“What exactly is naming in the old way?” Ai asked as she approached the village elder from behind.

The woman started, which made Ais eyebrows raised. Somehow the woman had become all knowing in her mind, though that clearly wasn’t the case. She had had her stuff stolen from right under her nose (and returned), after all.

She tutted shaking her head. “Dangerous deals, dangerous deals. What exactly has that goblin been putting into your head?”

“He said he would tell me-” about his people so I know whether to feel guilty for killing one or not “-what I want to know if I named him in the old way.”

“You’d best not trust him even as far as you can throw him. Goblins want the best out of every deal, especially his sort. They’ll milk you dry if you let them, then eat whatever’s left.” Ais eyebrows slowly lowered down her face.

“But what is it? Naming in the old way?”

The village elder sighed, leaning back on the table behind her.

“Everyone is named in the old way, at least in our village. The outsiders, they don’t believe in doing such things. Occasionally you’ll see bound couples, but they’re the only sort that get it out there. Naming in the old way, or soul-binding has a bad reputation. If somebody you’re soul bound to dies…the touch of Oscuro isn’t a pretty thing.

“What effects it has on you depends on the darkness that you harbour in your heart. If you enjoy murder and pain, then so you might be forced to relive how you die in the future every time you close your eyes. If you use sex to manipulate people, then anyone who you have sex with will wither and crumble beneath you. Such abilities can be used as a weapon or become your undoing.

“These effects can be lessened by being soul bound to multiple people. The part of their soul inside of you gives you additional strength. Fortitude.

“If you were to soul bind the goblin and he died, there wouldn’t be another person for you. You would have to deal with Oscuros touch on your own. Are you prepared to deal with that?” She stared fiercely into Ais eyes.

“I-”

“Not to mention you give somebody a foot hold into your soul. They can grow it, like a parasite, and take control of your actions. Make you believe in things that aren’t there. I once saw a woman beat her four year old child to death, thinking she was killing some sort of evil apparition. Soul-binding can become very nasty, very fast if you aren’t careful.

“Goblins are, by nature, creatures of mischief and deceit. They would steal food from the starving and play with their prey to take joy in making it suffer. They eat the flesh of their own, believing that sentient flesh grants them additional strength. They live short and brutal lives. The one in that room is handicapped. How long do you really think it will last? Do you think it won’t use the bond to its advantage?” The woman huffed slightly at the end of her rant, and Ai imagined that her cheeks would be flushed red underneath the hood of her cloak.

“They think eating sentient beings gives them strength?” Ai repeated dumbly.

“They live in a goblin eat goblin world Ai, literally. You’d be a bloody fool to trust this one.”

Ai nodded silently. She had come out thinking that it wasn’t so bad, and now she was second guessing herself.

Her brain continued to argue with her. The old lady only gave you bad points, she’s clearly biased. How would she know all this stuff about their culture for sure anyway? There’s always two sides to a story. That’s why you wanted to talk to the one who’s on the inside.

But what if it lies? If what she says is true it’ll tell you anything you want to hear. Or don’t want to hear, depending on what suits it at the time.

“…I thought the goblins needed to be named in the old way to become male or female. So they must trust each other?”

The old woman regarded her for a moment.

“They do. Goblins swear spirit vows to one another. Dangerous things. If there’s something dangerous then the goblins are sure to have their sticky fingers in it.”

“And a spirit vow is?”

“Bad news. Erasing your soul if you break it bad news.”

“So if it swore a spirit vow to me that it wouldn't use the bond for its own gain, then the risks wouldn’t be so bad?”

“Spirit vows don’t stop people from dying. Only from lying and manipulating each other, or using the soul bond as a means to an end.”

“But it wouldn’t be able to use its piece of soul to change the way I think? Or what I see?”

“No, but where there’s a goblin, there’s a way. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt in all my time here it’s that you’re careful who you trust, and to second guess yourself even then.”

This seemed to be a rather cynical view point, Ai frowned.

She wasn’t comfortable doing a soul bond, but if she got the vow and kept the creature alive…

Was knowing about the goblin she killed really that important to her? Enough to risk her sanity on?

At heart, Ai must have been a selfish creature, because the answer to that question was no.

“Is there another way to name him? Something less dangerous?”

“Only the way you were named. Don’t bother though, I’ve already offered and the blasted thing threw it back in my face.”

Ai bit her lip, glancing over her shoulder at the goblins room before lowering her voice.

“Would it be possible to trick him?”

The woman was silent for a moment, her mouth slightly parted. Surely Ai hadn’t suggested such a bizarre thing? Unless it was taboo. Ais heart dropped slightly when she thought of making such a grievous social error.

“Perhaps if I were able to access Spirit, but I haven’t been able to for a long time. A few days before you arrived the element simply fizzled and disappeared. Without it…if we had it, it would be possible to change the shape of the goblins soul. Cut off a part then stick it back on, tricking it into thinking it had a soul bond. It’s an old, powerful magic and completely impossible at the moment.”

“Do elements disappear a lot?”

“No. Never. They are less in some places, but never gone. It is…worrying.”

And it had happened a few days before Ai had found them. That would be around when Ai had woken up, she would have to be stupid to ignore the coincidence. There is no such thing as a coincidence.

Ai may have just got her first real clue.

A part of her, otherwise known as special snowflake syndrome, thought perhaps she would be the only one able to sense and use spirit.

“How exactly does one do magic?”

“Never you mind. I can sense that you don’t have a lick of the stuff in you dear. No point in wishing for what you can’t have.”

And there went that idea. Ais ego was thoroughly shoved back into place. But magic could be useful, even if she was iffy about anything to do with the spirits.

“What is magic? Is there any way to get it?”

“Magic is what I use to manipulate the spirits. Without magic, there is no way to get any more. If you had even a drop you could have increased it, but you don’t even have that. Don’t feel shitty about it though, it’s not unusual. Very few people have magic.”

“So there’s no way to trick it, and the way it wants is basically a death sentence.” Ai may or may not have felt a slight pout forming on her face.

“Only your words honey. Promise it something that you’re willing to give. You’ve certainly had more luck getting the bastard to talk than I have.”

Ai didn't reply. Looking back she thought about the goblin again. It had seemed almost human. Reasonable. It had a dream, hopes, which made her want to sympathise with it. She couldn't judge it based on somebody who was so clearly biased.

Ai sighed. Nothing was ever simple.