AN EDUCATED IDIOT

Sakura sighed as she tossed another pen into the recycle basket. This metal one joined others made from iron, wood, and even feathers. She reclined on the chair and stretched her arms. Ever since Chu had made them use that skincare lotion as he called it, her scars and scabs had disappeared, leaving dainty white skin.

She glanced at the empty chair at the desk. This desk usually had three people sitting around it, but for a couple of days, this chair remained vacant.

"Don't worry, they'll soon be back. They have Lucy with them, remember."

Amanda said without moving her eyes from a ledger.

"I know, but Tye has been asking questions. I told him they've gone to the village, so I hope Chu can return before he suspects anything."

The young woman placed down the large ledger with a thump on the desk. This farm might have gained riches beyond measure, but that was only on paper. In reality, they did not earn a single copper. They had to wait until the end of spring, for some of that pittance to trickle in. Most had been locked by Griz in the Capital.

"I'll have Bon show him around the forge, that should keep his mind busy. What I do want to know, is why Chu keeps allocating funds every week to a pouch marked Frost City..."

***

Scholar Rang suffered as he squeezed into the cold walls, for what seemed like an eternity. When the wood burned out, he never dared to stoke the embers. His only action had been to rub his hands, and clasp his mouth to warm his chattering teeth.

The sounds of clattering nearby retreated, causing him to think the spiders had engaged in a torturous waiting game, before seizing him. When his mind reached its breaking point, readying him to run free like a bird before slaughter, his ears picked up on some strange noises.

Faint screeches and chattering floated towards him, from the direction of the blocked entrance. Straining his ears on the glimmer of hope, the silence continued to be broken by the chatter of a seemingly large group. Tilting his head, Scholar Rang soon understood a clash had started with the resident spiders.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

With faith in the age-old adage, the old man listened as the faint sounds of fighting ended with a fearful screech. Trembling because of the ensuing silence, he grinned on hearing the fresh sounds of voices. As the chatter and yells continued to move closer, his anticipation of rescue turned to doubt.

Feeling around in the darkness for some sort of weapon, his hands landed on a thin and short metal object. With nothing else available to him except broken stones, he waited. Even if a sword lay ten paces away from him, Scholar Rang did not possess the guts to acquire it. The terror of the recent battle remained fresh in his mind.

"The goblins found this door Chu. That side of the hall is blocked with rubble and broken pillars. Pug has sent them towards the opposite end to ensure the place is secure."

Ming stated as he pointed. Chu scanned the surroundings while glancing at the massive, arched double door. He suspected that this huge underground hall once connected the two towers on the same side of the castle. Because of the extensive damage and the loss of the next tower, the rubble possibly sealed that part of the hall.

He used his sword to scratch a rectangle and drew two sloppy circles with their centers plum on the two corners. Tapping the drawing, he figured that this door should access a stairway at around the center of the tower. The other passageway should have led to a similar hall, but the goblins had confirmed that it caved in.

"It seems like we can only access this tower since the entrance to the other standing tower is hidden beneath the rubble. This thing has stood for centuries yet the wooden door has not rotted. I think it's not as simple as it looks."

"Sure, sure. Watch how I hack it to pieces."

Ming replied while raising his sword. Before Chu could stop him, he struck the wood with a two-handed, cleaving strike. The blow created a low rumble as Ming found himself flying backward. With a thump, he landed on the hard stone and rolled away.

"You idiot, are you ok? Why the hell don't you listen, that thing might have contained a trap designed to kill you."

Chu berated as he assisted the dazed but uninjured boy to his feet. Looking at the door, Chu suspected this door had the protection of some sort of magic. Stifling his excitement he approached the door, scrutinizing it closely while holding the torch.

The doors resembled the ones on the churches of medieval Europe, consisting of stout wooden planks hinged by a large pair of iron clamps. Scanning the frame and the walls, he recognized a familiar engraving.

On a stone near the door, a small symbol along with a keyhole attracted his attention. Lightly dusting away the centuries of buildup, the etch on the stone, matched the one he previously saw near the passageway trap.

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"Chu, Chu, look what we found. In a corner, we found a pile of dead men, wrapped up like presents, while in another we found a live one."

Miki interrupted him while trotting towards him. She had ventured along with Rose to scout the hall with the goblins, as they mapped it. Stumbling behind her, came the familiar figure of the mighty Scholar. Eyeing the old man down, Chu realized the guy had survived a calamity. On seeing Chu, the old man shot him a vicious eyeful of hate.

The stained and tattered beggar, then spotted Zubyia Rang standing nearby. With a howl, Scholar Rang hobbled towards the goblin, nursing a swollen ankle while carrying a ton of grievances.

"Ahh Zubyia, your Master has seen countless woes. These children have tried to kill me by sending me to my death. I demand justice. I want to see them killed and their bones scattered. But first, have the goblins heat a bath, then bring food and clothes."

Scholar Rang ordered while standing beside his precious translator. He smirked at the children, on having the upper hand. No one in this life had ever made a fool of Scholar Rang and escaped unscathed. He once had a commoner whipped, because of uttering the foul statement that a Scholar ranked less than a Mage.

The old man felt convinced that the children had deliberately twisted the message to their favor. Unfortunately, the brats did not count on him surviving the ordeal.

"Zubyia, don't forget to search, before having them killed. One of them should hold my three pieces of gold."

Scholar Rang muttered as his loud voice petered down into a whisper. Somehow the surrounding goblins had begun to stare at him strangely. His mind chalked it up, as to how close he interacted with their respected savior. With the knowledge of human civilization, these untamed foragers probably viewed him as a mighty lord.

"Hey, old, tasteless bones. Where did you get that?"

Pug stepped forward with his slender finger, pointing at Scholar Rong. The chatter of the goblins ceased, while they searched around for something. In the space of a breath, shouts and yells broke the silence.

"By the Bones, that old skin wears the band of the Champion's slave!"

"He sure has guts wearing that."

"Is this old man itching for the kitchen?"

Amidst the chatter, Scholar Rang stood firm. He honestly believed the goblin recognized the armband, as a status of power. Mistaking the finger trembling towards him as one fueled by fear, the old man smiled. The stained teeth obviously did not help his deteriorating image.

"Tell them its mine."

He said proudly to Zubyia, ignoring the beads of sweat sprouting from little Rang, like a fountain.

"Eh, Master you should not say that."

"Dammit, goblin. Tell them its mine."

Zubyia glanced at the curled lip on Chu's mouth, before issuing the press release. For the first time since receiving enlightenment, Zubyia Rang wondered if the old dude turned senile. He rolled out the words while carefully taking a few steps to the side.

"He said it belongs to him."

Scholar Rang pointed to the yellow band while patting his chest in conformation. His actions served to rile Pug, as the goblin turned to the teen. Ming simply shrugged making a sign that the old man ripped the band from him.

In Pug's mind, Ming shared a special place. They had both endured the filth of the cave together, trod along the dangerous forest at night, and found courage in defeating the mighty General Pocong.

In the beady eyes of the surrounding goblins, no one messed with the slave of the spider slaying Champion. This impossible link supplied the gruel to tide the many tribes over the winter.

"Beat him up."

"Keep him alive for the kitchen."

Scholar Rang felt like a million goblins pounced onto his tired frame. A few minutes later, the vicious beating ended, as the group receded. Pug walked up and received the carefully removed armband from a beaming goblin fighter. Launching a kick on the bleeding mouth of the thief, sprawled on the stones, he handed over the token to Ming.

"Don't say I never warned you. I asked you once if you really wanted to take that armband from him."

Chu voiced to the man looking on at the proceedings through glazed, unfocused eyes.

Without the presence of the Devil, the goblins might have dissected this old man already. Leaving the groaning man leaning near the large doors, Chu gathered the crowd.

"We need something that looks like a thin piece of iron, with an end like a teeth. It's a key that will allow us to enter the door. Have a goblin party return to the camp, and notify the Elders and Mr. Pick to join us. The goblins can begin cleaning up of the hall while searching for the key."

Chu said.

"I can take Pug and scour the opposite passage. We can search the rooms along the way."

Ming suggested.

Chu had little Rang translate their conversation so that Pug could join in. The group never noticed the old man, listening to them. In the midst of their discussion, a soft click sounded followed by the slamming of a door. When Chu turned, the Scholar has disappeared.

"Hahaha, cough, cough. You bastards think you are so smart. You will regret treating me like dirt, for when I become famous, I will savor ripping you apart. And as for you, you treacherous goblin, I will beat some sense into you when I return with an army of mercenaries."

Scholar Rang cackled from behind the closed doors. His voice sounded muffled, while he heaved and cursed. Once he found and sold the riches in this tower, he would possess enough status to command an army. Later, he would have these goblin slaves build him a mansion in Limerock as fitting punishment.

Chu nodded his head after listening to the muffled string of curses, and methods of impending torture he would soon be facing. He turned to Lucy, with a speechless expression plastered on his face.

"What an idiot."

She replied, looking him in the eye.

"Yep, a real idiot."

Miki chimed in.

"Hey what do you guys mean? Chu, how will we enter the tower, since that man has the key. Do you think we can find another?"

Ming asked.

Rose scoffed at him.

"You really are a fool, just like that old coot. That man doesn't even have a piece of bread to last him a day. Soon he will return sniffling, and begging us for food."

She said while looking at the closed doors.

Truly an idiot.