Amidst the chaos that assailed Kara-dum, Garrick was stuck in conversation with the Goblin princess, forced to do nothing but talk and amuse her. Her claims reeked of grandeur and madness, a seer, and he just happened to be a part of the same thread of destiny she was.

It was utterly absurd for at the moment, he struggled to recall the events of the past few days. He had pinched himself, bitten his tongue and was even prepared to stick a spoon in his eye. But no, It seems it was all real. Not some illusion of his mind, though he wished it was. What were the chances he would find highly processed chocolate here?

Sitting and waiting here for his potential demise. Did not sit right with him.

“This pizza, you speak of,” She with the most calming demeanor. “I want you to help bake me one after this charade.”

That’s what she was worried about. Food.

“Of course, princess, If I get out of this alive.”

She giggled. No doubt, an adult in appearance, but a child she was at heart.

“Of course you, will Garrick. I can foresee it.”

He had really learned nothing of the world so far, as a decent education is not part of a goblin infant’s curriculum. How one was able to draw lines in the future and decide where they wanted to go. He wished he could envision it.

“Ooh, I almost forgot.” She exclaimed.

She retrieved a box, she had put beside her and put it on the coffee table. Inside covered in several loose cloths, rested an old rusted blade.

He hesitated, not knowing what the right course of action was.

“Go on, this is a special blade. It could be instrumental to your survival. Please take it. You will need this in the future. Hide if you don't plan on using early.”

And so he did. As he gripped the rusty blade, bluish light enveloped the blade itself. He could feel mana emanating from it, it was an overwhelming force, and perhaps it wasn’t a good idea to keep holding it. He put it back in the box.

“Thank you, princess, but I still don’t understand really understand my purpose here.”

She ignored him. It seemed the subject was sour, and yet it was all he could think of.

“More tea, Garrick?” she asked. As if it was some kind of pleasant afternoon

“Disrespectful as I may sound now, but you’re blatantly driving around the question.”

She sighed.

The fighting had started getting closer, no doubt there were enemy forces not too far from here, and yet she still chose to do nothing about it. If she saw possibilities, why not do anything about it, why let Kara-Dum fall? Why not command the army? He couldn’t really grasp it.

"Are you sure, we shouldn't escape somewhere safe?"

"No, trust me, in order for the future to work accordingly, what happens must happen.

Anxiety had held him by the knee, and he had the sudden urge to take a piss. Even moving his legs extrapolated what he felt. Shivering and shaking like a little bitch he told himself, to get a grip.

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A large tremor shook the building, they both were as mute as if they had been born that way. He listened attentively. He could hear sudden mass movements, swords clanging and flesh being sliced. The sounds of men being slain, moaning groaning, and crying. Her personal guards were being slaughtered outside. And yet she did not react.

“They are here.”

“Who is here!”

She grabbed him by his chest and pulled him over the table, causing tea to spill out of the cup.

“The human heroes, they have come to take me away,” she had a frown on her face. “Listen well, Garrick, do not do a thing, do not a say a thing. If the path is to remain the same, I need you to stay still.”

He Couldn't obliged on that order.

“You can’t be serious!” he said with anger and grabbed the blade out of the box. She grabbed his hand and held him down, he found himself unable to move. Her strength dwarfed his, she was not as meek as she looked. As his body made contact once again with hers, he felt something different this time, the energy that resided in her body was layered like an onion, a world within a world. He was nothing but a fledgling, a worm.

.

“Shut up, be quiet, sit down, wait, wake up, move forward!”

He didn’t contest, she could break his arm if she wanted. He did as he was told.

“Yes, ma’am.”

The door to the chamber broke open. A group of human soldiers entered the room–metallic shining silver armor–weapons drawn. At the center of the group was a man clad in blackened metal, red veins forming patterns along the armor, wielding a long spear. He had long hair that hung down below his waist. They made spiky ends at the end of the length. Emerald eyes that had a piercing gaze.

“Are you the princess of this goblin settlement,” he asked her. His soldiers moved in to apprehend her, but he held up hands, to pause the aggression. A bowman was aiming his weapon at his face. Garrick sat still in the chair, freeing, hoping whatever happened next, made him breathe with his head attached tomorrow.

“No, I do not rule here, but I am a princess, who is asking?”

“It is not of importance, your highness. Unfortunately for you, you will have to come with me in order to preserve peace between hobgoblin-kind and humanity.” The man swayed his head, his hair flowing along with it.

“And what of the green goblins?” She asked.

“What of the vermin?”

Vermin, that didn’t sit right with him.

“Sure goblins are rowdy and aren’t well-mannered, but they have feelings too, you dog!” he shouted at the intruder.

“Garrick, shut up. Trust me.” She started panicking.

“I thought you kept these ones as slaves and workers, why is one your room?” The hero asked dumbfounded by Garrick's presence. “Hmmm, I will have to dispatch it quickly.”

“No, please, this one is a loyal servant, I won’t comply if you touch him. I am willing to poison myself right here/” Her whole demeanor had changed, she seemed much more serious than before. She had pulled a small needle out of her robe, green liquid dripping from it.

He stared at Garrick with disgust.

“Very well, Come along then, we have a meeting to get to.” He approached her by her arm and practically yanked her. Making her stumble as he dragged her along. “Leave the vermin!”

The soldiers slowly retreated. As the man took the princess. Away.

Garrick’s blood started boiling, they shouldn’t be able to come as they go. Do as they want. This was how corporations took over nations back in his world. This man was a fiend he needed to be taught a lesson.

Garrick grabbed the sword from the container, his hand gripped by a strange sensation. An aura of blue light filled the sword. The weight of the blade was heavy, but he had been prepared in those mines. His hand tightened, and he succumbs to the feeling of rage.

This thing was strong, maybe strong enough to kill that ‘Hero’.

He rushes at the man whose back is turned.

The princess turns towards him. Attempting to grab him by the arm, barely misses him.

“Stop, you fool, it's not supposed to play out this way!” The princess shouted at him.

As he lunges forward, he manages to strike the hero on his back, penetrating the armor and leaving a nasty scar. The hero tumbles forward, letting go of the princess. Shaken and shocked by the act of defiance.

“You dirty trash, how dare you!”

Garrick prepares for another strike bringing, the blade down on the hero. A bowman shoots his hand, making the blade fall out of his hand.

The hero kicks Garrick away, making him fall a few meters away.

“How is this possible, you’re mana level is barely perceivable.” he then turns his attention towards the blade that cut him open lying on the floor.

“Of course.”

He takes his spear, and stabs the blade in the center, causing it to shatter into dozens of pieces.

The princess facepalms, holding her hands on her face. Garrick knew then and there he fucked up. He may have doomed them.

“For scaring me, you deserve a pain worse than death worm. I would have let you live”

He brought his spear out again, walked up to Garrick, and stabbed him in the stomach. The sharp pain of being stabbed, left Garrick moaning in pain. But the man refused to let go. Garrick could only partly bear the feeling of something foreign seeping into his body like a disease.

Pulling out the spear. He started laughing. “Very few have harmed me, much less make me bleed. So I’ve given you a gift. Once your mana runs out, you will die a pained and short death.”

“Enough, ‘Hero’, You; ’ve tortured him now let us get going.”

The man pondered as if he wanted to play some more.

“Very well.”

As Garrick lay there in pain, he could hear the princess whisper to him.

“Goodbye, Garrick, we will meet again.” she waved him off.

What was she talking about, he was sure to die in a few moments. Every limb on his body ached, dying would be a better choice than this. He started gagging, the pain had reached even as far as his groin, agonizing.

As they marched away, he could only sit still in wonder. He had acted on impulse, he knew he could have handled that much better. Now he was going to die again, except no one was gonna cop him out this time. There was no telling if he would be reincarnated again if he was going to be reincarnated again.

“Shadow that lurks everywhere, help me…”

There was no reply. Only silence.

The silence was broken shortly after, he heard something fall far away. Blue light fills the sky. Then the building started crumbling, and stone wreckage fell on him, barely holding onto consciousness, whatever it was he had been afflicted by, was slowly gnawing his strength away.