"Why are all the stories about happiness? Aren't there any about people that cry?"

"I will tell you some sad stories if you really want to hear them, but wouldn't it be better to hear about something that makes you smile?"

"But you said that I only smile when you tell happy stories!"

"And that is precisely why I tell them Oliver."

 

The night fell quicker than he expected. He wasn't in a rush to get to the tribe. There were a few things he should prepare before venturing away with the girl. He was sure it was the right decision to make. She needed to go now. She would escape by herself otherwise. He knew that just by looking at her.

Other girls contained deep in the caverns would often end up with such expression. They didn't move be themselves. They didn't talk. Hestia was important. She needed to talk. Gob didn't have the means to make her. She probably could kill him. Since she lit the fire, he was certain of her dominance.

Yet she was lost, and this was exploitable. Gob will be strong. He could always return here afterwards. He didn't need anyone apart for his dumb luck. Apart from Hestia.

He was becoming obsessed. He could tell. What else could he do apart from focusing on this rare opportunity?

The night was dark when he reached the tribe. He noticed something was different. There barely were any guards at the barricade. The ones that were present looked bored. The nearest goblin face showed an expression familiar to Gob. They wanted to be somewhere else, but they were forced to stay here by the Hobs.

Gob walked straight to the entrance and startled a guard while passing by. It was then he noticed something was up. The guard shouted at him and nearly stabbed him with his spear. Gob jumped back and frantically looked around. All the guards were shouting at him.

He could probably fight. Probably. As the giant hobgoblin came running in his direction Gob dashed towards the caverns. He wanted to lose them in the complicated tunnel system. Suddenly he stopped. First his blood froze. Then his body. Only his tightly clenched fist were shaking.

With his yellow eyes he looked at the spike. It was stuck in the ground, near the entrance he usually used. At the top of the spike a single goblin head was skewered.

Gob turned his gaze back at the goblins. They did not pursue him further. Giant hobgoblin was looking at him with anticipation.

He could still run. He could disappear in the forest and never come back. It wouldn't be a bad decision. This tribe was no longer those of goblins. It was run by the foolish Hobs. Half breeds of goblins and humans. There was no place for the weak.

No place for pure goblin chief. Nor his son..

Gob slowly came to the spike and reached for it. He could feel the blood that dripped down its whole length, soaking in the wood.

He pulled it out. Then he removed the head of his Father and threw it into the nearby campfire. He watched it as it slowly burned.

It looked like this wrinkled old corpse still smiled back at him. He knew his Father was smart. He left the tribe when he needed to fight in the losing fight. He left all the commotion behind and shut himself in his river hut. He told many bullshit stories about luck to the Fishcatcher.

He didn't tell her he knew his ways from humans. He didn't tell her he left because he was weak. He didn't tell her he left Gob to rot in the tribe for so long. It wasn't surprising. He explained nothing to Gob either.

And now he smiled at him engulfed in the fiery blaze.

Gob looked back and smiled.

"Don't let anyone run away."

He turned to the Hob. With the bloodied spike. With the blood of his ancestors he would fight for his future. He raised the spear over his head.

"Keruek!!!"

As his voice echoed the Hob and all the goblin sentries cried in unison.

"Berk! Keruek!!!"

Gob would fight for his position as the previous chieftain's son.

~

Hestia shuddered and woke up. Did someone enter the cave? Was Gob back. She struggled to explain what she felt. Was it a presence of someone? Maybe a premonition? Bad omen? She couldn't tell. She was a beginner in magic anyway, and the natural flow of mana was a mystery reserved only for the most daring mages to describe properly.

She still wasn't sure what she felt. It went away as fast as it appeared. She was certain that no ordinary animal or monster could enter the cave. The aftereffects of the fear were still looming over the entrance. Outside of Gob she didn't expect regular monsters to break such an unpleasant barrier.

Her thoughts went astray. As she closed her eyes, she saw the figure of the man she tried to escape from.

Hestia did not manage to close her eyes throughout this entire night.

~

"Keruek!!! Berk!!! Keruek!!!"

Goblins were restless. The arena was nothing more than the part of the mining pit a little above the actual hole. It was naturally big enough to house a few hundreds of goblins sitting above Gob on the rocks and old shaft entrances. Almost the whole colony was here.

Gob didn't see the Hobgoblin chieftain, nor could he spot the Old Shaman. The other Shaman made up for their absence tenfold. He was sitting atop the chair made of bones. Giant staff adorned with the skull of the mountain goat was firmly placed in his hand.

It was so easy to spot his smirk that it truly required goblin level foolishness to not see through his plan. Gob was to die here today. Why didn't the Elder stop the shaman this time? He used to stray from the Shaman's domain, yet would never allow mindless slaughter of useful goblins. Why didn't he stop this madness?

"Zer De Kuruk Wir Neter Berek Keruek!"

The arena fell silent as Nozgu spoke. It was an old incantation of goblins entering the path of blood. Whoever won against his opponent would take the place of the beaten in the goblin hierarchy. No goblin would challenge the Hob which made such official events a rarity.

Luckily Gob needed to prove himself, and this time the Elder, who would keep hierarchy in check didn't have any reasons to protest.

Shaman eyes focused on Gob. He had contacted a human. Other goblins didn't know how dangerous to the tribe it could be. The Elder was an exception, and it played quite a part in Nozgu's plan. He had his backing to kill the goblin who was smarter, who was dangerous, who would refuse to die, who would refuse bribes other than knowledge. This accursed child of the Old chieftain he overlooked.

The one who could destroy his tribe by talking to humans. The one who might notice the pit.

"Ber drak herge gruk berk Keruek!"

No one dared to destroy his presence in this moment, he was the true leader of this tribe. He spoke, and they listened!

"How many do I fight!"

Gob's voice cut through the silence. He had spoken in human language only.

Nozgu felt that a smile escaped his composure. It was not a smile he should show as a new chieftain. He couldn't help it though. His wicked voice covered the arena.

"First the Hob."

The arena fell silent for a moment just to erupt with screams a while later. For a goblin to fight a Hob! It would be bloody!

The shouts continued as Nozgu basked in this moment. They ended when Gob raised his hand up in the air. Shaman was right to kill him right now. With this well timed gesture he controlled the whole crowd. He was dangerous.

"Can I chose which one I will fight?"

He still used the mocking tongue of the humans. Nozgu was sure it was on purpose. He waved his hand around lazily. He didn't mind it. If Gob were to choose even the weakest of the Hobs he would still lose, and even if he somehow managed to beat them, he would insist on him fighting the tribes elites. He was fighting as a son of the chieftain. He couldn't just chose someone weak and walk away.

Gob didn't lose a moment. With a loud "Thump" he buried the spike into the ground and shouted atop of his lungs.

"Spinecrack!!!"

The silent arena went wild once more. Nozgu looked at Gob with shock. Then he smiled. Having to fight something familiar. Was this his brilliant plan? Was this all the smart Gob could come up with?

He approved the fight with a quick nod.

"Berk Keruek! Berk Keruek!"

With the arena full of chanting Gob looked at his opponent while checking his daggers hidden under his robe. The giant Hob was walking towards him. It was the tribe elite warrior who defeated many humans and hobs alike. He always had the best loot. He always hunted proficient. He was at the top of the tribes food chain.

Gob looked at Spinecrack and welcomed him with a nod. He also nodded and readied his Great sword which Gob managed to scavenge for him. They looked at each other with the respect worthy of the years they worked together, albeit not as friends.

As the chanting intensified Gob felt serenity he never felt before. It was the time to break from the tribe he despised. He faced the hob he followed all these years prior, and he somehow felt no fear. He will survive and break free with this dumb luck of his.

And he will smile through all the fire he will face.

Like his Father did.

And he would rather win than run away.