12. STOWAWAYS
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In the morning, 27 jumped out of bed, looking well-rested and excited to begin the day. Drek remained sleeping on his beanbag chair, as usual, and Colb let out a wide yawn, slow but eager to get moving.
Kashmir and Stibs were already awake, both sitting in the living area. A light mist formed in the air as Kashmir twirled her fingers around absent-mindedly. Colb walked up to her, and tilted his head.
“Hmmm… we have to go northeast,” he announced. “You want to go north, yes? To the crescent island?” The girl nodded. Colb looked around at his teammates. “Hmmm, what if we accompany her to the island, since we need to go north eventually anyway?” he pitched.
“Hurmph, that seems fine,” Stibs declared. “We could take a boat over the northern tip of the Elvish Kingdom from that island, which might save some time.” 27 nodded in agreement as well. Drek continued to lay quietly on his beanbag, but at this point, he would be outvoted either way.
Colb looked at the elf, tilting his head slightly to mirror how she was sitting. “Hmmm, we could help you get to Jaiphione’s Crescent, and perhaps help you try talking to the humans, instead of hurting them, yes? Then, you could choose to stay there, or you could head eastwards with us if you wish, yes?”
“Um… okay,” she replied, tugging on her hair nervously. She looked at Colb. “Are we ready to leave, then? I’m bored from waiting around.”
Colb translated her words to 27, who gave Kashmir a thumbs-up in agreement. The goblins quickly packed up their things, disabled the traps Drek had set around himself, pulled Drek out of the beanbag chair, and finally closed up the cabin once everyone was outside.
“Hmmm, Sesui is to the north, yes?” Colb said once everyone was ready to leave. Stibs confirmed that information with a nod.
“AaAaaaaahhhh, I suppose our newest member should lead the way, yes she should!” 27 announced.
“Um… okay,” Kashmir said, turning to walk north. “We’ll go to Sesui, then sneak onto a boat. Try not to be seen; I heard that hundreds of guards live in this town. If just one notices us, they might call upon their whole army, and then we’ll be screwed… but, if we do sneak onto a boat without being seen, it’ll be the fastest way to Jaiphione’s Crescent.” Hearing Colb’s translation of her words, the goblins nodded, then began to follow her. However, they all stopped when they heard Stibs call from behind.
“Hurmph… I’m… I can’t really walk. My leg’s still too jacked up. I can move a little if I use a stick as a crutch, but I’m going to slow you guys down,” he grumbled to the team.
“Hmmm, but the human medicine has been helping, yes?” Colb replied.
Stibs scratched his chin. “Hurmph… I… eh, it really hurts. I think they’re helping, but I still can’t walk.”
“Hmmm, let’s pause and try to fix your leg again, yes?” Colb responded, walking back over to Stibs. The old goblin pulled the two stones out of his pocket, and gave them to Colb. Drek handed his tourmalpyrite back to Colb as well. The chef goblin pulled out his healing crystals kit, and passed the instructions to 27.
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“Those rocks aren’t magic,” Kashmir said from behind him, watching Colb poke through the contents of the box.
“Hmmm, these are healing crystals, yes? They have magic properties, yes?” Colb countered.
Kashmir shook her head. “Those are just rocks and stuff you can find underground. There’s nothing special about them.”
Colb looked up at her, confused as to why she sounded so sure of herself. “Hmmm, do you happen to be medic?” he asked.
“No,” she replied. “But I can sense magic. The cabin, for example. And that bag,” she continued, pointing at the red bag on 27’s belt. “Or that magic map from last night. Those things all have magic radiating from them. They’re clearly enchanted. Obviously, I’ve got a lot of magic radiating from myself, as well.”
She then tapped one of the gemstones in Colb’s hand, leaving a little pile of frost behind as she pulled her finger away. “But these are just polished gemstones. They’re basically worthless.” She took the wooden box out of Colb’s hand, causing it to crack under her frosty grip. “Your rubidium isn’t even real; it’s just a quartzelian that’s been dyed reddish-blue.”
“Hmmm, this cannot be, yes?” Colb replied, furrowing his hairless brow. “I… I received these from human medic, yes?”
“Humans are stupid,” Kashmir replied. “Elves, dwarves, and goblins have all been around way longer. I don’t think you should even consider humans a civilized species. They probably just sold you a bunch of rocks that they thought were magic, but really, I don’t think any humans even understand what magic is.”
“Hmmm,” Colb mumbled, accepting the cold box back from Kashmir and glancing at the gemstones inside. “Did these help you at all, yes?” he asked Stibs again.
The eyepatched goblin let out a big sigh. “Hurmph, as far as I can tell, I still can’t walk… you’re a medic, so what gives?”
Colb dumped the six stones onto the ground, then kicked some dirt over them. “Hmmm… I’m sorry… I failed,” he muttered.
“MMmMmmmm, what— what is wrong?” 27 asked.
“Hmmm, Kashmir says these are not magic at all, yes?” Colb mumbled, staring down at his feet. “And they aren’t healing Stibs, yes?”
“MMmMmmmm,” 27 replied uncertainly. “I cannot verify or deny her opinion, no I cannot. My tribe does not deal with healing magic. This is outside of my expertise, yes it is.”
“Hurmph, we don’t need magic for every little thing,” Stibs grumbled. “Why don’t you just do some… I don’t know, regular healing? Or something?”
Colb sighed. “I’m… not very good medic,” he whimpered. “I am chef, and goblin to care… but I don’t know much about healing.”
Everyone went silent. Kashmir cringed, taking a step away from the awkward situation.
“Hurmph, Drek’s still alive,” Stibs said after a moment. “He still has a blister, but you got his skin to turn green again when it was blue.”
“Rrghegh… blister seems better this morning, too,” Drek added.
“AaAaaaaahhhh, and you helped Kashmir wake up, yes you did,” 27 added. “You cared for her, and helped her get some rest.” 27 glanced at Stibs and Drek. “Look, team… it’s my fault for setting your expectations so high with Colb, yes it is, but you can see that he is goblin that cares. This is what makes him good medic, yes it is. I’m sure, if you give him time, he will find a way to heal your leg, Stibs.”
“Hurmph… fair enough,” Stibs agreed.
“Give team time, and it will work itself out,” 27 said. “Every goblin – and elf, I suppose, perhaps – will fall into their role, yes they will, if given enough time. Just as I’m sure your leg will be healed in due time.”
Drek walked over, then draped one of the old goblin’s arms around his shoulders. “Rrghegh… in meantime, I can be second crutch, helping you walk well.”
“Hurmph, thanks,” Stibs replied, looking down at Drek with a slight smile.
“Rrghegh… just try not to touch my neck blister while I’m helping you,” he added.
Kashmir looked at Colb. “It’s still going to take him too long to travel anywhere, even with a walking stick and a goblin to help him,” she complained. “We’ll need to be able to move fast if we’re going to sneak onto a boat without getting caught.”
“MMmMmmmm, what is she saying, Colb?” 27 asked.
“Hmmm, she thinks we… might be too slow if Stibs is moving by foot, even with Drek and his crutch, yes?”