Daylight had now arisen above the mighty trees, and it was clear that neither Avi nor Gromar had slept. Rather, they had been kept awake with excitement by what had just unfolded; the latter relaying to the former of what had been commanded of him by the Inner light.

“Your purpose is now unraveled, my friend… truly, you are destined to be a beacon of light unto others, but firstly you must become wise” said Avi, whilst pondering what to do next with his pupil. Although deprived of sleep, neither were tired. Instead, both were focuses solely on figuring out the path ahead.

“I know!” Spoke Avi, interrupting his own thoughts. “Let me ask thee a question. When you think of my people, what immediately comes to mind?”

The question was delivered sudden and unexpectedly. Accordingly, Gromar did not exactly know how to respond. Subsequently, in pondering upon the question he took a seat and scratched his head.

“I don’t know” were the only words he could initially muster in response. “I suppose I’d view them as innately warlike, driven by bloodlust given the devastation unleashed unto my folk… well, that is except you.”

“I figured you would reply as such” replied Avi, having already anticipated such a response. “Certainly, I know what lesson to impart upon thee. I shall teach you how to observe not with your eyes, but with your heart! We should be near the tree line, and so I shall show to thee what exists beyond the limited confines of this forest… and in doing so, you may hopefully find that thou people are not so unalike to mine.”

“What do you mean ‘show thee what exists beyond the limited confines of this forest’?” countered the sheltered Forest-Goblin, perplexed by the possibility that the woodlands he inhabited seemingly had an end.

“You shall see” chuckled Avi, who had by now knelt down and begun to pack his bedroll as to prepare for the journey ahead. “I shall take you to where our worlds collide; to where the forest ends, and the Pharosian plains begin. And once there, I shall demonstrate to thee how to walk cheerfully over the world and observe not with your eyes but with your heart, so that you may see the Inner Light present within all beings, both Goblin and Human.”

Indeed, after the previous weeks of wandering, Gromar and his teacher had gradually been approaching nearer to the edge of the woodland habitat. But although close, they were not yet there. So, for three days the two wayfarers persisted in their journey, striving to reach the limits of the seemingly boundless forest. Once arriving at their desired destination, they then gazed from the tree line upon the adjoining village situated nearby.

The village was small, and to the average Pharosian would be considered rather pitiful. Indeed, the small, crooked dwellings littered throughout the settlement were no more than squalid hovels, bearing frail thatched roofs withered by frequent encounters with the natural elements. In absence of a cobbled path, the lanes throughout the village were no more than dirt tracks. And in absence of any sustainable livestock, the pens were inhabited by a few straggling chickens. Even the community temple, which in any urban settlement would operate as a beacon of stability and hope, had in this rural village been rendered obsolete and in disrepair; the bells having rusted, and overgrown weeds having overwhelmed the small yard.

But to Gromar, the village retained a quaint quality. After all, he had never seen a clustered human settlement before, and so was expectedly intrigued by the rural outpost situated ahead. Yet, he remained wary of the inhabitants, who partly resembled the armored soldiers that had massacred his people. Though, in contrast to those vicious men led by bloodlust, the villagers were noticeably much more relatable to the small Goblin. That is, they were scrawny, clad in tattered garments, and toiling peacefully upon the land.

“How tragic, that they painstakingly sow and reap the fields, knowing not about the rich harvest within” said Avi, interrupting Gromar’s awe with a rather lamenting observation. “Nay, it is against our creed to withhold warmth from those to whom it is due… Come, and I shall now demonstrate to thee how to walk cheerfully over the world and observe others not with your eyes, but with your heart.”

With this remark, the wise monk adjusted the bedroll hung heavily over his shoulder and began approaching the near village. Gromar, although hesitant, was provided no time for contemplation. Rather, as to keep up with his teacher, he had no choice other than to follow.

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As they approached, it became more apparent that no more than fifty people inhabited the small, isolated community. They had begun to assemble at the sight of two strangers approaching and were particularly surprised by the small statured individual. This surprise then turned to shock as the two figures finally crossed the invisible tacit barrier separating the small community from the outside world.

“That’s a bloody Goblin!” said one distinctly shocked voice.

“wait… and a monk? What’s a Goblin doing with a monk? beckoned a second, before elaborating “Surely that is his slave.”

“Are you a moron? You think a pious and wise monk has a slave?”, uttered another. In response, a debate ensued amongst the small crowd pertaining to the identity of the small goblin. Gromar could feel their glances. In turn, he darted his eyes around, looking unto the gathered spectators. Their faces were covered in muck and weathered by exposure to the sun; their hands, still holding gardening tools, were heavily calloused from manual labor; and for those amongst them with long hair upon their head, it was observably greasy and tangled.

It's fine... just ignore them... it's fine...

“Silence!” roared the voice of an aged man, who after silencing the arguing audience then turned his attention to Avi, “Wise monk, would you lend us a teaching before you continue with your travels? As you can see, our temple has long been abandoned, and so we have been without any holiness for a while.”

Abruptly, the debate subsided with all those in attendance now murmuring in agreeance. Silently, they then waited patiently for a reply. With a smirk growing across his face, Avi responded.

“Very well, but only for those who would allow my small friend to sit beside thee.”

After a momentary pause, the gathering of onlookers was partly dispersed, with half having been dissuaded by the presence of a Goblin and subsequently leaving. Then, after another moment of hesitation, a few others also departed from the gathering and went back to their manual labor. Nonetheless, out of the original approximately fifty onlookers, ten remained and took a seat; though they did keep a small distance between themselves and Gromar. After taking a moment to consider his next words, Avi then imparted his teaching unto the listeners; though realistically he could have said anything, as due to his wise and elderly appearance, the desperate audience would have applauded regardless.

“Truly, you must not say that the Divine creator resides in the Heavens and you on earth. Nor should you say he resides in the temple and you in the fields. Nay, he resides within thee.”

The words were wisely chosen, with the sermon intending to provide hope and address the arduous plight of the villagers who, in absence of a temple, had become spiritually desolate.

“Truly, truly, thou before me may have mastered the art of reaping crop from the fields, but thou remain oblivious to the rich harvest within.”

To Gromar, the words appeared to be no more than the allegories he had already heard over the last few weeks, and so he listened without surprise. But to those seated around him, the words seemed to have a profound effect. Conversely to the Goblin, they were listening with wonder and reverence. After continuing for what must have an hour, the monk then made his concluding remarks to the now teary eyes spectators.

“And so, I say earnestly friends, do not lament! For is it not the greatest news that a Light brighter than all else exist within thee? indeed, take heed and be joyful in the presence of the Light! And know that contrary to what your eyes perceive, the holiness within this village is boundless!”

In admiration, two listeners arose, approached the standing monk, and knelt before him. Though Avi would not allow it, and ordered they arise with a large grin across his face. Then, reaching out his arms, he embraced both figures with a deep hug; caring little of the muck transferred from their dirty bodies to his robes.

And, as perhaps the most bizarre occurrence, a child amongst the audience replicated the monk’s action by embracing the Goblin seated beside him. The act shocked Gromar, who hesitated a moment before reciprocating the deed.

“We thank you, monk. If what you say is true, then really this is the greatest news” Arose another voice from amidst the ranks of those listening.

“And I thank you for listening, friends” replied Avi, “But me and my companion must depart, for we are called elsewhere. But let this sermon I have imparted unto thee not be a fleeting moment. Let it guide thee henceforward and provide thee with comfort.”

After lingering for a little longer, the two wayfarers then departed and persisted onwards across the rolling plains.

I mean, they really are no different from myself… These ‘Human’s’ face the same struggles; the same need for compassion…. I guess not all are bad after all.

“let’s stop for a moment” said Avi to his companion, with the village now being a distant blur. In response, Gromar halted in his footsteps and looked upwards to his teacher. “I hope this has helped thee find that by observing with your heart and not your eyes, you will see that their struggles are no different to yours. And let this experience illustrate the authority of the Inner light, and how it provides hope unto others. Now, going forward, we shall walk cheerfully over this world, and answer that of the Divine Creator which exist within everyone.”