“I’m alright, I promise! Only a little tired.” I said as reassuringly as I could muster.

Gently patting his arm, I smiled at him while closing my eyes and quickly drifting off to sleep. One by one the Summoned Spirits vanished until only The Golem and I were alone in the dark. The Golem glanced down at my slumbering body and a faint smile cracked his usually stoic face, the smile never faded as he slowly traveled back to the village to not disturb my rest.

My eyes slowly opened as the gentle swaying motion brought me back to consciousness. My body felt light as if it were floating. A little bit of panic began to set in before I recalled that I was being carried by my Golem. Shifting my body ever so slightly I glanced up at my protector. The Golem noticed and looked at me with what appeared to be a mixture of concern and relief. The Golem continues to grow. His mentality and emotional state are still that of a small child. Interesting. I eagerly look forward to how far he goes.

After a prolonged trek through the forest, we returned to the village. The Golem made his way to the Hall of Alchemy, ducking down he went straight to Hujarin's office. The Golem gently placed Karloc onto a table and stepped out of the way. Hujarin immediately started checking Karlocs vitals.

Hujarin started placing his hands gently on Karloc’s body. Holding them there briefly before muttering to himself and moving to the next spot. His hands moved deftly from place to place before he settled on a spot near his stomach. Concern flashed across his eyes as he gently applied pressure to this location, my body unconsciously flinched and sweat formed on my face.

“That’s not good!” Hujarin muttered.

The look of concern deepened as Hujarin further explored the tender spot. Karloc’s winces of pain became more frequent as Hujarin applied pressure attempting to further investigate the matter. The frown on Hujarin’s face grew longer as he realized what he must do.

“Please forgive me for what I’m about to do!” Hujarin pleaded to the deaf ears of his unconscious master.

Hujarin bolted away from the makeshift examination table and made haste towards the medicinal storage cabinet in his office. Hurriedly he ripped open the doors and ran his fingers over the labels of several dried herb storage drawers before coming across what he was looking for. He grabbed a handful of herbs out of a couple of different drawers and threw them into a small pot. He quickly ground them into a fine powder before adding water. He then rushed over to the experimenting table he had and quickly set the pot to boil after starting a fire.

While the concoction boiled he grabbed the sharpest blade he could find. Hujarin returned to his master’s side, knife in hand. Sighing deeply he thrust the knife deftly into the afflicted area. Parting the flesh the blade quickly reached the hidden pocket of infection. Karloc’s body tensed up as a growl escaped his lips. A green substance with brown specs started oozing out of the incision. Hujarin ignored his master’s pain with a grimace and applied pressure to the area, forcing the rest of the substance out.

Hujarin wiped the ooze off and tossed the dirty cloth to the side, before walking to the boiling pot. Using the ladle he scooped out a bit of the boiling liquid and returned to Karloc’s side. With one hand Hujarin held the wound open and with the other proceeded to pour the hot liquid into it. The potion entered the wound coupled with sizzling sounds as it cleansed the wound.

Karloc bolted upright, roaring in pain. Karloc’s fist swung out faster than lightning and smashed into Hujarin’s face. Karloc fell back onto the table returning to unconsciousness from the pain. Hujarin soared backward until he collided with the wall. Hujarin grunted from the impact as he crumpled to the ground in obvious pain.

The Golem lumbered over and picked Hujarin up with a gentleness that belied his size. The Golem carried Hujarin over to a table and daintily set him down while sliding a bundle of cloth under his head as a cushion. The Golem was confused, at a loss for what it should do, it just stood to watch. Waiting for Hujarin or Karloc to regain consciousness, The Golem stood as a silent guardian.

Hujarin groaned as he slowly got off the ground. Limping slowly back to the unconscious form of Karloc, he hovered crestfallen. Painstakingly avoiding any contact in fear of getting hit again, his frown deepened as he looked to the Heavens. Hujarins eyes widened as a thought coalesced in his mind. He quickly took a few steps back from where Karloc lay and knelt. Hujarin leaned forward until his forehead rested on the cold floor.

“Hear my plea Goblin Father, I beg of thee! I... We need a wee bit of your Divine Grace. Chooftoof, your First Disciple is in dire straights and is in desperate need of some divine intervention! Karloc is dying, a wicked poison is devastating his body. If something isn’t done I fear our Goblin Uprising will die in its infancy. Save his life, help him please!” Hujarin pleaded.

The air surrounding Hujarin seemed to grow faintly heavier, almost oppressive. Hujarin sank further toward the ground as the weight settled on his kneeling form. A softly glowing light sprung up around Karloc’s body. The surrounding air began to thrum with power. The light grew brighter as Hujarin noticed Karloc’s breathing slow until his chest settled into stillness. Hujarin wailed in grief-stricken rage.

“You task him with restoring belief in you, and yet he lay dying, and you DO NOTHING? Why? What is the point? Does nothing matter to you? Answer me!” Hujarin pleaded.

The air trembled as if it were agitated and the light became blinding. Hujarin groaned in agony as the light devoured everything in the room. Hujarin squeezed his eyes as tight as physically possible but he could still see the light. He could still FEEL the light. A voice boomed inside Hujarin’s head.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Fear not, my child! " The voice said. “You need not worry. I will do everything within my power to remedy the plight that has befallen Karloc. Now go and be calm!"

Before Hujarin could reply, he found his feet carrying him away from the Alchemist Hall. The fog clouding his mind started to dissipate. Hujarin felt like he had forgotten something important but couldn't quite put his tiny green finger on it. Hujarin scratched his head, shrugged his shoulders, and decided to go walk around the village.

***

The light faded and I found myself lying on the cold hard floor, groggy as hell. I shook the last vestiges of unconsciousness from my vision and sat up. After a little while I realized that I was in the In-Between again. Oh, look! I died, again. This is getting old. Being Chosen by a God is demanding. I can't even get some rest in death.

“Cease your complaints! " Choodtoofs voice boomed.

Recoiling from the auditory assault, I couldn't help but tremble in fear of my God. I knew full well that I would not suffer ill from Chooftoof, and yet the feeling of terror remained. Weird, maybe I should be a little more cautious. I mean he is the one who supplies the energy to bring me back from the dead, time after time. Maybe I should ask him about that too?

“Chooftoof, I have questions for you. Oh, so many questions!

"Despite my strength, I feel lost and uncertain. I have dedicated my new life to freeing my people from their oppressors, but I have died multiple times since the first death that brought me to this world in the first place. I've often found myself wondering if I am truly worthy of the title of Chosen and if I will ever be able to bring my people the justice they deserved."

"Karloc, my child," Chooftoof said in a booming voice. "You have been struggling, and I have come to offer you guidance."

I fell to my knees, overwhelmed by the presence of my deity.

"Great Chooftoof, I am unworthy of your attention. I have only freed a small number of Goblins from captivity. Yet it took multiple deaths. How am I supposed to be the salvation of my people, if I am constantly being brought back to life? If this continues I fear I will fail altogether."

Chooftoof placed a hand on my shoulder, and I felt a warm and comforting energy flow through me.

"You have not failed, Karloc. You have been tested in the heat of battle, and you have proven yourself to be a true warrior of the dark arts. The journey to freeing your people is a long one, and you must continue to grow and evolve. Only by becoming stronger will you succeed in freeing all of my children, and restoring them to their rightful place."

I looked up at Chooftoof, hope rising within me.

"How can I become stronger, Great One?"

Chooftoof smiled as an amused chuckle escaped his lips.

"To become stronger, you must learn to fight better. You must master the art of combat and hone your skills with your magic. You must become a true force to be reckoned with so that you can better protect your people."

I nodded, determination filling me.

"I will do as you command, Great Chooftoof, forgive my negativity. I was filled with doubt."

"Have no fear my Child, you were chosen for a reason. Your unique situation makes you the best choice for the task at hand. However you must also learn to be better, you must become a true leader, a hero for your people. You must learn to be kind and just, but also stern and unwavering so that you can be the kind of ruler that your people need and deserve."

I was taken aback by these words. I had envisioned myself as a conqueror, a bringer of harsh justice. Chooftoof was asking me to be more than that. He was asking me to be a true leader, to inspire and guide my people. Chooftoof was asking me to be the hero they deserved.

"I will do my best, Great Chooftoof," I said, feeling a new sense of purpose.

Chooftoof nodded, his eyes shining with pride.

"I know you will, Karloc. Remember, the journey to freeing your people will not be easy. But if you continue to grow and learn, if you become the best version of yourself, you will succeed. Your people will look upon you with reverence and gratitude, knowing that you were the one who brought them their freedom."

I stood, feeling empowered and inspired. I knew that the journey ahead of me would be long and difficult, but with Chooftoof's guidance, I felt ready to face any challenge that came my way.

"Thank you, Great Chooftoof," I said, bowing my head in respect.

"You are welcome, my child," Chooftoof said, his form beginning to fade. "Go now, and do not look back. The path ahead of you is long, but I know that you will succeed in your quest. I will be with you every step of the way, guiding you and empowering you. Now rise again, Karloc the Necromancer, and show the world what a true warrior of the dark arts can do."

With those final words, Chooftoof flushed my body with his divine power and faded out of sight. The energy rushed into my body and I felt like every inch of my body was on fire. As the pain came to a crescendo my eyes jerked open. I sat up and rejoiced. Slowly I got off the table that I had been laying on. I wobbled slightly as I stood up. Whew boy, does resurrection take it out of you or what!

Walking out of the building I had previously been lain to rest in, I took a deep breath, and smiled. Sending a telepathic message to the Brothers, I started heading to the village square. Bilwur and Illeorv round up the Goblins and meet me in the Village Square.

In a deep, resonant voice, I addressed the Goblins, who had gathered to his summons.

"Hear me, my kin," I cried. "I am risen anew, still as the chosen of Chooftoof, the Goblinfather. I say to you now, that it is time for us to break the chains of our oppression and reclaim our rightful place in the world."

The Goblins cheered, filled with hope and a fierce desire for freedom.

"But know this," I continued, my voice growing stronger with every word. "We cannot win this fight with brute force alone. We must become stronger, in mind and in body, so that we may vanquish our enemies and seize our freedom."

I held out my hand, and a sphere of dark energy formed in my palm.

"This burgeoning power was granted to me by Chooftoof himself. With this spark, I will fan an ember into a wildfire. I will use this raging inferno to punish all who stand in our way. I will see that we become strong. Strong enough to push back on our oppressors, to free all Goblins from the yolk of slavery."

I paused briefly to catch my breath and quickly observe the crowd.

"Chooftoof brought me back from the dead. He entrusted me with a divine task. I will see us freed. No matter what it takes, Goblins, one and all, will live as equals with the rest of the races!"

As I finished my speech, the Goblins erupted into cheers and hollering.