“Huh where am I?”

A young man was alone in the middle of an infinite white space with no bounds and no end, no sound and no shadow, it was just pure white and void, a soulless and dull place.

“Ha, I remember falling and then … could it be that I died?” the young man touched his head with a pale expression.

Suddenly a fleeting voice echoed in this immense spotless space, the voice was strange, one couldn’t discern the owner’s gender or age, it was just hazy and confusing.

“Who are you?! Where I am?! ”

He didn’t understand the situation and suddenly a weird voice popped out of nowhere it was an uncomfortable feeling, not understanding the situation was irritating.

“Why did you bring me here?” Yefan didn’t know who or what it was but for the time being he calmed himself.

“Ha? What do you mean by that? “

The voice was devoid of any emotion and even sounded like it belonged to a robot or a machine, in short it didn’t belong to a human.

“I refuse, why I should do such a troublesome thing?”

“Like I said why should I do that and what’s the meaning of these words?”

The voice began to fade and shortly after the presence disappeared.

“Hey wait! What was that …?”

The white world began to also fade little by little, Yefan was yelling in vain.

                                                                             ************************

“haaaa! “ Yefan woke up abruptly with his hand making catching motion.

“What was that... a dream? 

Yefan looked around him puzzled, he found that he wasn’t at the bottom of a cliff but inside a strange looking room, it seemed that it was made of wood, the interior didn’t have any furniture, and the only thing was the rough bed made of grass that he was lying on, the room didn’t have a door so outside Yefan noticed that it was still the wilderness, his sword was placed beside him and his guns didn’t disappear from inside his coat, he was relieved.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps were heard, by now Yefan was acquainted with magical beast sounds and movements but the footsteps were regular and seemed like it belonged to a human , he gripped his sword and quickly stood beside the door waiting , any hostility and he will slit the throat of the oncoming guest without hesitation.

The footsteps gradually became clearer and finally the owner crossed the door, with lightning speed the edge of the sword made contact with the skin of the target but Yefan refrained from killing because he didn’t sense any ill will.

 Yefan looked at the person that appeared but he was stunned, green skin that covered all the body, light clothes roughly made of fur, pointy ears that stood upward, short height and two small prominent fangs.

The creature was humanoid but certainly not human in the least, it panicked and looked at Yefan with its two small eyes frightened, it seemed that it was female judging by the long hair and the body features.

“Hiii! Don’t kill me please!”

It spoke, moreover it spoke with the human language, Yefan froze for a moment before regaining his calmness.

“Where I am?”

“W…w..we rescued y..you you were lying inside the forest fainted ..” claimed the greenish girl

Yefan frowned before looking carefully at the girl in front of him, yes the face resembled a human and also spoke like a human so now it was a ‘she’ instead of ‘it’.

“We?” retracting his sword that left a trail of blood on the neck of the girl Yefan asked.

“Y…yes we are inside a village, this is a goblin village “seeing Yefan withdrawing his sword the girl was relieved and became less frightened but she was still feeling fear .

“Wait a minute you said goblin?” Yefan was shocked.

He wasn’t shocked because of the word ‘Goblin’, he was shocked because it was way too different from what was described in fantasy novels.

(Isn’t a goblin ugly and bald? well she is short and her skin is green but I don’t see any ugliness, well she isn’t a beauty but the features are like that of a normal human …) Yefan thought inwardly.

“I…i know what you are thinking “said the girl timidly

“Oh and what is it?”

“You are thinking why I can talk using your language and why my appearance is like this?” the girl said without stuttering this time.

(Bull’s eye!)

Seeing the surprised look on Yefan face, she continued.

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“It’s because we are a village of hobgoblins, a normal goblin certainly doesn’t have human features and can’t speak … and normal goblins don’t have distinctive features they are all the same and identic “explained the girl.

“Oh so that was it … hmm ,I have another question “Yefan made an ‘I now understand’ type of expression before proceeding.

“Oh I will reply with what I know “the girl now was much calmer than the first time she appeared.

“Isn’t the wilderness a place that is reigned on by magical beasts “Yefan was bewildered.

It was understandable, Wilkins explained to him that this entire region named wilderness was swarming with magical beasts, so he was surprised to find goblins, goblins are certainly not magical beasts.

“Oh its true eighty percent of this wilderness is inhabited by magical beasts but there are also some minor races who take refuge here, like Goblins, Orcs and Ogres”

Yefan was further surprised, Orcs he heard of them many times back in his world but in novels, they took the form of a human with a pig’s head, they were ugly and had low intelligence but they were physically strong and their bodies were large and sturdy.

“By the way my name is Mia, what is your name human? “The goblin girl stared at Yefan curiously.

“My name is Yefan, I thank you for saving me but aren’t goblins hostile to humans?”Yefan inquired.

Yefan may have become ruthless and cold but he didn’t lose all his principles, when someone helped him he will act accordingly by thanking his helper.

“Indeed there is many tribes hostile to the human race but not all of them, our people made contact with many humans before but all of them were good-natured so we have no ill will toward them “

“Humans came here? “ Yefan was astonished.

We have to say that even the ex-legend rank magician Wilkins didn’t leave unscathed from the wilderness and he even became crippled.

“No don’t misunderstand, what I meant was our ancestors, we have taken refuge in this wilderness because we got chased away from our previous territory “Mia quickly explained.

“I see  ...”

“We got chased away by an earth dragon”

Suddenly a hoarse voice was heard inside the room, Yefan was shocked because he didn’t sense the presence of the person who appeared in the room.

An old goblin, with a typical old man appearance slowly walked before Yefan, he was gripping a cane as means if support, for a goblin his eyes exuded wiseness and calmness worthy of an elder.

“Grandfather!” Mia didn’t appear to be surprised and stood up, she called to the old man respectfully, he was her grandfather.

The old goblin made a sign with his hand, meaning that she doesn’t have to stand up.

“Human my name is Kroll and I’m the elder goblin of this village, I’m curious as how a human like you got here “the old goblin mysteriously looked at Yefan.

Yefan nodded politely and didn’t have to hide anything, he blurted out.

“My name is Yefan I came from the mysterious wood forest to cross the wilderness I fought many beats and I ended up here “

“Hmm the mysterious forest in the west huh … but I know that magical beasts don’t have the ability to enter that place?”

Yefan gaze became abnormally cold and serious Mia and the old goblin Kroll even sensed a chill run down their spin.

“I don’t know why but now they can and my village got massacred I’m the only survivor “Yefan didn’t mention his story before he met with Wilkins he just acted like a normal member of the village.

“Oh I’m sorry “noticing the hatred in Yefan eyes Kroll apologized, his thoughts were complicated.

“So may I ask were I’m exactly?” Yefan wanted to know his exact location

 Wilkins said that the Haranian Kingdom was in the east.

“Oh we are near the mountains that encircle the wilderness, more detailed, we are at seven days from the mysterious forest “

(Seven days? near the mountains…well the direction didn’t change, it is the same)

“We found you lying at the bottom of the cliff with three bone cleaners fortunately they were dead or it would’ve been a problem” Kroll continued.

“Bone cleaners?”

“Ah, the magical beast that lives inside the sea of bones, they are rat type magical beasts, a terrible monster who doesn’t live a speck of dust on the bones of its prey “explained Kroll.

“Oh so their name was bone cleaners? Quite fitting “said Yefan with a hint of sarcasm.

(Those ugly bastards …)

“You didn’t know?”

“Well I lived inside the mysterious woods I didn’t go too deep in the wilderness before” Yefan quickly found an excuse

“I see it’s understandable, Mia let him rest and give him food “Kroll looked at his Granddaughter and ordered.

“Yes grandfather!” Mia immediately affirmed.

“Young human, you can rest here for the day you have some injuries but nothing serious, Mia will bring you some food “

“Thank you” Yefan nodded feeling thankful.

(These goblins are quite different …)

Kroll smiled and left with his granddaughter, going outside Mia was gazing at him.

“What is it Mia?” Kroll noticed that she wanted to say something.

“Grandfather isn’t it dangerous to let him have weapons with him? He attacked me the moment he woke up “said Mia with a hesitating look, remembered the blade coldness on her skin made her shiver.

“That young man isn’t dangerous, he may appear cold but he is upright and also he is not a normal person, I sense an overwhelming pressure from him, not from his quantity of Mana but from the quality, he has some sort of unique aura, the right word would be ‘noble’”

“He is a magician? But he has a sword” questioned Mia.  

“Mia you have to know that there is many types of magicians, there is magicians who are also warriors and that sword he has , it is not a common sword , I’ve seen the same type many years ago it’s a magical sword “ The old goblin appeared to reminiscence about the past.

“Sigh I trust you grandfather “Mia knew that her grandfather lived the longest in the village and he knew many things so she believed him.

All of sudden many sounds of clattering rang, two young goblins ran in front of the elder panting heavily, appearing to be short of breath, one was tall for a goblin and had long hair tied in a ponytail he had average features, the other average in height and had short black hair, the two of them had swords hanging behind them, seeing the panicked look of the two goblins Kroll spoke.

“What is it that made you so out of breath?”

“E…elder!” the two of them bowed respectfully.

“Calm down and speak what happened ?”

“Elder the orcs!”One of the young goblins exclaimed.

Hearing the word Mia shuddered, the orcs a barbaric minor race who sowed carnage and bloodshed, a brutal species who massacred everything on its passage.

Kroll eyes narrowed and fierce glint appeared in his eyes.

“What of them?” Kroll asked.

“We were scouting the surroundings and we noticed large group of Orcs marching in our village direction!” the young goblin soldier replied.

“How is the distance?” Without losing his calm Kroll carefully inquired.

“They are at one day of our village “

“Their Number? ”

“Me and sill (name of one of the young goblins) counted and we fear that they are approximately a hundred they also had a large orc with them maybe general “

“Well reinforce the walls of the village and post guards in the surroundings , hide the women and children and make the men prepare for battle , orcs this is the first time in years that they came in this direction moreover a hundred what is happening ?”  

Strictly speaking, the goblin village looked like Yefan village when he lived with Wilkins but on a much larger scale, there was walls defending it and even some short towers maybe outposts, the population numbered in the two hundred.

Hobgoblins like humans have the ability to use magic and cast spells, fortunately Orcs aren’t that intelligent and only use brute strength, but compared to a goblin physical strength an Orc power is far more frightening, what is also more terrifying about them is that they eat everything even their kin when they are hungry or starving it instilled fear in other races and even magical beasts.

“Grandfather, are we going to be alright?” Mia with her trembling body murmured.

Kroll looked at his shaking granddaughter and sighted while patting her head.

“We can only pray that we can repulse them with the least causalities”

Kroll lifted his cane and heavily stomped the floor.

“Damn Orcs if you want to destroy us then come, I Kroll will show you the power of a goblin “ The old goblin was angry.

Yefan hearing the entire ruckus left the room, he saw many goblins running here and there and sounds of panicked women and children.

Yefan walked slowly toward the grandfather-granddaughter duo.

“What happened?”Yefan directly asked.

“Oh young human sorry that even when we saved you we are now facing another disaster “ Kroll looked perplexed.

“What do you mean?”Yefan still didn’t understand.

“The Orcs are coming to attack us “

“Orcs? Are they strong?”

“Yes they are terrible when they are numerous “Kroll didn’t know why Yafan asked this question but nonetheless he replied.

“Good” a fierce murderous aura engulfed Yefan, the pressure that emanated from him made even Kroll beside him flinch.

“Old goblin …I’ll help you “Yefan declared coldly with a cruel look.

End.