You like your new companion, and feeling that he’s been through enough already, decide not to tease him too much.

/Yes!/ you give a straight, honest answer, sending your “speech” into the goblin’s mind.

“A—” the goblin interrupts his own gasp. The poor fellow is still getting used to the idea of a sentient sword. His hands tremble for but a moment, but he does not drop you a second time.

“W-what are you?”

What indeed.

/I’m a sword, obviously./

“I’ve never seen or heard of such a sword.”

/I’d like to think that I am unique! What’s your name?/

“Fig.”

/… A pleasure to meet you, Fig! How did you end up in this particular predicament?/

“Ah, that’s right!” Fig jumps up and holds you in his arms. “Those were Ragbazag’s minions!”

/Who?/

“I have to hurry!” Fig exclaims. He kneels at the body of his attacker and loots it for some ropes and leathers and makes a rough, make-shift sheath. He ties it around your blade, close to the cross-guard, puts the created loop over his shoulder, placing you on his back. Then he runs. Fig doesn’t even bother to take some armor or, at the very least, the pair of a poor excuse for sandals that the machete goblin had.

/What’s the hurry?/

“Ragbazar… is the son… of our village chief,” Fig explains between gasps for air. “He never liked me… He never liked anyone. But there’s this girl…”

/Oh, say no more. People have been killed for far less. How far away is your village?/

“Not far,” the goblin answers, but you feel him struggling.

/Alright, save your breath and focus on getting to your girl in time./

You consider boosting his physical abilities again, but who knows how many times he can take it?

While Fig runs you “admire” your surroundings. Barren wastelands with countless fire-lights in the distance from encampments or evil forces. Several dark fortresses atop rocky terrain, overseeing this dominion. A scene that you’ve seen countless times in fantasy movies and anime. Dark, bleak, horrid, oppressing, depressing smog, ash, and darkness. In some ways, it’s a masterpiece—just bright enough to see how dark everything is.

It is also blatantly obvious that you’re inside the dominion of some evil lord. A “Demon Lord”, perhaps? Someone who despises nature, that is for sure. But what if the local land-owner is misunderstood and is actually trying to correct this hellish landscape, but is simply so incompetent that he keeps making it worse? Nah.

While you ponder this, Fig reaches the outskirts of his village. Poor excuse for huts made from twisted branches, old, yellowish cloth with patches all over, and animal leather. And there seems to be quite a commotion in the middle of the village. Countless goblins are standing outside or peaking from the inside of their respective huts, while about a dozen goblins are in the center. All their attention seems fixated on a certain pair.

One of those is a goblin girl. Lemon-colored skin, long brown hair done in a braid and long, pointy ears. Her clothes are just as poor as Fig’s, and her physical build is also about the same. You have no way of figuring out how attractive she might be to the other goblins, but something in her has obviously sparked an interest in the larger goblin that is roughly dragging her away, overpowering her just by holding her hand behind him.

The mint tea-colored goblin that is dragging the girl is a whole head taller than Fig. While he has some lean muscle on him, what sets this goblin apart from the others are his garments. Fine leather, shiny blades at his side. He has a messy black hair, that ends an inch short of his shoulders. He has several long, sharp, fang-like teeth that would make a vampire jealous, sticking downward from his closed mouth.

“Petunia!” Fig shouts when he sprints inside the village.

“You?” The goblin seems surprised to see Fig.

“Fig! Help me!” The goblin girl screams.

“Unhand her at once, Ragbazar!” Fig shouts and unsheathes you, holding you by the hilt with both hands in front of him, preparing to fight.

“Where the hell is Tim and Gorbag!?” Ragbazar shouts and snarls at his entourage.

It doesn’t take long for you to realize that some eight goblins around him are his bodyguards or loyal soldiers. Their armor is closer to Ragbazar than to the other villagers and judging by their expressions, they don’t seem to have much issue with how he’s treating Petunia.

“So, you don’t deny sending them to kill me!?” Fig shouts.

“How dare you speak to me this way!” Ragbazar shouts in response. “Have you forgotten who I am? I’m the son of the great Rogzor The Skull-crusher! Know your place!”

You notice Fig gulp, but he does not stand down and says, “That does not allow you to treat us the way you do.”

“I am the Elder's son! I am allowed to do whatever I want!” Ragbazar says and raises his head higher, and puffs his chest. “Ah! Where did you steal that shiny sword?”

“I stole nothing!”

“Nonsense! Hand it over!”

“I will not!”

“Soldiers!” Ragbazar turns to his mooks. “Take it from his cold hands!”

YuujiEveryleaf

Thank you for reading! :D