warriors scowled at Avalon, regardless of Hippolytus.
The goblins were, as Morgan said, practically the same as humans. The same unarmed so-called civilians and a small caste of warriors that did most of their master’s fighting. Longfirth had Lord Longfirth, Gobir’s hillfort had his chieftain brother. However, Gobir led him to a grove of dark grey trees where a woman knelt. She faced the trees and held the palms of her hands over her eyes.
Avalon felt the magic of the island’s forest swirl around her as she prayed. It accepted her as Morgan’s forest accepted Avalon. He kicked Hippolytus forward and Gobir called out for him to stop, but he continued anyway despite the guards that were rushing in their direction. When the woman turned, Avalon saw the brooch of flowers she wore around her neck.
“Are you the shaman?” He asked, unable to help his curiosity.
The woman raised a hand to Hippolytus’ muzzle and Avalon was shocked that the stag knelt on his haunches for her. If anyone else brought the stag to his knees, Avalon might consider them a threat, but the woman smelled of the island’s forest. Its magic swirled within her.
“I am she. You may call this one Goburika. Will you please lay your spear on the ground? You are frightening the guards. But you, noble spirit, may keep your vessel.”
Avalon glanced at Morgan, who smiled back at him. I like her. As the human’s might say, she has ‘honorary status’ among the spirits of this forest. Morgan said and Avalon shared the sentiment. The ability to commune with the forest was rare among those born outside of the forest.
The guards were gathered around, but they dared not step closer. Avalon dropped his spear to placate their fears and watched their faces soften with the simple act. Goburika ordered them to leave and they obeyed, Gobir included. When the goblin shaman rose, Avalon removed himself from Hippolytus’ back to speak with her, but froze in place when he felt the power surging through her.
Her body was even smaller than Avalon’s own and she was not nearly as aged as Gobir was, yet she surpassed his own. “How is this possible?” He asked. Was it the power of a goblin shaman? Why would someone with so much power ever require help?
Goburika chuckled. “I felt you commune with the forest after you passed through the Underway. You’re a long way from Longfirth. Let me answer your questions in my home.”
“And my spear?”
Goburika waved a hand. “The guards are gone, it no longer matters. It was a gesture of good faith on your part. You can go quite far with such simple gestures.”
Avalon nodded, taking in the wisdom of the shaman’s words, and retrieved his spear before he followed the shaman deeper into her forest.