A surprising encounter

  The goblin camp at the ruins functioned more like an outpost. Since the departure and disbanding of the gathered tribes, the ruins hosted a fragment of the previous massive horde. The neat rows of houses and wooden walls occupying the slope disappeared and gave way to temporary tents made of stitched hides.

  Little bands of goblins shot curious glances at them while heading into the forest to either hunt or scout.

  "The Champion greets the visitors of the all-seeing Shaman."

  Zubyia translated.

  "Then tell him, we also greet the mighty Champion of the Goblins."

  Chu replied. With the accompanying entourage and spectating goblins, he had to show Pug some face.

  The Champion greeted them cordially as per his station. Beckoning to Ming, he called the teen over with a wave of his green fingers. The action solidified the rumor of the Champion having a powerful human servant.

  Pug dispersed the guards while leading the visitors personally to the dungeon entrance.

  Chu squeezed between a pair of massive stones and then meandered inside a shallow cave. Ducking and crawling behind a cleverly placed rock, he stepped gingerly onto some roughly hewn steps.

  Proceeding more through feel and sound, rather than the faint light of the flickering torch, he stumbled onto the worn but even slabs of the dungeon. Chu blinked as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting under the distantly placed torches, crackling on the walls. He had to say he was impressed.

  The goblins had hidden the entrance to the dungeon so that even an experienced scout could never find it. The narrow passage he half crawled out of also made it easy to defend. Of course, it also meant that an enemy would have it easier to conduct a blockade on the outside.

  Half a dozen guards greeted them on entering while clutching their weapons nervously. The entrance barely allowed the two wolves passage as they entered, shaking their fur. The sight filled the goblin guards with awe and dread at the power behind their Champion.

  "Is this the only entrance to the dungeon?"

  Chu asked through his translator.

  "No, goblin horde built this before scattering to tribes. They make larger, secret one under collapsed passage. Only to be used in an escape. Hidden and filled with goblin traps."

  Pug replied while pointing towards the other end of the passageway. Chu remembered it led to the other hall, which had been destroyed. The Champion continued to proudly boast while they walked to the familiar underground hall.

  "Goblins clean cells and rooms in dungeon passage. Now home to Shaman warriors."

  "See, wood and stone markers? Used to show triggers for traps and trap locations. We move them when ready to reset traps."

  "Goblin Shaman holds key to traps. Only give to me, Goblin Champion."

  Chu listened to the translations as he walked down the passageway. Even though Pug confirmed the traps remained inactive, he still had the jitters. He had once personally witnessed the brutal effectiveness of these simple traps. A skewered man didn't fade quite easily from memory.

  The cramped dungeon soon opened into the massive underground hall.

  "During winter, eight goblin tribes seek refuge with Shaman. Hall serves as place for them to stay till spring."

  "Grains not distributed stored down in that end. Some stored inside tower. Goblin Council shares grain when crow brings news from scattered tribes."

  In this massive hall, Chu scanned around to find the faint glows of campfires. The inhabitants were lost within its sheer size. He could only follow the long finger of the goblin as it pointed in different directions. The strange visitors caused the nearby goblins to approach the party.

  Chu vaguely made out the shapes of goblin women and children who carried little woven baskets.

  "What do they have in those baskets? How come it looks like their gathering something?"

  The translation returned slowly as Pug signaled to have a basket brought forward. The little green figure stumbled in excitement at being chosen by the Champion. Inside the small basket seemed to be some sticky clumps of thin fibers.

  "Goblins found nests of small spiders in cave-in at end of hall. Block off area, feed small spiders, harvest web."

  Pug deftly unraveled a small piece of the web with a stick and placed the torch under it. With a voom, the webbing ignited as if soaked with petrol.

  "Webbing good for starting fires in cold winter. Trade with tribes in north for animal hides. Elders say can even make strong rope, but still working on it."

  Chu nodded on listening to the chattering goblin. Instead of wiping out the smaller spiders, the goblins chose to rear them while harvesting the webs. The action demonstrated the wisdom of the race in utilizing resources for added benefits.

  If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

  Humans treated goblins as pests while goblins treated humans as food. Both possessed superior skills in different fields. Humans led the way in writing, goblins owned advanced smithing techniques.

  Goblins considered humans unsightly, while humans could only describe them as ugly.

  Each possessed certain technology and understanding better than the other. With a common link, these two races could share ideas and develop further at breakneck speed.

  "Wouldn't you have problems if the spiders grow too big?"

  Ming asked, to which Pug answered by squishing a pair of green palms together before replying.

  "If docile then no problem, otherwise..."

  The party walked in the darkness until the outline of a massive arch became visible. The group stopped at the front of the intimidating wooden doors. A small crowd of chattering goblins and curious youngsters kept a slight distance away while remaining in the shadows. Not every day did they have human visitors accompanied by feral wolves.

  Chu walked up to the massive doors.

  Although Chu knew this door possessed some magical power to deter intruders, the goblins posted a garrison nearby. Under the curious eyes of the gathered goblins, the Champion handed over torches to Chu and Ming before inserting the ancient key. With a groan under the remorse of centuries of duty, the doors opened.

  The Champion led the way inside and closed the doors. With himself and Zubyia as the only goblins in the party, Pug dropped his facade.

  "This humble one is sorry for having you hold the torch, please forgive this lowly goblin."

  "Forget it, you're a Champion now, so you have to display your station."

  Chu replied as both Pug and Zubyia grabbed the torches. With Zubyia translating, he held a somewhat normal conversation.

  Again, they gingerly climbed these dangerous stairs while Pug and Ming chattered in sharing news. At the top of the stairs, the little goblin paused while inhaling a couple of deep breaths. His actions reminded Chu of the ancient constructs occupying the level.

  "Do you normally keep the doors closed to the tower?"

  Chu asked.

  "Normally Shaman keep doors open for tribes to visit and gaze upon terror from the north. Remind goblins of a terror, not even goblin tide could overcome. Before winter, Shaman gain revelation from bones. A disaster from ancient times comes. Shaman warn tribes, close doors most of the time. A tribe in north says demon beasts roam human lands. Then prophecy fulfilled soon after."

  Chu paused as he digested this information. The goblin shaman possessed skills that bordered on the supernatural. He had no scientific explanation and accepted it similarly to how he welcomed magic. Chu pictured the Shaman as a corner store fortune-teller who possessed unfathomable skills.

  Even though the tribes scattered to reclaim their homeland within the vast forest, the goblins owned an effective communications medium. The crows delivered news from afar regularly, ensuring a Goblin Tide required little time and effort to be summoned. Their communication network surpassed that of the humans between the villages.

  This explained how Clod received an early warning from them. He had to admit the Shaman's skills in divination surpassed those of a quack on earth. The trail of destruction by the Bitzers may very well conform to the disaster Pug mentioned.

  Chu could only assume this since he had no real historical information to serve as a reference as to what entailed a disaster.

  Exiting the stairs, Chu looked upon the wolf demon and the larger unknown creature. Pug handed over the torches to the pair of jittery goblins unfortunate to draw guard duty today. Under the illumination from the mirror configuration, the ground floor basked in a faint glow.

  The goblins treated the lighting device as a piece of precious equipment and operated it to the fullest. Sunlight illuminated the floors during the day while torches lit the way at night.

  "Come, rest and eat on second floor then we visit Shaman."

  Pug said. He led them to the second floor, where he summoned a goblin to follow his instructions. Chu and the others fetched pails of heated water from the radiator pool in the center of the tower for a well-deserved bath. When traveling, they could only use wet rags to wipe and clean themselves.

  "Pug, where do you fetch the water to refill the fountains?"

  "Goblins dig wells in underground hall. No need to fetch water or melt snow from outside. Goblin light-keepers refill fountains with cold water. Shaman and Elders use hot water, send rest down for tribes to use."

  Chu recalled that these pools naturally turned hot during the day since they cooled the equipment from the heat of the sunbeams. Although the task became labor-intensive, it served to reduce the amount of firewood consumed. Then again, Pug did say some tribes sought refuge in the ruins during the harsh winter months. With them, the tower had no shortage of willing hands.

  Politely declining the offer from Pug for food, the group feasted on their traveling rations. Dyna left them to venture outside with the wolves to hunt. Pug allowed Chu about an hour or two to relax until Dyna returned with a gutted rabbit.

  "You seem to be in a mighty hurry. Why is that?"

  Chu had to ask. He didn't fail to notice the little goblin wringing his hands nervously during their meal.

  "Shaman told Elders, revival of ancient council needed. When goblin tribe in north visited, Shaman says prophecy fulfilled. Since goblin tribes long fallen from old power, human needed. Demon beasts need human so human remains key."

  The words translated by Zubyia shocked Chu on the steps to a stop. Ming bumped into him, voicing discontent, but Chu remained ignorant of the world. He turned stiffly to Pug while narrowing his eyes.

  "What did you say? Demon beasts need humans? What do you mean by that?"

  "Shaman say demon beasts need human. That all Shaman say, not explain."

  Pug replied while stuttering.

  Zubyia trembled as he translated, stuttering and all.

  The two goblins didn't know why the devil suddenly paused and changed his tone. Pug did not grasp the weight of the sentences that casually rolled out from his mouth.

  Chu remained stiff while contemplating the unexpected words.

  'How did the goblin Shaman know demon beasts needed humans? How much knowledge did the goblins possess concerning this?

  Chu had learned from Simon about the demon beast fancying humans as a delicacy. Only during the recent battle at the farm did he grasp an understanding as to why.

  Evolution.

  Demon beasts feasted on human brains to evolve. The convincing proof lay in the different tiers of the same beasts that assaulted his farm.

  Did the goblins also know stories and tales about this?

  Chu followed Pug in a daze as they entered the old library. At the center near the light-source fountain, a group of elder goblins huddled while in muttered conversation. Lower down, two goblins stood guard before the closed door to one of the rooms.

  Pug bowed to the Elders in greeting, causing one of them to rise and lead the way. The others sat in shock while staring at the two massive wolves. The old goblin knocked reverently on the door and entered on command. A few minutes later, he exited and pointed.

  Chu and Lucy, together with Zubyia, entered the room while the old goblin closed the door behind them.

  Inside the well-lit room, Chu noted the scarce furnishings consisted of a small bed, a washbasin, and a pair of wooden stools. Two unusual occupants waited silently in the room.

  The one sitting up on the bed, however, piqued his interest.

  Why?

  Because she belonged to neither the human nor goblin race...