Goblins are often depicted as vicious and dirty creatures, but in reality, they are much more complex. Though they possess below-average strength and intelligence, they make up for it with their keen senses.

Despite their lack of bravery, they can still cause trouble in groups. Goblins are known for their fast breeding, and it's not uncommon for a small population to quickly grow into a larger infestation.

On the other hand, goblins are also easily controlled with magic, making them a valuable resource for those who seek to enslave them. However, the idea of slavery is a cruel and inhumane practice that should never be tolerated. Unfortunately it doesn't always work out the way it should. This is where the story of Steven Lonheim begins.

Born into slavery, my life was one of hard labor and constant suffering. I was beaten, forced to work without rest, and treated as nothing more than property. But I was not always a goblin. Hell I'not even from this world.

My name is Steven Lonheim. In my previous life I was a thief and con artist. I stole millions of dollars from anyone and everyone, including the elderly, children, and even charities. I lived like a king, surrounded by expensive cars and mansions, but my life of crime caught up with me eventually. As it usually does. Maybe I should have actually listened when people said crime doesn't pay? Eh, it pays alright, but the consequences more than likely aren't worth it.

Living large at the expense of others is bound to catch up to you eventually and so it did. I pissed off the wrong people and I paid the price. No matter where I ran they soon tracked me down. It was a futile attempt now that I think about it, but I wasn't willing to give up so easily.

I was beaten, starved, chained up, and left to wallow in my filth. It was paradise compared to the torture that followed. They started with my fingernails and then worked their way slowly to taking my digits. They pulled out my teeth one after another. It was one hell of a drag, and that’s putting it lightly

As I lay there, my body was losing blood rapidly. I was slipping in and out of consciousness, my mind clouded by pain and delirium. Suddenly, a shadowy figure dressed in a cloak entered the room. The man gazed at me and offered a sinister smile, and in that moment, I took my last breath. The end of one nightmare was just the beginning of another.

I was suddenly enveloped by a bright light, floating through a seemingly endless white tunnel. As I gazed at my hands, I saw my ghostly appearance. I realized that I was dead, and no one could have survived the trauma I had endured.

I was horrified at the brutality of my punishment for a petty crime, such as theft. I couldn't believe that I was subjected to such torture for simply taking a small sum of money. The thought was overwhelming.

However, the realization that I was now a ghost was even more surreal. I was curious about the figure in the cloak and what his role was in my death. The tunnel seemed to go on forever, and I was left to wonder where it would lead me.

A door suddenly opened a short distance from me, and I was propelled forward at an alarming rate as a strong gust of wind pulled me towards it, as if someone had opened the door mid-flight on a plane and created a vacuum. I was thrown through the door and stumbled onto the floor.

I quickly got up and heard footsteps approaching me. A man dressed in a white cloak walked towards the center of the room and took a seat in a chair that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. He looked at me and gestured for me to sit in the chair across from him, which also suddenly appeared. As I sat, he gazed at me expectantly, silently urging me to sit down immediately.

“Hello, Steven,” he said.

“You seem to know me, but may I ask your name?” I asked.

“You may ask, but why should I be inclined to tell you?”

“I understand. I’m not in a position to make demands. I’d just like to understand what’s happening. I know I died, but what's going on now?”

“That’s correct, you’re not in a position to demand anything. It’s also true that you have died. I can give you some information, which will make it easier for you to understand the situation.”

“Okay, I’ll ask a few questions then, and I’ll have to accept the answers you choose to give me.”

“Go ahead and ask your questions. I’ll answer those I feel like answering, but nothing more.”

“Where am I? Who are you? Why am I here? What happens next?”

"This place has a name, but it's not one that you would understand before your essence is destroyed. You can call it the In-Between, a sort of way station. I am Rynn and I maintain the In-Between. You are here because your soul slipped out of your realm upon your death. But don't worry, I will rectify this and send your soul to another realm. Unfortunately, you won't be the same person you were before, but you'll understand soon enough.

"Hold on, I have some questions-"

"No more questions. Time is running out. Just try to make the best of your situation, no matter what. That's all I'll say." Rynn stated firmly.

Before I could utter another syllable, a dense white mist spewed from the walls and enveloped me. An eerie feeling washed over me as the room's pressure dramatically increased, expanding until it violently propelled me through the threshold to another realm.

My soul felt as though it had plummeted into a grinder, hurtling towards a black portal while stretching for miles. Despite the unbearable pain, I kept moving, though it felt as though I was still. Screaming in agony, I heard a distant, derisive whisper.

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"As I warned you, your time is running out," he said.

My body snapped back like a broken rubber band as both parts of me entered the portal. Intense pain surged through my being as I was propelled deeper into the dark void beyond the portal. As I traversed the emptiness, a moment turned into an eternity. Then, a glimmer of light appeared at the end of the darkness.

What kind of clichéd nonsense is this? I thought as I was enveloped in light and emerged from the void. The pain I felt slowly faded into a dull discomfort as my surroundings became smaller and tighter. I fell to the ground with a sickening plop, surrounded by mewling green creatures covered in ichor.

As I gazed upon my siblings with newfound eyes, the realization struck me: I am a goblin. My mind was overwhelmed by this knowledge before it shut down completely.

I was abruptly awoken by a bucket of ice-cold water, howling and sputtering as I jolted up. The voices of many unknown individuals filled the air as I was roughly seized by rough hands. A man, who looked like a human but spoke a language I couldn't understand, held me up and began to prod me.

I struggled against him with all my might, but my efforts were in vain as another man approached me with a glowing iron rod. Oh no, they're going to brand me! I screamed in pain as the brand seared my flesh. I lost all my strength and went limp as the rough-handed monster threw me into a cage with other unconscious goblin children.

The pain was unbearable. I had passed out once again after being thrown into a pile of goblins. As the cage was filled with more and more goblins, it was hoisted onto a cart and began its journey. I remained unconscious throughout the ride.

Upon arrival, the cage was lifted out of the cart and the door was opened. We were roughly shaken out into a chute and tumbled down a shaft, landing in a heap on the floor.

Struggling to regain my composure, I fought to extricate myself from the mass of goblins. Crawling away from the overpowering stench, I took in deep breaths of fresher air. In the pitch-black darkness, I suddenly realized that I could see, thanks to my goblin Dark Vision ability. Overwhelmed with excitement, I wondered what other abilities I might possess. Without warning, a status window appeared before my eyes.

Level 1

Goblin

Youngling

HP: 10

MP: 10

SP: 10

Str: 1

Dex: 1

Con: 1

Int: 1

Wis: 1

Cha: 1

Skills

Dark Vision

Damn! Only one skill and it’s just an innate passive. Pretty lame it’s all I got even if it is extremely useful, I wonder what I’ll get if I level up. Seems I’m pretty damn weak stat-wise as well. I’ll have to find a way to change that soon if I want to survive. Well, let’s put that on the backburner while I try to figure this world out a bit more.

My stomach rumbled as a ravenous hunger filled my mind blocking out almost everything else. I looked around the room for something to eat when I noticed something horrible. My siblings seemed to be hungry as well. Some were eating the dead. Others were savagely attacking their soon-to-be meals.

Ripping into each other's bodies, rending flesh with tiny teeth like deranged beasts. Cannibalism? Yuck. What am I supposed to eat.. This thought was suddenly interrupted as I noticed one of my siblings crawling toward me, with a maddened glint in his eyes.

Panicked and starving I backed myself into a corner while trying to avoid becoming lunch. Relentlessly the goblin advanced toward me, drool dripping from his gaping maw. Closer and closer until he lunged at me. Small razor-sharp teeth tore into my shoulder as he wrapped his gangly limbs around my neck.

Here I go, dying. AGAIN!!! Gasping for air as I tried to dislodge his vice-like grip. The stench of piss filled my nostrils as the terrifying event uncontrollably emptied my bladder.

Darkness encroached on my vision as my brain was denied oxygen. No not like this. Not again. NEVER AGAIN!!! Every neuron shot into overdrive as my brain screamed. I WILL NOT DIE LIKE THIS!

My arms moved sluggishly at first, picking up speed, and they latched onto one of my attackers' arms. Jerking violently I broke his grip and with a sickening crunch the limb bent and broke. My lungs were burning as precious air rushed back into them, bringing new life and granting renewed strength to my limbs.

Grabbing my assailant's other arm I latched onto his hand with my teeth and with a crunch severed three of his fingers.His howls of pain only served to heighten my bloodlust as the taste of his flesh reminded me of my ravenous hunger. Savoring the sweet meat I swallowed the snack, bones and all.

The hunger took over as I tore into the tender flesh of my siblings' throats. His lifeblood seeped into my mouth like fire pouring down my throat. Like a rabid animal, I feasted on the meat until my craving wore off and I was finally satiated.

As the bloodlust dissipated and my mind became my own again, I was filled with horror. What have I done? What have I become? Am I a... I’m a monster. Covered in blood and gore I sat in the shredded remains of my meal, completely still. A noise filled my head like the sound of a bell ringing once. You’ve acquired a title.

Cannibalistic Inclination – You’ve committed the heinous sin of slaying and consuming one of your kind, albeit for your survival. This could have drastic results in the future. It may have drastic effects on the way you are viewed.