**The 2 day grace period is almost up, the elders along with other important figures of the goblin village gather to talk about something of great importance**
"What will we do now that the chief has been killed?" One of the goblin elders said to the other goblins sitting at the table.
"We'll worry about that after we kill that demon and cleanse the world of its existence!" A very tough looking goblin with scars around its face said.
"The longer we wait, the longer it will take for us to find someone to succeed him. You know this Joshua!" One of the other elder goblins said to the tough looking goblin.
"Why can't we have another battle for succession and be done with it?" Joshua asked.
"It is taboo to have 2 battles for succession in the same year!" The elder said with a very serious tone.
"These old rules are annoying me old man!" Joshua replied with a slightly angry and annoyed tone.
"Did you even pay attention in school boy? Our god Maglubiyet only crowns a village leader once a year. In the summer time when the blue Feeya flowers bloom, anyone who wants to be the village leader can fight to the death with other candidates for a maximum of 2 days. If we were to ever kill one another at any other time, he would curse our village with the 3 elemental punishments. A flood (Water), a plague (earth) and a forest fire that will finish us off!" The first elder told Joshua.
"If he's so strong and is that willing to wipe his own followers out for a couple extra deaths, why doesn't he get his lazy ass down here and help us with this demon!" Joshua yelled with anger.
The whole room gasped and went silent. They all looked at Joshua pity.
"Thy who curses or questions him shall be met with nothing but death!" A younger goblin shouted from the back of the room.
"Whatever Peter, you people are just scared of fairy tales and false gods who can't do shit but spread fear through their followers!" Joshua yelled.
"You are a fine physical specimen Joshua, maybe even strong enough to rival the first village leader in his prime. Even so, you are nowhere near the level of a god." The village elder said.
"Yea Joshua, if you would've joined the battle of succession earlier this year you could've easily become the village elder!" Peter said.
"Like I'd ever kill my older brother to rule this ungrateful village. Plus I'm more of a soldier anyway." Joshua replied.
"Well look how that turned out!" Peter said with a know it all smirk and demeanor.
In less than a second Joshua had his sword under the boy's neck and looked in his eyes with the intent to kill.
"JOSHUA HE'S JUST A BOY!" The elder pleaded.
"Speak on his name again and I'll end you, I don't care about some curse like these other sheep!" Joshua yelled in his face.
Peter was so terrified that he peed himself in front of everyone. The women around the room began to giggle in silence but the boy could still hear them and felt some eyes looking at him with pity.
Joshua sheathed his sword and walked back to his seat.
"I have an idea." A familiar female voice said from the other side of the room.
"Oh Maya I didn't even notice you were in the room." The elder said to the girl.
"Hello elders and other members of the village, as you know the previous village head was my knuckle head fiancé. Originally I thought that I should succeed him for that sole reason but I then realized that that method was not fair to others who wanted his spot." Maya said with her rough and unpleasant voice.
"Damn right it's not!" A goblin man in the back of the room yelled.
**The other goblins yelled in agreement with him**
"I have a solution for this problem. The one who brings back the head of the demon will become the next village head." Maya said sternly.
Everyone in the room began muttering to one another and seemed to like the proposition that was made.
"I guess it's kind of fitting that the hunt to avenge my brother is also the one to find out who's going to succeed him." Joshua said with a smirk and his hands folded.
"If I'm being honest I think you're the only person I want to see on that throne other than me." Maya said to Joshua.
"Listen here sweetheart because I'm only going to say this once. I don't care about who ends up becoming the leader of this god forsaken village. I'm going to kill that bastard to avenge my brother, whoever wants to take his head after that can be my guest!" Joshua said as he walked out of the room.
"What a disrespectful brat!" One of the other elders yelled.
"If you're not brave enough to say it to his face, I'd recommend not saying it at all" Maya said to the elder.
The elder sucked his teeth and went quiet.
"I don't think it's necessary but I think we should have a vote." One of the other elders said.
"All those in favor of the proposal raise your hand!" He yelled.
The entire room raised their hand.
"All those not in favor of the proposal raise your hand!" He yelled again.
No one raised their hand.
"Then it's official, the next village leader will be decided through tomorrow's hunt. May the best goblin win." Maya said as she exited the room.
**Later that evening**
Maya steps into Joshua's hut unannounced with a furious look in her eye.
"What's got your panties in a twist?" Joshua asked as he chuckled.
"Don't make jokes you moron! Village leader was your brother's dream, it's our job to see it through!" Maya said in anger.
"You're right, it was HIS dream not mine. I don't owe that idiot anything and regardless it's his fault for approaching a demon without taking a support unit with him." Joshua replied.
"He was just being his usual kind idiotic self. He knew that the demon was heading to the River of the Gods and wanted to stop it from drinking the blessed water and killing itself." Maya said as she looked at the ground with pain.
"And what did that kindness get him? 6 arrow shots to the torso." Joshua said as his voice started to go from calm to furious.
"We'll make that demon pay for what he did, I can promise that!" Maya said as she held her head high.
"I know we will, but you must promise me that when you become the new village head you'll be as great as we knew he would've been." Joshua said to her.
"I still don't understand why you don't just take its head and become the new leader." Maya said with a confused tone.
"It's simple really. The people need a sword to lead them and a shield to defend them. Throughout my life I've never been much of a sword rather, I always found pleasure in protecting those I care for." Joshua replied as he smiled.
"That's such a simple way of looking at it." Maya said with a chuckle.
"Well I learned early on that there is true beauty in simplicity." Joshua said as he smiled with his hand behind his head.
"Well I learned that feelings can change in an instant, so I hope you'll reconsider and actually fight to become village head." Maya said as she left the hut.
Joshua lied in bed looking at his straw roof and thinking about what Maya said.
"The only feeling I have right now is rage. I will avenge my brother no matter what and Maya wants to become the leader so everything should be alright. But if she wants to be leader then why does she want me to actually try to be the next head so badly?" Joshua thought as he slowly fell asleep.
Somewhere in the village a masked figure is buying supplies for the hunt, but is he hunting the same prey as everyone else?!