This is a Goblin story. But that doesn't mean all of the characters in this story are Goblins. And it doesn't mean that they are any less important. This wasn't a Goblin's world after all.
Like those pale white and dark chocolate and all the shades in between skinned people with round ears, strangely colored hair and eyes that did not glow in the dark. Not to even mention their flat teeth. Who doesn't have rows of sharp and pointed teeth? Humans.
One such Human was walking down the road. The traveler had walked many roads, crossed rivers, and camped out under the vast sky in deep forests. His clothing was in tatters from the many obstacles he had overcome on his great journey. The sword sheathed around his worn belt was stained from the last encounters with monsters. It was on this day that the traveler would happen upon a group of traveling Merchants.
Wilb was a Merchant traveling from Wrunstead in a wagon.
Wilb was a simple guy. He was a Level 13 Merchant learning from his father who was a Level 25 Merchant. So whenever his father left their home city of Wrunstead, Wilb followed. This time Wilb's father had brought him north to Cenia. Usually they went south and west, deeper into the heart of the kingdom. That's where all of the really big cities were. And the bigger the city, the bigger the profits.
Heading so far north to Cenia wasn't nearly as productive as Wilb's father liked. But the Lord of Cenia paid Wilb's father good money to make the trip north.
If it was up to Wilb they would have left the city to rot. Not like actual rot and doom. That was too much. It was just an exaggeration. What he meant was that if they temporarily halted in their trade with the north, they could force the Lord to pay even more to Wilb's father's company. Though it was true that Lord Marvin of Cenia could ignore the company strike hundreds of years ahead of its time and hire another company. That is if Lord Marvin was dealing with some low ranked Merchant.
Wilb's father was a prominent member in the Merchant's Guild. A couple words to the right people and a few filled pockets and the Lord of Cenia would quickly find that no one would be available to travel north to trade with his city. The journey was just so far after all. Such a long ways away that the cost of supplies just to make the journey was too much for the Merchants to afford on their own.
As it was... Wilb reluctantly followed his father north. Recently, Wilb had been having thoughts. Like for instance, what if, Wilb stopped traveling and opened up his own business in one of the larger cities. Maybe even the capital.
But what would he sell? That was the heavy anchor that kept this idea ship from sailing into the seas of gold and success.
And what if he failed? Would his father accept him back into the company? Would his mother let him return home to live out the rest of his days in her basement? He was going to be homeless if he failed in his attempt to be independent. Then he'd die a horrible death, like getting eaten by terrible monsters.
So maybe until Wilb had his plan for the future actually planned out, he would stick with his relatively successful father and his company.
On the first day of travel their company was met with forty mounted Knights riding to escort them to Cenia. There was a few Mercenaries in the company but an order of Knights playing guard duty for free? What kind of self respecting Merchant could pass up on that offer? And with the road north to Cenia being the source of several recently reported monster attacks. Wilb's father hadn't hesitated in accepting the offer from the Knights.
On the third day of travel, they came across the wandering man who was walking up the road towards Cenia.
Wilb couldn't get a good look at the man. The Knights were quick to offer the man a place in one of Wilb's father's company wagons. The man had accepted and that was when Wilb had gotten a better look. Because the man took a seat right across from Wilb and his father.
The man wore a ragged and stained shirt that might have once been white. He wore torn and ripped pants and bore no shoes on his feet which were red and bleeding. A belt was all that was holding up his ruined pants, a sheathed sword barely hanging onto the belt. The man looked a little starved, no more than the common homeless in a city. But what was strikingly noticeable was the man's bright blue eyes and fiery red hair with flecks of grey at the roots.
The sight of the homeless man was a little disconcerting as they watched the stranger climb into the back of the wagon. For one thing, unlike the wanderer, Wilb and his father were dressed quite... affluently. For another thing, the smell coming from the man was enough to make Wilb and his father gag. Wilb's father tried to politely turn his head and lightly pinch his nose. Wilb on the other hand outright coughed and covered half of his face with one hand.
The stranger noticed this reaction and checked himself. He grimaced but sat down anyways before nodding quickly.
Wilb's father gave Wilb a look that said to remember his manners.
"Ahem," the stranger cleared his throat. "My apologies. I had not realized the odor had become so putrid. But I thank you for your kindness nonetheless. You have done this wandering old fool a service that I would wish to repay in some way."
Wilb's father shook his head instantly. "Nonsense! Good fellow, this is the least we could do. Would you by chance be in need of refreshment. I'm afraid we lack the luxuries of a Lord," Wilb's father laughed, "but I daresay, we can provide you with some water and bread surely."
"Would you please? It would be such a kindness towards this old fool. So many these days lack that wonderful trait. It makes me wonder where all of the goodness of this kingdom went."
"Perhaps our good King took all the kindness of his kingdom with him to his grave. These are dark times. The Lords and Ladies have failed to elect a new monarch as of yet. And people have become desperate as demand increases. If it wasn't for these generous Knights, I would have not considered the unlikely hood of monsters and bandits. I'm Wilfut by the way. And this is my son, Wilbut, but he prefers Wilb. You are welcome to the hospitality of my company. Are you bound for Cenia good fellow?"
The stranger bowed his head. "Ay. Cenia is the last on my list of cities to visit on this continent. Been hoping to see them all before the day I die. A fool's errand I suppose. Again I must thank you for giving this old fool your charity."
Wilb couldn't hold his curious tongue. "Why are you visiting all of the cities?"
"To see them of course." The stranger smiled kindly at Wilb and Wilb couldn't help but feel awed by the man and his goals. To see all of the great cities and regions of the kingdom was an incredible dream to have. Wilb personally had always wanted to visit the Great Springs of Gillow. But that was only one aspect and Wilb was curious.
"But why? That can't be all there is too it. And what is your name? Where are you from?"
Wilb's father was quick on the draw. "Wilb! The man's business is his own. Leave him be. Mister, I am so sorry for my son, his manners are lacking and I-"
The stranger gave a hearty laugh. "Ahaha! It is good thing to see a young mind so curious! Do not punish young Wilb for asking questions. It is an innocent thing. I do not mind it so." His blue eyes sparkled in Wilb's direction. "I come from a place of seclusion. I rarely ever left the house I was born into and I never left the city. It was always a dream of mine, to see just what that bright blue sky behind those towering granite walls held from me. To see every city in this kingdom. To see every mountain and river. To go beyond it all and set sail for the rest of this grand world. That is my dream."
To that Wilb's father said not a word. It was a very ambitious goal. But it was an impossible one. Sure, it was feasible that a lone man could walk across the entire kingdom before age or monsters or something else caught up with him and claimed his life. But to be this old and to claim to seek out the rest of the world? Madness. Perhaps that is why he called himself an old fool, Wilb thought. But I think it's cool.
And the old fool read his mind somehow because his next words were too accurate. "Yes, a fool's desires for a fool's gains and an empty reward. An impossible task for someone as old as me. It would have been easier had I set out in my youth. But I couldn't set out on my adventure for quite some time. I had responsibilities then."
Wilb's father leaned forwards and tried to ignore the rank odor coming from the stranger. "If you don't mind questions? Just what kind of responsibilities were holding you back? What is your class?"
The stranger stopped smiling and combed his fingers through his beard. "My class... I am... a Steward. Bound to a Noble House from birth due to my class. Though as I got on in age, I was replaced for a younger Steward. I found it that now was a greater time than any to begin my grand journey."
A Steward? To a Noble House? Wilb and his father tried not to show any visible sign of change. But it was hard. Much too hard for the younger Merchant. Because even Wilb understood just what this meant. It meant that this man, this homeless, smelly, old foolish, and wandering man. Was once in a position far better than Wilb's father could hope to achieve. A Steward to a Noble House. One of the Lords or Ladies of the kingdom. Second only to the late King when he had lived. Now...
This man was important. Even if he didn't carry his wealth on his person. This man was worth far more than Wilb's fathers company. And he was old. And the general consensus amongst people was that the older someone became, the higher their level.
So here this old foolish Steward sat with a couple of traveling Merchants. With only his ruined clothing, his sword, and his dreams.
If the man carried a sword and was from one of the Noble Houses of the kingdom... then he knew how to use that sword. Quite possibly better than any of the forty mounted Knights or contracted Mercenaries.
To Wilb. This was impressive and just a little scary. It wasn't unheard of when a Lord or Lady ran away to see the rest of the kingdom. But for a Steward to seek such an idea? It was a little off putting from what he knew of Stewards. Stewards were often stoic and immovable when their charge was not up to the task. This man didn't seem like a Stewart at all to Wilb.
But to his father? Wilfut saw only opportunity. An opportunity that quickly crashed and burned and was left on the wayside for looters. Because the man was prone to loud outbursts and wild mood swings and drank himself a little to deep into the company's wine and food stores. The man told clearly fabricated tales and bragged about his youthful achievements from when he was a young Steward. Wilb liked some of the stories, but his father just wanted to get some information out of the Steward. Because information was gold, especially on one of the Noble Houses. But no matter how much Wilfut pried, the man never gave away anything concrete and it was starting to upset Wilb's father.
After an hour of eating with the strange man, Wilb had asked for his name once again. To which the man had said. "King."
After weeks of traveling on the road, Wilb thought he was beginning to understand this strange man. Although there were some anomalies that Wilb just couldn't figure out. Like how King's head turned to stare at a berry bush just as soon as they had passed it. Wilb's father had offered to ask one of the Mercenaries or even one of the Knights to gather some of the berries only for King to decline the offer.
"The berries don't interest me. It's the funny little creature that I can't help but watch. I don't believe I have ever seen something quite like it, though it matches the description of what I have heard. The flaws of living behind walls my entire life I'm afraid," King said as his eyes moved slowly from the tree line to one of the rear wagons. He smiled and turned back to face Wilb and his father. But every so often, Wilb would catch King looking over his shoulder from wagon to wagon, as if something was there.
But every time Wilb or his father looked, there was nothing there.
Glub had followed the wagons through the trees, keeping up with Swift Movement. After watching the Knights and learning some of their habits. Glub made his move.
Glub ran for a tree that was relatively close to the road and began to climb it. Glub slowed down and waited on a branch for the last of the wagons to pass him by when he leapt down into the wagon, landing on cloth covering that was protecting a bunch of round and hard objects. He winced and rubbed at his butt.
"Hey, did you see that?"
Glub's eyes widened and he ducked down low and used his claws to tear open a hole in the fabric.
"See what?"
Glub dug himself under the cloth covering and smelled food. Not the kind of smell that came with warm cooked food from a fire. But food that came from trees. Fruit.
"I could have sworn I saw something green fall out of that tree."
Glub began digging through the fruit. He had been spotted! How could they have seen him? His Chieftain had talked to his tribe about Knights before. He had said that they were dangerous and were certain death. It wasn't fair.
"Probably just a bird," a Knight shifted.
Glub's claws made a massacre of the fruit in the a wagon. He dug and ate as fast as he could. Red juice, orange colored juice, green juice, it all ran down his claws and his lips. He stopped after eating a strange yellow fruit. It was quite sweet. Glub licked his claws and got back to digging. He had to hide in this wagon of fruit somehow.
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The other Knight rode closer to the wagon. "No. No, I swear I saw something. It was larger than a bird. I swear."
"Perhaps you are malnourished. Go ahead and grab a fruit or two out of the wagon."
"But that's stealing!" the observant Knight was aghast.
The other Knight shrugged in his shiny metal armor. "Consider it our wages for escorting this company. Our real job comes after this."
"I suppose," the observant Knight said.
"Now get yourself something to eat. It can't be good if you're seeing things."
"But I did see something. I really did. But I am hungry. Perhaps one apple wouldn't hurt. And a lini."
"Oh. Oh," the other Knight said. "Could you pass me a lini?"
The observant Knight rode closer to the wagon and nodded back to his fellow Knight. "Sure. Sure. Got a sweet tooth?"
The other Knight rapped a gauntleted fist against his breastplate. "Mother always told me I was half sugar and half man."
The observant Knight chuckled and pulled the cloth sheet covering the fruit back.
The other Knight frowned behind his helmet as he watched the observant Knight pause. "Is something the matter Ser Kordl?"
Ser Kordl the more observant Knight of the two was staring into the moving wagon from atop his horse. He turned his helmeted head back to his companion and shook his head. He covered the wagon back up and fell back to ride alongside the other Knight.
"Ser Kordl? Where is the fruit? The linis?"
Ser Kordl was silent for a moment. Gravely so.
It worried the other Knight. The other Knight watched as Ser Kordl reached for the hilt of his sheathed sword, Ser Kordl was shaking. Ser Kordl? What is the matter?"
"It would appear as if Merchant Wilfut has some pests in his wagons."
The other Knight reached for his sword hesitantly. "You sure. You are seeing things. Perhaps you only imagined-"
"Go look."
"Excuse me?" the other Knight's brows were crossed beneath his helmet.
"Look for yourself," said Ser Kordl. "If I am truly malnourished. Please prove me wrong Ser Flinn."
The other Knight, Ser Flinn drew his sword and approached the wagon that had disturbed Ser Kordl. Ser Flinn lifted the cloth sheet and saw what Ser Kordl had seen. Ser Kordl had seen fruit. apples, peaches, oranges, linis, melons, and cucatos. And Ser Flinn looked down upon them all from atop of his horse in horror. Most of the fruit had been destroyed, half eaten, juices were spilled everywhere, ruined and torn apart.
Ser Flinn reached for the cloth cover and pulled it back over the wagon and fell back to ride beside Ser Kordl in silence. Barely a moment passed before both of their stomachs growled.
Ser Flinn patted his armored stomach and turned to face Ser Kordl. "Do you think it was parasites? Worms? I... I've been eating out of that wagon for days now."
Ser Kordl said nothing.
"May the Gods have mercy. I think I'm going to be sick."
Glub was still as the Knights looked into the wagon. When they threw the cover back over the mess of fruits, Glub sighed and pulled himself out from a pile of shredded fruit. Knights might have been dangerous. But they were still only Humans. Glub couldn't believe that they had failed to smell him after he covered himself in fruit. Did Human noses even work? Apparently not like Goblin noses. Because Goblins could smell other Goblins, even if they tried to cover their scent.
Glub shook his head and popped another sweet yellow fruit into his mouth. Yum. This was the life. The Goblin life. He could just stay in this wagon full of nice food forever. But then he would be caught and the Humans would take his head because they liked taking Goblin heads.
Glub was tempted to stay in the wagon for a while longer and fil his tummy until he was sick all over again. Just like with the sour berry bush. But Glub had a duty to his tribe and had to keep moving.
So the Level 2 Goblin Scout crawled through the mess of fruits to the front of the wagon. At the front of the wagon, Glub lifted the cloth covering just barely so he could see out. There was no driver. Only a horse. In front of the horse was two more wagons riding side by side along the road. A pair of four Knights were riding towards the front of these wagons.
Glub slowly raised his head and looked back. The two Knights that had almost found him seemed to be distracted in conversation. Glub looked at the horse pulling his wagon and gulped. It was now or never.
Glub using Swift Movement, vaulted over the side of the wagon and ran in between the horse's legs. The horse made a noise and tried to stomp on Glub, but Glub was using his skill and was able to run passed the horse. One of the Knights riding ahead turned back and shouted something at the horse. A Merchant in the back of one of the wagons turned his head and Glub climbed into the wagon and rolled passed him.
"Settle down now, you hear!" The Merchant shouted back at the horse.
One of the Knights rode over and tried to sooth the horse pulling the rear wagon.
While the Merchant wasn't looking, Glub opened up the chest in the wagon and stared at the multi colored glass jars and bottles. Glub had never seen these before, but his Chieftain had talked about them. Oh. Chieftain will want. Lots of potions.
Glub stared at all the different colored liquids and gently closed the chest. Before the Merchant could turn bac around and spot Glub, he was already gone and diving beneath the wagon to the right. Glub hit the road and rolled out of the way of the wagon's wheel. He was now running beneath the wagon and listening to the Knight still trying to calm the horse.
Close by, another Knight shouted back to the Knight trying to calm the horse. "Is something the matter?"
"Something spooked the horse. She's startled. We're lucky she didn't try to run off."
Another voice sounded from another wagon in front of Glub. "Probably just a hare. Smell. Fetch... Go on boy. Get em."
As Glub was running beneath one of the wagons, something dropped out of the wagon ahead of Glub. Glub's eyes widened at the sight of the hunting dog.
Oh no.
Glub had seen dogs before. They made good food. But they were tricky. Unlike Humans, they could smell. And this dog was bigger than the dogs Glub had seen from the farm that the tribe had raided. This dog was the same size as Glub. This was not good.
The dog ran down the lines of the wagons with his nose on the ground and then in the air and then while running along side Glub's wagon...
Glub met eyes with the dog, through the spokes of one of the the rear wheels of the wagon. The dog growled. And then barked.
The man in the wagon ahead grinned. The Wild Hunter shouted back, "Get em, Hound! Get em!"
At his master's encouragement, Hound barked once more before racing under the wagon after Glub.
"What the hell is going on back there?" Wilfut asked no one in particular.
Wilb frowned at the noise of a barking dog. "That belongs to one of the Mercenaries, right? I know I've seen one of them with a dog about."
King's gaze never left the back of the traveling company. He said not a word as he stared with those impressively blue eyes of his as the dog's barking increased.
Then someone shouted. It might have been a Merchant. It could've been a Mercenary. Or a Knight even. It didn't matter. Because someone shouted a single word that put the entire company on alert. A word that Wilb and Wilfut have heard of many times as of late, especially in the south around Wrunstead. They had heard the rumors about the sudden increase of activity. And the man in the wagon with them laughed and reached for his sword, repeating the word that someone had shouted. King's blue eyes flickered with delight.
"Goblin."