Chương 47: Strange Neighbours

Ch. 47 - Strange Neighbours Wyatt and Kit paused, far enough away from the Goblin camp that they weren't at risk. They could hear the muted yelling, the panic, coming from beyond the trees.

'Do you have a plan for what to do if every Goblin charges in our direction?' Wyatt shrugged at Kit. He felt secure in his Skill, and despite the furore that they could hear from Goblins, [Danger Sense] hadn't gone off. They were safe, at least for the moment. That said, he had put away his shovel and taken out his spear. He didn't hold it threateningly, but if he had to use it, he wouldn't hesitate.

"Just make sure they don't run into us? I think it'll be fine, Kit."

'Is there a reason for this confidence?' Wyatt lowered his voice, as the tone of the shouting ahead of them began to shift.

"Just a feeling. I should be able to tell if they mean us harm, but I'll trust that you'll notice anything I miss." The silver fox nodded, her eyes fixed on the suddenly quiet spot where the Goblins were camped.

'Of course.'

"Never doubted it. Wait, Kit… I think someone's coming." In the direction of the Goblin's camp came footsteps, falling softly on the leaf litter and loam, but it was more than one person approaching. There was a heavy, measured tread stomping towards them making no effort to hide their approach. But there was a lighter set of footsteps, the gait uneven as though someone was nervously turning and looking around them every few steps. Kit sighed.

She didn't get into Wyatt's shadow, but she did crouch down low, concealing herself in the undergrowth.

'I knew it.' Wyatt didn't answer her, he just watched. Soon enough two Goblins came into view, the Chieftain and the female Goblin who was some kind of magic user. They were talking, the Chieftain relaxed and conversational, while his companion spoke in a hushed, tension-filled whisper. The Chieftain grunted softly, nudging the other Goblin gently with his elbow.

"Message said to come alone." The magic user clutched her staff to her chest, glaring up at the larger Goblin.

"Stupid! You want to die? Walk alone into trap a good way to do it!" The Chieftain scratched idly at his belly as his companion looked around at the surrounding forest worriedly. He seemed faintly amused.

"You worry about me?" The female Goblin looked witheringly up at him.

"What happens to tribe if you die? Huh? Stupid Chieftain!" The Chieftain grunted, then shrugged.

"You look after tribe if that happen." She shook her head, staring off into the dim forest.

"Can't. Not [Chieftain]. Not [Shaman]." The Chieftain patted her on top of her head.

"Close though." The female Goblin brushed his hand away immediately, but Wyatt thought she looked pleased for a moment. She may even have blushed slightly as she muttered to the Chieftain.

"Haven't learnt enough. [Shaman] only started to teach, then he left."

"Died. Probably." The female Goblin glared up at him, but didn't refute it either.

"Shows that it dangerous here—no matter what 'safe first floor' mean. Grub even say he saw a monster…but I doubt."

"Grub not a liar." The female Goblin shook her head.

"Maybe not, but he so simple that he let Adventurer sneak up on him. Then probably lead them right to us. I still say we should run."

"Run where? Grub say this human know about us—has known for days. No attack and now he wants to talk. So we see." The Goblins kept walking through the woods, approaching where Wyatt was standing hidden by his Skill. Even with them getting closer there was still no prickle of [Danger Sense]. Wyatt didn't know if this was due to the fact that they weren't inclined to offer him harm, or if they just weren't a threat to him. [Natural Affinity - Monsters] wasn't quite working the way he expected either.

The female Goblin was a bundle of nerves, her worries flicking by so fast that Wyatt couldn't pin one down. The Chieftain though was almost a blank slate; there was a whiff of concern from him, but that was it. Wyatt reached down and placed a hand on the ruff of Kit's neck reassuringly. Then he straightened and turned off [Mask Presence], suddenly appearing a short distance away from the two Goblins. The female Goblin saw him first. She shrieked, pointing her staff at Wyatt with a trembling hand.

"Adventurer! [Blind Foe]!" The eyes of her skull staff flashed green, and a wave of power swept forwards… but nothing happened. Wyatt had braced himself momentarily, but he trusted to [Advanced Resist Magic] to stave off her magic, just as it had when she had tried to find him the first time he'd visited the Goblin camp. There was a moment of stunned silence as the Goblin gaped, taking a hesitant step backwards as she clutched her staff to herself.

Then her hand flew up to her neck where she grabbed at one of her bone fetishes. It crumbled in her grip, the fragments falling to the ground, as she stuttered another attempt at a spell.

"[Cr-crippling Poos]!" That one actually made Wyatt back up a few steps himself, his eyes widening. Thankfully though his Skill prevented the second spell as well. He risked a glance down at Kit, not wanting to take his eyes off the Goblins for long.

"Glad that didn't work. It sounded unpleasant." Kit didn't answer, but she was staring at the female Goblin in intense dislike. She growled, taking a step towards her. The chieftain frowned at the silver fox, and moved smoothly in front of his companion, keeping himself between Kit and the magic user. For the first time Wyatt heard his [Danger Sense] begin to sound—not loud, the faintest of warnings. He also felt a new intensity of emotion from the Chieftain, a certain readiness.

"Kit, calm down. I'm fine. Don't start something unless we need to." Kit shot him a glance, but her growls died down. The female Goblin was almost babbling, backing up as she peered around from behind the Chieftain.

"Grub not lie! That not a beast, that dangerous. Chieftain, we should run, warn others that—" The Chieftain had been eyeing Wyatt carefully, his demeanour still relaxed, but his intensity had diminished when Wyatt had asked Kit to back down. The big Goblin grunted softly to himself, then turned and bonked his companion on the head with the flat of his hand.

"Is fine. Quiet. Don't attack unless I say." The Chieftain looked appraisingly at Wyatt, ignoring the outraged squawks from the magic user. He was still short, but taller than Grub had been. The Chieftain wasn't as skinny either, having definite muscles on his arms and chest. He nodded at Wyatt.

"You send message." Wyatt nodded slowly. It hadn't been a question. He couldn't get a read of the Goblin's emotions, he was like a tightly bundled ball, everything hidden. It was probably fine though, [Danger Sense] had quieted again.

"Yeah, I did. Although I did say to come alone." This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The Chieftain shrugged, somehow managing to convey with that simple gesture that sometimes stuff just happened.

"Is problem? There are two of you. Fair?" Kit blinked at hearing that, and gave the Goblin a searching glance. She seemed surprised that she had been counted as a person rather than just as Wyatt's companion. Wyatt looked at the Goblin for a long moment.

"Fair, I suppose. But it would be best if there are no more surprises—otherwise this can only go one way. Understand?" The Goblin Chieftain laughed at that, briefly.

"Strange human! You talk like there more than one outcome."

"There can be. I would prefer not to fight." The Chieftain nodded nonchalantly at Wyatt's spear.

"You have weapon though."

"And your friend there tried to cast magic on me." The Goblin tilted his head, then nodded again with a grunt.

"Huh. True." To Wyatt's surprise, the Goblin squatted down on the forest floor. He looked up at Wyatt expectantly. Wyatt waited a beat, then stuck the spear into the earth, crouching down as well. Kit sighed, while the female Goblin was poking her chieftain insistently in the back and side.

"What you doing? That an Adventurer! Powerful, magic doesn't work!" The Chieftain ignored his companion, even though his body was rocking back and forth from her poking and shaking. He grunted at Wyatt.

"So what you want?" Wyatt observed the Goblin for a long moment, not answering straight away.

"…everything that I've heard about Goblins says that we have to fight, that you are nothing more than monsters. That your kind have to be killed on sight." The female Goblin was glaring at Wyatt, muttering under her breath, but the Chieftain just shrugged.

"Yah. That way it goes. But you—you not kill Grub." It was Wyatt's turn to shrug.

"Yeah well, he was singing. And he looked like a kid." The Chieftain's eyes widened slightly, but that was his only reaction.

"Yah, Grub is young. Silly Goblin who does not pay attention. Being young—that not stop Adventurers before." A flash of memory struck Wyatt, of the family of small Goblins being killed. Had they only been kids too? Wyatt hadn't known enough about them to judge at the time. But they had been killed, and that had led to the deaths of Raek, Marie, and Losmer. If Wyatt had known more about this world, if he had thought to stop his new friends from slaughtering the Goblins out of hand, would they still be alive today?

Would they have left the Dungeon safely, showed Wyatt around the city, perhaps even inviting him to join their team permanently? So much would have been different… and instead he'd watched them being slaughtered, had sat with Raek as he died from his injuries. Wyatt grimaced slightly at the memory.

"Yeah, I know. Look, my name's Wyatt, and this is Kit. What's your name?" The Chieftain barked out a short laugh, but he was watching Wyatt closely, and with interest.

"Very strange human. Asking for name…Lullox. Lullox is my name." Lullox turned to look at the female Goblin, and nudged her in the side. She swatted back at him, hissing in a low voice.

"Crazy! Don't give name—" The Chieftain sighed, rubbing at his arm where her claws had scratched at him. He turned back to Wyatt.

"This Nyssa. So. Strange human Wyatt—tell me why you think we can talk and not fight. Tell me why you do this."

"This is near to my land, Lullox. Near to where I live." Lullox blinked, absorbing that information.

"Adventurers live in dungeon? This new to me. Worrying. But I think I understand now. Some. Adventurer Wyatt, why you think talking to Goblins will work?" Wyatt fixed the Goblin with a hard stare.

"I heard you talking, Lullox. Talking to Nyssa about how you just wanted to be safe. And how attacking Adventurers would ruin that. It made me think that there was a chance this could end in something other than bloodshed." Lullox started in surprise at Wyatt's words. He spoke even slower than usual, and Wyatt caught a flicker of wariness from the Chieftain's emotions.

"You hear? How? When?"

"I heard you the first time I went to check out your camp. About a week ago. The two of you were arguing about what to do." Lullox stared at Wyatt in silence for a long moment, his face unreadable. Beside him, Nyssa was chewing worriedly at her claws, her eyes wide in shock. For a second, Wyatt felt a swell of [Danger Sense], but then it faded just as quickly. Lullox sighed, the Chieftain resting his chin on his hand as he regarded Wyatt.

"You strong. Nyssa cast many spells, all to keep us hidden and to warn us of intruders…but you come anyway." Nyssa shook her head vehemently, the bone fetishes around her neck swaying wildly.

"I apprentice! You know this! My magic not strong." Wyatt let them argue for a minute, then held up a hand.

"Lullox, I know what you said, what you wanted to do. But have you attacked anyone while you've been here?" Lullox paused, scratching absently at his belly. The Chieftain shook his head.

"No. Too few of us. Would mean death. We had elder kin, but even they died. Probably. Strong [Warrior] and powerful [Shaman]." Nyssa nodded along zealously as Lullox spoke. Wyatt just met their eyes.

"Yeah. I know." Nyssa gasped, and Lullox froze in place, his nonchalance slipping for a moment. The Chieftain heaved a heavy sigh.

"You?" Quiet up till now, Kit looked at Wyatt worriedly.

'Wyatt…' Wyatt nodded.

"Yeah. Me." Lullox let out a long exhale of breath.

"Then you can kill us, we nowhere near as strong. But you say you don't want blood. And yet…you kill older kin."

"I didn't have a choice." Lullox grunted, giving Wyatt a piercing look.

"Kin go to kill Adventurers who killed Goblins."

"Yes, they did."

"So you kill Goblins." Wyatt hesitated for a moment. He still couldn't get a read on Lullox's emotions.

"It wasn't my choice. But…yes."

"Huh. That interesting. You say you kill, Goblins and kin. But now you don't want to. A contradiction, no?" Wyatt blinked, and Kit narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at the Chieftain. Lullox seemed to be able to become surprisingly eloquent almost at will. Wyatt fixed the Chieftain with a steady look.

"I killed Goblins. Not many, but some. I would prefer not to do so again."

"Why?" Wyatt took a breath. He looked at the two Goblins, so different from anything he'd seen back on Earth. Short beings, with green skin, pointed ears, sharp teeth…but he couldn't ignore the intelligence in their eyes.

"You seem like a people to me. I'm not a murderer." There was a long pause at that. Lullox didn't speak, he just sat there quietly, thinking. Beside him, Nyssa was poking incessantly, whispering frantically something that Wyatt couldn't make out. After a few moments, Lullox fixed his gaze upon Wyatt, his eyes hard.

"Should I thank you for that? When members of my tribe were killed? More died this week, killed looking for food. I know them all—none were fighters. None would have risked attacking Adventurers." It was Wyatt's turn to be quiet. His fingers were drumming on his knee as the tension rose. It felt like the conversation was derailing, but he still wanted to speak what was on his mind.

"Your people shouldn't have been killed. That was wrong. It wasn't my decision, and if I hadn't have been so new to this—no. I should have said something regardless. But my companions, they all paid for what was done that day with their lives. I've been told that I cannot change this world, that this is just the way things are. And maybe it is ultimately futile, but I'm still going to offer you a choice. A choice that might end in something other than more death." Lullox frowned.

"Why? Why you care?" Wyatt felt a surge of frustration, and turned the question back on the Goblin.

"Why do I need to have a reason for not wanting to kill?" Lullox shrugged.

"Could be a trick." Wyatt shook his head.

"I don't need to trick you, Lullox. Even if I don't want to kill you—or if I can't—there are others who can and will. All I have to do is point a finger, say where you are." Lullox cocked his head to the side. His voice was reasonable, like he was just stating the obvious, not trying to threaten.

"Or we deal with you. Or try. Then no one to tell." Kit let out a low growl, but Wyatt put a hand on her back. He smiled tightly.

"Maybe so. But I have friends coming to visit me soon. Silver Ranks. You know what that means, don't you. They will look for me if I go missing, they will search. And then you will all die anyway." Nyssa had whimpered quietly at the mention of Silver Rank Adventurers, but the Chieftain just grunted, a shadow of a smile on his face.

"Cannot argue with that. But…is funny."

"What's funny?" Lullox scratched at his belly again.

"Thought you wanted something. Something from us. What it could be, I not know. But I came to find out. But it look like you not want anything. Nothing except to not bring death down on us." Wyatt shrugged, risking a smile of his own.

"Pretty much. You just seem to want to…live. Safely, with your tribe. And as long as that remains the case, Lullox, as long as you don't attack anyone…then I'm happy to leave it. You live on this side of the woods, and I the other. We'll be…neighbours. If you don't venture near to my land, don't cause me problems, then no one will find out about you from me. And you can stay where you are, safe—if that's what you want." Lullox chuckled softly, his stomach jiggling. Then he barked out a laugh.

"Nyssa right, this is crazy! And not how things are done. I should run with my tribe. But…I am a bad Goblin. And I'm tired. We try this thing. If you can trust the word of our kind."

"Would you swear to it, Lullox?" The Chieftain shrugged.

"Sure. But same problem—can you trust a Goblin's oath?" Wyatt thought for a moment. He didn't know all that much about Goblins, but there was something he had learnt recently.

"Swear to it…on the Winter King." Lullox's eyes widened, then he laughed again.

"That good oath. I will do it." Before he could, Kit got to her feet. The fox stepped forwards, coming to a stop midway between Wyatt and the Goblins. Her tail lashed the air, and she seemed bigger than usual. Kit spoke, surprising Wyatt, and certainly the Goblins. Lullox almost got to his feet, while Nyssa keeled over backwards in shock.

'Trust aside, oaths aside…this is my territory, Goblin. My human. I will be watching. Understand?' Lullox blinked, but then he inclined his head to the silver fox.

"I understand. I don't seek death." Wyatt and Kit left the meeting place, heading through the woods back towards the farm. The two Goblins had melted back into the undergrowth, heading towards their own camp. Nyssa had been whispering frantically at Lullox, but the Chieftain had just remained silent. Kit looked up at Wyatt.

'Do you really think they'll keep their word?'

"I think so. We'll keep an eye on them though."

'It seems like it will just be more work for us. Or me, rather, since I guess you will still want me patrolling the woods.' Wyatt couldn't help but tease her.

"Well, it is your territory, isn't it?" Kit flicked her ears back, and she bared her teeth at Wyatt.

'Don't push it. Walk faster, we should go reassure Thrais that all is well.' Wyatt picked up his pace a little.

"Yeah, I know. Lead the way, Kit." As they exited the woods, with the Elves waving in relief from their vantage point on top of the farmhouse, Wyatt thought about Lera and her team. He had used them as a threat, but he honestly didn't know how they would react to a tribe of Goblins living nearby, no matter how small in number they were. There would still be some days yet before Veiled Legacy were finished with their dungeon run; Wyatt would be escorting Thrais and his team back to Skalholm well before then.

He hoped they were all alright though. Hazel, the [Receptionist] at the guild, had seemed concerned. Wyatt shook himself, dispelling his worry as needless. Lera was strong, and so was her team. They would be fine. [Survivalist Level 17!] [Skill Change: Natural Affinity - Monsters] —> [I am not your Enemy]