As the three of us walked through the narrow streets of Galden, I was struck again by how easy it was to get lost. Most of the streets seemed similar to one another, especially the ones in the center of town, and there were alleys everywhere. Luckily, I'd traveled them enough times and my direction sense was good enough that I was able to direct us, even if I had to backtrack from time to time.

As we walked, I kept an eye on Farvad. Despite his frequent memory lapses, someone who didn't know him would be hard-pressed to find anything wrong. The little gnome whistled a songless tune as he strode through the crowds with vigor, a large smile stretched across his wrinkled face. And while he carried three bags filled with... stuff, he didn't seem slowed or bothered in the least. Looking over his packs, I couldn't quite tell what they were filled with. However, the odd shapes and acrid smells coming from them told me to mind my own business.

Tristan, on the other hand, was utterly quiet. Moreover, she seemed tense and uncomfortable, and I had a feeling I knew why. With her old bulky robes soaked, she was forced to wear her much more form-fitting breastplate and leather armor in public. While the cold steel wrapped around her torso hid her figure to an extent, nothing could conceal her more than her shapeless brown robes. From her strong thighs to her narrow waist, she had to feel like she was on full display.

And, despite my best efforts, I couldn't help but admire her. I'd heard the quote many times in my life, but I never realized how true it was: clothes really did make the person.

Worse, she attracted more than the occasional glance from passersby. Most were benign. In truth, most people seemed to gape more at Farvad than either of us. Yet, several men did in fact leer at her, which she noticed and bristled at. More than once, I glared at these sets of straying eyes, and my imposing size scared plenty of wandering orbs off. Despite that tactic working well enough, I knew I could do better. I reached out and gently pushed her into the center of our little group. A moment later, she was wedged between Farvad's stuffed bags and my larger frame, obscuring her from sight, at least a little.

She sighed. "Thanks," she said, offering a faint smile. "That obvious?"

"Not at all. I just know you."

She adjusted one of the straps on her breastplate. "I guess you do. You're sweet. For an idiot."

"I try." I smiled at her.

Eventually, we left the cramped residential section of Galden and began walking about the long road that would soon turn into the pass we'd come in through. The mountain slopes formed a natural wall on either side of us that narrowed the farther we walked, and I could see Galden's sign far ahead. However, as we got close to the large metal sign, Farvad's whistling stopped. His feet followed shortly after.

"Everything okay, old man?" I looked back at him and searched his eyes. They seemed to usually give away when he was fading, but his green orbs revealed that this wasn't one of those moments. For once, he seemed completely lucid.

"Look. Up ahead." He pointed a bent finger toward the mountain slope.

I followed his finger, and after a moment of searching, I found what had stopped him. A large group of goblins, maybe six or seven, were sitting on an outcropping up above. They were hopping around, and their laughter echoed off the stone. From the little I could make out and their gestures, I could tell they were playing some sort of dice game. "What's so special about them?"

"Don't you see it? They're armed. Look at their gear." I squinted. He was right. I could just make out a variety of crude-looking weapons strapped onto their hips.

"Isn't that Vral's gang?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, she's a member," Farvad responded.

Was, I surmised. "How do you know?"

"I never forget a face."

It took everything I had to not laugh.

"They must have realized I'd try to leave town. I told you they wanted to stop me." His bushy brows furrowed, and his expression soured.

I turned to him and crouched until I was eye-to-eye with the gnome. "Farvad, we can't help you if you don't talk to us. Why do they want you? And who is 'they'?"

He shuffled, and his eyes drifted. His hands flexed and relaxed several times. "Can't tell. Sorry."

"Why not?"

"I can't tell you that either." His lips pursed.

I wanted to push him more, but Tristan's hand on my shoulder stopped me. "Okay, but you're absolutely sure they're after you?"

His face screwed up. He opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again. "Yes."

"Alright, fine," Tristan said. She crouched beside me and took one of the gnome's large, rough hands in hers. "You don't need to tell us everything. But please just tell us one thing. Is what's happening related to what's happening to you? Your mind, I mean?"

He froze. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"And are you in danger?"

He nodded again.

"Are we in danger now?"

Another nod.

Her sapphire eyes met mine. "Alex, what should we do?"

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

I shrugged. "Since when do you ask me what we should do?"

She punched my arm. Hard. "Now's not the time. Answer, dumbass."

I laughed and rubbed my arm, then stood up and looked around. There were two small buildings nearby. I directed our trio to the alley between them. Once we were hidden, I admitted, "I'm honestly out of my element right now." I rubbed my chin. "A week ago, I would have said fighting goblins would have been like fighting children. Then I got my ass kicked. We only survived because Tristan and I are a dream team, and..." an idea came to me. "Farad, do you have any more of those potions you gave us?" If I had a few, I might be able to get us out.

The old man chuckled. "Yes, yes, of course I do." He began untangling himself from the mess of straps he was wrapped in. A few long minutes later, he held out two potions. "One is the one the lass didn't take. It's a strength potion. The other is a healing potion." He handed them to me. "Take them, and remember to keep mental stock of the effects. I'm still working on those. Too many impurities."

"Thanks..." I held them both up into the light. The healing potion was red and thick like blood. There were globs of something black and slimy floating within the liquid. I did my best to not think of what they could be. The other was a lighter color red and looked like a cross between sand and liquid. There were pieces of dirt at the bottom of that vial. I slipped them into my belt and reached for my shield, only to then remember I'd shattered it fighting Vral.

"You wouldn't happen to have a shield stuff in one of those bags, would you?" I asked.

"Sorry, no. Best I can do is a frying pan." Farvad dug into a different bag and produced a large cast iron pan.

Shit. "I appreciate the offer, but I haven't been trained in the art of the frying pan."

"Suit yourself." The gnome put the pan back into his back and began strapping his gear back on. As he did, I poked my head out of the alleyway and glanced up the mountain. The group of goblins was gone.

Double shit.

"Guys, the goblins are gone."

"What do you mean?" Tristan pushed me aside and peeked her head out. She cursed. I was definitely rubbing off on her. "Where did they go?"

"Good question." I drew my sword. "We should move."

As I spoke, the sound of a sword scraping against leather rang out behind us. "Is that so?" came a gravelly voice. I turned around to see six goblins enter the far side of the alley. "Where you goin'?" I recognized the speaker. It was one of the ones that had been with Vral. Favok or something.

"Triple Shit." I held my sword out in front of me. "Farvad, get behind us." The gnome shuffled backward, and Tristan pressed herself against me, blocking the gnome from sight.

The lead goblin chuckled and tapped his saber against his boot. "Lucky. Looks like we've got good meat today. Last bite we had didn't satisfy."

I thought of Vral. A part of me hoped she was okay. The other part of me wanted to punt her again. "Is there really any need for this? Our friend here just wants to visit the temple for some healing. Surely you can respect that?" This wouldn't work. I knew it wouldn't work, but maybe it would by me some time to think.

"Not really." The goblin chuckled, then turned and faced his comrades. "What do ya think boys, wanna eat the human? It's been a while." A chorus of laughs was the only answer. "After that, we'll eat the scrawny one. Not much meat on her, but I'm sure she'd taste great."

"We've got money. How much to get you to leave us be?" Tristan offered as she glanced my way. She was shaking.

"Tsk, tsk. Did you hear that, boys?" The goblin grinned, showing off rows of tiny, sharp teeth. "The humans wanna make a deal." They took a step forward as a group. "How's this? We kills ya, eats ya, and takes yer crystals?"

"Yeah, yeah! That'll work!" One of the smaller goblins shouted.

"I like that plan!" Another giggled.

"Looks like the crowd's spoken." The leader cracked his neck. "Now let's have a good time, won't we?" He took another step forward.

"No." Farvad stepped between us and put up his hands. "I'll go willingly if you spare them. There's no reason to waste their lives."

The goblin raised his saber and inspected its edge. "See, I think there's a very good reason to do just that." He pointed his blade at me. "He's a wanted man, and the bitch next to him is too. Decided to poke their noses where they shouldn't have from what I heard. So it ain't just about you, old man. We'll be gettin' paid good for two jobs today," he spat. "Now, step back and let us cut up the hummies, otherwise my blade might just slip and get you too." When he finished speaking, he smiled. His teeth were jagged, and several were missing.

In a flash, he reached for his belt and threw a dagger. It arced through the air directly at Tristan. Before I could think, my sword moved. I felt the metal object thump against my blade and bounce away.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"Don't thank me yet."

The leader cursed under his breath, and another drew another dagger. In unison, they marched up the alley. For every step forward they took, we took one back, but Farvad's little legs weren't taking large enough strides. As they approached, a single word echoed inside of my brain. I held onto it and waited for them to act.

"Run. I'll hold them off." I gritted my teeth as the goblins closed the gap.

"Don't be an idiot!" Tristan shouted. I'm not leaving you."

"I can't protect you both."

"I don't need protecting."

"Tristan..." I realized something then. I was framed by a single trait. I took Dave's shit and worked every redeye shift so my coworkers didn't have to. I got kicked out of college for defending a girl who needed it. I got in a dozen fights in school protecting my friends. I'd knocked my shit-ass dad out for daring to touch my mom. Fucker never showed up again. And now, I was going to protect a little old man and my best friend in this whole world. Because that's who the fuck I was. "I'll always protect you, Tristan. It's who I am."

"Alex..." She stepped back and chanted a simple phrase.

[Armor Up]

A wave of energy washed over me. My skin radiated light, then glowed white-hot as an infusion of energy coursed through my body. The hairs on my arms stood, and static danced along my fingertips. The second the words left her lips, she grabbed Farvad's collar and pulled him backward. "Don't you dare make me spend another whole year patching you up again. Do you hear me?"

"If it means I get to spend another year with you, I can't make any promises."

"Let's spend our days seeing the world." Her voice was strained as she dragged Farvad backward. The goblins ahead of me snarled.

"Deal. Now get out of here."I heard their footsteps retreat.

"Cowards," the goblin leader sneered as escaped, but his eyes never left me. "No matter. We'll find them and tear out their throats. For now..." The six goblins all grinned and stalked closer. As they closed in, I reached down to my belt and pulled the strength potion free. Uncorking it with one hand, I held my sword out as I drank its contents down. Holy hell did it taste bad. The instant the liquid hit my stomach, every single muscle in my body seized. Then, my armor creaked my muscles swelled.

Seeing me freeze, one of the goblins tried to rush past me. With a heave, I sliced at its head. I felt my blade cut through something like butter. It was so smooth that I questioned whether I'd actually hit anything. Looking at the goblin, our eyes met. The goblin blinked once, twice. Then its head fell from its shoulders.

The leader snarled. "Bastard..." He looked at his fellows. "Two of you, go around and catch them!"

Before they could run, I shouted the word that was bubbling in my mind.

[Provoke]

Every goblin's head jerked as my spell took hold. Their red eyes narrowed on mine. They eyed me hungrily.

I smiled at them. If I were going down, it'd be fighting, not running. But I wasn't about to go down fighting a group of goblins in some dirty alley in a mining town. That wasn't my story.

"Which one of you wants to try first?"