Book 4: Chapter 33_The Wandering Inn

Book 4: Chapter 33

 It was said that of the five continents, Terandria was the wealthiest, the safest, and the most advanced ce to live in the entire world. And that was true. But only if you averaged things out.

 Wealthiest? Terandria might be second ce to Baleros, where the riches of the jungle and thepanies turned blood into gold, or third if you debated the rtive size of Izril andpared the three poptions of Gnoll, Drake, and Humans to the smaller Terandrian continent. However, it was certainly a rich ce, and fewer people died for its wealth.

 As for advancedin magic and technology, Terandria boasted the sole gathering of Dwarf-kind, and thus exported steel and metals far stronger than that. And its strong ties to Wistram meant that mages frequented its shores. Howeverone could say the same of Baleros and Rhir, whose militaries boasted the most ancient artifacts and highest-level craftspeople.

 But safest. Yes, Terandria could call itself safe. Wars were endemic to this world and Terandria had its fair share. But in Terandria, there were rules. Wars were begun and ended with signed derations,ws against ughtering civilians and nonbatants were enforced by all nations. And since the poptions of each nation werergely Human, they seldom wiped each other out.

 It was a subject of mockery in other countries across the world. Terandrians were cowards, it was said. The fat, bickering rulers of each nation would roll over when poked with an ink-stained quill. And perhaps it was true that Terandria had grown too political, that it fought with words and poisoned drinks more than actual soldiers and armies. Perhaps they had grown soft.

 But Lyte missed her home, all the same. Sometimes. She remembered why she hated it, but she also remembered that she had never seen a dead body before leaving. Not once. She was too delicate as a [Princess] to look upon a poisoned uncles face, or go to the funeral of an esteemed [Knight]. And death didnt intrude in her old life. Terandria was safe. Genteel.

 On Izril, even Gold-rank adventurers could die. Good, innocent Gnolls could die. Brunkr, someone Lyte had feared, someone shed barely known, but begun to likecould die without any reason. And his killer would get away.

 People died on Izril. And when they did, they tore holes out of Lytes heart.

 -

 Morning. Lyte woke up and felt like the sky had fallen. She stared up at the ceiling of her room dully, too tired to get up and start her usual routine. What was the point?

 She only moved when she noticed two things. First, was that Ryoka was gone. Yes, she remembered. But it was still another empty space where it should have been filled.

 The second thing was that Mrsha was missing. That made Lyte sit up. She dressed herself quickly and hurried downstairs. She found Mrsha in themon room to her intense relief.

 The little Gnoll was lying on the ground in a corner, by the patched-up wall. She was a little ball of white fur, lolling on the ground. Listlessly. Mrsha stared nkly at a wall.

 Mrsha?

 The Gnolls short tail wasnt wagging like usual. She didnt respond when Lyte came over. Lyte tried to gather her up into her arms, but a sense in her head stopped her. She paused as a huge bee crawled onto Mrshas head and fanned its wings gently.

 Apista, shoo.

 Lyte gently made the bee get off Mrsha by offering it her arm. The bee obligingly crawled onto Lytes head; it wasnt pleasant, feeling its sharp little legs crawling on her skin, but Lyte put up with it. She bent and tried to pick up Mrsha.

 Come on Mrsha, dont lie there.

 The Gnoll resisted. Passively. She was limp as a rag, and heavy. Lyte stopped trying to pick her up and tried a different tack.

 I know youre sad, Mrsha. I am too. ButI bet youre hungry. You should eat.

 Mrsha didnt respond. Lyte crooned to her, edging over and stroking the back of Mrshas head.

 I know you like honey. Why dont you have some with eggs? And Erin made a pizza two days ago. And she madesagnast week. What if you had a bit of all that? With some sweet juice? Milk?

 The Gnoll cubs tail twitched. It began to wag ever so slightly. Lyte kept encouraging her. In the end, Mrsha got up and padded over to a table. She sat there, staring at the wood, while Lyte hurried into the kitchen. Apista flew onto the table and twitched her antennas to keep Mrshapany.

 Breakfast was a thin slice ofsagna, half a slice of pizza, a fried egg drizzled with a spot of honey, and hot milk. Thest of the milk, in fact. It was well used. Mrsha ate her breakfast slowly, but with a sense of growingpeace? Calm? Perhaps the word was relief. A temporary relief from sorrow. Yes, that was it.

 Tending to Mrsha helped Lyte as well. She was able to eat a bit herselfjust a slice of the odd pizza that Erin was so fond of making. It certainly was easy to eat. And so she was present when Drassi walked in.

 Lyte, Im so sorry.

 That was the first thing the female Drake said. Shed heard, of course. Not all of it, but enough. And shed gotten all the big parts. Regrika ckpaw, the traitor. Her murder of Brunkr and then the death of a Gold-rank adventurer. In Erins inn. And all this right before the Goblin Lords army marched by the city.

 It was terrifying. All of the Watch was on the walls and we were ordered to stay indoors, but we were all out on the streets of course. I kept thinking, what about Erin and all the people in The Wandering Inn? But then I heard youd all fled to Celum, so I was relieved. But oh, its too cruel. And after Brunkr was

 Lyte put a hand over Drassis mouth and the Drake shut up. Both [Barmaids] looked at Mrsha, whod paused in eating her egg. Gnoll hearing. Drassi coughed guiltily.

 I want to help. You should stay with Mrsha, you really should. Ishkrsnot feeling well. I dont think hell be in. But Im sure I can handle whatevers needed myself!

 Thats fine. Thank you. I dont think well have many guests. Can you help me get ready? We havethe Horns of Hammerad and Halfseekers are still here. And Zel. And Erin. I bet shell be down soon.

 Drassi paused. She nced towards the door and then at Lyte.

 Erin? I saw her outside just a minute ago.

 What?

 Yeah, she was pulling arrows out of the dirt. The ones the Goblins shot. And she had a hammer.

 A

 Something went crack by one of the windows. Everyone jumped. Lyte turned, and saw one of the ss windows, open to let the sunlight in. Someone was hitting it. Witha hammer?

 Erin!

 When Lyte raced outside she found Erin, a carpenters w hammer in hand, smashing it repeatedly on the ss window. Erin stopped and turned to Lyte.

 Morning, Lyte.

 Uhgood morning. What are you doing?

 Erin stared at Lyte. She didnt look like shed gotten much sleep. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was unsteady on her feet. She raised the hammer.

 Hitting my windows. With this.

 Yes. Why?

 Stress test.

 Erin grunted, and then turned her hammer. With the w end of the hammer she swung it at the window. Hard. Lyte braced herself, but rather than break, the hammers edge skated across the ss. Erin eyed the undamaged window, and then punched it.

 Ow. Thats tough.

 Whats all this about?

 Im seeing how tough my inn is now. I didnt tell youthe other day I got [Reinforced Structure].

 Oh. Oh! So thats why the inn wasnt damaged when the Goblin Lord

 Yeah. But I want to know exactly how strong my inn is.

 Erin studied the window again, and then balled a fist. She took a breath.

 [Minotaur Punch]!

 The impact this time was loud and sharp. Lyte saw Erin pull back her hand, wincing.

 Are you

 Erin showed her hand to Lyte. There was no blood. But there was a definite fracture in the ss where shed hit. It was small, but it was there.

 Not that strong, then.

 She shook her head. Lyte stared at her. She stared at the window.

 It looks strong to me. You couldnt break it, and the ss is pretty thin!

 Yeah. But if I can fracture it, anyone with more than twenty levels in abat ss can probably break it. And someone like Regrika could probably still put a hole in my walls.

 Regrika. Lyte felt a cold surge of fear and anger in her stomach when she heard the name. She looked at Erin.

 Do you think shes going toe back?

 No.

 Erin shook her head. She looked at her window, and then turned away. She trudged around to the front of the inn.

 I dont. But even if I never see her again, what about next time?

 What do you mean, next time?

 A Rock Crab. The Goblin Lords army. Or another adventurer. Another Skinner. Or

 Erin shook her head. She looked so tired. Lyte stared at a boarded-up wall in Erins inn, where Moore had smashed through to run from Regrika. That had been before Erins new Skill. Now, she wondered if the half-Giant would have been able to manage the feat.

 The [Innkeeper] was clearly thinking the same thing.

 Next time, I wont be able to rely on luck. And that was what it was. Luck saved everyone but Ulrien. Revi still got cut up, Moore needed healing, and JquaI cant keep doing what Ive been doing. I thought I was prepared. I was wrong.

 Lyte shook her head adamantly.

 You did everything you could! You got two Gold-rank teams and Zel Shivertail and a Wall Lord to help you. You made sure Mrsha and Iand Apistawere safely out of the inn. What else could you have done?

 Something. Anything. When she was fighting, RegrikaI couldnt scratch her. I bought healing potions, magical items from Octaviado you know I didnt think to use any of them? It wouldnt have mattered if I had, anyways. I need something more. More protection. More power. More

 She shook her head. Erin nced towards the open door to her inn, leaking warm air. She went to close it and paused.

 Are you okay? Is Mrsha?

 Ill be

 Lytes throat closed up before she could say she was fine. She wasnt. Erin looked at her. She had a haunted look in her eyes. And Lyte remembered that Erin had seen people die before as well.

 Take the day off if you need to. Keep Mrshapany.

 Its okay. I can manage. But are you alright? You look

 Im fine. Ive been through this before.

 Oh?

 Erin nodded. She stared into her inn, and then turned away. There was something quiet about her today. Quiet, and intense. She wasnt smiling. She wasnt frowning or visibly upset, either. She was justpresent.

 It doesnt get better. But I can work without crying this time. Because I have to. Its easier to have something to do. And so much has happened. Ryokas gone. Ivolethes gone. Brunkr and Ulrienthe Goblin Lord. I need to

 She stared up at the blue sky without finishing her sentence. Lyte looked around. The snow was still thick everywhere she looked. But it was wet. Melting. It would take a week at least for the warming weather to melt the snow. When it didLyte foresaw a lot of mud and water.

 Come on. Ive got food and Drassi is here. You should have breakfast if you havent already. And Id bet the others will wake up any time soon.

 Erin blinked. She looked at Lyte.

 Yeah. Lets do that.

 -

 Quietus. That was what followed death. In the moments between grief and anger, reconciliation, regret, denial, and perhaps, peace, there was silence. It was not always the same.

 Some wept. Some mourned out loud. Others retreated inwards or found ces to go to be alone. Some justleft.

 It was the same across the world. In Rhir, a [Clown] sat in a room full of broken mirrors, too full of grief and horror to shed any more tears. A [Princess] wept alone in her bedroom, because she could not show her sadness outside. A kingdom was full of drums, and the people swore vengeance over pyres. Hatred stems from grief.

 Silence in that ce was loud. It was men and women crying out for vengeance, a [King] sitting on his throne, loudly praising those who fought and denouncing traitors. It was the sound of drums, beating to a mourning city. But in the fractured moments of time between each thump of a drum was that moment of silence. Of numb loss.

 In a small inn outside of Liscor, the silence was different. It was pure quiet. Hushed voices. A talkative Drake who chattered quietly, trying to make a Gnoll smile. It was adventurers walking downstairs.

 The Horns of Hammerad barely spoke. And they left early. Their silence was another contract; hunting down arge nest of Shield Spiders that had infested a section of Liscors sewers, burrowing through stone and dirt. Or maybe their eggs had been carried into the tunnels somehow? Either way, it was a job for a Silver-rank team, not Bronze. It was dirty, but it was work to keep them upied.

 They left. But carried silence with them. Silence was Pisces slipping Mrsha a piece of oily bacon, Ksmvr talking about the mission by himself since no one would join in. Yvlon thanking Lyte and the two staring at each other for a moment before turning away. Ceria putting a hand on Erins shoulder.

 The Halfseekers were different. Jqua was loud, drinking early in the day. Moore and Seborn were naturally quiet, but they filled the air today with sound.

 Now its just one Gold-rank team in here. At least until the Horns get certified. That means wed better act the part. Moore, cause some trouble.

 How?

 Knock over a chair or something. Start a fight.

 The half-Giant obligingly turned over a chair. Seborn knocked over his empty cup. Jqua looked disgusted. Lyte giggled a bit, and Mrshas tail wagged a bit more.

 You two are disgusting, you know that? Looks like I have to cause all the trouble myself. Hey Erin, got anything I can smash?

 How about a window?

 What?

 When they heard about Erins tests on her inn, the Halfseekers all went outside to test the durability of Erins inn. They argued, kept themselves busy. Jqua rapped on the window, first hard, and then punched it.

 Right. Looks like I could break this with my il, but it might take two swings. Maybe three, depending on how much space I had. Moore could probably put his fist through it as well, but Id hate to imagine what thatd do to his hand. Sebornit would be pretty hard.

 Moore sighed.

 I would probably put an enchantment over my hand, Jqua. Cover it with vines. Or thorns. Im not a savage.

 Good point. Seborn, you think you could break it?

 The Drowned Man shrugged.

 I dont feel the need. Id rather just utch the window and jump in, or find another route. But I could probably break it with my daggers. It would slow me down, though.

 Go ahead. I dont mind.

 Erin stepped back from the window and invited Seborn to use his daggers on it. The Halfseekers eyed her. Jqua paused and shook her head.

 Nah. ss is expensive. Its good you got the Skill, though. A bit more protections always good.

 You should look into some spells. I know a decent [Enchanter] who does warding spells.

 Moore nodded to Erin. She looked at him.

 Really? How much do they cost? And how strong are they? Would they stop someone like Regrika?

 The Gold-rank adventurers looked at each other. Jqua sighed. She scratched at the ck stitches around her forehead.

 No. Never mind.

 Erin looked at the stitches. They were holding together the top of Jquas head, the bit Regrika had sliced off with the rest of her body, but the severed bit was already looking slightlydposed.

 Are you okay? Is your body

 She didnt know how toplete that sentence. The Selphid grinned at her wearily.

 Damaged. Thanks for asking. I tore a lot of muscles and the top of my heads rotting off. But hey, Im alive so who cares about my body?

 She grinned. Erin remembered that Jquas head had been empty when shed seen inside. The memory made her want to bring up thesagna shed had for breakfast.

 Right. No brains. Thatsa bit icky, if you dont mind me saying so.

 Not a problem. Nothing looks pretty from the inside. I should know!

 But howd your brainsI mean, your bodys brainshow did they uh, disappear? Is that something you have to do when you

 Terminology was bing an issue. Jqua smiled.

 Brains have nothing to do with how I control a body. I dont need em. As for how they disappeared, wellits this thing, okay? Excess body fat, useless organsI get snacky, and sometimes

 Moore elbowed Jqua gently.

 Thats disturbing. Even for me, Jqua.

 Sorry, sorry! You did ask. I know you fleshies dont like talking about it. But Erin did ask, and I want to be open about that.

 The Selphid raised her hands. Erin smiled at her and resolved never to ask about that again. Or at least not after shed just eaten. She took a second topose herself, and then gestured at Jquas head.

 So you need a new body, is that right?

 Preferably. But I can manage without one if I have to for a month or two. Might get ugly, but I dont know if Ill find a new body around here.

 The Selphid grew serious. She nodded towards Liscor.

 Drakes do not like people using their bodies. Neither do Gnolls. They have a thing about it. You know, from the Necromancer? And people dont like Selphids in general. Its almost worse than back home because they dont know about Selphids, so there are all these rumors I have to deal withIm willing to pay in gold of course, but I think Ill have to ask around in Celum and thats a gamble.

 Erin nodded. The logistics of corpse acquisitions were unfortunately not a new subject to her. Pisces had made simrints in the past.

 And I bet you want a good body, right? One with lots of teethfreshly dead, and probably with muscles, right?

 She gets it!

 The Selphid turned to Seborn and Moore, looking relieved. They nodded approvingly. Jqua walked back inside with the others and sat at a table. Zel was having breakfast. He nodded to Erin, and then winced as Jqua began grousing about finding a new host body.

 You would not believe how hard it is. Forget having a specific taste in bodies, finding one thats not old, infected with some disease and in one piece is hard enough. Im not one of those elitist types of courseIll go for anything without a pulse if it can get the job done. Heck, with all the wear and tear in my profession, thats mandatory. But Id like another female body. I mean, the male ones are alright, but lets be honestthe dangling bits tend to get eaten by bugs before I can enter the corpse, and thats a pain whenever I have to relieve myself from then on

 Erin was in a position to regret ever asking about Jquas woes, but at least it was distracting to hear the Selphid grouse. And that was good. True, Zel lost his appetite and Lyte had to cover Mrshas ears, but it was fun. In a way.

 What about Antinium bodies?

 Excuse me?

 Jqua paused in her rant about having sex, and stared at Erin. The girl shrugged.

 I know a lot of Antinium die. Its notgood, but if they were willing to give you a body, would you be able to use it?

 Bird paused as he walked downstairs. He had his bow in hand. He nodded.

 Antinium bodies are exceedingly durable.

 Erin jumped. Shed forgotten that Bird was staying here! She was about to apologize when she realized that Bird was agreeing with her. The Antinium sat at a table. He was uninjured, and he requested unborn birds for breakfast. As usual. Lyte gave him a te of eggs which he began to eat happily.

 Ants? Id never given it a thought.

 Jqua looked troubled as she picked at the stiches on her head. Seborn grabbed her hand. She gave him an annoyed look.

 It itches.

 Itll itch more if it fully dposes.

 You suck. Okay. Antiniumits a thought, Erin, but theres a few issues. Antinium arent wee in most ces on the continent. Also, Im not familiar with their bodies. It would take a while to get up to speed, and thats not good if were going to take on the dungeon again. I dont know if their insides are different, which might be dangerous. And I mean, four arms? Thats tricky.

 She waved her two arms around and Erin nodded.

 Its just a thought. If your uh, head gets rotty, I can ask Klbkch about it.

 Thanks. Yeah, better that than dposition, right? I mean, I can deal with maggots and fliesying eggsjust a snack when you get down to it. But peoplein of the smell, and then I start leaking

 Right. Thank you for breakfast. Ive got to be on my way.

 Zel pushed his te back. The [General] stood, looking queasy, and Erin saw Jqua raise a hand guiltily. Moore covered his face.

 Sorry about that.

 Erin hurried over and cleared the table. Drassi was in the kitchen doing dishes. Zel shook his head.

 Not a problem. Im in a hurry anyways.

 Oh? What are you doing?

 The Drake grimaced.

 Sitting with Liscors Council, talking, reassuring people andmunicatingslowlywith other cities, mainly. Were in touch with Esthelm via [Message] spell and talking over forming another army with the Walled Cities.

 Esthelm?

 That was right. Esthelm was right in the Goblin Lords path if he was heading north. Erin felt a surge of panic, but Zel gently gripped her arm.

 Dont worry. Our [Strategists] including young Olesm, say that the Goblin Lord wont try to take the city. Its not worth his while and hes in a hurry. Well see what happens, but their walls are rebuilt thanks to the Antinium. And you. Ill let you know if something happens.

 Okay.

 He nodded.

 Besides that I have a [Message] spell to sendand while Im thinking of it, I should give you this.

 He reached for his belt and opened a bag. It must have been a bag of holding, because the small pile of gold coins clinked onto the table in a quick flow. Erin stared at them.

 Whats this? You already paid for the week, and this is way too much

 For the wall. And damaged chairs. Tables and so on.

 Zel looked at Erin, and shifted his gaze towards the hole in the wall. Moore opened his mouth and Jqua stepped on his toes. Erin stared at the gold coins and pushed them back.

 I cant take this. Its my fault

 Please.

 Zel refused to touch the coins. He stood up. Erin tried to offer them back, but he refused.

 I know what youre trying to say, but you did what I would have done in your shoes. Better. You uncovered a real threat, andit was not your fault. I was the highest-level warrior on the field that night. The battle was mine to lose. I wasnt here. This is my way of apologizing.

 Even soI dont need it. I dont. I have enough moneying in. Lots, actually. And Ryoka left some of her goldlook, I cant

 Zel edged around Erin and left the inn before she could block him. Erin stood in the doorway forlornly, watching him march quickly through the snow. Jqua sighed and got to her feet.

 Wed probably pay if he didnt. Hes right, you know. No one mes you for what went down, Erin. You did what you could. Its just

 She shrugged. Moore and Seborn were also getting to their feet. She looked at them, shook her head. Mrsha, Lyte, ErinDrassi poked her head out of the kitchen. Jqua looked tired.

 Sometimes you run into a real monster. Someone invincible. Something. Sometimes you lose. Thats the way this world works, right?

 She turned and looked around, her customary smile gone. She nodded, and the Halfseekers slowly walked out the door.

 Erin stood, watching them go as well. A half-Giant, wading through snow that only came up to his ankles. Seborn, quiet as a shadow. Jqua, leading with head turned up to the sky. Erin stood in the quiet inn and stared at the spot where Ulrien had died. Mrsha hugged Lyte and Apista fanned her wings by the fire.

 After a while, Drassi poked her head out of the kitchen again.

 Were out of milk, by the way.

 Life moved on.

 -

 It was the goats that saved them. Because of them, the six were granted another day to live. And they were grateful. They had to live. It was that or die, and they were too proud to die. Their friends had sacrificed too much for them to die.

 But they would die soon. If not today, then tomorrow. If not tomorrow, thenter. The only question was how they would die. For that was their fate.

 They were Goblins. And they had no tribe. They were warriors without a purpose. They had fought and bled and half their number had died for a Human. A monster with a soul. Someone who had looked at them and seen a reflection.

 And now six remained. Six Goblins. Elite warriors of the Redfang Goblin tribe, sent by Garen Redfang himself on a mission they had long since abandoned and no longer cared about.

 Lost.

 Last night, the Goblin Lords army had marched north. North, past the city of Liscor. North, towards Esthelm and thends beyond. Their numbers were in the tens of thousands, not including the undead army that marched ahead of them. They were legionan army to strike fear into the hearts of all but the mightiest. A Goblin Lord rode with them. A figure equivalent to any [General]. With him leading the army, they could destroy a lesser nation.

 And yet, they hade under attackst night. Just once. It was as the group of six Redfang warriors were desperately hiding behind the cover of some rocks, lying low in case the patrolling sentries headed their way. They might have been found. Again, but for the goats.

 Eater Goats. One of the monsters from the High Passes, a match for a Carn Wolf. These creatures were deadly, quick, fearless, and could eat anything. Their jaws could crunch stone or metal. And they hunted in packs.

 A group of them had charged the Goblin Lords army. Just over a hundred attacking tens of thousands of Goblins. But the goats were fearless. And hungry. The winter had driven them from their homes. That, andsomething else perhaps. Some disturbance. Whatever the case, they had spotted a lot of prey, and gone rampaging into the Goblin Lords ranks.

 Hiding behind their cover, the Redfang warriors had enjoyed hearing the screams of Goblins as the Eater Goats ambushed them. The goats had taken down Hobs, chewed through armor and bitten through bone, and devoured the undead trying to kill them before retreating. Of course, the Goblin Lords army had encircled the goats with steel, shot arrows into their hides, sted them with magic.

 It was a testament, then, to the fearsome nature of the goats that after attacking an army of tens of thousands, a little over thirty goats still escaped. And not because theyd been dying either; it was just that theyd eaten their fill.

 Monsters. But their intervention had allowed the Redfang Goblins to hide in the meantime and let the Goblin Lords army pass them by. And so the next day, the six Goblins rose and followed the Eater Goats as they headed south, searching for more food.

 There was a logic to it. Despite the Eater Goats being considered a terrible threat worthy of a Gold-rank team, the Redfang Goblins knew they had little to fear from them. That was because their tribe, led by Garen Redfang, had lived in the High Passes for years and shed with the Eater Goats many times. They were known to the Eater Goats, in short.

 There were two settings the goats had. They regarded the world as made up of two things. Food and not-Food. Through bloody battles where they had ughtered the goats, the Redfang Goblins had earned the enviable title of not-Food, allowing them to pass by the Eater Goats without incident. So long as one side or the other wasnt hungry.

 The trick was red paint on their faces and bodies. All six of the Redfang warriors wore it. Thatbination of red and green warned the Eater Goats not to attack. Thus, the Redfang warriors could let the goats move ahead and enjoy the protection of the ravenous monsters. Afraid of Shield Spiders, Mothbears, Armored Crawlers, or Wyverns? No problem. The Eater Goats would take down anything that moved.

 And in the meantime, the Redfang warriors could scavenge the kills.

 -

 The ce where the Goblin Lords army had shed with the Eater Goats still had a few fallen bodies. The goats, having eatenst night, were all resting until their systems worked through their meals. That meant the Redfang Goblins had a short window to procure their own rations. They were hungry; theyd been in hiding for thest day from the Goblin Lords army.

 The six Goblins hurried down the pass and ran across the muddy ground, searching for fallen bodies that werentpletely rotten. It was a miserable, horrible task, but they had to do it. It was that or starve. They were hungry enough to eat an undead Goblin, but all of them prayed it wouldnte to that.

 One of the Redfang warriors paused as he found a figure in ck armor lying in the snow. He nudged the body, turned it over, and saw a fat Hobs face. Dead and still caked in mud. Skin cold from the air which still had yet to warm. Perfect.

 He called the others over. Two Goblins approached. They eyed the Hob, nodded. Three lifted the huge corpse up and moved back towards their hiding spot. The other three hosted corpses of their own and joined them.

 Normally, three Goblins couldnt carry a Hob of any size, let alone a fat one with armor. But the Redfang warriors were strong. Unlike every other Goblin and some adventurers, they trained forbat. And the six who now started a fire in the snow were more different still.

 Rabbiteater. Bugear. Numbtongue. Shorthilt. Badarrow. Headscratcher. They tossed wood on a growing me, warmed their frozen bodies, and carved up the dead Goblins, roasting flesh on pans and eating greedily. Hungrily. They were starving. Theyd been starving for days. Normally, a small Goblin could live for a week on a single body, but these Goblins consumed all they found and went back to look for more. Because they werent small Goblins any longer.

 They were Hobs.

 All six. Headscratcher carved more fat and tossed it into the pan, grunting with surprise when he missed. Badarrow caught the flesh out of the air. He had been the first to grow used to his longer limbs and new muscture. He tilted the pan and the smell made Rabbiteater grunt. Badarrow flipped the meat towards him and the other Hob grabbed it out of the air.

 They ate for over an hour. Because they were hungry. It had been a week since the Goblins had begun growing at an abnormal rate, nearly doubling their height in a matter of days, and the cost of it was reflected in sunken cheeks, thin bellies, and their craving for any foodeven the bodies of their own.

 Shorthilt reappeared by their fire and tossed something down. The other Hobs looked and saw it was a pack. Of rations for the Goblin Lords soldiers! They were on it in a second, fighting over the hard, gritty bread and frozen bit of cheese and jerky. It didnt matter that the food was half-rotten. Goblins would eat anything in hard times, and they knew they needed all the energy they could get.

 The Hobgoblin transformation process was usually like this. But as Numbtongue pointed out with an eloquent grunt after their hunger pangs had subsided, it was rare for so many Hobs to appear at once.

 The other Redfang warriors considered this. Bugear scratched at his ears, a tick left over from a time when bugs had actually infested his ears. Now they were gone, which was a disappointment since he could have used more to eat. But it was also a reminder of who hed met, of who hed lost.

 The action was both a message and a habit. The other Goblins stared at Bugear and looked away. They remembered, too.

 A city full of undead. A ce of ruin and shattered Humans. A monster who ate like they did. A girl, begging for help. Goblins in ck armor. The [Knight]. The skeleton dancing in delight. The flowers.

 Death. That was what they had left behind. The Redfang warriors stared at the fire. Theyd lost so many. Their leader, the taciturn Grunter, Rocksoup alwaysining of indigestion, Leftstep, whod once dueled a Gold-rank [Fencer] with a stick and a shield made of bark. Bitefly, who ate flies. Orangepoo, whose name spoke for himself. Patchhelm, obsessed with armor, and Justrust, whose swords were as deadly for tetanus as they were for their ability to cut.

 All gone. The Redfang warriors sat, remembering. All gone, and for what? Badarrow gnashed his teeth as he gnawed at a bone, making his feelings in.

 Headscratcher held something up. The others looked. It was a flower.

 Eloquently put. Badarrow tossed the bone aside and sighed. Headscratcher ate the flower. Theyd been over this too many times to count. Too many times to dwell on it, but they did.

 They were alone. And they had lost their group, as well as their purpose. Or rather, their conviction. After meeting a Human, after fighting for her, perhaps loving herhow could they kill another Human? What was the point?

 Shorthilt made their general position clear by tossing a bit of intestines too filthy even by Goblin standards into the fire. The smell made the other Goblins growl, but he was right.

 Garen Redfang was wrong. He was also an idiot. Rags, their new and rightful Chieftain, was probably right. At the very least, she was smart and worth following. If they could rejoin her tribe.

 But where were they? The Redfang warriors hadbed the area looking for clues about where their tribe had gone. Theyd tried to enter the High Passes, but found no sign of any Goblins in the area. And the danger was too great, so theyde south, hoping to find Rags around Liscor.

 However, all six knew that if the Flooded Waters tribe had been anywhere around Liscor, the Goblin Lords army would have already destroyed them utterly.

 So what now? Headscratcher scratched his head and patted his stomach. The others looked at him gloomily. Yes, the problem was obvious. Besides finding their tribe, the six warriors were in dire straits of their own. Because they were still hungry, and they would continue being hungry for a while.

 They were Hobs. Six new Hobs, which shouldnt be! Most small tribes had one or two Hobs at most. Big tribes could of course have many Hobsthere were rumors of a tribe living in the mountains who had hundreds of Hobs, and the Goblin Lords army had thousands. But whod heard of six Goblins all turning into Hobs at once?

 It made no sense. But it had something to do with what theyd been through, the Redfang warriors were sure. Losing Grunter, their leader and only Hob had triggered the change, as well as the ferocity of the battle theyd been through. Normally this would be a cause for celebration; a Hob was special, and they would be far stronger for their transformation. But only if they were with their tribe. Out here, away from any support and scavenging for food in thest stages of winter?

 It was a death sentence. Already, the Redfang warriors felt hungry again. Numbtongue and Rabbiteater went to look for more corpses. The rest sat and debated what to do.

 It wasnt a hard decision. To the Goblins uplicated minds, there was only death, and more death. To the north, there was merciless death, overwhelming death, the death of enemies from the Goblin Lords army. They couldnt hide twice and theyd die in an instant against so many foes, Hobs or not. Surrendering to join the Goblin Lords army wasalso not an option. Theyd been seen fighting at Esthelm against the Goblin Lords army and besides that, the Redfang warriors had their pride.

 South, then. The only way they could go. To Liscor. However, the Redfang Goblins were sure that meant another kind of death as well. Badarrow captured the idea by breaking a bit of ice with one hand. It would be a death of pieces, a slow death. Theyd find food or starve. Or be hunted down as threats.

 Bugear nodded. He kicked dirt over their fire and Headscratcher pointed. The Eater Goats were rising, already heading southwards for more food.

 Yes, it would most likely be their deaths. But what other choice did they have? They were warriors. At least this way there was a chance. And if they had to die fighting, well

 The Eater Goats ran swiftly down the rocky slopes and onto the road, moving quickly, jumping incredible heights with ease. Their teeth were still red from their feast, their hides still matted with blood. They screamed a hunting call. The Redfang warriors followed at a distance.

 If they had to die, at least theyd have a worthy foe to die fighting against. They hated those damn goats. But, as even Badarrow would concede, they were a lot easier to fight against than Gargoyles.

 -

 So youre a [Farmer].

 That is correct, Miss Solstice.

 Thats cool. I mean, I dont want to make assumptions. But its just weird. I didnt think Id ever uh, meet a Gnoll [Farmer]. Do youis that normal?

 The Gnoll raised a furry eyebrow. His fur was a dirty blonde, and hed paused in his chores long enough to chat with Erin. He shifted the empty pail as he considered her question.

 Hrm. No, I suppose it is not. My people, they do raise animals, but they do not nt, yes? However, we learned to farm thend from the Drakes, and so some of us abandon our travels to settle near cities.

 Like Liscor. Thats what I never got. Why would anyone ever live in a vige near the city? I mean, this is a nice hill youve got here. Very big. Butits uh, a bit undefended.

 The Gnoll bared his teeth as Erin gestured to the vige she stood in. It really was a small ce. A pair of farms, a few houses, and a ten-foot high wall were the only defenses. The Gnoll only shrugged.

 There is no safety anywhere, yes? So long as we do not stray beyond the walls, it is easy to defend. Stone Deceivers

 What? Oh, you mean Rock Crabs.

 Rock Crabs? Hrm. That is a good name for them, yes. They do not attack walled settlements. Shield Spiders are a threat if they burrow, but they can be heard tunneling. As for Goblins and other threatsI have a bow and the others in the vige are able to fight. The Watch patrols in the area. It is safe, and needed.

 Because you feed the city?

 Exactly so. Without us, Liscor would starve. Oh, there is fishing to be done in the spring, and [Shepherds] can keep their sheep within the walls if need be. But all cities save for the Walled Cities require [Farmers].

 Right. I gotcha. And you specialize in milk, right?

 The Gnoll nodded.

 That is so. I keep many cows. They are curious creatures, or so I think. Even after raising them for many years, I find it odd, yes? But they give milk, which my people love. You said you wished some.

 Oh! Right. Id like to buy some, yeah. Krshia said she gets it from you and you were going to bring some in a day or two, but Id like some today if you have any you can spare.

 Certainly. It is expensive in the winter of course

 Ive got money. Dont worry. I just need some. You see, I have this little Gnoll Im helping to look after

 Mrsha. Hrr. Yes. I know.

 Erin blinked.

 You dobutright.

 The [Farmer] smiled. He gestured towards his house.

 We have different kinds of milks, yes? Some cows give better milk. Richer, fatterand of course I have had the great luck of obtaining a Fischer Cow pair. Now I have several such cows. And goats. I believe a young Gnoll would like goat milk most.

 Goat milk? Well, I wouldnt mind having some ofwhats a Fischer Cow?

 They like meat. Their milk is very rich, although the cows themselvesthey bite.

 The [Farmer] showed Erin a scar on one arm. She shuddered.

 Meat eating cows. Whats next?

 I would love to have one of the magical types of cows in my barn one day. But they are rare and hard to raise, yes? For now, I have several bottles of goat milk and more. Come, please.

 Erin sneezed. It was cold, and the Gnolls offer was very tempting.

 Okay. I might have to make a few trips to get all the milk I want, though. Ill buy in bulk. I have a little sled

 It is no issue. I will be here all day.

 Cool. Hey, do you want to buy some honey? Lyte got a lotst time and I thought Id ask. Dont know if cows eat honey, but its good stuff.

 Honey?

 -

 I am Bird. Bird I am. I hunt birds with my bow. This is my song. La. Lah,birds.

 Bird sang quietly to himself as he stood in his watch tower on top of Erins inn. His bow was in hand, and he was scanning the sky for birds. This was his purpose, but he was being extra alert today.

 Because he had failed. Two people had died while he was on duty. True, one had died inside the inn, at the hands of a Named Adventurer and the other had been killed in the city, but the deaths weighed on Bird.

 He was a guard. A protector. Revntor Klbkch had impressed on him the grave nature of his duty. He had been given a chance, a chance to protect Erin to whom he and hisrades owed so much.

 She had given him the bow he held. She had taught him chess. She had freed his fellow Workers. Freed them in their heads.

 For that he would always love her. And he had failed her. Her guests were dead. Bird knew he didnt understand things like Pawn did, but he understood failure.

 So he stood in his watch tower, ignoring the cold. He hunted for birds. He would hunt for birds and that would make things better. One bird, two birdsif it took him a thousand birds, he would shoot them all down. That was the only way he knew how to make things better.

 Bird didnt know much about the world. He knew some things were bad. Some things he had to watch out for. Rock Crabs, Shield Spiders, Face-Eater Mothsthese things werent birds, so the Antinium only identified them as threats. The world was hard andplex.

 Not like birds. There were blue birds and red birds, yellow birds and ck birds. There were birds that flew high overhead, birds who could fly through the clouds thousands of miles overhead. The Antinium was still trying to figure out how he was going to shoot them down.

 There were birds who could fly faster than the wind. Birds who wererger than houses. Birds who flew through the sky and left trails of glowing air in their wake. Birds that were beauty and wrath, elegance and cunning.

 They flew. Bird could still remember the wonder hed felt the first time hed looked up and seen a bird flying. The envy. And he could remember shooting one. He hunted birds because he was jealous. Because they were beautiful. Because they were food.

 Because he loved to hunt. And if you had a bow, what was the point of shooting at slow things on the ground? The masters of the sky were true challenges, from the tiny birds that could dodge an arrows tip at point nk range, to the big birds that might take a full quiver to down.

 Bird had an arrow in one of his hands as he scanned the horizon. Check for birds, check for threats. He looked up, and then down. No birds in the sky. But theyd being soon. His [Hunter] instincts told him so. The world was warming, and that meant food for the birds and a time for mating, nesting. He just had to wait.

 Look upa flicker behind one of the clouds, about two thousand and three hundred feet up. A bit too high to shoot. Look down. Bird saw something move. He turned and stared.

 Goats.

 There were about thirty of them. They surged across the snow, screaming. Bird could see their bodies covered with blood; one of them looked like it was missing half its face, but it didnt seem bothered. Another had an arrow sticking out of its side. Bird thought about that.

 Goats. Goats are an animal. They are not monsters. Therefore, they are no threat.

 Satisfied with that conclusion, he turned to resume scanning thendscape when he noticed something.

 The goats are going in the same direction as Miss Solstice. Towards the farming vige.

 He stared at the distant hilltop. At the goats. At the one missing half its jaw. Bird shrugged.

 Goats are food. Can you milk a goat? I will askter.

 Again, he was about to turn, when he spotted something else. A group of six, crossing the snowy ins. They were distant, but Birds eyes were enhanced thanks to his [Eagles Eyes] Skill. He liked it because it was based off a Bird. And what he saw made him pause.

 Green. Goblins.

 Six of them, all moving fast. They all had weapons, if not armor, and they wererger than the average Goblin. Bird thought and amended his analysis.

 Hobgoblins.

 He paused, arrow in hand. Bird watched the Goblins running, and slowly opened his mandibles.

 Goblins. Goblins are a monster. They are a threat. However, Erins sign says not to kill Goblins.

 That was a paradox. Bird scratched at his head and brightened.

 Ah. It said nothing about Hobgoblins.

 He put the arrow to his bow, sighted, and held his breath. Halrac had taught him how to shoot. Bird was grateful. He wished the Goblins were birds. That would make things so much more fun. Land-based things were soeasy.

 The Goblins were over eight hundred feet away, a vast distance and far further than his bow was capable of shooting. Normally. Bird had no idea about technical terms like draw strength, the materials used in theposition of his bow, and so onhe didnt know that it was a recurve bow. But he did know how to hunt birds. He knew that an arrow might not pierce a bird if it was shot from too far away.

 That is what Skills are for. Now. [Long Range Shot].

 He pulled the arrow back, sighted, and loosed.

 -

 The Redfang warriors were arguing and split on their argument. Theyd followed the Eater Goats down the abandoned road, and they had seen the goats pick up a scent. They saw the vige the goats were headed towards, and half of them were in favor of waiting for the goats to do their work, and the other half were in favor of helping. Somehow.

 None of them were under illusions. The Eater Goats outnumbered them and they were deadly. One could kill an average Hob. Six versus thirty wasnt a fight, it was a death sentence.

 And yet, Headscratcher insisted it wasnt right. And however much Badarrow and Shorthilt snarled at him, he was growing more impatient. The Goblins were running after the Eater Goats anyways; theyd have a brief window to loot the vige regardless of what happened. Headscratcher was cresting a hill when Bugear looked up in rm and tackled him to the ground.

 An arrow whistled through the air, catching Headscratcher in the arm. If Bugear hadnt pushed him, it would have caught him in the chest. The Redfang Goblins immediately dove to the ground. Badarrow snarled as he grabbed his own bow and raised his head.

 Where? The Goblins looked around, keeping low, aware that their position might be open. Headscratcher snapped the arrow in his arm, raised his head and ducked down.

 Nothing that way. Rabbiteater crawled rapidly to the left and looked around a small rise of snow. He growled.

 Nothing.

 As Numbtongue raised his head over the hill, all six Hobs heard another whistling sound. Numbtongue ducked, and the second arrow nearly took him in the head. He snarled, and all six Goblins poked their heads up. They looked around, but only Badarrow with his enhanced eyes spotted anything. He pointed.

 There!

 The Goblins looked. All six ducked. The archer in the towers next arrow thunked into the ground that was giving them cover.

 A lightning-fast debate with hand signs took ce as the Hobgoblins analyzed the situation, and then, as Bird was waiting for them to pop up again, all six suddenly stood up.

 What is this?

 The Antinium stared at the six very helpful targets that had suddenly appeared. He shrugged, not deciding to question it since they werent birds, and aimed for the one hed hit first. He sighted down his bow, and then jerked back.

 An arrow streaked past his head, shattering on one of the wooden posts of his tower. Bird stared at the broken fragments as they splintered past him, and then at the Goblin in the distance holding the bow.

 Badarrow grinned savagely. His best three arrows were in his hand. He nocked the first, aimed, and loosed.

 [Farshot Mastery]. Hed learned the Skill after sniping the Goblin [Shaman] during the battle at Esthelm. Unlike Bird he could shoot as many arrows as quickly as he wanted, uninhibited by a need to use a certain Skill. Badarrow advanced, loosing all three arrows in session.

 As he did, the Redfang warriors advanced. Not at a run, but at a quick walk. Those of them with shields had them raised. They were waiting for a return shot.

 When it came, it was straight at Badarrow. The Hobgoblin [Archer] grunted, and stepped sideways. The arrow shed by his chest, scoring a line and making him growl. But it was a miss.

 Advance. Badarrows shots came three at a time, flying with incredible uracy tond on Birds position. The Antinium took cover by the stairwell, wishing hed asked for a ce to take cover from enemy fire when the Antinium had built this ce. But birds didnt shoot back! Well, most of them didnt.

 When he rose, an arrow struck him in the chest. Bird stumbled back, stared at the arrow, and touched it gently.

 Ow.

 The other archer might have been able to hit him at range, but his bow wasnt good. It didnt have the power to pierce his carapace with a single shot. That knowledge was important. Bird looked and saw the Redfang Goblins had covered over two hundred feet while the other archer kept him suppressed. They were advancing quickly, now.

 Troublesome.

 He aimed and used [Long Range Shot] again, but the Goblins were a bit too quick, and his arrows had to travel too far. He grazed one on the arm, and nearly got one on the eye until a lucky shot hit one in the knee. That Goblin fell, rolling until he was obscured in the snow. Bird ignored him. The real threat was hitting his tower now, concentrating on volume rather than uracy.

 Two more arrows struck the Antinium. They were both in each others range now, and the second and third arrows prated his carapace. Bird fumbled with an arrow. He could not die here. If he didhe would have failed again. Uneptable.

 My turn.

 The arrow wasing. All five Hobs tensed. Shorthilt was hiding in the snow, and he had a healing potion. Hed make it back to them if he could, but the arrows were fast and deadly. The next one came fast and high at Badarrow. The Hob twisted to avoid it, grinning

 And the arrow curved into his side. Greatly surprised, Badarrow spun. Headscratcher caught Badarrow as he nearly fell. The Goblin gripped him, pulled himself upright

 The next homing arrow struck Bugears shield. It had curved right for Badarrows head. The Redfang Goblins looked at the distant archer. Badarrow snarled as he grabbed arrows from his bow. Whomever this strange bug was, he was good.

 And yet, he was only one. Bird had to take cover again as arrowsshed his position. The other Goblin didnt have his curving arrows, but he was quick! Bird peeked up, and an arrow nearly took his eye out.

 Dangerous.

 They were too close now. Too close! Bird had to risk a shot. This time hed hit the archer in the head! He stood and took a fourth arrow to the chest.

 Ah.

 The cracks in his carapace were spreading. Bird fell against one of the guard railings of his tower, and lurched upright. One arrow. He drew it to his chest, sighted. Time felt slowed. He aimed at the Goblin. They both were aiming. The one who fell won. He could take the other Goblins down if he could just

 Where to aim? Head, chesthead. Bird drew, and spoke as he loosed.

 [Homing Shot].

 His arrow curved through the air, heading straight for Badarrows head. The Goblin archer sighted down his bow, aiming for Bird. He didnt move. The arrow flew towards his head

 And Headscratchers sword shot out. The Goblins sword blocked the shaft as Bugear thrust his shield in front of Badarrows chest and Numbtongue covered his groin with a second shield. Bird stared.

 Companions. I see. How regr

 The fifth arrow struck him just below the neck and sent him tumbling off the side of the tower. The Antinium crashed into the roof of the inn and slid towards the end. It was a long drop down. Down

 To oblivion.

 -

 In the silence after the pitched archery duel, Badarrow lowered his bow, arms shaking, breathing heavily. The other Goblins pped him on the back as they patched themselves up.

 None of them were hurt that badly. Badarrows stomach and Shorthilts knee were the worst of it. A healing potion was very carefully used to mend both wounds.

 As the Goblins regrouped, they moved away from the inn. Whatever the archer had been doing up there, it didnt matter. The bug was dead, but no one was going to loot the inn. It was too close to the citythe Goblins might have already been spotted. They headed in the direction of the Eater Goats, hungry and desperate.

 They spoke not a word about their victory either. It wasnt a miracle, or a product of Badarrows superior levels or Skills. It was simple teamwork. Both sides had good archers, but one had located their attacker together, covered their archer and provided targets to distract the enemy. They didnt fight alone.

 -

 Meanwhile, in a small vige, Erin was dragging her sled towards the gates. Several huge containers had been filled with different kinds of milks and she was wondering if shed be able to get it to her inn without breaking any of them.

 She was rechecking the ties on her sled when she heard a sound outside the gates. Erin frowned and stepped up onto the tform that allowed her to peek over the walls. She looked down and saw a goat standing outside.

 Hey Mister Wirw! I think one of your goats got outside somehow!

 Erin turned and hollered at the Gnoll [Farmer] whod helped her pack the milk. He frowned and trotted over with his son, a small Gnoll with light blonde fur. Both Gnolls peeked over the walls with Erin.

 That is not my goat.

 You sure?

 Yes. I know them all and this one is clearly wild. It is strange, though, no? Where would such a goate from in the winter?

 Should we let it in? It looks hungry, poor guy.

 Perhaps. Buthrm. Issomething wrong?

 Erin frowned. She felt it too. A prickling at the back of her mind. She looked at the goat. It was staring up at her with big, off-putting brown eyes. The pupils of the goat were a horizontal bar, not round at all. And it was staring. At her.

 Yeah. I think I feel my [Dangersense] going off. But its just a goat, right?

 Wirw hesitated. He looked back towards his house and nudged his son.

 Fetch me my bow. Miss Solstice, perhaps you should back up. I do not think that is

 Then they spotted the second goat. It walked around the wall. It was a goat. Scrawny, its body a mix of ck and brown. However, one thing separated it from the other goat.

 It was missing the lower half of its jaw. Erin pped a hand to her mouth as the goat looked up at them.

 Its teeth

 This goat had sharp teeth. Not sharp like a sharks or a predator that just ate meat, but an omnivores teeth. And caught between the teeth and staining it was

 Blood. And that is flesh. Miss Solstice, step back.

 Wirw grabbed the bow from his sons hands and put an arrow to it. He sighted and shot an arrow before Erin could protest. The goat without a jaw stared as the arrow sped towards it and skipped to one side. The arrow thudded into the dirt.

 Both Humans and Gnoll stared. Behind them, the few Gnolls and Drakes in the vige were gathering. The two goats stared at Wirw and then turned.

 And then a lot of goats popped out of the snow. Erin recoiled and Wirw growled. The goats stared at Erin and Wirw, and then screamed.

 It wasnt like a Human scream. Not at all. The Eater Goats screamed like a chorus of the damned, and then the first one rammed the gates. It had a set of slightly curved horns on its head and Wirw yanked Erin back from the wall.

 Theyre trying to get in!

 He shouted at the others in the vige and Erin saw them racing to get weapons. She scrabbled at her own belt pouches and pulled out a vial and a knife from a sheath at her belt.

 They cant though, right?

 The gates are thick. We should be fine

 Wirw was aiming and loosing, but the goats were dodging. One of them backed up, its eyes on the Gnoll. It took a few jumps back, and then brayed. It charged towards the wall the Gnoll and Erin were standing on.

 It cant get up

 Erin was saying that when the goat leapt. It cleared at least seven feet and thudded into the wall. Too low. But the impact sent both Human and Gnoll scrambling backwards.

 Okay, they can jump! Real high!

 Erin was shouting. Wirw opened his mouth. He might have been saying that their walls were still high enough when two more goats charged forwards.

 This time one goat leapt first. He vaulted into the air, a good six feet up, and the second goat leapt on top of him. He jumped a second time, using the first goat as a stepping stone, and hurtled over the wall.

 The goatnded lightly on the ground in the center of the vige. It turned, and stared around at the small gathering of Drakes, Gnolls, and one Human. It cocked its head, seemed to sniff, and then bared its teeth. It screamed, and charged.

 -

 The Goblins saw all of it of course. From their position, the Redfang Goblins could see the first Eater Goat clear the wall and hear the screams from within the vige. They had predicted that would happen. The Eater Goats were suicidally fearless and almost immune to pain; that didnt mean they were stupid.

 Now they had a choice to make. Headscratcher stared at the vige. Hed seen a young woman on the walls. A Human.

 He looked at the others. Theyd all seen the same thing. The Hobs looked at him, and then away. Badarrow spat. Hed made his position clear several times. It wasnt worth it. Theyd die, and shed die. And for what? She was just a Human.

 Just a Human. The other Goblins reluctantly agreed. It wasnt the same. She wasnt worth it.

 And she would die. Headscratcher lowered his head and scuffed at the snow. His foot unearthed something. He stared, bent, and picked something up. The other Goblins paused. They turned, incredulously to Headscratcher and saw him holding

 A bug. It squirmed in his grip. He popped it into his mouth and crunched it. The Goblins all sighed. Headscratcher grinned. He cracked his neck andughed silently at them. To ask them what theyd been expecting. He pointed.

 The other Eater Goats were trying to repeat the trick and send their friends over the walls. Just one or two could wipe out the entire vige. Theyd kill everything within. They were too dangerous.

 They all knew it. Fighting thirty? Theyd die.

 And maybe that was the point. Headscratcher reached into a small pocket hed sewn into his clothing. He pulled something out. It was wilted, squashed, barely recognizable. But it was still a flower.

 The other Goblins stared at it. Headscratcher looked at Badarrow. The other Goblin grunted irritably and pulled out an arrow. Headscratcher grinned.

 Bugear scratched at one ear and nudged Shorthilt. They pulled out their swords. Rabbiteater lifted Grunters axe. Numbtongue sighed.

 The Redfang Goblins pped each other on the backs, grinned, and shook hands. They looked at the sky. Then they formed up.

 They didnt have the numbers for a proper formation. They couldnt swarm their opponents. So they made a line. Badarrow raised his bow and put his best arrow to the string. He loosed one arrow, then another.

 The Eater Goats were charging, trying to jump the walls again. The first arrow struck a goat in the back of the head. It dropped, and then stood up. The goat looked around for the source of the arrow, saw the Redfang Goblins. It bleated, a terrible, elongated scream, and the other goats turned. One seized the arrow in the first goats head and bit it off. The goat convulsed as the arrow was torn out of its head. Atst it fell down.

 And the Eaters charged. The goats raced towards the Redfang Goblins, screaming, a few staying behind to circle the vige. The Redfang Goblins waited.

 Redfang!

 Badarrow shouted the word as he drew and loosed. He was running out of arrows. But he kept shooting, sending each one of his precious arrows into the mass of goats. His aim was wless today. One by one they fell, but there were so many and they were fast!

 Redfang!

 The other Hobs shouted the word. The Eaters screamed. Headscratcher looked at his friends, and they looked back. It wasnt a decision hed made alone. Theyd all made it.

 It wasnt about living. It was about dying right. It was about finding somewhere to die. Because they didnt have anything to live for. They had no tribe, no leader. They just had each other.

 And a memory. Of a girl, of a plea. And of that glorious, terrible moment when they had been something more than mere Goblins.

 This is a story of a band of Goblins. A shattered, lost collection of souls. Dreamers, warriors who had tasted something else. This is a story about heroes.

 Badarrow reached for another arrow and found none. He tossed his bow aside. Twenty goats remained. They screamed and charged. The Goblins did likewise. Six against twenty. Death.

 Not one Goblin hesitated. The Redfang warriors raised their weapons and ran forwards. They were <emughing.

 And the young woman heard it.

17kNovel

Book 4: Chapter 33