We followed behind Brukrag who stoically marched into the room. The two dwarves closed the wooden doors behind us with a fierce shunk. It felt like the air pressure had blown the door closed. My arm hair stood up and I felt the goosebumps begin to form.
Me and Paco stood side by side. I looked over, his paw was on the hilt of his newly formed sword. I wondered what it would turn into when he leveled it up more. I feared it even. He looked at me, nodded, then turned back to Brukrag who stood in front of the goblin.
He seemed smaller than when I first saw it. His hands were bound in rope and ties behind the chair it sat in. The ropes twisted and wound themselves around his chest. I could see they were already digging into his skin and leaving depressions in between his ribs. Damn, those are tight. I saw his loincloth was now soiled. A ring on his left hand.
“What’s your name?” Brukrag’s voice was low and filled with primordial rage.
The goblin looked up, one of his eyes swollen shut. It hadn’t been like that when I punched him in the side of the head, at least, I didn’t remember causing it. I assumed he was beaten when he was dragged back here and tied up. It didn’t matter to me. He had been a part of the plot to kill all of us, and he deserved it. I sighed at the thought. I no longer felt like myself. I felt like a monster for having the thought in the first place. But I had almost died, Paco was even closer to that end, and our hosts now had to rebuild because of what had happened. I shook my head and watched the two.
The goblin said nothing. He spit a mucousy green on the floor. There was a red shimmer to it, and when it hit, a small clattering as one of his teeth also came out.
“I said, ‘what’s your name?’” Brukrag growled again. There was no answer. “No matter, I’ll get my answer,” he said as he pulled back his fist and slammed it into the liver of the goblin. Air escaped his lungs and the goblin began to cough. He muttered something.
“What was that?” Brukrag asked as he leaned closer.
“It’s Steven,” the goblin rasped.
“Ah. Steven. I am Brukrag, and these fine folk behind me are Chris and Paco. Guests whose celebratory dinner you crashed and ruined.”
“I know of ‘em,” Steven said as he glared up at us.
“Oh? Do inform me,” Brukrag looked down at the creature.
“Killed one of me birds. No reason fer it. Just out there, killed the little thing ‘fore it knew what ‘appened.”
“Your birds?”
“Yer. Been raisin’ ‘em since they were chicks. Born of fire, die of fire. That’s the way these things supposed to ‘appen.”
“We could have settled this peacefully,” Brukrag said. There was a solemn tone to his voice. “But you launched an attack on us. And I cannot let that go.” The rage in his voice was building.
“What about the treaty?” Steven asked as he looked up at Brukrag. There was a sly grin on his face.
“There is no treaty now. You attacked us and our guests who had not learned the ways of this planet. We could have brokered a deal and I would have obliged. I had not known that the baby and the mother were your property.”
“Without the treaty, what about the dragons?” The smirk became even wider.
“Ay, the dragons. Looking for The Great Biscuit Recipe. Peace amongst our people. Do not worry your little head with such matters. I will send you back to your people in pieces!” he shouted.
Before I could say anything, Paco was across the room, sword in hand. He slashed down and cut the fingers off Steven. The ring fell to the floor as the goblin screeched.
“No,” Brukrag said sternly. “This does not concern you little one.”
“Yes, it does, Mr. Shoulder. They almost killed me, and I have the marks to prove it until they fully heal,” Paco said as he turned to show where the talons of the Demon Hawk dug into him.
“That is not how things are done around here,” Brukrag said.
“Forgive me. But where I come from, I also hold this right. I have been disrespected and almost killed. What would Lord Greatwood think about that?” Paco shot back as he sheathed his sword.
Brukrag appeared pensive for a moment. He then nodded. “Ay. Lord Greatwood would allow it. As guests, it is my job to defend you and your honor. I am also responsible for your mistakes. But I do not know the ways of your people, and I have forgotten that. Please, forgive me,” Brukrag said as he stepped back and outstretched his arm. “You may proceed.”
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Paco looked over at me, then winked. “Thank you, Mr. Shoulder. For understanding that our ways are different from yours. I am sorry if this has caused a strain here. I only wanted what vengeance was rightfully mine. I will take these as a token,” Paco bent down and scooped up the fingers of the goblin and his ring. “I will allow you to handle the rest of this situation as you seem fit for your people.”
Brukrag grunted in acceptance.
“We will head to our home now,” Paco said as he crossed the room towards me.
“I will see you two tomorrow,” Brukrag said before turning back to Steven.
“For Lord Greatwood,” Paco shouted as the two dwarves opened the doors for us.
“For Lord Greatwood!” Brukrag’s voice bellowed before the doors closed behind us. I swore I could hear the sound of his ax as it connected with a part of the goblin’s body. I hoped it was his head, so the death was quick and clean. But I knew the answer to that.
“You played it cool back there,” I said.
“Yeah, I wasn’t sure if it would work. But I wanted that ring,” Paco held up the small gold ring and let it shimmer in the fire light as we stepped back into the town.
“What about the fingers?”
“Those were just a bonus.” Paco put the ring away.
“What’re you collecting all of this stuff for anyway?” I asked. I thought it was weird. He now had a skull of a baby demon hawk, the fingers of a goblin, the talons of a mother, and the teeth of a snake.
“Don’t worry about it. I have plans, and when I have what I need, you’ll see.”
I gave him a look, but didn’t respond. He was planning something weird, I just knew it.
We walked inside our new home. There was a familiar smell to it this time. A sort of nostalgia for the place I used to live. Only now I had a talking raccoon who I couldn’t decide if he was a psychopath, or neurotic. Probably both. Either way, he was still good company, even if I didn’t know what he was going to do, or steal next. I watched as he didn’t say a word, simply walked over to his “door” and disappeared to his room. I walked to mine.
The wave of nostalgia hit me again as I opened the door and saw everything I once loved and worked for. I loved and hated it all at once. Memories flooded me as I relived all those moments I once had here. Now, on this foreign planet, I hated everything that I saw in front of me. I started editing my new home in a furvor.
The bed became twice as large, the sheets changed from white to black. The sliding glass windows which looked out onto the world disappeared into tiny things you’d see in a basement. The dresser which housed a TV that didn’t work disappeared and was replaced by a modern standing wardrobe also black in color. The lamps were replaced with standing floor LEDs which changed color.
When I was finished, it didn’t feel like the home I knew, but the home I needed. Something different, something foreign that I would grow accustomed to.
I do like this renovating you’re doing. Very chic. Probably the first and only compliment you’ll get from me.
“Thanks,” I said to the AI as I walked over and plopped myself down onto my new bed. The fatigue of the day instantly washed away as I stared at the ceiling and disappeared into the realm between life and death.
I woke to a knocking on my door.
“Chris, get up,” Paco’s squeaky voice came from beyond the door. “Brukrag wants to take us out hunting today!”
“I’m coming,” I said as I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I grabbed my bow which rested next to my endtable and grabbed my knife off of it. I had no clue what time it was, but I felt tired still nonetheless. As much as the fatigue had washed itself away when I laid down, it still persisted. I could sleep for years and still not be satisfied. I opened the door.
Paco stood there, his stick in hand, waiting for me. I nodded and we walked outside.
Brukrag stood there stoically. On his back was the ax I know he had used to slay the goblin hostage. A sense of dread radiated from it and the air between us became thick with tension.
“By the ax of Lord Greatwood, it is good to see you two. Though, it is later than I would have liked. Paco says you slept most of the morning.”
“What time is it?” I looked up toward the sky. The sun was almost entirely overhead.
“Just about noon. No matter, we will go to the training grounds and get you two ready.” I watched as Brukrag turned and began walking to the far end of town, away from the gates we had come through in the War Wagon.
“Mr. Shoulder, what can we expect to fight when we’re there?” Paco asked.
“Nothing too crazy. A few boar, maybe some snakes. The golems are nearby, but they generally don’t venture into the training grounds. You may come across some baby wolves.”
“I hope we get some boar,” Paco said.
I knew exactly why. It was so obvious.
“What about these golems. Are they like the ones we heard about on Earth?”
“I do not know the history of golems on Earth. Please, inform me.”
“They’re made entirely of rock. Sometimes they can control the ground you walk on and make pillars of stone erupt from beneath your feet. That’s the general consensus.”
“Ay. That’s pretty close. They are made entirely of rock and control the ground we walk on to an extent. Their blood is made of lava, so be sure not to get burned. They’re weak in the cracks between the stony skin,” Brukrag said.
We walked out through the gate of the town and marched along the road for what felt like an hour. I watched as the sun slid through the sky, and the scent of cooked meat and mead slowly faded away. It was replaced with the musk of nature, and the distinct smell of rain in Spring.
