A Strange Partnership

The chattering of the goblins faded, as the clattering of footsteps receded from the dimly lit cavern. Ming hesitated at first, then decided to peer out from behind this wretched hiding place. The throne had groaned in relief on relinquishing its burden, indicating that the Leader had gone.

The boy scanned from the floor to the dark ceiling of the cave, squinting into the shadows while his head turned left and right. After having witnessed the previous battle, he knew now that the rough walls and ceiling could act as a roadway for an assaulting goblin.

Sticking his head out, Ming soon realized he had escaped from detection. He crawled out, with filth smeared all over his body, as if he had plunged into a latrine. The stench that enveloped him acted as a natural barrier, masking his smell from being detected by sensitive noses while hiding.

He stretched his cramped body, and then bent down to signal the huddled goblin. Only after a minute of coaxing and sign language which indicated that the Leader had gone, did Pug finally crawl out to join him. The two of them locked eyes, sizing up each other in the better lighting.

For some time, the two stared up and down at each other, while listening intently for any signs of approaching footsteps.

Ming searched for a clean end of his ragged clothing, seeking to wipe his mouth. Pug stood trembling from fear as he recalled the earlier glare from Lord Pocong. He used his shaking hands to wipe the filth from his naked torso since he now only had a tattered loincloth to wear.

'This little guy has the bearing of a true coward.'

'This Human stinks to high Heaven.'

Ming raised his thumb and pointed at himself.

"Ming."

"M... ming?"

The lips curling into a smile and the accompanying nod proved Pug had pronounced it correct. The goblin's wobbling legs gained confidence, as he follows suit. Thrusting out his bony naked chest, he stabbed it with his smaller thumb.

"Pug."

"Bug?"

"Per..uhh..ggg!"

"Pug?"

The goblin nodded as Ming slapped his fist into his palm on getting it right. The boy then scanned the goblin from head to naked toes. Ming stepped back as he sized the goblin up, folding his arm while stroking his painted face. He then held his hand out, in the universal language to stop and wait.

Ming crouched and entered the passageway, sneaking towards the main cavern. He peered out, noticing the shadows working in the opposite end. The few remaining goblins occupied themselves by pulling and dragging the severed corpses of the human guards towards their final destination; the kitchen.

The teen waited until the goblins left, keeping an eye out in case he had judged his companion wrong. When the opportunity came, Ming crawled out and hauled away the nearby corpse of the goblin warrior he previously killed. Returning to the cavern, he found Pug pacing up and down in panic while clutching a foot long piece of wood.

"Pug. Take."

Ming whispered as he pointed to the beast hide armor and clothes.

"T... take?"

"Take."

A short while later, the two crouched at the entrance to the large cavern, watching the goblin workers clear the corpses that littered the floor. Ming gripped his dagger, his intentions clear to his companion. Pug fingered the vest, sneaking glances at the human beside him. The conduct of this enemy confused him.

By now any human he encountered might have already received countless stabs and bites. Pug had never participated in the raids on human settlements. His work lay mainly in tracking and observing. He provided the intel, the Raiders did the rest. He hunted in the forest and had experience in killing the wild beast.

This human did not seem terrifying. Instead, he had a familiar aura, like the neighbor living next door in the thatched hut of his lost tribal village. He looked and acted like a simpleton, and did not come across as if hiding and scheming. The boy's eyes contained no trace of hostility towards him, nor reeked of any bloodlust.

Ming did not know his lack of hostility and simple gift had placed the goblin in a bind because his mind roamed eastwards.

He had to return to the farm, so as to warn them of this threat. If these goblins could kill a large party of armed guards, then they could pose a serious danger to the farm. Ming had no idea of the carnage already enveloping the forest before him. Seeking to rush out, Pug patted his shoulders, copying the sign to wait.

Pug strutted out, looking like a true raider. The three goblins currently in the cavern turned towards the approaching stench. Pug ignored their twisting noses, passing them as he headed for the exit passage and disappeared.

For the longest hour of his life, Ming waited, crouching inside the entrance. The eternity, had his mind swimming with thoughts of betrayal and envisioning warriors and archers swarming into the cave from outside. Or maybe the goblin decided to set up an ambush for him on the hill outside.

When he tensed his muscles in preparation to burst out, Pug appeared. This time the goblin had equipped himself with a bow and quiver of arrows. A short dagger had been stuffed into his knotted belt.

"Lord Pocong sends word, clean up tunnels first, and mine more iron for goblin smiths. Hurry!"

Pug said. He left the scampering goblins and returned to Ming. Using his hands he called the teen, his face betraying his anxious expression. With nothing to lose and his options few, Ming rushed out. The two hurried out of the dark cave, greeted by the warm sunset from the open sky.

They both scurried to cover behind a nearby rock.

Pug tugged at the boy's clothes, pointing towards the forest in the west under the setting sun.

Ming shook his head, turning and extending his finger towards the east. He needed to notify the farm of the danger.

Pug rolled his eyes. Did this idiot not hear the words in the cave? Did he take a Goblin Tide for a joke?

The goblin pointed to his head and pulled out his dagger. He issued some small yells, stomping his feet while terrorizing some imaginary foe. He stopped and pointed to his head then out to the east.

It then dawned on Ming what happened. The leader himself had led the raid. Most likely they might decide to attack the farm when they finished with Patriarch Prickus. Ming had a high probability of encountering goblins on the path to the farm. He stubbornly pointed towards the east, the general direction of his home.

Pug rolled his eyes. This human seemed beyond saving. The goblin thought for a minute before squatting down and then gathering some stones. He placed them on the ground and used his finger to draw a line around the stones. He watched the boy while moving his finger, that bypassed the stones.

"You want to circle around the goblins in the forest?"

Ming muttered. He then nodded furiously as he grasped the plan. Thinking some more, he pointed to Pug and then to the east. The goblin squinted his eyes, thinking that this human wanted a mile when he just gave him a life-saving inch. Pug shook his head, but the boy seemed insistent.

"No."

"No?"

Ming repeated in goblin language. Pug nodded as the boy seem to understand, but Ming then nodded his head.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

The two pointed and waved their hands in gesticulation. If not for the entrance being nearby, they might have shouted at each other like a pair of drunkards. A few minutes later, they seem to hit on common ground.

Ming finally brokered another deal when using the crude sign language. Pug had him wait while he re-entered the cave. The goblin soon returned, dragging a foreign long sword with his thin hands. Ming stuffed the dagger into his rags and grabbed the sword.

Together, this never before seen alliance disappeared into the trees.

***

Lucy ran out from under the trees, slowing to find and follow the road leading towards the farm in the distance. Not bothering to wipe the tears streaming down her face, she acquired a second wind that propelled her forwards. She had to find Chu, had to relay the terrible news. And she also had to warn him about the goblin attack.

"Close the gates, close the gate, the goblins are coming, the goblins are coming."

She shouted while running past the tower when entering the western gate. In a different circumstance, the spectators might scold this young girl for spouting nonsense, but here those words weighed heavier than a mountain.

Chong climbed and jumped down from the tower, running towards the gates. In a few minutes, the gate had been barred. The person who helped him secure the horizontal log then ran to the barn. Soon the iron gong on the barn echoed out an alarm.

"Then the hilltop turned green and black under the sun. I'm sure by now, everyone who entered into the forest is dead. Just like Ming..."

Lucy said.

Chu patted the shoulder of the girl who wrapped her arms around him, soaking his growing chest with tears. The shock of her message, caused his legs to wobble but he soon steadied himself.

Lucy told about tracking the group in the forest, and how they fell for the plan. A large squad of men, Ming included had decided to sweep the simple looking cave. All this had gone as expected since Chu planned to borrow the knife of the Patriarch to wipe out the goblins, once and for all.

Unfortunately, at the end of the wait, the cave belched out a host of green and black that covered the entire hill. The goblins then swarmed towards the remaining men. Ming had entered the cave and had perished along with the intended conquerors.

He died.

Chu had no time to grieve with Lucy. According to the girl, a large goblin attack would soon follow. He wiped his eyes and held Lucy at arm's length by her shoulders.

"Come, we have to protect our family, and also take revenge for Ming. I swore to never forgive anyone who would try to harm my family. Let me show you what artillery can really do on a battlefield."

***

"Will we really be fighting against goblins? Do those things exist?"

The young soldier questioned his captain who rode alongside him. The majority of the party contained young nobles from the Limerock garrison.

"That's the report from the town garrison. It seems the forest will soon be crawling with them. I did hear news before we left that they had attacked a farm near the village north of here."

The gray-haired captain replied. He brushed his short tuff of beard while thinking.

"Then why are we heading to this village, shouldn't we go north?"

"Our mission is not to join in any defense nor attack. We are to act as guards for someone of high standing from the Tower. This mission if successful will increase the merit of your noble families. I dare say no woman will resist you when you boast of this tale."

The group consisting of twenty soldiers continued their journey, needing four days to arrive at the village.

***

Limerock City.

In a mansion surrounded by large towers that dotted the landscape, two old men chatted while seated on some antique wooden chairs.

"Damn your luck Disparte. You really struck gold this time around."

"What are you babbling for, didn't you already achieve your lifelong dream? Who among the Tower Mages in this lifetime can boast they researched and experimented on a wolf demon?"

Mage Disparte laughed as he gazed on the envious face of his peer. Although he had to hurry to the Capital, he still needed to stop and pay his respects to the Experimental division of the Tower Mages. He also had some business to attend here.

Loud footsteps echoed in the large deserted building, as a young man came running towards them. He slowed at a respectful distance then bowed and waited for a command.

"Come Tye, offer your respects to Master Disparte. He is the Mage who brought that amazing invention to us. Despite my begging though, he insisted on carrying the clock to the Capital. Those old coots there simply want to hog everything for themselves."

The old man complained. His sweeping beard swayed as he voiced his grievances. Mage Disparte shrugged his shoulders while gripping the gnarled wooden handles of the chair. He locked his eyes onto the thin, tall figure standing before him.

"How skilled is he?"

He asked the old man, without removing his eyes off the uncomfortable man.

"Best we have like you wanted. His drawings are over half the time accurate, with a failure of about four in ten. As for activation, we all know the problems with that. Tye is my last apprentice and specializes in that area."

The Mage boasted while also throwing a subtle hint.

"Yes, yes... very well. Have him pack up and make for the village tomorrow. I will leave the arrangements of the escorts to you."

"Wait. You can't just grab my apprentice and spirit him away like that. You do understand what I mean right Disparte?"

"As soon as we construct one, it's yours to tinker with. You can even name it after you to achieve immortality."

Mage Disparte chuckled. He had made a promise to the boy and now delivered on it. Considering the achievements of Chu, this gesture seemed a small price to pay. He left some strict words to the apprentice before hastening out of the mansion.

"Pack your books Tye. Hopefully, you will gain some enlightenment on this journey. Don't disappoint me."

Tye nodded as realization dawned on him.

His respected Master had just sold him for a clock.